Propane Weed burner to heat steel?

The weed burner will work! I have used those weed burners to heat very large steam valves (around 3000 lbs of steel) to free up the internals. We used one on each side of the case and had a propane with a added ingredient to make the flame hotter. I don't really know what that ingredient was but the gas supply company said that this propane with the extra kick would work alot better.

 

heres a pic of my little forge, it's not the right shape to heat axles for droping, the ventures point straight down and it;s to wide, a smaller version would not be hard to make, its nice to have around when it's cold, i just fire it up and open the door.

 

I used 2 torches when I did my model A axle one was run on propane/oxy and one was ace/oxy. they where just enough to bend/stretch the axle with a 25 ton press. I couldnt have done it with just one torch. you have to get that axle HOT.

 

I'm not a metallurgist but I'm guessing that the oxy/acetylene is doing the bulk of the heating and the weed burner is just helping maintain the temperature. Propane flame temperatures vary with the amount of oxygen that can be introduced, the less oxygen, the colder the flame. A 5 gallon propane tank by itself with a weed burner tip is not a very hot flame but the added BTU's it supplies will allow the area being heated by the oxy/acetylane to not dissipate the heat so rapidly. I've never got steel orange with any form of propane system that didn't introduce additional oxygen beyond the 21% in open atmosphere.

 

my machinist friend stumbled onto something this past summer.
a section of insulated chimney pipe works really well as a forge.
he uses propane and a "tiger torch" to heat large things in a short period of time.
i would holesaw an opening in the side of the chimney for the torch-weed burners get suprisinly hot.also packing fireproof insulation around the area adjacent to the bend will prevent the extra cast from*****ing away all your precious heat.there has to be a way to get the needed amount of heat out of the weed burner,i have used one for heating small items.
there h

 

I have never started a thread on axels or forgings, I have always replied to others comments. The V Bulletin Board has a poor search function at the best of times, perhaps if you try various searches, Drop Axel and the like, you may come across, my little pearls of wisdom lol. To explain a little about me, I am an Industrial Blacksmith with over forty years experience in many types of heating/heat treating and many types of forgings, including automotive parts. I have been prompted to respond to posts where misinformation and possible dangerous activities were planned or being employed.

The name of the game is safety first, not only yours but also other road users. An axel is a 'Critical Part' it must not fail. If your actions cause an axel to fail the consequences could be serious. I'm all for a guy 'having a go', and doing so once you are fully informed can be a satisfying and valuable leaning experience. That is why I think you are being prudent and wise in first seeking advise here, before charging in regardless.

For example 296V8 and I have gone head-to-head a couple of times over certain procedures and different types of alloy steels. I have to say he is absolutley right in his observation, one thing leads to another thing, leads to another... And before you know it you have enough expertise and (damn) equipment to do this for a living.

 

what he said..I'd be more worried about a proper dropping fixture and having the skills/equipment to tweak the axle into shape afterwards.

but....you only learn by doing it and I think it's great that you want to try..everyone paints their first car or does their first weld.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDhKr3iTgtE&feature=g-all
My weedburner project. Yes, using it with a closed in area, fire bricks or refractory lined bucket to make a tunnel forge would be a good start, putting the heat where you need it instead of blowing off. Unless you are planning on using this in a forge or ?? a lighter would be enough. MONITOR IT, if the flame goes out in a closed up garage the metal can blow off the walls when a spark occurs. (LIGHT switch or dropping a tool)

A press, a couple of steel jigs in the "shape" you want to press it into and soon you got a deal I'd sign off on being as good as a pro job. I'd be tempted to say to make a set of "long alignment" king pins that would give you a good thing to get a 2-way angle off of with a cheap protractor to "check the end result". Several "odd directions you can stray off into there. AND if not perfect the car will stray off in directions too.

It ain't rocket science, saw a ford dealership "bending" axles on a Ibeam equipped truck to align it.. cold. But it didn't have to go as far as you are wanting to go.

 

i pulled out the weed burner torch a few days ago,clamped a 1" bar to the bench and proceeded to heat it.after fvei minutes i realized it would never be enough.
grab oxy/acet torch w/cutting head and in a matter of a minute it was glowing bright red.
depending on ambient temps,a fireproof box,a jig set up,i think mor faster heat is necessary.not something a weed burner could do.
now if you want to heat sheet metal,it does that really well.
burns weeds real good too..
so i guess i recind my earlier comments.
now a tiger torch on the other hand-80,000 btus and you are cooking with gas....it will warm up a garage in a matter of minutes.

 

you can make a half****ed forge with fire bricks to hold in the btu

here is a nice setup

http://www.jamesriser.com/Machinery/GasForge/PropaneForge.html

here is an old post of axle bending
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198214

 

This