gas welding: question about popping

[mhorowit]

I know that when I get a pop with my gas rig, it means the tip is too hot and the mixture is exploding in the tip.

GOOGLING around on the subject, I came upon someone's explanation of what
they do to keep the tip clean: " I keep a piece of hard wood handy and play the torch on it to get a little burn going. I then rub the end of the torch in the burning wood and POP, the torch tip is clean and flowing."

I don't understand what he's doing. Is he saying that while the wood
is on fire he rubs the orifice of a lit tip against the flaming wood?
Won't that put the torch out? won't that produce unexpected
back-pressure on the torch? how is this cleaning the torch tip? - Mike

[Pearson]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

Mike,

I have never used that method of cleaning a tip. A dirty tip can cause popping. A simple wire type tip cleaner available at any welding supply for a few bucks is what I use.

Make sure all of your connections are tight where the hoses screw onto the base and where the tip screws on.

Also too high of pressure on your oxygen or too low on the acetylene can cause popping. I have seen between 10 & 25 and as high as 15 & 40 psi. I think it is the ratio that really matters. If your tip is clean and connections tight, try lowering the pressure on your oxygen or increasing the acetylene and see if that makes a difference.

[1938BF50]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

Mike,

Just do it....it works great. Bring the tip of the torch down in contact with the wood and "scribble" with it. Yes, it puts the torch out most of the time.

FYI.......I use a Smith's Gas Saver(google it) which presents a small pilot flame to relite the torch without adjusting each time. Handiest thing on the welding bench.

[1938BF50]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

With a #0 tip, I use about 10# on the oxy and 3#'s or so on the acetylene for stock from 1/16 to 3/32 or so. Put in a couple hours of torch time last night on the Pietenpol wing fittings.

[Guest]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

Seems to me that every torch I have owned came with a manual that listed the pressure for each tip and fuel.

Those pressures were quite different from one brand to another.

[astjp2]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

Gawd, dont ever rub your tip on anything, you can get a flash back into the lines! If you have arresters on the torch handle you can still get an internal fire in the handle. That is what that black soot is when you pull off the tip and look down into the handle.......Just turn off the torch and clean the tip properly. You dont saw the tip cleaner in and out either, just in and out one time... I will change the orfice size if you saw it back and forth. www.tinmantech.com has some good information about setting any tip size torch pressure.....Tim

[Carrieve]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

Having taught welding for years, one of the symptoms of the popping is also to low a pressure. I now it is difficult to want to turn the "fire" up on such thin metal as we work on, but if you can, it usually solves the popping problem.

[mhorowit]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

Having taught welding for years, one of the symptoms of the popping is also to low a pressure. I now it is difficult to want to turn the "fire" up on such thin metal as we work on, but if you can, it usually solves the popping problem.

Interesting.... I've been using 3# on both gasses. If I can dress warm enough, I'll try 3&10 today - thanks all - Mike

[Guest]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

Does this help? Not sure if you have a Smith torch.

http://enet.smithequipment.com/public/docs/BDBinDoc.asp?ID={FCCFBF32-5B09-431E-B58E-1271BD10BD71}&DownLoad=0

[Guest]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

Here is the Harris torch data, see page 9

http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/pdf/manual/9505643HarrisOutfitManualRevAa.pdf

See the paragraph on the bottom of page 7 "Adjusting Pressure" for info about what U.P and E.P. mean and how to figure out what type of torch you have.

Dave

[Forrest Barber]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

We used 6 & 12 for #2 & #3. Most of the time it was fine. Still have tips from Taylorcraft 1945-46 . yes we wiped them on the charred wood a bit.
To each his own , get 6 welders together and get 6 opinions.... How many are still welding aluminum with oxy-acet ?? That was the ONLY approved method till the Feris era. How about the steel neck into the aluminum main tank. Magic ? NO , flux.....

[Ragwing nut]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

I double the Oxy over the Acetelyne. Very rarely have a problem.

[flyguy]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

I'm not going to go look it up, but isn't there something about working with the tip too close to the puddle will cause the tip to overheat and pop?
I haven't welded anything serious in years, but I think I remember that being a tidbit from one of my welding books.
Darryl

[Len Petterson]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

Ok Forest you trought out the challange!
How is the neck welded in on the tank?
Steel is cleaned and the aluminum melts at lower temp. when the steel, so it becomes a solderring /welding technic. Just my gues!
Len Petterson

[astjp2]

Re: gas welding: question about popping

Ok Forest you trought out the challange!
How is the neck welded in on the tank?
Steel is cleaned and the aluminum melts at lower temp. when the steel, so it becomes a solderring /welding technic. Just my gues!
Len Petterson

It can also be brazed....or silver brazed...