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Straight answers to the questions people ask about the nut that holds the nozzle in a gas cutting torch: choosing it, fitting it and checking it.
The tip nut screws onto the torch head or cutting attachment and holds the cutting nozzle (the tip) firmly against its seat. That seat is what keeps the preheat gases and the cutting oxygen apart inside the head, so the nut and the seat together make the joint gas tight.Because the nut sits right behind the flame, it sees a lot of heat and is taken on and off often. That is why it is one of the first parts to show wear.
A tip nut has to suit the torch head or cutting attachment it screws onto and the type of nozzle it clamps. Different torch makers use different seat angles and fitting lengths, so a nut or nozzle that looks right may not seal in another maker's head.Work from the manual or parts list for your torch, or from the part number on the old nut if it is still readable. Check the thread, the length and whether your nozzle is the one-piece or two-piece type. If in doubt, our team can help you match it.
Follow the torch maker's instructions, because advice differs between designs. Many metal-to-metal seats are tightened snug by hand and then given a small extra turn with a suitable spanner, but some makers say firm hand-tight only.Do not keep tightening to cure a leak. Forcing a nut can damage its threads and the seat, and a leaking joint usually means a damaged seat or the wrong part. If the torch is hot, let it cool before you tighten anything.
Test before you light the torch. Fit a compatible blank to the head, open the fuel gas valve and check the joint with an approved leak detection fluid, close it, then repeat with the oxygen valve. Then fit the nozzle, open both valves and check again.Replace any part that leaks and test again. Never block the gas exit with your thumb, fingers or any part of your body to make a seal. That is highly dangerous.
Not safely, unless the maker says so. Cutting nozzles are made for a particular fuel gas, and they are also sized to the thickness being cut. A nozzle for one fuel may not seat or burn correctly with another, and the hoses and regulators must also suit the gas.Check the markings on the nozzle and the maker's chart for your torch, and keep the nut, nozzle and torch head as a matched set for the fuel gas you use.
No. Never put oil or grease on any part that carries oxygen. Oxygen systems must be completely free of oil and grease and built from components known to be oxygen clean, and hands must be clean when connecting equipment.Oil or grease in contact with oxygen can ignite violently. If a nut seems stiff, check the threads for damage or dirt rather than lubricating them, and replace the nut if it is damaged.