Bob I don't very often write or comment on RUclips videos but I had to just say thanks on all the great advice. I'm 57 years young and self trained on welding and tried to learn how to do things the right way but like you made a few mistakes over the years. My father was an old school welder but was not around to teach me how to do things the right way. I think I've learned more from watching your videos than I have from books or Trial-and-error on my part. Just saying thanks a lot you've been a big help.
GREAT VIDEO !!! I've used torches for many years, but learned things here. A lot of us were taught incorrectly. You show it all and explain WHY. Suggestions: 1. Always use a tip brush to clean tips, even if the tips are new. Never use a tip brush when the tip is installed on the torch. You'll only push the dirt deeper inside the torch. The worst way to clean a tip is to just rub it on a concrete floor. I've seen guys do that. 2. Soapy water in a spritzer bottle... **** just a LITTLE bit of soap !!! Too much liquid dish detergent and you'll have LOTSA bubbles. You won't know if you've got a leak or not. A little it of soap won't foam up unless there is a leak. 3. For thicker metal, use a bigger tip. Increasing the gas pressures won't help much. The small holes in the tip only let so much gas thru. It took me years to learn that. I just never thought much about it, until one day a guy explained it to me. 4. Never leave the hoses pressurized. ALWAYS turn the bottles off, when you're finished, and release the gasses in the hose.
gord johnson ...Good tips my friend! Please allow me to add the obvious: To clean tip when a piece of slag or foreign material is stuck to it DO NOT tap or beat the tip on anything. Also do not run a file across the face of the tip. In both cases you just ruined the tip, it will never cut right again. If you are operating a cutting torch correctly you should never need to do any more than occasionally use a tip cleaner.
@@leebarnhart9725 Not true with respect to filing. I have filed and cleaned basket-case tips and had them cut like new. The main issue is that it is an acquired skill which takes quite a bit of practice, and you must use the correct file (either the one in the cleaner set, or a fine single-row mill file). It is also best to finish the tip with 400-grit sandpaper or a stone, which like the filing takes practice. The good news is that if you have junk tips, then you have nothing to lose by practicing on them. One thing to keep in mind is that you can typically only remove up to perhaps 1/4" of material from the end of most tips. After that, the flame gas passages will either start to expand in diameter and/or start angling away from a parallel direction.
WTFChuk ....The fact that you have enough torch tips to "practice" on tells all. The "file", as you call it, that is found on most tip cleaners is for removing carbon build up---not for removing tip material. For those reading our disagreement, it's like going to the race track, put your money on the horse you believe in. If you find yourself with a torch tip in one hand and a file in the other, you've already screwed up, don't make worse.
@@leebarnhart9725 The reason I have tips to "practice on" is because I recondition and sell oxy-fuel equipment, among other things, and as a result you end up with plenty of bad nozzles. After you remove your foot from your mouth, you may want to consider that people who do a lot of cutting, particularly scrap cutting, can end up with fouled tips from a piece of metal or slag blowing back and clogging an orifice. You also have folks who cut a LOT, and as the oxygen cylinder pressure drops on a typical single-stage regulator (the most common type) the outlet pressure INCREASES. The result is that the flame becomes increasingly oxidizing causing the flame root to erode the exit of the flame orifice. This is the reason I always recommend two-stage regulators for folks using cutting machines. I have seen all this and more. Before you call someone out, you might want to know what you're talking about.
gord johnson when depressurizing the hoses, turn off the tanks first, open the torch to let the oxy/acetylene out (one at a time) and *then* turn off the regulators. It's not a big deal if you turn the regulators off first, but that still leaves pressure between them and the bottle. If someone else - or you - comes along to change the regulator or tank out you get a nice blast of gas when you loosen the fitting. Acetylene is smelly stuff, and I've got a sensitive nose.
GREAT PRECISE EXPLANATION RIGHT TO THE POINT, LOVE IT. 43 YEARS SINCE I WENT TO SCHOOL FOR THIS STUFF YOU DID NOT MISS A POINT CHEERS. STAY SAFE. I'm NOW 77 AND ALWAYS WATCH STUFF TO KEEP LEARNING.
BOB MOFFAT,JOB WELL DONE.BROUGHT BACK ALOT OF MEMORIES.I WENT TO WELDING SCHOOL AT A TRADE SCHOOL(AMERICAN TRADES INSTITUTE)IN DALLAS,TEXAS IN 1980.THEY TOUGHT US EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CUTTING TORCH,BOTTLES,REGULATORS,HOW TO SET THE REGULATORS UP,EVERYTHING.PRETTY MUCH THE WAY YOU DO IN THE VIDEO AND TO THIS DAY IF I HAD TO TELL A FIRE MARSHAL OR COAST GUARD I CAN DO IT RIGHT NOW(I MOVED BACK TO SEATTLE,WASHINGTON),I DON'T NEED TO BRUSH UP OR READ A BOOK!THAT'S ONE DEPARTMENT I MEMORIZED,PERIOD.STAY HEALTHY,I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS,KEEP MAKING THEM!
