If you’ve ever been at a farm show, welding distributor open house, or car show where Flange Wizard is being showcased – there are two tools, year after year, that continue to be popular top sellers as cutting torch guides: The Multi-Purpose Chariot Cutting Guide and the Flange Wizard Circle Wiz.
Both are simple but powerful tools that can help the cutting torch operator have a steady hand when desiring to cut a variety of precise circles in steel. With a wide range of versatility, the Flange Wizard Multi-Purpose Chariot Cutting Guide takes torch cutting to new levels!
Chariot Cutting Guide Basics
The universal torch tip bushing simply slips easily on to any standard manufacturer’s cutting torch tip. Three Allen head set screws secure bushing to the torch tip. The bushing spins so you don’t have to follow your cuts with excessive torch handling, the tool moves, not the torch!
Torch tip standoff (distance from the torch tip to material being cut) can be adjusted easily in two spots – the block that holds the wheels in the front – and when cutting circles, the adjustable pivot pin in the block on the main shaft.
The ‘Wizard’ of Flange Wizard, owner Bob Doan, puts a lot of creativity and practicality into every tool he makes. The Chariot Cutting Guide uses the same thread (1/4-20) in order to morph this versatile tool for a variety of applications!
Chariot Wheels Give Stability
In order to cut nice straight or precise contoured lines, you need a steady hand. Now I am not blessed with that, so I need all the help I can get! The Multi-Purpose Chariot Cutting Guide gives you incredible control for a variety of torch cuts.
Cutting Versatility of the Chariot Guide
Straight Cut
The wheels on the front of the guide, that give this tool its trademark name, run smoothly along steel plate or against straight edges for high quality cuts.
You can easily follow any straight line as the Chariot Guide will give you steady hand – if you want to just use the wheels for stability, remove the long shaft and pivot pin block (see inset).
If the piece your cutting is too close to the edge – take advantage of the ‘morphing’ ability afforded by the common threading and ‘stack’ the wheels on the same side so your scrap piece easily falls away.
Bevel Cuts
You can loosen the nut that holds the wheel assembly to the bushing, angle the torch bushing for a bevel cut, then tighten.
Custom Patterns
The Chariot Cutting Guide holds your torch steady – this allows you to grab the long shaft and easily ‘steer’ the torch while keeping your torch comfortably oriented in the same position. Now you can cut detailed complex patterns that you’ve laid out on steel plate, or pipe.
Small & Large Circles
The Chariot Cutting Guide can cut small and large circles up to 39” in diameter! (5/8” and other small circles are easily handled if you remove the wheels on the front and pivot around the centering pin). By removing one wheel and flipping the other wheel to the outside the Chariot Cutting Guide gives you the stability you need to handle large circles.
Determine your circle diameter cut by measuring the distance between the tip of the pivot pin to the center of your cutting tip – multiply this measurement times two for the circle diameter you plan to cut.
How to Use the Chariot Cutting Guide on Large Circles
In the above picture you will notice the torch tip sit on the inside of the outer wheel. For large plate cutting this works well, but if you have a smaller plate and your large circle is drawn right to the edges, the wheel position will not work.
In order to have the wheel position on the inside of the circle, remove the main shaft from the bushing and thread it into the axel of the wheel. Now you can cut right up to the plate edge while enjoying the stability of the wheel.
The Flange Wizard Multi-Purpose Chariot Cutting Guide is one of Flange Wizard’s most popular tools.
All of the tools produced by Flange Wizard have unique features that appeal to the professional as well as the DIY enthusiast.
Be sure to also check out all the other fine tools manufactured by Flange Wizard – and keep checking back – there are new tools coming!
