Cutting With Gas
By Eric Dykstra
Pure oxygen is awesome stuff — combine it with with a fuel source, and it can produce a brilliant flame capable of burning through nearly anything. The traditional fuel source for Oxy-Metal cutting has been compressed acetylene; but now Petrogen offers a cutting system that uses regular gasoline.
Their gasoline cutting torch outperforms its acetylene cousin in several ways, and especially in fuel cost savings. Two and a half gallons of regular pump gas can do the work of approximately 250 cubic feet of acetylene, offering greater portability as well as significant savings — even with increasing gas prices.
The basic Petrogen kit includes the specialized cutting torch, cutting tips, and hoses, as well as Petrogen’s gasoline tank. They also offer a heavy rescue kit — it includes longer hoses, for access to the interior of structures. You’ll have to bring your own O2 tank in either case.
The system is capable of some serious cutting — check out their sales video to see it cut through what looks to be at least an 8″ piece of stock in no time. As to price, they’re a bit cagey, which usually means I can’t afford one. You’ll have to give ‘em a call to find out for yourself.
Petrogen Cutting System [Safequip]
Sales/Demo Video [YouTube]
March 20th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Here is the manufacturer’s website: http://www.petrogen.com/
March 20th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Wow. I want one. I have absolutely no use for one whatsoever. But I want one.
March 20th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Hey they are FREE!!
http://www.allhandsfire.com/page/AHF/PROD/6000
March 29th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I saw the inventor, Milt Heft demonstrate this torch at ConExpo back in the early 1980’s. I am happy to see that they are being manufactured and sold by his family. Good old American ingenuity!