Great video! I really liked the last part of it, I recently found out the hard way> I loaned my set up to a neighbor that claimed he was a Qualified welder, after getting it back it cost me $45.00 for a regulator repair kit plus buying a bottle of OXY.
A point or two. 1. Never, never, never ever use grease, oil or any other type of petroleum product on an Oxy/Act rig. ANYWHERE ! 2. Do not use Teflon tape on anything other than where the two brass valves mount to the torch barrel that have pipe threads. All other connections have "seats", the threads do no seal. 3. Act. can "explode" at any pressure over 15 psi. That is why you turn on the Oxy tank first, so you do not hit the 5-7 psi on the Act. side with 40-50, or more pounds of pressure, if you have some sort of feedback. 4. Do not use Act. bottles laying on their side.
You did it right; always shut the gas off first and starve a bad situation from an explosion. This is one great video. I thank the producer for being unselfish and sharing this with us amatures.
Hi Bob, Another great video so thanks for that. One tip I learned about Acetylene gas bottles is when you load them into your van or truck to transport them to a site never ever lay the Acetylene bottle down horizontally. This is (as I understand it, but I stand to be corrected) critical as the Acetone separates and can if left long enough cause the bottle to explode causing considerable devastation and possibly injuries or death.
Any Acetylene bottles (even empty) I may have a need to carry will always be upright and never laid down. It is not recommended but I do know people that do it. That is their risk and if you want to lay them down then that is also fine. But don't try to suggest it is safe to lay them down.
I have not used an O-A torch in nearly 40 years (high school metal shop...), so this was an excellent refresher for me. I just picked up some used equipment at an estate sale, so I am now going through the pieces and parts, checking the condition of everything. Bought new hose set, getting the bottles refilled, etc. now. Anyway, thanks for the slow and clear explanation and including the WHY I DO THIS part of the process.
Thanks for your careful review, Bob. Good idea to go over the basics regularly. It's easy to get complacent and build dangerous habits. I'm rabid about safety, and I still miss a step now and then.
Great video Bob, I been fascinated and became a expert on Oxyacetylene welding and cutting since 6th grade and I'm with you I was taught to have the torch valves pointing to the floor to prevent accidentally bumping them. I myself don't mind the smell of Acetylene but can't stand the smell of Propane.
I can definitively say that it does not matter whether you shut off the fuel or oxygen first, but you must ALWAYS close all the valves on the torch before shutting off the cylinders. AFAIK, Victors are the only torches (and not all models have them) with internal arrestors. Purox, Oxweld, Smith, Harris, and even many Victor clones do not have them, and so will need external arrestors. What most people don't know is that both the torch AND the regulator should have arrestors, and the arrestors for each are a bit different (mainly due to connection reversals vs direction of flow, but also the regulator-side arrestor also usually has a thermal cutoff valve in it). The reason is this: if you have a flashback in the torch, you don't want it backing into the hoses. Hoses can easily rupture, and a ruptured fuel gas hose is a bad scene. Also, even of the hose doesn't rupture, the inner hose section can be damaged. This is why you need torch-side arrestors. The reason for regulator side arrestors is this: if a hose is damaged, cut, or burned through, and a gas leak catches fire and burns back to the regulator, the arrestor will prevent it from flowing into the regulator. It also provides redundancy; if a torch-side check valve leaks and backs gas up into the opposite hose (which shouldn't happen if proper shutdown and start up procedures are observed), the additional valve provides a last line of defense. Heavy cutting or use of large heating heads may require more flow than two seriesed flashback arrestors can provide. In that case, you can remove the regulator-side arrestors, although it isn't recommended. The better option is to use an alternate fuel gas such as propylene or propane which can be run at increased pressure to overcome the restriction of the arrestors. The best option for acetylene use is to increase to 3/8" hoses and arrestors, or run high-flow (fat body) 1/4" arrestors. Always run two sets of arrestors if at all possible. As a rule, all brands of arrestors will get the job done, but the German-made Ibeda's are my fave. In particular, their combination arrestor and quick disco for the torch-side are the most compact units I know of. They are sold rebranded by at least one US outfit.
WTFChuk I agree my school has them on the torch built in on the regulator and on the acetylene side of the manifold system has another one it’s always better to have a back up then just have one and it fails if you ever don’t see the flame and hear the torch whistling shut off the torch immediately a first o 2 then shut off the valves on the cylinders
An excellent example of oxy-acetylene setup and proper usage video seen in last 15+ years. Concise and to the point without any unnecessary ramblings. A real pleasure to watch and it was very helpful to refresh my memory. Thank you and I look forward to your future postings. Best regards. WK
I run a small HVAC setup. Good to know that I’ve got good practices and procedures. Our little rigs are jostled and banged around a lot more than shop setup. More than a few times I’ve found loose hose ends and loose regulators to the bottles. I get on the guys who fail to bleed out the hoses. Thanks for the refresher.
