oxy-acetylene welding sheet metal?

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hello. I'm new to this forum. I'm a novice welder looking for someadvice on oxy-acetylene welding 18 gauge mild steel. My projectinvolves try to weld a 4" ribbon of steel around a curved panelabout 18" in diameter.  I'm trying to make some interesting shapedneon clocks. (Neon glass-bending is my main trade.) All of thewelding is outside corner. I've had my best results fusion welding,but have trouble with distortion of the flat panel. I'm using a smithaw1 torch and have an aw200 and  aw201 tips. I also have a smithlittle torch. Any advice on tip size, pressure settings and thebest way to get good penetration while keeping the HAZ to a minimumand keep that panel from distorting would be much appreciated.thanks
Reply:Welcome aboard.  Will brazing work for you?  The temps are not as high as welding.  Google up Brazing vs. Welding.  Lots of stuff out there.  Heres one... http://www.societyofrobots.com/mechanics_brazing.shtml.  You don't need to limit yourself to silver filler rod.  There are filler rods that are brass based... Much cheaper than silver.I think you have a greater chance of success.  One suggestion... Add your location to your profile.  You may find a helping hand... Folks on this forum are very friendly.ZipLast edited by zipzit; 03-26-2012 at 04:17 PM.
Reply:pretty hard to keep 18ga from warping but getting in, getting the weld going and moving very fast will help keep the HAZ to a minimum, you will need to run the torch on the hot side and keep moving to keep from burning through
Reply:I'm trying to teach myself this skill using books, the web and of course a lot of trial and error. I don't know any really good welders and no welders using a torch. O/A welding thin sheet is a bit of a lost art as I understand it. I live in Athens, Ga. and can find no community college or votec courses in my area.I've tried a bit of brazing using some flux coated rod. Probably not the best material for my purposes.Still seems to require a lot of heat, but my technique is very amateur. Silver soldering seems like itmight work, but expensive. I just feel it could be welded if I took the proper approach and had the righttechnique and skills, but maybe I am barking up the wrong tree.thanks for all your advice.One more question.  What is a better alternative to those cheap plastic welding goggles that are uncomfortable and fog up all the time? I also have to wear reading glasses and those goggles are apain.
Reply:Something I learned when I was 15 years old. I had my own O/A torch at home and got pretty good at it. Torque pipes in Northridge,Ca. was advertising for welders on there 22ga. expansion chambers. It is something like walking the torch tip.What they did was fit the pipe sections in a jig, produce a neutral flame, lay the neck of the torch tip touching horizontal at the bend and then slowly rotate the neck until the side of the flame touched the joint. It slightly fused the joint. Then he moved the tip forward a bit and rotated the flame into the joint and again fused the seam. The best thing is that the flame was just rotated out to prevent overheating and popping a hole through the seam.It is almost like walking the cup with tig, but I can call in walking the torch tip. Watching this being done was magical. For what you are doing I think it would work well. I did not get the job, but learned something very new that day.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:shovelon, What you saw is a form of "scale welding", pretty common working on thin steel. What you also saw was heat control based on torch angle, and not torch distance.......a very valuable skill to have.
Reply:Would TIG work for this application better than O/A Torch. Seems like better heat control.
Reply:Originally Posted by makoman1860shovelon, What you saw is a form of "scale welding", pretty common working on thin steel. What you also saw was heat control based on torch angle, and not torch distance.......a very valuable skill to have.
Reply:Originally Posted by makoman1860shovelon, What you saw is a form of "scale welding", pretty common working on thin steel. What you also saw was heat control based on torch angle, and not torch distance.......a very valuable skill to have.
Reply:caliph, sent you a private message.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonSomething I learned when I was 15 years old. I had my own O/A torch at home and got pretty good at it. Torque pipes in Northridge,Ca. was advertising for welders on there 22ga. expansion chambers. It is something like walking the torch tip.What they did was fit the pipe sections in a jig, produce a neutral flame, lay the neck of the torch tip touching horizontal at the bend and then slowly rotate the neck until the side of the flame touched the joint. It slightly fused the joint. Then he moved the tip forward a bit and rotated the flame into the joint and again fused the seam. The best thing is that the flame was just rotated out to prevent overheating and popping a hole through the seam.It is almost like walking the cup with tig, but I can call in walking the torch tip. Watching this being done was magical. For what you are doing I think it would work well. I did not get the job, but learned something very new that day.
Reply:Originally Posted by Rick VThis sounds a great technique; anyone know of a video that shows it?
Reply:This torch angle thing has been a revelation. I have never seen a reference for such a shallow angle. My initial approach was small torch , small tip would concentrate the heat in a smaller area. I can see now it is really about speed. Keeping a consistent puddle as fast as you can control it.
Reply:Originally Posted by caliph23This torch angle thing has been a revelation. I have never seen a reference for such a shallow angle. My initial approach was small torch , small tip would concentrate the heat in a smaller area. I can see now it is really about speed. Keeping a consistent puddle as fast as you can control it.
Reply:Originally Posted by makoman1860Well that what happens when a technology becomes forgotten. Looking back in older textbooks, or even those from other countries will give you a lot more information as here in the USA the electric welding companies kind of bought themselves into the spotlight. Good Luck!!
Reply:I'm dittoing what Jim said. You'll find a bunch of info at the TM Technologies website. They have a couple of (inexpensive) instructional booklets on O/A welding, plus some books and DVDs. They have a free catalog, so you should get one of those. Lots of info, and a great article in it on TIG vs. Torch welding, worth reading. They do answer tech questions from customers (although they can be s-l-o-w responding on these sometimes).Also, I understand Kent White is still teaching O/A welding workshops, and starts people right off on aluminum. Here's a video of him demonstrating oxy-acetylene welding on aluminum (he's the guy to go to on this topic). Don't be put off that the title says "TIG welding" the video is to show what TIG can't do that O/A welding can, which is hold up to "weld abuse." [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF1Srs_e1Aw[/ame]good luck. hope this helps.p.s. Jim is right. If you want good lenses, check out the TM2000. They beat anything else I've used.Last edited by RPMetal; 03-27-2012 at 11:55 PM.