emergency metal removal thermal Lance style

trying to do a critical job with world's least precision tool!!
lots of molten steel and liquid nitrogen!
this is a sofa video!
if you wish to feature any of this footage , please contact
[e-mail]
similar machine..
• kleemann cone crusher ...

[@ginafarducci1600]

45 years in the trade. I just wish we had the breathing apparatus of today. I'm now 70 years old and breathing is a hard job. I miss the smell. Newbies . . . always wear your air filters.

[@jackking5567]

Fantastic! A rare insight into not just thermic lancing but also the rebuild process. A rare video here on KZbin and done in a higher quality too. A huge thank you for sharing this.

[@epistte]

As a mechanical engineer this was fun to watch because we only see the technical and rarely see the actual work being performed. Great job.

[@sharkeyist]

As a ships plater I’ve used up to a 25 gouging and 1/8” cutting nozzle, top skills my man!👌👍👌 chasing that black line n kissing the bore is an ability learned only from experience. Your camera work is A1 too, waaay better than any training video any college has ever sent us to sleep with! The link to explain the thing is a cool touch as well.

[@stuartclark4699]

Both my Dad and I spent a lot of our careers in heavy industrial engineering. Dad has passed on now, but I can tell you he would have loved this video. I can remember him enthusing to me about shrink fitting long long ago when I must have been all of 9 years old. Well done! An immensely enjoyable and brought back a lot of precious memories. I was left to discover thermic lancing during my career, while looking after a small design office in the Local Authority's water pipe fabrication and maintenance depot. Some contractor had the idea that we could quickly cut 1.9m diameter concrete lined steel bulk water pipe and we arranged for him to come and demonstrate on an offcut. I can remember what a mess it made of the 12mm thick pipe. I am pretty sure that the 25mm concrete lining and some of the concrete slab under the offcut actually melted as well! We decided not to offer them work but we all had a wonderful afternoon. What's more, it was Friday! Engineering doesn't get any better than this! :-) Great video, thank you!

[@allistairc123]

My pleasure. Thanks for kind feedback

[@wrecks02]

Heard lots of stories about thermal lances, never seen one in action... Fascinating... and I jump about when a tiny spatter off the MIG lands in my boot... Legendary!

[@jessewilson8676]

you would not need to jump around if you wear something other then flip flops. Pro tip use proper footwear.

[@cameronbartlett856]

@@jessewilson8676 he said boots. He just needs to not tuck, but welding in akward angles can still get you if not careful

[@swamppifi6186]

I am impressed that you manage to cut that close without damaging the bore , well done....

[@tramptruck4859]

Amazing precision and accuracy, especially on such a scale. I'm sure the satisfaction and relief when the shaft went all the way in was enormous. Thanks for sharing.

[@guyverslab9864]

Giggity

[@mumeihozumi8458]

This is what a ladies man broken down, would be like. Pure skill and finger blasting. Precisely of course.

[@MatthewTinker-au-pont-blanc]

Great to see a thermal lance in operation again! 50 years ago when I worked in a stone quarry as a fitter, my welder colleague made one using a small diameter mild steel pipe with no rods in it! We had to cut a hole through heavily reinforced concrete wall. Went through like butter! Always wanted to try it, but I never got the chance!

[@user-gx3eo2ew3o]

Do you still have contact with that man? Would love to know his recipe.

[@MatthewTinker-au-pont-blanc]

@@user-gx3eo2ew3o Haven't seen Selwyn in fifty years! At your own risk! His recepie, was a second oxygen bottle and regulator, a length of hose and a length of 5/16 (8mm ) mild steel pipe 3 to 4 meters long! Essential to be well covered, preferably leather apron, spats, hat, face shield. To "light" the lance, two man job ! Heat the end of the steel pipe to melting point with a cutting lorch, open the second bottle of oxygen. The oxygen will light the steel pipe which will burn through whatever you want to cut, steel - concrete ! The pipe larms and gets shorter, the slag from the bum will blow straight back to the operater! Beware! Good luck !

[@Brad-lt6mr]

That was absolutely awesome! This is the kind of work that makes the modern world a reality. Most people don't have a clue.

