Cutting With Gas

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]
[YouTube]