Oxy Fuel

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Post your Oxy fuel pics, questions and comments.  This is temporary unless it takes off.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Well I guess this is close enough to our own section. So what does everyone weld with their OA setups?
Reply:I use mine for auto body sheet metal.  I have an old Smith Airline  I have had for 40 years and I also have a Dillon, Henrob, or Cobra what ever you want to call it.  The company has been sold three times and they change the name each time.  Same torch though.Last edited by 59halfstep; 02-11-2009 at 12:34 PM.Charlie
Reply:well i just got my o/a set.its  a prostar made by victor. i got the full sized bottles too. i will be posting on here hopefully soon. im having to get a second job to make ends meet.Millermatic 211weldpack 3200 squirtgunsquare wave 200victory journeyman kitHypertherm 30xptoo much other crap to listtinkerer extraordinaire
Reply:My Craftsman (Harris) carried me for years (no 220v available in the house). But since I bought the TIG, I could almost throw away the O/A............. almost. 9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:The first time I operated a torch was when I was in the 8th grade metal shop class; one of the assigned projects was a small hammer made of 1/2" square CRS, cut at an angle so it tapered to a wedge in back and drilled and filed to get a nearly square handle hole. I guess I put more care into mine than the average student and had even polished it nicely before mounting the handle, when the teacher asked if I'd like to harden mine. I, of course did although I had no idea how to; he showed me how to case harden it's ends with the oxy-acetylene flame, which I did for quite a while, afterward quenching it in water. I got it more than file-hard, but it surely took a long time to sand and re-polish the surface again! Anyway, that opened my eyes to OA torches and what they could do; by my college days, I had my own Harrris rig in the dorm room closet for a while.I still have and use that hammer, mostly for working on firearms and other smaller stuff in my room. The polish isn't quite like new but the head still isn't mushroomed after the extensive use it's gotten.
Reply:We use it everyday in my shop, silver soldering mainly brass to stainless, which can be a bit tricky at times.
Reply:Pictures! I mentioned the rain in another post. Here is what I tacked with the torch. It's already painted though, and sort of a temporary/semi-permanent fix...cart handle. Right on the edges, I want to try some more with the torch, it makes for a nice change in pace compared to mig welding on the time-clock!  Attached ImagesCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by makoman1860Well I guess this is close enough to our own section. So what does everyone weld with their OA setups?
Reply:[QUOTE=denrep;252128...that it deserves it's own forum.Good Luck[/QUOTE]I meant "that it deserves its own forum"Not "it's"If you don't mind correcting that and deleting this!
Reply:Here is a project I did about 8 yrs ago.  I was at the clients office and saw the old trailer sitting there.  ...bring back not so fond memories fo a couple of crazy hot days made hotter with the torch.  I just added all the strap and top angle.
Reply:i found a brand new setup on ebay a smith or victor for 85.00 and that includes everything and i talked to the guy at welder supply store is it easier to lease the tanks or just buy em outright any thoughts? i guess it would depend on how often you would use oxy fuel
Reply:Well I own all of mine, (2) 150 acetylene (2) 250 Hydrogen (2) 250 Oxygen (2) BBQ propane. Add on to that all the Argon, CO2, and C25 cylinders and im supprized the ATF isnt on my case! Leasing isnt a bad deal for the bigger tanks. For people just getting into welding I usually recomend a set of the "burgular" bottles ( MC acet and 20cf Oxygen ) and a nice little carry-all. Then lease a big set if they have a big project. That way they always have something for a quick job, and arent paying lease on a tanks they arent using. On the same token match the tanks to the torch and work. If its a little aircraft style torch, then small tanks are ok. The big agricultural torches should be fitted to larger tanks, of course always following the withdrawl rules of acetylene cylinders.
Reply:Thought you guys might get a kick out of some of my "stable" of torches. With the exception of the large oxweld , all are in new or restored condition. The oldest here is the Marquette "P"  from about 1921 and the newest is the Harris 19-6 from this year. Attached Images
Reply:Wow. That photo just made this thread immortal. 9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:Naw, The individuals and companies that designed and made these tools would make it immortal  Unfortunately many do not exist anymore, and the art is dying. Smith and Harris are the only companies here in the US that still have burner engineers on staff. Smith actually did a re-design on some of their products in the last couple years, and my hats are off to them. The new valves on the AW1A handle are a vast improvement, and the new regulators are wonderful, with a touch of elegnace in the cast handles. I was sent 2 prototype sets of regulators to test a couple years ago....and your going to have to pry them from my cold dead hands. Unfortunately quality of design really matters when it comes to torch performance, and its lacking in the mainstream tools. I sometimes wonder if this is part of the casue of frustration for people trying to weld, especially materials like aluminum and nickel based alloys. Oh here is a pic of the latest soon-to-be edition to the torch family. A 1913-1915 Oxweld W1, this is about half way through the restoration and overhaul. Valves are all new, soldered joints repaired and tubes straightened and dents removed. Once I machine a new mixer and tips we are all set! Oh and the threads are all metric non-standard. Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by makoman1860The individuals and companies that designed and made these tools would make it immortal  Unfortunately many do not exist anymore, and the art is dying.