[@phil1606]

this video makes me very so very happy that SCBA have become popular with metal workers. I'm not that old but 20 years ago I never saw them in any shop, just literally had to turn our heads and hold our breath when the bad smoke came out. Just the soot from a normal day in the shop coats the bathtub in a black ring, I can't imagine how bad it is to burn through nearly 3 cubic feet of steel like that. Drink some milk if you burned a lot of galvy everyone used to say. Yay for reasonable safety!

[@djpaulk]

Makes my bench top mill look like something you would find in a cereal pack and attach your keys to

[@jackreed3445]

We used a lance with special metal rods inside to cut a large manhole in a 24" thick concrete wall back in 1968. Quite a thing to watch for an 18 year old kid just starting out in the mining industry. jack

[@briankaelin7728]

He says “ya that’s pretty much it, job done” like there was nothing to it. Absolutely amazing

[@jiplix]

3 E's: Extremely Entertaining and Educational, thanks for making the film.

[@allansmith257]

You are like a surgeon with that lance Great to see the process

[@jameshockey6916]

Absolutely amazing work, the precision with such huge parts is really impressive. The thermal mass in that shaft is incredible.. rather you than me with the pressure of shink fitting that one though lol. Love the videos and thank you for taking the time to make them

[@stevechapple9569]

You are a special breed of man to tackle that job. Fascinating to watch.

[@GC-rf2st]

Such amazing skill. How anyone can be accurate in cutting with a thermal lance beggars belief, Well done, excellent video!

[@OldePhart]

I love the explanations - but you tend to cut yourself off. I for one love to hear all the details of this kind of work. This is huge stuff.

[@ChrisCiber]

Cutting off before ending sentences is incredibly frustrating as a viewer.

[@allistairc123]

Sorry getting to grips the flipping transitions trim the clips.

[@eviethekiwi7178]

What a fantastic process. I’m a first year apprentice fitter/turner. I can only imagine this sort of work. Thumbs up for sure 👍

[@jamesoneill3475]

Great to see some real heave engineering still being done in this country... 👍

[@kevinsellsit5584]

We've had our Terex down far enough to replace the cone and liner, but never seen one naked to the casting. What have I learned ... I'm retiring before the main shaft needs burned out.

[@arthurbolton8477]

always good to see somebody honing there thermic lance skills,

[@jamestboehm6450]

Dropped a fair amount of liners in my time but never a shaft of that size. Damn good job.

[@nealk6387]

Awesome video, we use a thermal lance to remove seized pins on heavy equipment, works great

[@ddreamberry2]

When He leaps amidst us with combustive dance All shall bear the branding of his thermal lance

[@Benson_aka_devils_advocate_88]

That's very good! Excellently put together.

[@OfficialNakatsuMegami]

I would bet AvE would love seeing this kind or Stuff!

[@hfdzl]

Did some of this lance work , burning out large pins on old equipment and 'chasing the black line'. Excellent work! Tops!

[@lovejcdc]

That was really fascinating to see, I have heard of that type of cutting steel but wow that's some hot work lol

[@davidfarley1175]

Congrats on your new son Allistarc hope your wife and son are doing well, very nice video, I follow you when you put out new ones

[@HansOvervoorde]

I wish to thank you for sharing this video as I have never thought of, nor have I ever seen anything like this, on this scale before. The mix of the sheer size and weight of components, the tools used, the solutions applied, the more than excellent precision required, makes me utterly impressed!

[@aga5897]

Jeez ! Extreme stuff to get those pieces out. I'd have tried WD40 a couple of times, DOH !

[@6Twisted]

It's weird to see metal flowing like water. Thanks for the shot with the visor.

[@BrokenLifeCycle]

When you first started, how terrifying was it to use the lance and have metal spray up back at you?

[@allistairc123]

Not too bad, had a lot worse , but it was intimidating back when I started out learning to use it

[@Tom-Lahaye]

Done a a cracking job with the lance, it's very difficult to be that precise not to eat into your bore. The part fitting the new axle was also fun to watch, true heavy engineering.

[@jpsholland]

A thermal lance look like a violent portable volcanic eruption, but they be used very precise with the right craftsmanship.

[@tiggerweld4317]

Fire and ice! Thanks for taking us along !

[@daveshymske4392]

When I bitch and moan about how hard my job is.....I watched this and thought......what a little cry baby I am ... Nice video...thanks for taking your time to make them . Truly enjoy your channel, but deeply respect your talents and skills. 👍

[@terencemckibben2330]

i loved the Backyard mechanics comment , i assume it was a nod to the late great Sir Fred Dibnah. keep up the great work.

