Let's Talk Oxy Acetylene

Maintenance on the torch rig & shootin the breeze.

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Music: The Muffin Man (The Green Orbs)

[DurokSubaka]

Tips never wear out, they only grow up to be the next larger size tip.

[fujiwaraj.]

I have been using my avetylene bottle completely upside down hanging from the ceiling for 30 years and nothing bad ever happened.

[johnnygobbles-a-lot]

I found this to learn about oxy acetylene torches, stayed for the dark humor and learned a whole bunch of things. Well done!

[adirondacker]

Two things to add: I've used oxy acetylene for about 35 years. I was taught and still use the practice of aligning the tip and main valve knobs up like gun sights. This keeps them out if the way, keeping a jacket sleeve from "adjusting" the flame. It also puts them in a convenient, consistent location. Try it. You will fall in love with it. Also, I would stress the importance of opening the acetylene tank valve no more than 1/4 turn. I was taught this, and knew it was so the valve could be shut quickly. This was driven home for me one night when a spark caught a small leak in the regulator assembly. I heard a pop, looked over to see a little jet of flame onte regulator, and nearly dropped a stinky twinkie on the spot. I was able to avert big trouble instantly with a quarter-turn. My rig got a very thorough inspection before I fired it up again. Great video, and thanks for promoting safety!!!

[travishall]

With all due respect to my high school chemistry teacher, I just learned more chemistry in the first 8 minutes of this video than I did in my entire high school chemistry class. Thanks!

[ohwingman]

Couple of things not mentioned.

First, when you purchase oxyacetylene hose, make sure you get oxyacetylene hose. There is another grade/type which looks identical but is meant for propane or map gas only. If you use it for oxyacetylene it will degrade from the inside out and start to leak through tiny pin holes on the fuel gas hose. This is because the acetone vapours carried with the acetylene will attack and slowly dissolve the hose itself from the inside where you cannot see the damage.

Second, the reason for using a striker to light a torch instead of a match or lighter is in effect gas conservation and safety. The cup that you always have on your striker is actually a small gas reservoir that collects some additional gas and makes your torch light easier and quicker. If you use a match or a lighter it can be difficult to light a torch where there is significant air movement from fans or, if working outside, wind that blows the gas away. In addition, using a striker ensures that you hand is away from the flame ignition point and you are less likely to get burned.

Third, the charts that your torch manufacturer provides for pressure settings are only good for about 25 feet of hose and are only guidelines. If you have more hose, the pressures must be increased to compensate for friction within the hose dropping the volume at the torch tip. A better way to set your gas pressures is as follows:
1. With the acetylene regulator adjustment screw fully relaxed crack the main valve on your acetylene bottle and when the regulator is fully pressurized open one full turn. Adjust your acetylene regulator so that you just have a small amount of gas flow.
2. Light your torch and open up the fuel gas valve on it all the way.
3. Slowly increase the pressure from your regulator using the adjusting screw until the flame just blows away from the tip. This is the maximum amount of gas that particular tip will flow. NEVER EVER set your acetylene regulator for more than 15 PSI! Acetylene can become unstable at higher pressures and become self explosive.
4. Close the torch fuel gas valve until the flame returns to the torch tip or shut it off completely.
5. Ensure the adjusting screw on your oxygen regulator is completely relaxed, stand to one side or out of the line of fire and crack the valve on the oxygen cylinder open and allow the high pressure to ease up to full pressure. NEVER OPEN THE VALVE ALL THE WAY UNTIL THE HIGH PRESSURE SIDE OF THE REGULATOR HAS BEEN SLOWLY BROUGHT UP. If you open the valve wide initially you can damage your oxygen regulator's Bourdon tube inside of the pressure gauge and in extreme cases actually blow the glass out of the gauge itself. The surge of high pressure has also been known to blow the regulator body off the bottle when the regulator has been damaged hence the standing to one side out of the line of fire unless you really want to catch a pound of regulator propelled by 2000 PSI with a portion of your body which can be painful if not deadly.
6. After the regulator has been fully pressurized, open the oxygen valve all the way and adjust the regulator pressure screw so that there is a small amount of oxygen flow.
7. With the torch lit and burning at the tip (not blown off the tip), open the oxygen valve on your torch all the way. You will notice that the flame changes when the oxygen reaches the flame.
8. Adjust your oxygen regulator up until the flame becomes neutral.
9. Increase the opening of your fuel gas at the torch slightly and bring the oxygen up again until you have a neutral flame. Continue to open the valves as described and adjust your oxygen until both torch valves are open fully and you have a neutral flame. Your torch is now set for the maximum flow that that particular tip will flow and is at it's highest efficiency.

Fourth, when using fittings or hose splices on oxyacetylene systems, the fittings cannot be copper. They must always be brass. Copper and acetylene have an affinity for one another and combine to form a new gas which is unstable and self explosive at virtually any pressure! In England, they used to use acetylene for lighting in homes. The gas was run through copper piping and on occasion entire blocks of homes and their occupants would simply blow up for no reason until this was discovered. sorry, my bad.

Fifth, never discharge an acetylene bottle at more than 1/8 of its contents per hour. Higher discharge rates can result in the acetone in the bottle being drawn out into your hose and torch. If you must use higher rates consider using two bottles with regulators and manifolding them together.

