[TheForge] Re: Burning Metal

[Chris Worsley]

Interesting statement you give below.
Perhaps you can tell me what I have been doing wrong all these years 
that DOES allow me to cut low carbon steel and wrought iron with an 
oxy/acet torch!  The same materials are also easily cut with oxy/propane 
which is what my local scrap yard uses.
Nonferrous metals are not usually cut with oxy/fuel equipment.

Chris
Alex. VA

Harland Johnson wrote:

> A acetylene torch works on the basis of burning steel. While there may 
> be molten iron/ steel that drops off as slag in the process, once up 
> to temperature, it is the oxygen and the carbon content of the steel 
> that make the cutting process work.  That is why a oxy-acetelene torch 
> doesn't work for low carbon steels, wraught iron,  or things like pure 
> iron.  Switching from cutting steel, trying to use an Acetelene torch 
> on non-ferous metal is real learning experience, like trying  to 
> "burn" a nice cut through a bar of copper.
>