[@gregquinn6827]

I worked at a machine shop where we could swing 8 feet. I thought *that* was impressive. That is one monster mill.

[@ianaristotlethompson4186]

Brilliant subject. Always wondered about their mic lances. Great video.

[@Hydrazine1000]

@28:46 Boiling liquid nitrogen is -196 °C (-320 °F). This is also why you can see cryogenic testing of steel (Charpy v-notch impact strength) at -196 °C, it's a convenient temperature to achieve, just dump the test piece in the boiling nitrogen.

[@Flyanb]

You’re a badass when you set your feet on fire, and keep going. Brings new meaning to the boss holding your feet to the fire.

[@neilpetrarca7395]

Love this content! Where else would you learn about a process like this.

[@CenPapi]

7:11 according to those forklift hangers, you've lifted some heavy shit with that thing.

[@Perumet]

Lmao good catch

[@Glumpuzzler]

oh god they are bent hahah! still safe though!

[@madeofscars9355]

Wow talk about thermal mass!! the fact that housing was heated and everything is still frozen 5hrs after installation just goes to show. Awesome job to to see being carried out though, I'm a machinist/engine reconditioner but I had to step out not long in to my career due to medical issues. but I do miss making chips I was only doing "heavy" diesel engines mainly 3500 series cat , 4000 series mtu ect but this stuff makes them look like light vehicle engines in size comparison 😂

[@garyyorke1080]

Big thumbs up fella that was awesome , not seen a thermal lance actually being used in something this size . Congratulations with the little one it's more time consuming than having a job . Thanks

[@warrenjones744]

Quite a repair facility you folks have there. Must be nice to have the machining capability at your disposal. Big job for sure. I have been involved at times in all of that stuff except the VBM work, albeit on a much smaller scale. Not easy work for sure, but slow and steady wins the race and prevents unexpected, shall we say....stoppages. Big ole thumbs up, cheers and congrats on new addition to family. 👍👍🍻

[@beezalbub7325]

Congratulations on the new baby boy. You do amazing work on massive equipment. Question: On the first cut that ended in an angle, is it possible to put a radius bend on a cutting Lance allowing you to attack it at more of a 90° angle?

[@spencermoss5528]

Incredible video I’ve never seen anything like that before. Really appreciate you doing this.

[@eoinryan9515]

Love doing a bit of lancing ( not on that scale) Was there any oxygen left in the bank. Keep up the great videos 👍👍👍👍

[@boydovens4180]

Shrinking shafts can be a nightmare , in your head the fear that it will go tits up and stick half way , just out of interest what was the interference size of the shaft to the bore, and how much did it contract after the Nitrogen bath . cheers .

[@joeshaft]

Brilliant to see that in detail and explained and would be great to see the next stuff in the pipeline 👍👍👍 I did laugh when the boots caught fire too, got a good chuckle from that. Did something similar on a gas forge when a chip fell out and didnt notice it until stood on it and the plumes of thick white smoke erupted from the underside of my boot! Usually its fellas in shipyards or scrapyards and grainy footage you can't make out but this would easily be the best video on youtube of someone using a lance and explaining it along the way and showing the results etc.

[@ArcticBlues1]

You folks did a wonderful job on a real PITA repair! Thank you very much for sharing

[@tomkemp7566]

Boring mill with a ladder 😮 great video, fascinating stuff. Congratulations on the little’un.

[@collinzappa1519]

Thats badass, keep it up man.

[@ericlakota1847]

Nice job no one sees the omount of work sweat that took in 20min video great job those lances are amazing didn't even scratch that bore great job

[@chrism8787]

expansion of the hole and shrinkage of the shaft sounds like a marriage to me

[@paulhammond7489]

Congrats an thanks for this great content and also for bringing a new lad into the family, wonder if he'll follow in his dad's footsteps :)

[@explorationuk6737]

Big Alistair at it again lol.... superb video as always buddy...congrats on the new baby bud...you got so many skills dude and balls of steel to boot what a man ..thanks for sharing with us buddy ....peace n love from Cumbria uk

[@peteacher52]

Most informative and interesting. I appreciate the time and effort you put into editing clips and compiling a video, especially with the (delightful) extra demands now being made on your time! Col, NZ

[@allistairc123]

Thanks for support Colin , appreciate it

[@kaydog2008]

Congrats on the new edition to the house hold.