Sixth, when cutting material cant your torch tip slightly so the flame is going in the direction of the travel. This will preheat your material and give you a cleaner cut with less slag adherence on the bottom. Thinner materials will require more angle than thick. If your cut is so poor that the pieces stick together use a hammer to part them and not your torch. Nothing speaks of poor practice more than a torch that has been used to hammer pieces apart!

I know that some are going to give me flack over this but consider this: I am a journeyman welder with over forty years experience and I have never blown a gauge up or destroyed a torch. A torch can be a versatile and precise tool in the hands of a good tradesman but, like anything else, it can be so much junk when abused.

[StripeyType]

Given that the way rusting was explained to me in high school chemistry - as "very very very slow burning" - you've brought us full-circle here. Well done!

[braddeal]

That's incredibly dangerous. In my shop we store the tanks in the oven to keep them out of the way...

[huemungus]

I was having a shitty day until the Sesame St. "Nuh, Oh, Ch... Notch!" part came on. I have tears of joy rolling down my face. Your humorous editing bits are so great. Thank you for brightening my day!!

[zackgeorgly]

This is probably the best instructional video about any subject I've ever seen. In less than 20 minutes, you've covered the basic chemistry in a simple way, and a huge load of important but basic things, and many good tips, all in an easy-going and entertaining style. I'm not usually the person that throws praise left and right, even when it's deserved, but this video... is a PERFECT example of an excellent educational video. Many thanks!

[OldSneelock]

Glad you brought up the subject of lighting the torch. Since we aren't always going to be standing next to the person lighting their new torch for the first time, or the kid that uses your shop while you are off doing something else, we can't slap them upside the head before they burn down the shop.
1. My reason for using the striker to light the torch is, I was taught to plan for the worst. A stoichiometric flame oxy-acetylene flame has a huge amount of available energy. Mr. Stankey demonstrated it by filling a small balloon with acetylene, setting it on the welding table, and igniting it. It popped. No big deal. He then filled the same size balloon with oxygen and ignited it. It just deflated.
Then he llt a flame on the torch and turned off the acetylene at the tank. If you are crazy enough to do this leaving the oxygen on lets the flame go out without flashing back into the torch. When the flame went out he turned the acetylene tank back on and filled another balloon the same size with the stoichiometric mix. When he ignited it the explosion blew two firebricks out of the top of the table.
Most of us old guys quit smoking after the first heart attack, but for you young guys who still think carrying a lighter is cool, think about where your hand is when you are lighting the torch. That extra distance the striker gives you is handy for when you are learning and keep having to relight the torch.
Yup you won't always turn off both valves and let the torch empty before restriking it. That's when you figure out it makes a nice big bang even without the balloon. I know at least one idiot will spend a few hours making big bangs after reading this. That's okay. Just do it out in the middle of a cornfield some where. You will only blow down a few rows of corn and the coyotes will clean up the mess.
2. The striker has a nice loop in the handle. When you are an iron cutter you can hang the striker on a short chain and clip it to your belt. That way you don't need to take off your glove, dig into your pocket, light the torch, stuff the lighter back into your pocket, put your glove back on, and go to work. That's especially nice when you are working off a ladder or on a catwalk 30 feet up. Climbing down to get your glove, lighter, or the stuff in your pocket that came out with the lighter gives your firewatcher a great story to tell about you for the next 40 years.
Note: Yes you do need a firewatcher. Those sparks will set off pretty much any flammable materials they come in contact with including your pant leg.
Side note: Don't wear pants with cuffs, or roll up your pant leg. I know that Johnny Dep does it. Look him up. I don't have time to explain everything. With the goggles on you won't see the flame. You will find out when the fire is up past your sock. Again, not cool when you are on a ladder. The firewatcher should let you know in time to keep your short and curlies intact.
Thanks for reminding me of old times Tony.

[davidgreen]

To those who hang their acetylene bottles upside down, who cut or drill holes into the bottle, who mix the acetylene and oxygen in one tank, and who abuse or don't use the regulator or valves, you have missed the most effective way of using an acetylene bottle.

That way involves turning the filled bottle inside out.

It's a lot of work, but the results are impressive.

[justus]

The reason for not using a lighter? a striker doesn't blow up in your face when molten metal hits it

[Reuben-]

It's amazing. I'm researching what it takes to weld with oxyacetylene, and after sifting through all kinds of videos I find your video and all just makes sense now. Thank you!

[pflewis]

Honestly, one of the more useful welding videos I’ve seen. Very useful info and explained in a father-to-son sort of way. Thanks again...dad.

[TheMetalButcher]

"Just like my boy, it's chained nice and securely to the wall"

You're too much this old tony.

Nobody ever really taught me oxy-acetaline, so I appreciate the tips. How long should the flame be? Should I use more oxygen, or less acetylene? I wouldn't mind a part 2.

[MorganOliff]

thank you for saying burninating. you're doing a fine jorb tony.

[davidduffy]

Dear Tony, your work is exceptional, the combination of relaxed laconic humor, excellent presentation and production values makes your work stand out of the "rest"
As always Tony, your work is a genuine bright spot in the Youtube pantheon.
Cheers
David

[AAndrews-bz]

I have watched a bunch of MIG, TIG, and now Oxy acetylene YouTube videos and you taught me more in this video about how and why it works than all other videos combined!

[heavymetalweld]

I just watched a video on something I already knew. . . But what I did learn is where candy corn comes from. Thanks uncle Tony.