Recreating An Antique Carbon Torch (Oxy/Acetylene Alternative)

Building a carbon arc torch has been one of the simpler projects I have tackled lately, but I think it will also prove to be one of the most practical. Without an oxy/acetylene torch there are few other options that can heat seized nuts quickly enough to free them from a rusted bolt. Vehicle repairs will certainly go smoother in my shop with this torch on hand.

Thank you to my Patreon supporters, and especially my top patrons: Enzo Breda Lee, Jon Hartmann, TheBackyardScientist & Eugene Pakhomov

Thanks for watching!

[Nighthawkinlight]

For those interested, this did not actually work very well for making synthetic rubies. It throws off more carbon dust than a single rod as I used in my previous video, and so rubies that I attempted to make were very contaminated. This may however work pretty well if used as a heat source in a small furnace, with a closed crucible in the middle.

[gresvig]

Also, if you're making water or synth gas, don't die of carbon monoxide poisoning, kay? We all like this channel.

[kjvanwartberg]

*Oxy/Acetylene bottle runs dry*

Nighthawkinlight:
"Okay so here are my Zeus-Chopsticks"

[alanthealienoriginal]

Thanks for the video. I made one of these setups when I was 14 using carbon rods from D cell batteries, some wood, lamp cord and I used 2 lead weights in a pan of salt water for a rheostat. Plugged the thing into the house current and made a pretty respectable arc. My father came running out and said I was making all the lights in the house blink. Good times.

BTW the old search lights use this same carbon arc process and they have some sort of timed auto-feed mechanism for the large carbon rods. My Electronics school administrator was the only family in the US rebuilding the old WWII search lights back then and I've been able to inspect a couple of them up close. The ingenuity of the builders of society never cease to amaze me.

[julianwalde]

The Birkeland Eyde Process for creating nitric acid from air water and electricity always held a weird fascination for me. *sound of throwing envelope into the suggestions box*

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

Ben - I've got one of these you can borrow for a while if you want to actually handle one in person. I'm in Canada too, I'll mail it to you if you want. There's a couple things I think you haven't figured out (like that as rods burn down, you need to adjust the angle permanently). Pretty simple fix. 2 changes: 1 - Add an adjustment bolt with knob that limits how far the handles can be pushed apart (their max springout). 2 - Replace rubber band with a spring pushing them apart. You always have a bit of spring to it so you can light, but how far apart they go afterwards depends on the bolt. Also in my half-made list of videos from 10 years ago I've got a tutorial for making one on the cheap. Cheap heavy gauge cord is almost always best to be old jumper cables. You can usually pick up old ones for $2-10 at a garage sale.

[glennpitcairn]

I love how casually you play with insane amounts of electricity. Excellent message at the end too, it doesn't take but a small candle to light up the darkest room so live you life as that candle where you can!

[djvelocity]

I love how you introduced the aspect of economics into this, I have so much respect for that because you’re not a wasteful person! I know it’s so obscure and so dumb that I’m making this comment but I really thought it was cool that you talked about the financial aspect of this project (specifically the cable). If we had more people like you who wasted less, the world would be a much better, cleaner, and more beautiful place

[bikerdude]

Your ingenuity is always intriguing. Thank you for all of the entertainment and education you've given me and my family over the years.

[waitemc]

Arc gouging whip needed and air compressors you will be able to cut any weld loose with percision and not damage base material. It how we remove suspension hangers from a frame after there worn out and need a new welded on.

[alanmumford]

I'm rubbish at welding thin steel material such as car bodywork. However, I have done some serviceable work using carbon arc brazing. I found it to be fairly easy to control and capable of quite gentle heating, when required.

[deborahstein]

When I was a kid my dad bought a Lincoln Buzz Box welder and it came with one of those torches. I remember watching him use it and eventually got to use it.
One might be had at an estate sale or farm auction .

[jasonhamilton]

If you ground your work piece with a clamp and use your carbon rod to make the heat you can blow compressed air just behind the arc to effectively make a very clean gouge. Their are manufactures that use trade names like 'Air Arc' ect. But, you can give it a DIY try if you need to gouge and need a very clean, plasma cutter like, finish without a lot of surface prep. Works in all metals but you may not like the carborizing effect on aluminum or bronze.

[SuperGemma]

you're a good man mate, taking time to do you're ending to help others is extremely virtuous, need more people like you on this ball we live on, love your work mate

[davemcgarvie]

A similar gizmo used to be used in cinema projectors back in the day before xenon arc lamps. They were carbon arc lamps and got up to some scary brightness

[tracybowling]

You are the sweetest man! Not everyone understands that some problems pale in comparison to others.

[ihtsarl]

Many thanks for sharing this video. You can melt steel with these two arc rods .In the fourties there were many steel melting furnaces working on this principle. My neighbor few miles away has a antique arc melting furnace to melt 1ton of steel but its collecting dust because its energy inefficient.

[christhebirb]

Thanks Ben, for never disappointing with a video. And hats off for your shoutout to the helping organizations!

[demandred]

They used them for stage/street lighting quite often, and there was a clockwork mechanism to advance the rods automatically. Should be a easy search to find the designs.

[Leonardokite]

👍👍👍👍👍 for the shout out for kindness and helping people.
As for you and your torch, you're just having too much fun dude❕