[@timmer9lives]

Pretty precision work using a lance and then a cutting torch. I’m amazed to see that there’s no damage at all to the main housing.

[@dmmdmm5435]

As a young man, I would have begged the boss to hire me. even as a janitor, just so I could be around this machine shop. I was a machinist/welder/fabricator, but not on this scale.

[@mammam8546]

im a women and i really appreciate your videos but leaves me sad cuz i cant play but i wanna play. im a little industrious and amazed at some of the shit i have to come up with on the fly but you guys knocked out of the park wow. am amazed . love your videos thank you

[@KG-yn9qi]

Need a thin splash shield to go over lance to keep most of the spray back off you

[@astrazenica7783]

Splash shields for wimps

[@KG-yn9qi]

@@astrazenica7783 okay burn baby burn

[@rockeerockey6941]

So says the office worker

[@astrazenica7783]

@@rockeerockey6941 I have splash shield for my computer keyboard ;) I was only joking

[@rockeerockey6941]

@@astrazenica7783 😆

[@weldweld5629]

Excellent job can't wait to see the next heavy duty welding project 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@AdrianDunevein]

Awesome video, your little one is going to be fascinated when he grows up and you watch this together!

[@jeffmeme9721]

It’s crazy how strong we think some things are and when we use the right tool they might as well be wet tissue paper but sometimes when you don’t have the right tool you get reminded that it’s still very strong

[@astrazenica7783]

What is it though? Quarry rock grinder/crusher thing

[@garymurt9112]

Cone crusher, used to make big rocks into small rocks.

[@allistairc123]

Yep search cone crusher animation for good examples

[@jasonhodges1796]

Another awesome video. Now that is what I call heavy engineering to the extremes. Would love to play with one of those thermal lances one day. Hopefully I might get the chance to but not sure how I going to fare going back to work as I'm having to have my leg amputated now. Still, I'm sure ill get back to work eventually and if ever I'm up your neck of the woods I'll swing by and say hello. Many congratulations on the new baby.

[@gaslight5]

What happened the leg?

[@jasonhodges1796]

@@gaslight5 motorcycle accident last August, had 9 operations to reconstruct my leg and was in hospital for 13 weeks. Developed a deep bone infection start of the year and decided I want it off as its going to give me a better quality of life, quicker recovery and a fully usable leg once I'm fitted with a prosthetic.

[@gaslight5]

@@jasonhodges1796 All the best with the surgery Jason, you've been through the mill already

[@jiml9971]

What a great great job. !!!! Once again you have demonstrated how old guys move mountains. !! I’m also one of those old guys. Keep up the tremendous work that you post.

[@MuellerNick]

Can't see enough of videos like this one. VERY impressive!

[@landroveraddict2457]

So from scale replica machinery to scale models of the Sun and Neptune. Awesome,

[@googlesux1062]

Fantastic work, looked like a hell of a job!

[@michaelkolb6142]

You guys are amazing at what you attempt to do, and accomplish.

[@ronbuckner8179]

That has to be one of the most satisfying jobs I've seen , thanks for bringing it to us.

[@alanmcdonald5437]

New to the channel. I really enjoyed this massive refit. People really don't understand the efforts that are made to keep this industrial world going. Thanks and congratulations on the addition to the family.

[@pervasivemalaise]

the "white" fog is not the nitrogen. it is the moisture in the air cooled by the nitrogen to below it's saturation point making it visible.

[@angrydragonslayer]

Oh wow, the timing on this recommendation I literally helped on a rush job for an identical-looking part

[@billarroo1]

I worked for RICHARD FOUNDRIES in Norfolk Va USA. In the 60's. It was hot and hard work, I have respect for your ability 😃😃😃 GREAT job with no damage !!! Thanks

[@erniemathews5085]

Nice delicate work on a giant workpiece.

[@christianward1411]

Well done my man!!..Spot on job by a quality tradesman. If ever there was a job of irony, this is it.

[@zephyrold2478]

Interesting job, a good old handmade thumbs up.

[@tonyfnd]

Damn bro .. That’s a whole lot of gouging going on there .. lol

[@wotnoturbo]

There can't be that many companies in NI that have that size of vb capability

[@masaharumorimoto4761]

Wow, that whole process was incredible!! Thanks for entertaining me for a while, I appreciate it!

