Marquette Torch Information Sought

[hddennis]

Just bought this neat little torch off eBay because I couldn't resist it.Just 13 inches overall length. It's a Marquette Aerojet GW4-1-9 with a GW4 5-1 cutting head and many attachments.  I'm no welder just want to use it in my restoration work on my 1917 Maxwell. Have heard this called an aircraft or radiator torch but don't know why nor do I have a clue what all these attachments are for. Anyone have any literature or information on this? Pressure settings advice?

Thanks,
Howard Dennis

[Branson]

"Aerojet" is the big clue.  From their website at http://www.aerojet.com/

"Since 1942, we have developed groundbreaking aerospace and defense technologies and products."

[hddennis]

Funny you should mention that as my dad worked for Aerojet in the late 1950's and early 60's and I thought the same thing but found out Marquette also had Super Jet & Star Jet torches so I ruled out that connection.


Howard Dennis

[gibsontool]

The piece that is on the torch body is the cutting attachment,depending on the actual cutting tip size ( thats the brass piece which is at the top end off the cutting attachment) it should cut from 1/8'' plate up to material about 1-1/2'' thick. the first attachment on the right is called a rosebud and is used for heating only,these can be tricky to use,they tend to pop out if you get them too close to what you are heating and this can lead to flashback whereas the flame actually travels back into the torch and can go up the hose to the regulators and can result in an explosion.The remainder of the attachments are brazing tips and the bigger the hole in the end the more heat it will produce.I'm not sure about the one on the left I think its a longer thinner version of a brazing tip.The wrench will fit the connection nuts on the hose and the gages, the tip nut and the nut attaching the guages to the oxygen and acetalene cylinders.Before you use this outfit I strongly suggest you get a set of flashback arrestors. good luck. Jim

[1930]

If you can afford it get yourself a plasma cutter, youll never use a torch again

[rusty]

The torch was made by Marquette equipment company, they are now defunct. Later torches with that name were also made after the company was no more, typically they are Harris torches. The GW4 and GWP torches are original Marquette torches, and other than tips, you can not easily find parts anymore. The problem with that one is going to be the rebuild kit when the o-rings get old and start to leak...

Most of the attachments other than the cutting head for usefull for soldering , brazing and light sheet metal welding, so if the torch works, and is safe to use (doesn't leak internally) there is no reason why you couldn't use it, but make sure it's safe, exploding torches are not fun.

Pressure settings are more or less unrelated to the torch and are determined by safe working pressure for acetylene which explodes under pressure....Any welding hand book will give you usable settings for various small torches used in various configurations, just pick one about the same size, the valves on the torch itself will be what you want to learn to get right for the particular torch in any case...

As gibsontool says, get a set of flashback arrestors, they are particularly important when using old torches.

Also, if you got that thing used, make ABSOLUTLY SURE there is no grease or oil in it. Oxygen and oil goes bang very loudly...

>aerospace and defense technologies
Aeroget-general was a different company

>aircraft or radiator torch
Just a small general purpose torch...

The design is somewhat like the Smith torches, and probably a reasonably well behaved torch...

[hddennis]

Thanks fellows, I'm waiting for flashback arrestors as advised and then I'll start to acquaint myself with this new toy. It is very clean and I suspect it has seen very little use so I see no reason why it will not serve my needs for years to come. Just wished I could find some original literaure on it. I look forward to any help or advise you all may have in the future.

Howard Dennis

[scottg]

13"?  That is a size #1 isn't it?
  I have a Victor that size. I use it for small things. Mostly hard silver soldering/brazing.  I can't afford acetylene anymore unless for a very special occasion.  So I converted over to oxy/propane for soldering and brazing. 
The propane works great but you do have to warm up the torch for about a minute or two.

You are going to like it for smaller work, I'll bet.
Up to 1/2" thick stock cutting, and brazing 3/8" maybe?

Oh PS rosebuds do suck. Good for general heating over a wide area, but they are slow, pop out on you at the worst times, and go through gas like grain through a goose.   

  Gas didn't used to mean much, oxygen was more expensive.  Now its backwards
Oxy is about free and gas is a fortune.
  yours Scott   

[Aunt Phil]

Honestly if it has some emotional value to you frame it and hang it on the wall. 
After welding & cutting for 25 + years with some miserable crap customer provided torches we went to carrying our very own engraved with the mechanic's name Smith torches with 3 foot whips and adapters.
Got plenty of strange looks from customers when you'd pull their torch off their hose and hand it to them and connect your own, but the smarter customers figured out real quick they needed a new torch.

I'm about 90% sure I could drive 5 miles and find the twin to the torch you have, and I wouldn't light it for less than $20,000 cash up front.  Those old girls just have too many problems with dried out packings & o rings, and scratched or dented mating surfaces.
There are too many ways a torch can hurt you, and flashbacks aren't going to save you.  One reason we started carrying our own was when a customer torch caught fire inside the handle after it popped.  If that man hadn't been wearing gloves he would have looked at burn ward time and possibly lost the use of his hand.

If you absolutely insist on playing with it, set the torch in a washtub of water and check it for leaks.  You'll probably find some.

The picture of the cutting head looks like the head has been way too hot. 

[hddennis]

Thanks for your reply, I really do appreciate it. At 62 years of age this ain't my first time to the rodeo but I sure am getting tired of this if it ain't new it's JUNK attitude some people spread nowadays. It ain't a nuclear reactor, it has o rings and seals and they either work or they don't and I'm smart enough to tell the difference as I've already replaced the teflon seals in a previous version of this torch and it's only taken a year to find another on eBay so they ain't exactly growing on trees.
If this was a coin it would still have over half it's mint luster left so the burnt head you suggest is only tarnish from poor storage. It show very little use and NO abuse so I think I'll just give the old girl one more shot at being a useful tool I think my Maxwell would be too shy to be worked on with engraved tools anyway.

Howard Dennis

[gibsontool]

Orin

[gibsontool]

Sorry about that last post.I don't know what happened.

[hddennis]

OH Sure, now you tell me after I spent a day Googling "Orin" and drawing a blank as far as torches go!

Howard Dennis, recovering "gotcha" victim.....................................

[rusty]

Is Orin the geek god of fire or something? LOL

[Aunt Phil]

Orin was the receiving clerk for Electric Boat back in the 70s.
Miserable SOB who loved screwing contractors over by misrouting or impounding their goods coming in.  Unless Orin got bribed you lost time.  His brother Lauren was a decent guy over in machining, do anything he could to help you out.