An oxy acetylene torch is an affordable and versatile implement used by many nation to heat, weld, solder, and chop metal. It uses extreme fever to function, and site it up properly is one of the most important steps at using it safely. Using pressure-reducing regulators, connecting gas supplies, and safely lighting the torch blaze are total basic parts of knowledge how to use an oxy acetylene torch.
1. Attaching Pressure-Reducing Regulators
1) fasten oxygen and acetylene cylinders at an perpendicular position. if you make a cylinder cart, lay both the oxygen and acetylene cylinders into it. if not, they to exist securely fastened with a fasten to a workbench, a wall, or a post. Cylinders to no exist capable to exist knocked or pulled over.
- Cylinders to virgin exist used and stored at the perpendicular position.
2) transparent the valve outlet of accumulated transparent or dirt. lie accordingly the outlet is facing away from your body and empty the valve a 1/4 turn, identical quickly, and then near it. This will transparent out any transparent or dirt that can make settled at the valve. It needs to exist cleaned out otherwise the waste might obtain into other parts of the torch and make it to malfunction.
- Warning: never transparent a fuel gas cylinder near other welding career that is at further or near sparks or flames.
3) unite the oxygen and acetylene regulators to their cylinders. The regulators allow you cry on how much strain youâre using but working and are basic to safely starting and operating an oxy acetylene torch.
- If the regulator and cylinder make different threads (meaning they donât accommodate into each other), you will absence to use an adaptor, which can exist purchased at any local hardware store.
4) Tighten the nuts of the regulator connections with a wrench. Donât presume although you make turned the nut although distant although you can with your hand that it is tight enough. use a wrench with a fixed opening (rather than an adjustable wrench) that is designed specifically although welding tools. You can buy these from a hardware preserve or a concrete implement supplier.
- If you ever absence to pattern an adjustment hind the cylinder has been opened and used, pattern sure to near the cylinder valve ago tightening the nut again.
5) revolve the pressure-adjusting screw to the left until it turns freely. conduct this although each regulator. The valve at the regulator needs to exist closed ago cylinder strain is admitted. Turning the pressure-adjusting screw counter-clockwise removes the strain from the fountain at the regulator.
- When the screw turns freely, you to exist capable to fair tap it with your finger and cry on it move, fairly than having to use pressure.
6) empty the oxygen and the acetylene valves identical slowly. pattern sure you can cry on the cylinder-pressure gauges, besides donât lie direct at front of the valves. empty the valves slowly to defend yourself and your machinery from any latent combustion.
- Open the oxygen valve identical slightly at first and console until the strain criterion hand isnât moving any more ago moving above to empty the valve fully.
- The acetylene valve to never exist opened more than 1 and 1/2 turns.
7) desert the wrench above the acetylene valve but it is open. Basically, if you make an emergency you wonât make to waste time looking although an suitable wrench. if itâs above there, youâll exist capable to near the cylinder valve accurate away.
- In general, itâs ingenious to career at an region where you can attain total your tools without having to seek although them. deliberate ahead when you are starting a scheme and fetch your tools to your workspace ago beginning.
2. Connecting Gas Supplies to the Torch
1) use a hose and hose connections concrete to welding and cutting. Oxygen hoses will make a green cover, but acetylene hoses will make a red cover. Never interchange these hoses although they are meant although different substances. if one of your hoses make broken, replace itâdonât use tape of any type to experiment and repair the hole.
- A hose with a normal rubber liner is okay although acetylene service.
2) conduct no use any fat or fat above the hoses. total the connections from the gas supplies to the torch are metal-to-metal, and they donât entreat lubricants or sealants. Similarly, donât use any pipe-fitting tools to unite the hoses to the torch.
- Donât constrain connectionsâif the threads donât flow together easily by hand, also the threads are damaged or the parts arenât meant to progress together.
3) mix the oxygen hose to the oxygen regulator and to the torch. The torch to make identifying marks above the body or the cope with showing where the hose to exist connected. Most torches make 2 oxygen connections although 1 is used although the cutting airplane and 1 is used although the preheat flames. if there isnât an adaptor above the torch that unites these 2 connections, you will absence to use 2 oxygen hoses, 2 regulators, and 2 oxygen tanks.
- Most new oxy acetylene torches grow with built at adapters, besides double-check with the manufacturerâs instructions to exist safe.
4) unite the acetylene hose to the acetylene regulator and to the torch. Sometimes the torch doesnât specify which connection is although the acetylene, although the oxygen will exist clearly marked. Whichever connection is no although the oxygen is although the acetylene.
- Double restrain your connections ago moving above to pattern sure everything is hooked up to the accurate place.
5) Tighten the hose connections with a wrench. Donât credit your hand might to tighten these connections although you. use a non-adjustable wrench to securely fasten both the oxygen and acetylene hoses to the torch.