Reply:Originally Posted by Craig in DenverThe older I get, the more aggitated I become about not having longer to learn more about welding (doing, not reading). I'm a hands on kinda guy (only Perfect is close enough) and when my electro-mechanical trade went electronic, I was trapped; too many years invested to restart. Funny, when I was younger, I didn't give a hoot about history; now it's fascinating. Thanks for the lesson and pics. The metric threads surprised me, not made in America?
Reply:Makoman 1860 - That's a nice arsenal!  Thanks for posting it.I wonder what the combined BTU potential is?!?  Good LuckLast edited by denrep; 02-16-2009 at 08:24 AM.
Reply:Damn Makoman 1860. Thats pretty serious machinery you got there buddy!! Im looking to get a DHC 2000 this weekend. Out of that entire lineup which torch do you like to use on butt welding 18-22 gauge sheetmetal?
Reply:Hey, Glad you asked! For the sheet size you mentioned the Meco N Medget, followed by the Victor J40. Especially if your going to get into hot working sheet parts and such its amazing how nice the position of the valves are for quick adjustment, lighting, etc. A word of caution, if you get the Meco, get the tips from Kent at www.tinmantech.com. The factory meco tips went to garbage about a year ago with a cost reduction, so Kent had the original design tooled back up for himself. The Dillon (DHC 2000) has a nice flame, but weighs a ton and has no advantage really as far as welding over a well made traditional style. Its almost impossible to use on some tight tubing clusters due to the design. However the sheet cutting is nice on it, I wil give it that, and I use it on castings with an extension. For work on things like tubing clusters, exhaust parts, etc I love the "aircraft" style torches. These are typically round handle, forward valves, "A" size fittings. Of the currently made ones I find the Smith Aw1A (airline)and Harris 15(aircrafter) at the top. Of the out of production models there is the much sought after Meco Aviator Jet, The ultra rare Meco Aviator, and the Oxweld W-29.Hope this helps!! -Aaron
Reply:Fellow in another forum asked about stainless welding, and on the subject of flame setting. The old books typically say a 1x reducing, and I have found this to usually work the best. Much over 2x and the puddle can get mushy, and anything near oxidizing...well you know. So I made him a quick sample to show the difference. Enjoy!316 stainless .040308 fillerSolar B fluxMeco Aviator Jet #2 tip Attached Images
Reply:I use O/A for cutting steel.  Also for bending, annealing, and tempering some stock or pieces of certain scales.Also use it for brazing.  And welding steel up to about 5 mm thickness.Someone already mentioned loosening frozen nuts & bolts, and it can be good for that.
Reply:A supplier of tips for various torches.http://www.lencocanada.com/pdf.d/200-04.pdf
Reply:Originally Posted by tapwelderA supplier of tips for various torches.http://www.lencocanada.com/pdf.d/200-04.pdfHere is a question for ya.My old Harris O2 reg suddenly started blowing gas at what seemed like cylinder pressure through the holes in the body on the front.  So, I dropped it off at the lws. The quote to repair is $80.00 .  Is it worth that?     It has always worked well. What gets me is that the matching acetylene reg had trouble a year ago, and a different place only charged me about $50.00. It was just creeping up slowly, not blowing gas...
Reply:daddy, I had the same problem.  The answer was buy a new regulator.  It wasn't much more than having it fixed.  A few years ago I just bought a whole new set of torches Identical to the ones I had for a couple of hundred bucks.  Now I have spares...Hoses, regulators,,,, Tips...  After 20 years, I expected them to wear out.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Well, I priced new stuff today.Harris made in USA : 100 bucksVictor made in china : 60 bucksI didn't pick one up yet but I told them to send the old one back unfixed.Guess I'll have to liberate a c-note from somewhere.
Reply:I mostly use mine just for cutting, I can get a little more detail with the o/a than with my plasma.This is a cowboy hat display rack I made fot a western store last year. I have an old Victor about 25 years old with a 00 tip, silohuette is 3/16. Attached Images
Reply:kinda new into the oxy acetylene welding and i was wondering if anyone could give me a few pointers thanks
Reply:Have you got a torch then? There are video's that give a decent intro into lots of processes, such as these, videos.City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Practice!  Make a bunch of coupons and then either get some 1/16in rg45 or some coat hangers and go to town. Start with forming a puddle and walking it along a line. Let it burn thru a few times to see what its like. Butt joints and lap joints are next and t joints are last cuz they require the most skill. Go slow. If you keep the heat on a bead for a long time you overheat everything. I run a 1/2' bead then pull the heat off and repeat. You can also backstep to dissapat the heat. Get a brick to work on better heat control than your steel table top. Experiment with various tip sizes and metal thicknesses and just plain practice. Post some pics when u get a chance.Lincoln PowerMig 180cVictor O/ABandaids and aspirinI don't know what I don't know!?
