Oxy-hydrogen torch
Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 4:02 am
Well as you may know, you can do cool things with oxyhydrogen torches. Like melting glass, rock and stainless. Cutting cans in half with an invisible flame..
So let say I have a desire to make one, but I have a few questions.
Should I use carbon for the electrodes (I'll probably use a 12v dc source, car battery). There has been discussion about stainless letting chromium into the water, and iron just goes to nothing too fast.
Also, the electrolyte. Salt makes chlorine, so that's out. Is baking soda a good substitute for potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide until I can get them? I know it will rape my electrodes.
And the torch. Oxy-hydrogen will be made mixed so I'll have a bubbler at the source and a check valve on the actual torch. Is this enough? Or should I put a flashback arrestor on the torch as well? Will probably just use a needle valve at the torch to control flow. Probably just a slightly crimped bike needle for the tip. As I plan to use mainly metals in the torch, should I be concerned about hydrogen embrittlement?
Thanks guys
So let say I have a desire to make one, but I have a few questions.
Should I use carbon for the electrodes (I'll probably use a 12v dc source, car battery). There has been discussion about stainless letting chromium into the water, and iron just goes to nothing too fast.
Also, the electrolyte. Salt makes chlorine, so that's out. Is baking soda a good substitute for potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide until I can get them? I know it will rape my electrodes.
And the torch. Oxy-hydrogen will be made mixed so I'll have a bubbler at the source and a check valve on the actual torch. Is this enough? Or should I put a flashback arrestor on the torch as well? Will probably just use a needle valve at the torch to control flow. Probably just a slightly crimped bike needle for the tip. As I plan to use mainly metals in the torch, should I be concerned about hydrogen embrittlement?
Thanks guys