Thread: Ultrathermic Cutting ?

Hi
Thermal lances ,or more correctly exothermic lances are not a new thing.They have been used in industry for 50 years possibly longer.The units are well known in earthmoving circles.

They are usually a tube packed with steel rods or wires where the oxygen stream is passed down,after the end is heated to ignition temperature,ie over 900 degrees C.

Variations on the theme exist, including a slice torch with a copper coated carbon body steel wool filled tube by a company called Arcair .I saw this cut 50 mm solid ripper tyne bar in a few seconds and half way through a rock ,below.underneath the bar.

The heating was accomplished with with 12 volts. The only thing new is the Ultra name
Very hot,dangerous and loud, but excellent for cutting a rock in half if you ever need to.

Google up thermic or thermal lance .There should be lots of entries.
Grahame

As Grahame said, Thermal lance. They do need a heat source to start burning; welding power source, heat the end with oxy acetylene/propane flame, the 12v would be an inverter but it is still providing heat to start the rod burning. once burning the rod has many steel rods inside the outer tube with one magnesium rod which once "lit" keeps the whole lot burning, a high flow of oxygen is required as the oxidiser. No electric circuit is required to run this system, therefore it can heat/melt/cut non conductive materials e.g. stone, dirt, big lumps of black jack. The 12v and welder power source ignitions will need a circuit for startup only, and plays no part when up and running.

We use them at work(thermal lances), to start them we use charcoal with some paper... just strike a match and turn on the oxygen.
We use them to open up/tap out furnaces that have been clayed up or to melt banks of dross in the furnace.

Hi Everyone,

Is this a good piece of equipment to have, would it be usefull in regards to welding? The bloke that owns this is thinking of selling it as he has no use for it all and is not a welder or a tradie.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Hi all

In forty odd years of the trade experience I can't recall a time where the tool would have been handy in a welding situation.
A heavy duty type of cutting gear more suited to foundry or refinery work or perhaps rescue work.

The bill for the oxy cylinder rental would keep one in poverty.
Interesting but totally unnecessary. A DIY home welder would never need one.Save your money.

Grahame

Thanks Grahame,

thought as much, the only thing i could use it for now would be to break into a bank vault or break someone out of jail.

I will save my pennies for my education instead.

Regards,

Paulo

By the Way, how are your training Videos Going?

Hi guys

I have managed to blunder across a photo I took at the Emerald Agfest in the 90's.It was at the Lincoln Electric stand who were displaying the slice torch.

The pic is worth the thousand words etc !
Note the ripper tyne about 50mm thick.

Grahame