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I Forge Iron

How I removed soot from torch tips and rosebuds


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I bought two used rosebuds that had heavy soot.  Never was able to get them clean until today......Oven cleaner.  Since it's cold, I used a propane torch to warn them up while they soaked. Tip #2  If you use a biometric (finger print) reader to log onto your computer, oven cleaner WILL remove the ridges of your fingers.  Some lessons are just hard won.

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Be VERY careful using "creative" cleaning methods around 100% O2. Certain chemicals and 100% O2 do not play well together. Even if they don't, there is a possibility you can cause the contaminants to go deeper into the system where they can become harder to remove. Everything will burn in the presence of 100% O2 if conditions are correct, that includes things that normally won't "burn" like brass and stainless. If you get the pressure high enough they will lite up.

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Tips are just clogged from soot?? Get a set of tip cleaners from Home Depot and clean the orifices out first. Then you can spray them with anti-spatter (it is solvent-based, also great for removing paint from metal *hint*) and let all the soot run out. Then soak in acetone to clean out the anti-spatter. Lastly, blow out with compressed air and be sure it is dry dry DRY before you put back together.

 

-Hillbilly

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As a follow up.....The tips were easy to clean but the tubes had heavy soot.  None of the bottle brushes that I use for engine work would make the bend of the tubes.  After cleaning, I flushed them with a garden hose and blew them out with an air chuck.  Any suggestions as to a better way to clean these?   Thx

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A common method that I have seen and periodically use is to turn the torch up and rub the tip on a piece of wood, once the wood is good and chard turn on the cutting o2 and continue rubbing the torch tip on the wood. Some say that the popping that occurs dislodges stuck particles.I can not say for sure if this is the case but I have had good luck cleaning tips with this method. Depending on the wood It also makes the shop smell good.

 

brad

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If you have soot in the tubes, you have some very serious issues that need to be addressed.

 

 

With normal use you should not have soot INSIDE the torch. Make sure you have your pressures adjusted correctly and know what you are doing. Lots of guys run the acetylene way too low for using a rosebud. Also lots of guys running a rosebud are often exceeding the withdrawl rate for the size cylinder they are using and pulling acetone up into the torch. Acetone will damage the torch seals and can cause an unsafe condition.

 

You are burning back inside the torch and are well on your  way to damaging the torch handle and having a flashback that will light up the hoses, possibly all the way back to the regs if you don't have flashback arrestors. Sounds like you may have had a backfire, sustained backfire or flashback already. This can get very ugly in a hurry.

 

I know I've seen a better video on this, but this is the only one I can find tonight.

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
territorialmillworks

First off, are we sure these are acetylene tips??? Many people think all tips are used on all types of fuel. Post the manufacture and numbers on the tips or better yet pictures.

 

I am in no way doubting your ability to use a torch but i would look it over from regulator to tip or have someone of confident knowledge do the same.  In the mean time invest in some flashback arrestors if you haven't already.....

 

Careful taking apart the torch and using any of these cleaning agents listed. keep in mind you have to hold onto it the next time you light it. A simple google search can show the damages caused by oxy/fuel set ups.

 

At the end of the day, new tips are not that expensive.  But figure out what might be creating this "soot"..

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