Saw a guy at the union hall in Hammond use a cutting torch instead of a grinder on a old header tube

Stopped by the hall last Thursday to drop off my cert papers and watched a member cut out a section of tube from a retired header in about 30 seconds flat. It was clean and way faster than the angle grinder method I learned. Any of you use a torch for stuff like that or is it just a one-off trick?

2 comments

2 Comments

felixw994d ago

22 years of burning out tube on the Gulf Coast taught me to keep a torch in the truck for emergencies only. Heat distortion from that fast a cut can warp thin walls and leave a nasty edge that needs grinding anyway. I'd rather spend 2 minutes with a cutoff wheel and know my surface prep is dead level.

the_dylan4d agoTop Commenter

Man, I've seen so many guys down here in Florida try to save time with a torch on thin wall tube and regret it later. @felixw99 is absolutely right about that heat distortion, especially on something like 16 gauge or lighter. I mean, maybe it's just me but that extra couple minutes with a cutoff wheel saves you a half hour of straightening and grinding later. Plus the edge is just cleaner for welding, no question.