[TheForge] Orange smoke (was: Petrogen Torch Yak)

[Jerry Frost]

When I got my All States torch the guy who demoed it said he was demoing the
oxy lance for the fire dept a couple days later and I should come by.

Part of the demo entailed him burning 3" +/- holes through a jersey barrier.
As far as I know there was nothing special about it, just concrete and
rebar.

I expect the burning lime was about as reactive as it gets. There were
undoubtable other minerals present in the form of the aggregate in the
concrete but the smoke was a uniform VERY orange so I don't think there were
significant adulterations.

I don't know if it was noxious, the FD guys were avoiding it like the plague
so I did too. I imagine getting coated with hot quick lime would be . . . .
"unpleasant". <grin> Asuming it was quick lime.

I didn't notice any residue but wasn't looking. Seeing somebody blast
through about a foot of concrete in a few seconds was distracting.

Frosty
------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Freeman" <FREEMAB at pt.fdah.com>


> Orange smoke?  Hmmm...  Bright colors mean "active" electrons, which may
> mean reactive or toxic chemicals.  I don't know why the orange color,
> though.  Maybe nitric oxide?  Does it leave an orange powder behind?
>
> Bruce
> NJ
>
> >>> frosty at customcpu.com 8/20/2004 3:30:30 PM >>>
>
> <snip>
>
> Second is an oxy lance's ability to burn virtually anything, so you
> can
>

>
> Burning concrete produces VIVID orange smoke. <grin>
>
> Frosty
>