Torch Cutting Techniques for Scrap Steel

Heating

• The first torch-cutting technique that you'll need to master for cutting scrap steel is the process of heating the metal. This requires the right torch tip, with tips that range in size based on the thickness of the scrap steel you need to cut through. Before heating the metal, you must clamp it down to an immobile fixture that can resist the heat of cutting. Heating scrap steel with a torch involves making repeated passes over the material until it reaches a uniform bright red color.

Oxy Cutting

• Oxy cutting is a torch technique appropriate for cutting scrap steel across a range of thicknesses. It involves engaging an oxygen trigger to add compressed oxygen to a torch's flame, increasing its heat and forming a cut in already-hot material. A skilled torch user knows precisely when to apply oxy cutting based on the color and thickness of the steel. Oxy cutting uses rough cuts based on a guide that is clamped to the metal, followed by more precise cuts to give the steel the desired shape.

Safety Techniques

• The high temperatures, high-pressure gases and energy involved in cutting scrap steel with a torch requires special focus on safety. Workers must wear appropriate safety equipment, including eye protection to guard against sparks, gloves that can withstand the temperatures needed to cut steel and face masks to protect the skin. Cutting scrap steel should only be done in a controlled environment where enough space is available to work and the noise, sparks and heat created in the process won't affect other workers.

Alternative Cutting Techniques

• Cutting scrap steel with a torch is only one way to turn old metal into a useful component. Cutting with a saw is an option for thinner scrap steel, with far fewer safety issues and special skills required. Plasma cutters are another alternative to gas-fueled torches. Plasma cutting combines gas torch cutting with an electric arc that creates the heat necessary for a clean cut. Consider all tools available to you, along with your skill and comfort levels, before trying to cut scrap steel.