Thread: water produced when welding?

The instructor seemed to infer that the metal itself held and released the water when heated with a cutting flame, so I guess my real question is, does metal or iron hold or absorb moisture which is released when heated?

I guess it's likely that metal holds some moisture but quite unlikely that much to create a pool of water like you describe. What is much more likely is the process of welding creates hydrogen gases that condense to water as there is only one chemical step between Hydrogen Oxygen and Water. Water can be broken down into hydroxy and hydrogen gas with a simple eletrosis which is basically like welding but with very low amperage. I have seen not what you describe but a similar phenomenon, It was a video on youtube.com showing how an inventor had created an eletrosis technology using water and a low current inside a cell to produce browns gas which he patented, in tests he showed the torch melting metals whilst the torch head being cold to the touch. Water would condense and run off where the torch had been heating an area. If you search through the tons of videos on "free energy" and "zero fosil fuel" and they will change the way you think and see the world, then you will probhably find this video.

Just my 1.5 cents worth

I'm afraid your instructor is holding onto a misconception - There will be no water in the metal unless it had a crack or a void.

The classic misconception demonstration is to hold a cold spoon over a candle and demonstrate water coming out of the spoon! What's really happening is the burning wax has been making water which condenses on the cold spoon

If you heat metal with a non-fuel based heating system (eg electric) you will not see any water.

Answer is simple chemistry of combustion with the products being CO2 and water (H2O) and a few other bits & pieces if incomplete and depending on what is being burnt. In those high temperatures the water is vapour which condenses to liquid (water) on hitting a cold surface (the piece of steel or iron etc) - there is no 'water in the metal'.

SpiritFlukes - maaate, I know they grow some great stuff around Kyogle, but that doesn't mean you should use it! Youtube or not ya can't beat the laws of physics & chemistry! Electrolysis of water into oxygen & hydrogen is not 'like welding' in any scientific sense http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro...lysis_of_water. And the head of a welding torch doesn't get all that hot - the heat is at the tip of the flame away from the tip (the gases coming out are expanding quickly from their compressed state and draw heat from the surrounding pipework, including the brass handpiece and the brass or copper tips which can be quite cold to the touch even when emitting a full flame. I am a strong and long-time advocate for stopping our dependence on fossil fuels, but there ain't no such thing as 'free energy' (except maybe from my crystal when I'm in my pyramid!) - stick to the evidence mate and read the science not the quackery.

Never seen any moisture around my welding with gas or electric. Mind you it would not hang around long anyway. The heat would instantly evaporate it .

I would like to know how your instructor produced this pool of water?

Additionally a very useful feature of gas welding is that if you heat rust spots they crackle and spit and this is moisture held in the rust and instantly turned to steam blowing the rust away from good metal . The dry rust that is left turns to a liquified form with further heating and rolls away knocking off very easily when wire brushed later.

I use this technique to remove rust prior to etch priming and then paint on Tractors and anything solid enough to be heated