While this maybe a dumb question as I know cutting torches produce heat no problem i'm wondering if I can just use the cutting torch for heating rivets/steel/etc... I've been offered an older rig in good order that only has a harris cutting torch. The oxy lever is at the bottom of the handle so you can't just swap the head to a welding type and loose the trigger. I'm sure down the road i'd pick up another welding only torch to have both but for now I just wouldn't pull the trigger on the cutting torch. Trying to decide between this and another set with welding torch also but this set is heavy duty with victor regulators and the other isn't.
Thats what i was thinkin' just wanted to get input from somebody thats got a cutting torch... i've never used one.
I have used mine for this, but I feel a rosebud tip would burn up a lot less gas and produce as much heat.
I use mine all the time. The designated cutting torch will let you burn a better line because ergonomically its easier to control. Also, it is usually built to take some abuse from a commercial environment. Concentrated heat zone vs pinpoint of a welding tip vs washing heat zone of a rosebud. Whit my background the normal rosebuds are on 24" long plus pipe with about 1-1/4 head for some serious heat. I have a little dinky rosebud with about a 5/8 head and hardly ever use it.
You can adjust the oxygen and acetelyne knobs on the torch to make that thing do just about anything you need. You can set the flame cone to make it cut, or you can soften it up for heating. For knocking out rivets, I prefer a cutting torch because I'll pop the trigger a few times to heat saturate the rivet and get it cherry red. Then, I'll grab the air chisel with a flat blade and shear the head clean off. Then, replace the flat blade on the chisel with a punch bit and drive the rivet stem through. You'll never booger up a hole with this method. If you want to gas weld, just buy a small welding torch head and swap it out when you weld. That way, your set-up can be used for both welding and cutting.
Good advice from these guys. Buy the best gauges you can afford and take care of them. They will last a life time. Torches come and go.
Since your torch is probably similar to this one on Ebay 331157063020 It looks like the design is/was pretty common :121299464648 You should be able to get a different tip that is larger to heat with. You might better check though as that torch might be set up for LP gas or Propane as this similar new one is for LP 300938122231 A lot of scrappers use LP gas pr propane rather than Acetylene to save money as they just want to cut the metal and don't care how it looks. I've got a Harris torch like this 371018268256 That I've used since the 70's when I bought it new in Texas. I've never had a problem getting tips for the cutting head but have had to hunt a bit for welding tips. The problem with welding with it is that it is damned heavy if you plan to weld for a long time. I've got a small Victor Aircraft torch that I am hooking up on different hoses running off Y valves to fix that problem though.
A small welding tip is like $25 at the welding supply shop and will be more controllable. posted via smoke signals made with a Mexican blanket
I have a rose bud tip, but rarely use it. Most the time my torch is set up for cutting, and I like the more accurate cutting tip for heating a small area. A rose bud is nice if you want to heat large areas, but actually works against you for pinpoint heating. I like having the torch setup for oxy-acetylene welding though, and wouldn't have a set that didn't have cutting and welding capabilities.
Keep your thumb under the lever so you don't accidentally bump it on anything and cut the piece you only wanted to heat.
LP or acetylene is a difference of the tip only. The LP tip has a removable inner mixer type apparatus that provides more individual flame cones. No difference in torch aThere is a different gauge for LP. Propane cuts just as well as acetylene, years of propane burning.
I use mine for this all the time, too lazy to change the tips. I've used it to bend brake pedal arms in different directions.
Used various industrial Harris/Victor setups quite a bit in my younger years. Damn near indestructible. Severe duty++. In the right hands and equipped accordingly, you can cut, heat, or weld the proverbial cat's ass to a telephone pole with that rig. Kinda heavy though.
Use my cutting torch for heat all the time. It's especially nice for smaller areas. The rosebud is for larger areas that need to be brought up to high heat and held there for a longer time. Frank
I only have the cutting head for my setup. I use the torch to cut, heat, weld, braze and solder. Gene
to heat something or solder or braze go to a pawn shop and pick up a turbotorch makes a very hot and controllable flame and only uses acetylene much cheaper and simpler
For over 40 years at home I've gotten by without a rose bud and used the cutting head without squeezing the lever for bigger stuff and a welding tip for smaller and more concentrated jobs. For the rare really big jobs I'd use a rose bud at work during off time. Now retired I'll probably have to break down and spring for a rose bud if the need should ever come up. A year or so ago I had a frozen brake line fitting I wanted to save to avoid having to re plumb 1/2 the rig and couldn't get my big handle torch head headed safely in the right direction. Sprung 30 bucks or so for a butane micro torch and it worked slick, have since used it quite a few times on small concentrated jobs. One of those things that once you have it find all kinds of uses for and wonder why you didn't get years before. Ed
I sometimes use my cutting torch to heat things, but my roesbud tip works much better. That is what is designed for, and does the job right. You should be able to buy a rosebud for your torch, and that is what I would recommend that you do
Wrong ! There's no way to get a rosebud on the torch he's looking at. First post, second paragraph. I've been offered an older rig in good order that only has a harris cutting torch. The oxy lever is at the bottom of the handle so you can't just swap the head to a welding type and loose the trigger.
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