Rant: why I switched from acetylene to propane for my cutting torch

I used to swear by acetylene for 15 years because it cut so clean, but after my supplier jacked up the price to $85 a tank last spring I gave propane a shot. Sure the preheat takes longer and the cut edge is a bit rougher, but I'm saving like $40 a tank and not dealing with those scheduling headaches for exchange. Anyone else made the swap and found it worth it or did you go back to the old way?

2 comments

2 Comments

lee.lucas12d ago

You ever see a guy get so frustrated he just walks away from his whole setup? @williams.amy, you're right on the heat thing - my buddy Mike switched over two years ago and he said the same thing, it burns hotter but you gotta be patient. He was trying to cut a 1-inch plate with propane and was cussing up a storm because it took like twice as long to preheat. Now he keeps a smaller acetylene bottle for quick cuts and uses the big propane tank for his heavy stuff.

williams.amy13d ago

Read somewhere that propane actually burns hotter than acetylene, just slower to heat up.