Oxyweld Torch

[KyMike]

Has anyone here seen a portable oxy-fuel gas torch outfit called Oxyweld? According to the directions it burns some sort of fuel gas which is not mentioned and makes its own oxygen from 35% hydrogen peroxide. The maker was an Italian company called Uniox which according to an internet source patented the design but is no longer in business. The unit I have looks unused and comes with hoses and a set of dark goggles, but no tips for the torch. I thought it might be interesting to try it out but was wondering if the tips and the peroxide are still available? The torch looks similar to the "micro" torches used by jewelers.

Mike

[steamin10]

I usually buy no off the wall stuff without knowing its capabilities first. There are several "Mad Science" torch sets with gasoline, Mapp gas and other solid chems, just add water or some such alchemy, to get the thing to run.

A conventinal oxy acetylene setup, like used in HVAC, is small but incredably usefull for the home guy. A twist of a valve and your hot, is hard to beat with all the other razz for the other systems.

I would not waste a dime or a minute, on that contraption, that seems to me just a handfull of headaches. I would ask, if it is so good, why did the business fold?

I have no less than 5 industrial torch sets, from a cutter, that will go 4" plate, all the way to a jewelers torch. and I have seen the junk that you describe. I am not impressed.

[KyMike]

It came from an estate auction and I only have about $10.00 invested in it so far. Once I saw an oxy-hydrogen jeweler's torch that got its gasses by passing a DC current through an electrolytic cell and it seemed to work well, and so I thought this was something similar at first but apparently it is an entirely different technology. Maybe I will take the torch handle over to the welding supply house and see if they have anything that will fit it.

Mike

[ken fox]

I think you'll have a problem getting 35% hydrogen peroxide. The usual generally available stuff is 3%

[spro]

The other type referred to may be the "water welder". They are really good when they work which is often, unless they don't. It's back to the books or expect electrolyte to work forever.

[Lovesthedrive]

There was a company back in the 80's that had a welding kit that ran off of a portable propane cylinder. The oxygen came from a tube that you pulled apart and had some form of oxygen generating tablet that you lit.

I tried it myself and found it some what useless as by the time you got the metal hot enough to do what ever work the oxygen would be gone. Your better off getting a small oxygen bottle and doing it right.

You can get this set for $200 from NH Northern


http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200413934

[KyMike]

>>> I tried it myself and found it some what useless as by the time you got the metal hot enough to do what ever work the oxygen would be gone. Your better off getting a small oxygen bottle and doing it right. <<<

I think what you had was called a Solidox. I seem to remember Popular Science doing an article on these some years ago and it mentioned something about a chemical pellet inside that burned and provided a few minutes worth of oxygen. One of them turned up at an estate auction last year and it looked like something assembled out in the barn.

I don't think I am going to fool around with 35% hydrogen peroxide even if I can locate any. I already have an MC acetylene bottle and regulator and might change the torch over to oxy-acetylene provided I can find tips to fit it.

Mike

[steamin10]

There is nothing like the gleam of new brass and tools of any type, but I encourage you to go to the phone book and canvas the area pawn and resale shops for tools. Sometimes they want rediculous prices for used torches, grinders, and what have you. However I have found enough good stuf for cheap to load my shop for dimes on the dollar. Some great values can be had.

[hammermill]

the processes you speak of are differient breeds of cats the first unit used a 35 percent hydrogen perozide
as a gas source breaking down the water into o2 by eletrocolis i suspect. the second system used water and a caustic like sodium hydroxide into a cell composed of ss plates have a positive and negative charge and generated hydrogen for a combustable fuel ( think brown gas generators as mileage extenders of a couple years ago.)

by the way you can still by 35 perscent hydrogene peroxide in 35 percent soultion in both industrial and pharm grades but its pricey.

[PeteH]

High-strength peroxide may be available from beauty-supply houses as well as chemical supply houses.

It's fairly nasty stuff to handle... produces bleached-out burns on your skin, and usually you don't notice it's gotten onto you until you're already hurting. I never had any permanent damage from it, but it hurt like blazes.

Oh... and you'll probably get on some sort of nasty list for buying it, since it's a primary ingredient in one of the homebrew explosives.