[@TYSuggested]

Nice job man! Impressive boring machine too, damn. Huge!

[@ypaulbrown]

that slag pile looks like a sculpture......great Video Sir.....thanks for sharing...Paul

[@gutsngorrrr]

I love seeing machinery that's done on a different scale.

[@MrKotBonifacy]

32:00 - "the entire floor will just be covered in nitrogen vapour which is completely white just like a disco smoke" - umm, sorta kinda right ;-) That white stuff is actually a good old plain fog - condensed water vapour, the same stuff that "rolls in from the sea" (© McCartney) and which clings to a disco floor. It is the same effect - a cool medium (here a liquid nitrogen and solid carbon dioxide, a.k.a. dry ice, -78.5°C in fog machine in a disco), when contacting the air (which always contains some moisture) chills it to below dew point and then the water vapour condenses (or even freezes) - and it then those tiny droplets or ice crystals scatter the light, and therefore the fog (or frozen fog) looks opaque and white (frozen fog is more opaque). And because that fog is very cold it's denser than surrounding air, and that's why it sinks to the floor (nitrogen itself is actually marginally lighter than DRY air when at the same temperature). In case of fog machines the "floor effect" is more pronounced as they use carbon dioxide, which is much denser than air "just by itself" and therefore falls rapidly the ground, especially when it's cold. (Also, the fog machine adds extra water vapour to make the fog much thicker.) Speaking of "vapours" - technically speaking, nitrogen (and any other gas) can be referred to as "vapour" only when it's below its critical point (which is, for nitrogen, around -147°C @ approx. 33,5 at (bars)/ 492 psi; "critical point" is a temperature above which gas cannot be liquefied no matter how much pressure one would apply). On the other hand, that "propane gas" is actually "propane vapour" as critical point for propane is 97°C (and that's why it remains a liquid in room temperature when under even a light pressure, like in propane bottle - 9.5 - 10 at/ 140-145 psi @ 20°C). Other than that, "no complains" ;-)

[@michaelsilva7085]

Awesome job. Thanks for taking us along.

[@ArcticBlues1]

I enjoyed it so much I had to watch it again! Thank you!

[@johnmooney5693]

Great video fair play to you. That’s a tough job

[@spangy8405]

Alistair you have the coolest and hottest job in the entire world - Thanks for sharing it with us. I worked for 20 years as a radar and wide band communications technician for NORAD aka The United States Airforce 4700 OSS wing specifically formulated for the DEWLINE, Distant Early Warning Line, in the High Arctic from Alaska, across the top of Canada, Newfoundland & Labrador, Greenland, Iceland all the way to England. The DEWLINE consisted of a chain made up of more than 60 manned radar installations. I had a rare and interesting Top Secret job but I think your job tops mine ... love your videos Alistair and am a loyal fan.

[@chucklutz8105]

Thanks for showing, incredible work!

[@davesmith5914]

Fantastic video. Thank you for spending the time recording and editing it.

[@keiththomas6601]

U are on fire in 3...2...1.... yet u kick it and keep burning...... props!!! I would screamed like a girl while running in circles!!!! Then sparked it back up!!!!! What a strong man!!!!

[@samos_sainz]

I was figuring out some time ago about what thermal lance rods were made of... thought it could be carbon, like the arc air carbon gauging rods. Have sense that those were just iron rods, just burning with the oxygen itself once bright red. Have a question: I've shown it to my father, and he have pointed that those fumes seems Sulfur fumes, due it's colour... so: Could those fumes have that colour due the sulfur from the seel? or the rods could have some sulfur flux? or is it normal when burning scrap, due the iron oxide burning? Do not despise yourself... this is another great video of yours, like those old videos we still remember, that bring us here. Take your time... we are still arround, ready to get impressed with your new projects. Greetings from Spain.

[@allistairc123]

Thankyou for the support bud. Appreciate it. I think it is iron oxidation

[@jeffreyullrich8511]

There are varying types of exothermic slice/cutting rods. Some are pure Carbon, some are Magnesium, some are simply black iron pipes

[@samos_sainz]

Thank you for the replay, nice info. Still... if you think about it, don't tell me it doesn't seems sulfur fumes? Still seems it to me...

[@luviskol]

@@allistairc123 You're right those fumes are rust with extra steps