[TheForge] TheForge Digest, Vol 117, Issue 6

[Jerry Frost]

Good question Pete but I don't think it'd turn into thermite. What it may do
is operate on burning al rather than steel, it'd be REALLY bright and hot.
Were I cutting large thick castings as described I'd rent a jack hammer and
sharpen the bit OR rent a walk behind concrete saw and put a dry saw blade
in it. Maybe bridge it across something stout and beat the stuffins out of
it with a back hoe.

I didn't mention rapid combustion chemical mixtures even once!

Jer

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Peter Fels & Phoebe
Palmer
Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 10:37 PM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] TheForge Digest, Vol 117, Issue 6

Assuming you are cutting the Al to scrap it out, the buyer may be unhappy
with the contamination an oxy-lance would deposit.
I'm guessing.
With the iron, oxy and aluminum, we are coming close to thermite fun mubbie?

Query: I pulled an old ( don't know how old...WW2 old?) 8"X1" grinding wheel
out , dug up some centering hardware and hung it on my bench grinder.
It cuts gratifyingly quickly on hard steel!!     It also wears really fast!
Looks to be around 60 grit with darkish grains in a grey matrix.
I'm wondering if the binder has gotten soft with age and it's dangerous?
Ran it unloaded for 5 minutes while i did something else, then stood well
aside using it.
It won't last long and it's messy, but it cuts delightfully quickly.
Are such wheels available commercially?
On the 4 1/2" peanut grinders, the really cheap, soft grinding discs, cut
more aggressively than "better" wheels and save a lot of time doing an
unpleasant job...for my taste.

On Oct 11, 2013, at 10:24 PM, Jerry Frost wrote:

Yep, that's the thing. The oxy blowing through makes the steel tube burns
making for a really HOT cutter. Saw a demo where the guy burned holes
through concrete with little fuss. Concrete burns with a vivid orange smoke,
just let it get on you, it's hot quick lime but pretty.

Jer