Plasma and laser cutters have received a lot of positive press, but the money it takes to purchase one of them can be more than a lot of industrial operations can afford. While there are some tasks that definitely require the capabilities of one of these devices there are still plenty of jobs where they would be overkill. If the work involves mild or low alloy steel, and the cuts don’t demand an extreme level of precision, then an oxy fuel torch is the perfect solution. It is more affordable than the alternatives. It also has the advantage of being able to handle very thick pieces of steel, up to 35 inches. The resulting cuts are of high quality, can be performed fairly quickly, and help harden the steel nearest the cut surface. Since its invention just over a century ago the oxy fuel torch has become the most popular cutting torch, for most industrial metal-cutting jobs it’s all you’ll need.