Reply:yea i got a victor and i think overheating is my problem i try to do too much at one time i can do the thinner stuff 1/8" or so pretty good but any thicker than that im pretty much screwed its something that im doin just to know how to do i mean you can never learn too much ill try that and send some pics
Reply:I have found that joint prep and fitment are very important to o/a welding. MIG for example is way forgiving of sloppy joints.On thicker stuff get the correct tip. I have a Victor also and use 0, 1,2,3 for most everything. But yes go SLOWER. Also bevel your edges and provide a little area for a puddle to get cradled and add filler. When you think you have the speed right, slow down some more. Dont be afraid to pull the flame for a few seconds if everything is turning bright red.Have fun.Lincoln PowerMig 180cVictor O/ABandaids and aspirinI don't know what I don't know!?
Reply:ok ill do that i have the same tips and i think tryin to rush is another problem i have never tried to bevel the edges so ill do that also and let you know how that works out another thing too is what is the best flame setting and regulator pressures
Reply:Originally Posted by maniacmechanickinda new into the oxy acetylene welding and i was wondering if anyone could give me a few pointers thanks
Reply:Originally Posted by maniacmechanicok ill do that i have the same tips and i think tryin to rush is another problem i have never tried to bevel the edges so ill do that also and let you know how that works out another thing too is what is the best flame setting and regulator pressures
Reply:ok thanks will do ill have to get the books cause my victor was my grandfathers and the handbook for it is no more
Reply:Originally Posted by maniacmechanicok thanks will do ill have to get the books cause my victor was my grandfathers and the handbook for it is no more
Reply:Tomorrow I am going to move these post to the OXY fuel forum.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:You telling me that you did this with a torch Im for sure not getting a plasma cutter now if that was done with a torch! What torch and tips do you guys recommend for me to use cut precise lines on sheetmetal and on car frames?
Reply:It's all in the skill...Ask Oldtimer, or Denrep, or Makoman, or lots of others I have omitted. NO  offense fellas.Jarret.
Reply:For sheetmetal and such I would go with a Plasma, I have cut thin guage sheet with the o/a and the warpage and slag was a lot more trouble than it was worth. There's a lot of people that do silohuettes with hand held plasmas on thinner sheetslike 16 gauge or so.
Reply:WOOHOO! We're movin' now!  I agree with Skywest, 4 and 4 is good. I've used about 5 and 5. Open the gas valves standing to the side of the gauge face, not in front! If they pop, don't be in front.  Open the oxygen fully and open the acetylene no more than a turn or so and be sure to leave the handle in place on the acetylene valve. The adjusters on the regs should have been bled last time the gear was stowed, so reset the flow adjusters to working pressure by opening one torch valve one at a time and turn the corresponding adjuster screw in until pressure is right, then turn off the torch valve. When both pressures are set good, you're ready to start.Last thing, get comfortable, don't forget to breathe!  When your done turn off the tank valves, then one at a time open the torch valves to bleed the regulators down to zero and unscrew the adjusters to ease the start up pressure for next time. Then close the torch valves. Just my little routine. Post pics!! City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Sorry bout two posts, phone rang, I jumped, hit the wrong button. Anyhow, the o/a is what I grew up on you might say, and as daddy said, its all in the skill, I'd would say practice and experience. I worked with an older man when I first got into welding that had worked in shipyards and he taught me a lot about torch work, still think about him when I pick one up.
Reply:Careful guys, he didnt say what model victor, some use much higher oxygen pressure. Either find out what the pressure is actually suggested to be for your EXACT torch, or learn to set the pressures without looking at the gauges.