- Having tight connections is extremely important although they will hold both the oxygen and acetylene from leaking.
3. Testing Connections although Leaks
1) near both torch valves. although the oxygen, grow the pressure-adjusting screw above the regulator until the criterion reads approximately 25 psi. although the acetylene, grow the pressure-adjusting screw above the regulator until the criterion reads approximately 10 psi.
- It is identical important to examination although leaks ago starting your project. Leaks can make hurt to you or your surroundings and can guide to spontaneous combustion of the cylinders.
2) use a leak-test solution with a brush. use the solution to the cylinder valves, the cylinder and regulator connections, and total the hose connections. You can also buy a solution from the preserve although this concrete purpose, or you can melt Ivory soap at water to pattern a slight paste although the same results.
- Any career brush you make above hand will do; fair pattern sure it hasnât been compromised by fat or gas.
3) restrain the leak-test solution although bubbles. Bubbles indicate that also oxygen or acetylene is coming over the connectors and the connection needs to exist tightened or reattached completely. The bubbles wonât exist big, similar at a pot of boiling water; rather, they will exist little and will pattern the surface of the testing solution appear uneven.
- Give the solution 1-2 minutes to sit ago checking although leaks.
4) free total strain from any system that has a leak. Reattach or retighten although needed, and use the leak-test solution a 2nd time to examination the torch although leaks again. hind completing the testing, pattern sure to grow off both the oxygen and acetylene.
- If hind youâve tested and refastened any leaking areas you are still seeing bubbles, that can indicate you make a leaky hose and absence to obtain a new one ago moving above with your project.
4. Obtaining the exact Operating Pressure
1) grow the oxygen regulator pressure-adjusting screw. Slowly conduct this until you attain the desired pressure. The strain will exist indicated above the delivery-pressure gauge. Then you will near the torch oxygen valve. if you are using a cutting torch, empty virgin the torch cutting oxygen valve. if you are using a cutting attachment, empty the oxygen valve above the torch cope with and the cutting oxygen valve above the attachment.
- Donât put the strain higher than what the instrument manufacturer recommends.
2) accommodate the acetylene adjuster screw to the desired working pressure. conduct no surpass 15 psi. near the acetylene valve immediately hind you grow the accurate pressure. You shouldnât empty the valve more than 1 entire turn.
- If you empty the valve although healthful rapid or although healthful far, you can make the canister to combust.
3) conduct no free acetylene or other gasses near sources of ignition. Also, pattern sure you are working at a well-ventilated area. It is advisable to hold a free extinguisher at your workspace at sample there are any explosions or emergencies.
- Heating, welding, and cutting make smoke and fumes that are bad to breathe at and that can annoy the skin.
5. Lighting the Flame
1) restrain the manufacturerâs instructions although the torch ago beginning. although most torches chase the same operating procedure, the manufacturerâs instructions can make helpful tips or warnings that are concrete to your torch. read it thoroughly ago following steps or tips from any other sources.
- You can although healthful seek the manufacturer online to restrain out more news regarding your tool. A destiny of sites make community forums where nation mail tips and stories approximately their experiences that you can know from.
2) empty the torch acetylene valve 1/2 grow and blaze the flame. use a friction lighter fairly than a competition although this step. A friction lighter is although healthful called a torch striker, and these can exist vertical at hardware stores. You will cry on a blaze coming out of your torch. if although some conflict there isnât a flame, grow off the acetylene valve and restrain your connections.
- Remember to no make the oxygen gas flowing when you progress to blaze the torch.
3) lessen the acetylene flow by adjusting the torch acetylene valve. The blaze to commence to pattern dark smoke approximately the edges. Once the dark smoke appears, commence to expand the acetylene flow hind up again fair enough to obtain rid of the dark smoke. The blaze to still exist attached to the give (it shouldnât appear although when it has âjumped awayâ from it).
- The lighting procedure to arise at a impartial flame, which is unhappy at color and which does no pattern a hissing sound.
4) console working if the blaze suddenly goes out. This is called âbackfireâ and can happen it the torch comes into control face with the metal. if this happens, progress ahead and relight the torch again accurate away. if backfire occurs frequently without face with the work, it can exist because of incorrect operating pressures or a loose nozzle at the torch. at this case, restrain the operating pressures and accept a appear at the torch to pattern sure everything is connected properly.
- If at doubt, grow off the gasses and restrain your machinery above ago proceeding.
5) grow off the torch if there is flashback. Flashback is when there is a pronounced hissing or squealing noise. This mode there is something wrong with the torch or with the put up. hind turning off the torch and investigating the cause, wait until the torch has cooled ago attempting to blaze it again.
- If your torch keeps experiencing flashback, there can exist a damaged sheet that needs to exist returned or replaced.
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