Popping torch

I lit up my Craftsman cutting torch today and it started to pop. With the accetelene lit I was bringing up the oxygen to the right setting to cut and it started to pop in a cyclic manner. When I hit the oxygen to cut it smoothed right out however when I was done cutting it contiued to pop regularly. I have re-tightened all the connections on the oxygen side and have plenty of gas. Has anyone run into this before?

 

is the tip clean?

 

You have a bad or dirty seat either where the body screws to the cutting head or between the cutter head and tip. If it has O ring seals, they need replaced as well if it has been popping.

 

Clean the seating area with a dry cloth(no oil) and be sure you replace the "O" rings and make sure there are check valves on your hoses.

 

x2 .

 

Depending on how close you burn with the tip to material while cutting. You may have damaged the tip. I run into this a lot in the steel mill industry. The outer part of the tip warps, causing the clearances to change around the brass center.
If after changing your o-rings and tightening up like the others have suggested,
try replacing the tip. Good luck.

 

Believe it or not
You can improve the seal of the tip to the head by first.
Loosening up the caller that holds it and spin the tip with a drill motor in its seat pushing a bit to create some wear.
Like lapping a valve.

 

The Slobber Saw needs a tune up.

 

Somehow the oxygen and fuel are burning in the tip. Depending on who made the torch, it could be as simple as cleaning the tip or tightening the nut holding the tip on. It may require new o-rings on the tip or a new tip.

 

Popping can also be caused through too low a pressure. Are your bottles full enough to push the gases out - I normally find this on the Oxygen side as thats the bottle with the greatest pressure and uses gas faster than the acytelene ones. If my torch pops or backfires its norrmally a sign my oxygen setting is to low - or as is normally the case i'm running out on a Sunday and there is no other bottle avail = another wasted weekend trying to finish a job off LOL

 

x3.....

 

The poppin is little explosions inside your tip. Bad news can come from it! I've been welding since 1972. It still commands respect from me! Make sure your seals are good, your tip clean, and don't drag that tip, its not a plasma cutter!

 

Thank you gentlemen. I will try your suggestions today. Thanks again.

 

budman, for only a few dollars pick your self up a tip cleaner set. I believe they even have them now in Home Depot. Looks like a small folding Allen Wrench set, except each tool looks like a small twist drill.

 

x4

but a poppin tip can be caused by a distorted or plugged tip- an over heated tip- or a leak around the fittings as discribed