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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Thermite Bars
- - By Metarinka (****) Date 07-10-2009 06:55
http://frenchriverland.com/livermore_falls.dwt

interesting photos

never heard of thermite bars (heard of thermite tho)  anyone know why it would be chosen over arc gouging or oxy fuel cutting?
Parent - By PipeIt (**) Date 07-10-2009 13:03
They are using it to cut very thick cast iron, they get very hot and add the oxygen it is very effective for cutting thick metals.
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 07-10-2009 13:44
These bars are more commonly know as an Oxylance. They will cut ANYTHING !
Parent - - By Lawrence (*****) Date 07-10-2009 14:25
Ok,

I've seen oxygen lances before  but never heard the term "thermite bar"

I don't see how an oxygen lance has anything to do with thermite.

Somebody educate me
Parent - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 07-10-2009 14:58
I dont know why they are calling them Thermite bars either. If you look at the picture with the setup and application. It is an Oxylance
Parent - - By Metarinka (****) Date 07-10-2009 17:42
yah I've heard of oxygen lances as well http://www.thermolance.com/Thermolance_Oxygen_Lance/thermolance_oxygen_lance.htm

they use them a lot in foundries to increase the melt temperature and burn out unwanted elements.

If i understand it, are they using a pipe filled with force fed thermite powder instead of a pipe filled with oxygen
Parent - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 07-11-2009 03:40
From what I see these guys doing, they are using an exothermic tube and oxygen rather than a steel tube, electricity and oxygen.
The tube burns to make the pre-heat, and the oxygen does the work. Most likely the tube is made from materials giving a thermite reaction, they are claming 8,000 degrees, that is hot.
Parent - - By darren (***) Date 07-11-2009 05:31
some of the smarter can finish this one but i believe thermite has all the oxygen within it to fulfill its own exothermic chemical  reaction. adding oxygen would seem pointless.
that looks like a good old home made oxygen lance.
could be a simple case of farm code nomenclature.
Parent - - By Shane Feder (****) Date 07-11-2009 10:37
Hello guys,
Thermite welding is done in Australia for joining railway tracks.
Thermite can be used for welding or cutting steel.
There is a really good explanation of thermite on google (Wikipedia)
Cheers,
Shane
Parent - By CWI555 (*****) Date 07-11-2009 14:25
It's used for railway tracks here as well.
Parent - - By Metarinka (****) Date 07-11-2009 16:46
thermite is a mix of about 70% ferrite oxide and 30% aluminum oxide (rust dust and aluminum powder) when burned the aluminum grabs the oxygen from the rust and turns it into elemental iron.  It's an extremely potent exothermal reaction that yes supplies it's own oxygen. you can make a variant of thermite with any oxide metal and a transition metal such as germanium, but those are generally rare elements so it's not worth it.

I've just never heard of it being used for cutting in this fashion or shape

From the pictures it looks like a more standard oxygen lance
Parent - By 803056 (*****) Date 07-11-2009 17:52
Who cares about the details of the thermite bars, excellent photo-essay.

My neighbor, several friends, and I built several water turbines back in the 70's. It doesn't seem that long ago!

One went to New Hampshire to Quechiee Gorge (I'm sure the spelling is way off) and two went to Colebrook Dam in Colebrook, Connecticut. I know the two in Colebrook is still producing power.

My neighbor was the brains and I was just one of the welders on the projects. Interesting to see a couple of Camel Back turbines again. We had one here in Connecticut, but the powers to be wouldn't let us get them running again. Too expensive an undertaking and the utilities refused to sell us with power if we attempted to run them for producing electrical power. We had to be satisfied with refurbishing a single runner Francis Wheel running a generator with a huge leather belt!

Best regards and thanks for the photographs!

Al
Parent - - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 07-12-2009 04:58
Thermite gets enough oxygen to sustain its reaction from the iron oxide in the mix. If You want to burn through 3" of cast iron, then You need to blow more oxygen on it. The "thermite" in that exothermic ox lance tube is the preheat. Trying to use it without more oxygen would be like trying to cut steel with a torch without pressing the oxygen lever.
Parent - By darren (***) Date 07-12-2009 05:13
awesome response dave
thanks
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Thermite Bars

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