[Gasification] OT Welding

[Ken Calvert]

Max and all,
                      If you are listening in to Gasification topics, sooner 
or later you will be thinking about Stainless Steel and a lot of other 
corrosion resistant materials, not to mention Titanium, aluminium, copper 
etc.  Yes I have had a oxy/acetylene  torch for 30 years and  anAC/DC 
arcwelder for 50,  but why go to the effort of learning to ride a push bike 
when you will soon be really wanting a  Porshe?
In addition, in my part of the world,  BOC and the other suppliers of 
welding gases have screwed the price up and I am currently paying $300 a 
year just to rent a pair of oxy acetylene bottles, and the price for the gas 
is on top.   I have only had a "Plasma cutter" for 10 years but it is so 
cheap to run and cuts even  316 Stainless so precisely and with so little 
heat distortion that  I wouldn't  be without it.     Our local suppliers are 
now advertising the  WELD-TECH  MP3000  which is a 3 way combination machine 
that could be the small workshed owners dream.  Its a DC Arc welder , a TIG 
welder,  and a Plasma Cutter, all in one for  US$1,500.  Its made in China, 
so thats why the price is so good.   TIG is not as precise as a fine 
oxyacetylene tip  for brazing, but I have been
tempted to  try some argon through my plasma cutter head to see how that 
would work. If it did, then  I would ditch oxyacetylene for ever.
       Has anyone out there tried  argon through a plasma cutter?
Love to know? Ken Calvert.




>
> On 8-May-07, at 1:53 PM, Max Kennedy wrote:
>
>> Household/project items is the scale I'm looking at.  Steel tanks
>> for gasifiers, bike tubing for a recumbent etc.  Nothing terribly
>> large or esoteric such as titanium.  Good, starter to learn on
>> advice for common materials.  Anything specialty I will learn
>> later.  I plan on taking a course but in the meantime want to know
>> what to look for if a good piece of equipment comes up for sale and
>> what not to get as too ambitious right now.
>
> For bike work, you might want to start by learning brazing with an
> oxy-acetylene torch.  That will build proficiency in even heating
> without burning holes in things.  With nickel rod, brazing is almost
> the equivalent of welding on non-tempered steel for low-temperature
> use.  However, I've heard the new MIG rigs compared to a hot-glue gun.
>
> Best,
> Bob Stuart
>
>
>
>
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