Torch settings?

[seankanary]

Hey guys, I recently purchased an oxy/acet setup on craigslist and it came with a Meco aviator jet torch/tips ($150 - SCORE!) I'm curious as to what regulator settings you would suggest. I am having a hard time finding any info online. From what little info I have found, it seems that people suggest running my oxy at 7-10 and my acet around 3-5. Does that sound right?

[steve garro]

For me , 5&5 all day long.
- Garro.

[seankanary]

Thanks G, the guys I bought it from ran it at 10 for gas and 25 for the o2..Just seems a bit high.

[dbohemian]

The Meco Aviator is an equal pressure torch. Simply that means whatever pressure you run on the fuel side you run on the oxy side. The only reason to run higher oxy pressures if for flame cutting, something framebuilders rarely if ever do.

4 and 4 or 5 and 5 will work very well as Steve pointed out. Technically you can run down around 2 or 3 depending on tip size but it is hard for most regulators to run that low so we just make it easy on ourselves. I replace the oxy gauge with a lower reading one 0-20psi that helps me to accurately set that one.

[seankanary]

Thanks for the info David.

[Adam Eldridge]

Hey there,

Where did you find the regulator? Im have trouble with my singles holding a constant reading. So doubles are in order. Like the idea of the gauge you found!

Cheers.

The Meco Aviator is an equal pressure torch. Simply that means whatever pressure you run on the fuel side you run on the oxy side. The only reason to run higher oxy pressures if for flame cutting, something framebuilders rarely if ever do.

4 and 4 or 5 and 5 will work very well as Steve pointed out. Technically you can run down around 2 or 3 depending on tip size but it is hard for most regulators to run that low so we just make it easy on ourselves. I replace the oxy gauge with a lower reading one 0-20psi that helps me to accurately set that one.

[Todd Mosley]

Hello everyone, this is my first post but putting it in here since it is related. I am starting my first build and plan on documenting it in a separate thread.

I have kit with a Smith AW1A torch with LT103, LT104, LT106 tips. Is the 04 the proper tip? Should pressure be 5/5 as well?

[Doug Fattic]

I am starting my first build...I have kit with a Smith AW1A torch with LT103, LT104, LT106 tips. Is the 04 the proper tip? Should pressure be 5/5 as well?

Are you using acetylene with – what Smith calls a brazing tip assembly – an AT60 with your LT104 tip? If so I would recommend the LT103 tip instead. I don't know what brazing experience you have but for those that don't have a lot, it is better to use a smaller tip because they can process the heating indicators and make adjustments better when things don't happen so fast. If you are doing something heavier like a bottom bracket shell than you might want that bigger tip.

If you are using propane than the LT104 tip (with the AT61 designed for propane) is the right size for general use in the beginning. As one gets more experienced than they use a bigger tip. Propane creates a cooler flame and requires a bigger tip to provide the same BTUs.

And now a story from when I was apprenticing in England way back when. Jack Briggs had an older framebuilder who came in the late afternoons once or twice a week. I hung around him to pick up whatever information he might have in addition to the 2 other builders. One of my first questions I asked him was what size tip I should use? His reply surprised me when he said it really doesn't matter, he can adjust his motions to almost any size tip. I agree that an experienced builder can make adjustments and probably uses a bigger, faster flame. However any size of tip will work is not the correct answer for a beginner.

Use your practice brazing to choose a tip size. If you are overheating (because you can't process and move fast or correctly enough) choose a smaller tip. Too small a tip can also cause problems because most beginners don't have even heat application skills (they get in a groove) so some parts of the area they are brazing are too cold while others may be too hot. If it isn't even, the silver or brass dams up in the cold areas. In this case a bigger tip provides more even heat because their flame pattern is wider.

[Todd Mosley]

Thanks for the info. I'm using acetylene. Only prior torch experience I have is brazing copper plumbing lines. I'm still practicing on scrap tubes for now.

[busdriver1959]

Todd,

It's good to see somebody from Memphis here. I'm in Germantown and have 6 frames now. I don't know what kind of tools you have but if you need to borrow any reaming, tapping or facing tools as you get going on your frame, let me know. I had a lot of help with my first two frames but that builder moved away. I also have a Bringheli small alignment table. Again, let me know.

Earl Glazer

[Todd Mosley]

Awesome. I hope you are the same EG that I just sent a message to on Facebook.