Author Topic: Acetylene Torch questions  (Read 9702 times)

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Offline Ron Gibson

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Re: Acetylene Torch questions
« Reply #15 on: October 23, 2014, 04:38:01 PM »
Chris
The solid wire will work fine for filler wire but it might be a little small depending on what you're welding. If you have safety wire pliers, clamp one end of the wire in the vise and pull and spin the wire, will straighten it right out.
For bottles check with your local suppliers. Some will exchange a bottle as long as it's the same size regardless of whose tag is on it. If you can find used bottles, like on craigs list, don't be afraid of them as long as they look undamaged. I bought a "T" (= large), full, oxygen bottle on craigs list for $100. My "T" nitrogen out-right, was $315. If the bottle is out of date when you exchange it they will charge you a nominal fee for re-certification, no problem. If you buy a new bottle, the first time you exchange, you won't get your "new" bottle back anyway. Buy the largest bottle you can afford and have room for. The cost to fill the little bottles is astronomical compared to the larger ones.
As was quoted on another site. " If while welding, you smell smoke, stop and put yourself out." :-D :-D

YMMV
Ron
Life is an abrasive. Whether you get ground away or polished to a shine depends on what you are made of.

Offline kiwi belly tank

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Re: Acetylene Torch questions
« Reply #16 on: October 24, 2014, 01:30:37 AM »
Mig wire will be too small especially if you're new to gas welding, get some 1/16th. 1/8th is really too big for most jobs unless you need to weld up the grand canyon, a good weld is all about quality not quantity. I bet there's all kinds of vids on youtube to help the novice.
  Sid.

Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Acetylene Torch questions
« Reply #17 on: October 24, 2014, 08:26:22 AM »
Mig wire will be too small especially if you're new to gas welding, get some 1/16th. 1/8th is really too big for most jobs unless you need to weld up the grand canyon, a good weld is all about quality not quantity. I bet there's all kinds of vids on youtube to help the novice.
  Sid.


That's what caused me to ask - a YouTube video.  Wish I could find it again, but the guy was doing a butt joint on a panel, and he was using what looked like MIG wire.
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline Ron Gibson

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Re: Acetylene Torch questions
« Reply #18 on: October 24, 2014, 09:38:20 AM »
If the fit is really good. you need very little if any rod. Takes lots of practice.
Look up David Gardiner metal shaping on Youtube. His video is super.

Ron
Life is an abrasive. Whether you get ground away or polished to a shine depends on what you are made of.

Offline Captthundarr

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Re: Acetylene Torch questions
« Reply #19 on: October 24, 2014, 09:58:52 PM »
1/16th look like mig wire on videos.  I've seen folks use twisted mig wire with mixed results. Clean clean clean the joints before you weld....
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Offline Jack Gifford

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Re: Acetylene Torch questions
« Reply #20 on: October 25, 2014, 12:27:02 AM »
Using anything other than coat hangers is heresy.... :roll:

Chris- I just noticed that we're in the Non-LSR forum. Which of your [non-LSR] activities requires a set of torches? Welding broken guitar strings will be a challenge!
« Last Edit: October 25, 2014, 12:33:24 AM by Jack Gifford »
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Offline 4-barrel Mike

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Re: Acetylene Torch questions
« Reply #21 on: October 25, 2014, 12:52:51 AM »
National Steel



 :?

Mike
Mike Kelly - PROUD owner of the V4F that powered the #1931 VGC to a 82.803 mph record in 2008!

Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Acetylene Torch questions
« Reply #22 on: October 25, 2014, 01:19:59 AM »
National Steel



 :?

Mike

Using anything other than coat hangers is heresy.... :roll:

Chris- I just noticed that we're in the Non-LSR forum. Which of your [non-LSR] activities requires a set of torches? Welding broken guitar strings will be a challenge!

I don't have the dough, bro, but I know where to get guitar strings for cheap.

Jack, it's my new acquisition, a '61 Sprite.  There is some panel work that needs to be touched up, a trunk floor that needs to be replaced, a shift lever that will need to be heated and bent, some radiator brackets to fab up, and an exhaust system that will need to be created.  



I'll be in need of some British Thermal Units in the next few months, and while I'm working on the new Midget engine, I intend to have this thing on the street in March.

And then drive it out to Boulder, pick up my nephew, Nick, who is almost as tall as I am, and drive it out to Utah.

The car came completely disassembled.

It's currently set up for a 215 Buick, which is freshly rebuilt and ready to install.  I acquired a few other 215s as well, along with an extra set of the Oldsmobile turbo heads.

The end game is to rebuild one of the other Buicks, bolt it up to a TH350, drop it in my MGB and let Kate drive it.  She ripped up the four speed in my first MGB, and I haven't been able to find her an affordable MGC automatic, so I've decided I'll just make an MG for her.
« Last Edit: October 25, 2014, 01:22:23 AM by Milwaukee Midget »
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline 4-barrel Mike

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Re: Acetylene Torch questions
« Reply #23 on: October 25, 2014, 02:22:21 AM »
If  your decision is the V6 & auto for Kate, then, respectfully, put the supercharged B into the Sprite, NOT another V6.

Mike
Mike Kelly - PROUD owner of the V4F that powered the #1931 VGC to a 82.803 mph record in 2008!

Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Acetylene Torch questions
« Reply #24 on: October 25, 2014, 09:24:02 AM »
If  your decision is the V6 & auto for Kate, then, respectfully, put the supercharged B into the Sprite, NOT another V6.

Mike

Too much weight and not enough spark plugs, Mike.  They're 215 aluminum Buick V-8s -



"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline Jack Gifford

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Re: Acetylene Torch questions
« Reply #25 on: October 25, 2014, 11:54:45 PM »
Cool project!
One of the few problems I had with a '62 Skylark (215 4-bbl) was a fuel-starvation issue that drove me crazy for awhile. One of your pictures seems to show the same factory sediment-bowl-style filter that mine had. I eventually learned that the filter element (porous ceramic?) could "pretend" to clean up fine, but when put back into use would gradually shut off fuel flow! NAPA had a little paper filter element that fit right into the sediment bowl- end of problem.

It's sort of bittersweet to see pictures of things I no longer have. Buick 215 engine (surrounded by mint-body/mint-interior Skylark hardtop). National guitar, which was the first "good" guitar I owned (1957)- a nice, used, full-body archtop electric that my dad helped me buy (I built a one-tube pre-amp and wired it into our console radio, to use an amp).
« Last Edit: October 26, 2014, 12:14:12 AM by Jack Gifford »
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