torch cutting question from Iraq

[isesoteric]

Hey all, just gotta question for you all. I am not new to welding I have 3 years of experience, but I have been outta practice for about 4 years now. anywho
I am stuck in Iraq, and my unit wants me to armor our vehicles, no biggie, 19 vehicles one guy, to do it all cake walk........

so here is the problem. I got a local to buy me, a welder, not a miller though I wasnt pleased by that. and a torch setup, the tips that came with it are the 2 piece tips for mapp gas or lpg. I seem to remember it being bad to mix up the tips, but I cant remember if its the 1 piece acetylene tip with mapp gas or the other way around. maybe I am outta my mind on that one, but I figured I would check before I blew myself up. any help would be greatly appriciated. thanks

[Tanner]

Don't your 44Bs (I think thats the right one for ARMY metal worker) have any welding machines you could use?

Assuming you're in the army

[bail76]

Use a one piece tip for acetylene and a a two piece tip for mapp. Thanks for your service and be safe.

[wrench3047]

44b's

Tanner not all unit's are authorized 44b's. Thus not the equipment in the unit. The mechanic that is assigned the wrecker should have a torch setup, but that does mean he knows how to use it. No offence meant if your maintenance Isesoteric. There is a kit our HMMWV's (most) have installed. We are fairly lucky we have a good metalworker that wants to make sparks all day everyday, and one that can weld but is on the less dedicated side. We also have a warrant officer that is trying to get the equipment we could use to improve weld shop.

PS Ill be there in JAN 05

[klsm54]

Thank you for your service to our country isesoteric. I for one, greatly appreciate it....

You should stick with one piece tips for acetylene. You could use MAPP gas in a 1 piece acetylene tip, but I would not reccommend the reverse. Two pice MAPP and Propane tips vary mainly in the recess of the center piece. A MAPP tip has the center piece recessed only about 1/32", that is why MAPP will work in a one piece, since tips for it are almost flush like the Acetylene tips. Propane tips, on the other hand have the center piece set back a significant amount, probably 3/32 to 1/8", that is why propane doesnt work well in one piece Acetylene tips.

Surely you have access to Propane over there, don't you?

[isesoteric]

Thanks for the help

Thanks guys on the quick replys, klsm54 the info you provided was great, I now realize that I have all propane tips, I know of one guy with an acetylene tip but no gas looks like I am gonna be sweet talkin him. I can get the propane but that means new regulator more time waiting on that stuff. plus, the propane tanks they have here are just plain scary, I dont like standing around them much less cutting with them. as for the support and 44b's my battalion (they have all those people) is about 1 1/2 away on a different base. so that makes it tough, dont worry about the mechanic, thing its pretty on target. and wrench3047 if your coming, in jan, I am supposed to be leaving close to that time, if you want any info, possible bases you could be at. let me know we can hit up the email.

thanks again guys

[klsm54]

isesoteric,

You can use your acetylene regulator for propane. If the regulator has a CGA-510 connection on it(male threads), it will screw right into a propane tank, at least over here it will. If your acetylene regulator has a CGA-300 connection(female threads), you would need an adaptor. I don't know if you would have access to the adaptor or not, but in US language, it would be a Western #51.

We fill tanks for the Army Reserve center here, they are a transportation company, and all their acetylene tanks have the CGA-510 connection. Of course, I suppose that could vary, and I realize that you have to make do with what you have over there.

Good Luck! Hope we were of some help. Post again if you run into any more problems...

[Alex]

isesoteric,
How far to the nearest 63W? He should have the parts you need.

Keep up the great work, we're ALL behind you.

Be cool,
Alex

[isesoteric]

More from Iraq,

well I got the no name welder working, it doesnt do to bad. unfortunitally the one thing that I was counting on working flawlessly my makita grinder the motor burnt up with in the first 20 minutes of using it. still no resolve with the torch setup I found a guy here that has the stuff I need, but I havent been able to track him down for a few days. so I am still at a stand still, just for grins, I gave the LPG tip a whirl with the acetelyene gas, didnt do so good, I kept getting burn back into my torch head. so I decided no need to make a mess of myself and put that up till I could get the right tip. anywho just wanted to let you all know thanks again for the support and help

I will keep you all up with the progress

SGT Daily

[JREED660]

ISESOTERIC,

Being prior military myself, I can sympathise. I am the store manager for a large distributor of welding supplies. If you can reply and give me a address (and the make and model of the torch in question) I will send you some tips for it. Just specify the gas of choice you are using, it would be my pleasure.

Keep you head down!!

[isesoteric]

thank you so much

JReed660,
Thank you so much for the offer, you can email me at aol, my email is the same as the name that I am using to post here, and I will send you the info on the torch head, I have tried a few times now to get the right tips, and the guy keeps bringing in the wrong ones. i have been pretty busy here lately thats why I havent posted lately. thanks once again. time for me to get back to work