Reply:Well, here I am, a total newbie to welding. I've got a HF 120V AC stick welder which seems to only work well with 7014, and I've been thinking about a very cheap Oxy-fuel set-up. Mostly, this will be for fun. I like playing with fire. I ride my motorcycle a lot, and break lots of stuff on it, especially the cast or billet aluminum parts like footpegs. The stick seems to work well on the steel stuff (exhaust and handlebars) though I do seem to get huge amounts of slag in the weld, and I can't get aluminum welding rods for AC.So...I'm looking at dirt cheap oxy-fuel set-ups. The first model I look at is the Bernzomatic Oxy-Mapp torch for $50 at home improvement megastores. It says it works for soldering, brazing, welding, and cutting. Honestly, I can't imagine it's much good at all that. It's small, burns through disposable oxygen tanks in minutes, has no replaceable tips, and looks rather cheap. However, I'm not trying to build an off-shore oil rig here--just looking at doing some small repairs in my garage. If it gets hot enough to melt the aluminum, maybe it's all I need? I do have to wonder if going through disposable canisters is actually cost effective in the long run, since I have no idea how much welding I'll actually be doing. Any reason I couldn't run it with disposable propane cylinders instead of the expensive MAPP ones, since the heat difference doesn't seem to be that great?Second option: an Oxy-Propane rig. I've read lots of references on the net to people hooking up their torches to an oxy tank and one of those propane gas grill bottles you get at gas stations. Sounds very economical, but I really can't find much info on these at all. I've heard you should use a different style torch (Injector style, IIRC) for propane and run something like 10X more oxygen than propane. I've also heard that propane might cause some problems because it can contaminate the metal with its by-products or something like that...I can't find any kits for this set-up, though. It seems to be more common with cutting than welding (makes sense if cutting is only done with oxygen), and buying an injector torch alone seems to be well over $200. Of course, I've also heard that you don't HAVE to use an injector, and an OA torch works fine--though I've also heard it may be neccessary to change the hoses, since OA hoses can't handle propane. Third Option: Go for real Oxy-Acetylene. They sell cheap kits for this on Ebay for about $80. Quality is probably terrible, but I really doubt anyone at my skill level would be able to notice much difference. Then I'd still have to get cylinders, which would probably put me way over my budget---unless I could just run a Propane grill cylinder instead of acetylene. Forth option: Oxy-Gasoline. Wikipedia mentions this, and boy does it sound like fun! Not really sure this is something with which I should be playing though, and I can't find any useful info on it. Fifth option: Compressed Air/Propane. I've heard you just hook up the oxy-hose to an air compressor, and with enough pressure you get a lot more oxygen than normally. I doubt it works that well, though, or it would be a lot more common. Seems more like a slightly more powerful blowtorch--maybe about the same as a MAPP blowtorch? I don't know much at all about this. Sixth option:  Forget it. Maybe I'll never have any fun welding with oxy-fuel on a budget of around $150. Maybe Oxy-fuel welding aluminum is really hard to learn, and I should get a DC stick welder instead so I can use Aluminum rods. Maybe I should buy one of those $100 shielded-wire-feed machines. I don't know. I'm just looking for a cheap hobby. What do you guys think?Last edited by Skippii; 03-05-2009 at 03:41 AM.
Reply:Never used any fuel-gas other than acetylene (except for that same Bernz-O-Matic Oxy/MAPP torch...a looong time ago and NOT worth it...).There is no such thing as a "dirt cheap" oxy/anygas setup for welding.DO NOT buy those cheapo kits from eBay!  You're dealing with compressed gases here, and explosive ones!  Go brand-name and you'll probably be alright. By the time you buy a good quality torch, hoses, regulators, flashback arrestors and cylinders (or even rent the cyls) not to mention the various size tips for said torch, etc...you are talking at least a few hundred dollars.$150 budget?  No way.-IanP.S. - For gas welding aluminum, add at least another $100 for a protective lens that cuts down on orange flare.  And it ain't easy to learn, so maybe another $100 in scrap metal to teach yourself how to do it...plus flux, and filler rods...etc...etc...etc...Last edited by quietlikeachurch; 03-05-2009 at 04:05 AM.Multi-brand O/A setupCasting furnace in the works!
Reply:Originally Posted by quietlikeachurchNever used any fuel-gas other than acetylene (except for that same Bernz-O-Matic Oxy/MAPP torch...a looong time ago and NOT worth it...).There is no such thing as a "dirt cheap" oxy/anygas setup for welding.DO NOT buy those cheapo kits from eBay!  You're dealing with compressed gases here, and explosive ones!  Go brand-name and you'll probably be alright. By the time you buy a good quality torch, hoses, regulators, flashback arrestors and cylinders (or even rent the cyls) not to mention the various size tips for said torch, etc...you are talking at least a few hundred dollars.$150 budget?  No way.-IanP.S. - For gas welding aluminum, add at least another $100 for a protective lens that cuts down on orange flare.  And it ain't easy to learn, so maybe another $100 in scrap metal to teach yourself how to do it...plus flux, and filler rods...etc...etc...etc...
Reply:Originally Posted by afabFor sheetmetal and such I would go with a Plasma, I have cut thin guage sheet with the o/a and the warpage and slag was a lot more trouble than it was worth. There's a lot of people that do silohuettes with hand held plasmas on thinner sheetslike 16 gauge or so.