I had an ex brother-in-law that my sister divorced. He told me I'm going to teach you how to weld someday but then when they got divorced he moved to West Virginia. He was a slow talking guy just like you and if they never got divorced I'm sure I'd be 10 times the welder I am now because of guys like you. Thanks for your awesome video oh by the way he died 10 years ago
You're a great teacher. Thank you. Checking equipment to ensure it's serviceable is essential to prevent avoidable incidents. That's the same reason pilots go through a preflight checklist/check before taking off.
Excellent video for the novice. After watching this a few times, I now feel confident enough to give oxy acetylene a try. Even if its just setting the torch up over and over before moving on to cutting/heating. Thanks!
Outstanding video Bob !!!!! I have seen so many people stand in front of those gauges when opening the cylinder valves. Makes me cringe every time I see that and I feel compelled to let them know that its not wise to stand in front of those gauges when opening the valve. I only saw one blow up in my life but it's like a fragmentation grenade. You can't move fast enough to get out of the way.
Great video, good information, very helpful. I cringe when I see a person using these tools in an unsafe manner. Many people don't realize how dangerous these tools are until they have an accident, but then it's too late. Thanks for the great video. Dan
Great video. The only thing he didn't do was have his goggles on when he lit the torch. A lot of the old heads are pretty laidback when it comes to this (and that's who taught me, but still), but make sure you have proper eyewear, sunglasses don't count.
Hi Bob, Was interesting to see that in the US they have brass to brass in the cylinder connections, in Oz we have an O Ring around the perimeter of the hose fitting so you don't have to do it up so tight. I've not seen a set with built in flashback arresters, always an extra fitting, or was when I got my last kit in Oz. I would agree, most forget a lot of what they may have been taught, and where oxygen and acetylene are concerned one can never be too careful. A good video as always. Regards Dennis.
Great work. I would love to see more on cutting tips, cleaning, selecting, how to tune everything, etc. I think I could spend a year picking your brain! Thanks
Really interesting- I see most everyone here was taught to turn the fuel off before the oxy, I was taught different (maybe because I learned in a lab setting?) The idea was that the acetylene can't burn without oxygen, and so can't travel back down the hoses. Pure oxygen will make most anything burn like crazy, so if there's enough heat the hoses themselves will become a fuel source. Maybe it doesn't matter either way or maybe those lab guys over thought the whole thing and the field guys have it right (no surprise to anyone right?)
Thanks for sharing your knowledge on this dying process. We must not let this happen. Thanks again for all of your trachings I very much appreciate them all. Stay safe.
This was awesome. Can you consider doing a similar one for MIG/TIG gas safety/setup. i know there is no fuel involved but the nuance and detail was brilliant.
Yes youre absolutely right on everything. Typically my settings if im using a #3 tip i have the oxy at 35 psi and acety at 10 psi. I realize anything after 10 psi on the acetylene the acetone becomes unstable and more dangerous.
Awesome video I’m gonna have to show this to some hard heads in my welding class because non of them know how to use a torch right and it’s probably gonna get somebody hurt
Thanks Bob for sharing this video, I'd be watching this video for several times more so to get acquainted with the proper procedure on how to start the oxy/ace torch. Better be safe than sorry, as they say. Thanks for another awesome video !
Like Bob said, don't think it really matters during shut down procedure at that point. Its an age old debate, personally I feel better to turn off the fuel first. Teachers have said: "A before O or else you'll blow."
I love your patient explanation sir this is a great instructional video I love watching it over and over so I can ground those basics in my memory I done cutting and burning before and actually I got to get free hand stroke from doing sign work over the years so I look forward to becoming a lot better at it in Practical n Creative ways Thank You Sir
I always shut the oxygen off first on my torch. I have been told both ways. I have welded professionally for many years. I know a lot of people are taught in school to kill the o2 first. I have never had any issues and I don't get the pop that some people say you get. what is correct and why? I personally use propane at my home shop but have ran both. I actually am so use to propane i prefer now.
bob i hope you follow up with another video if so please remember your viewers not to handle oxy connections and regulators (seat side) with bare/dirty/oily hands. a surival guide in case of blowback or reg fire would be helpful too. thanks for sharing man, the youngsters and some old farts will learn much from this. take care. peter
Safety rules/procedures are written in blood, don't take them lightly, someone got hurt or died breaking them at some point. Thanks for taking time sharing the details.
Beach&BoardFan I have a set on my regulators because my tanks are in my truck box, the torch is on the end of a hose reel several feet away. I also have another set on the torch. And no matter how safe, there’s always some moron on a job site that tries to drive equipment or light a cigarette in the 6’ between me and my truck in spite of the lights. And the 3” no smoking letters. So I operate with redundancies.
I agree with the idea of FBA's on the output of the regulators, but I don't see how a severed hose would 'prevent' anything untoward happening. Surely fuel & oxygen would just come gushing out of both hoses?
@@beachboardfan9544 I understand the reason for FBA's, but why would there necessarily be flames just because the hoses got severed? Especially if the torch wasn't even alight or being used.
3RD QUESTION, HOW DOES THE FLAME BURN INSIDE THE THE TORCH HEAD, I WAS TOLD TOO LOW OF PRESSURE. NEVER TOO OLD OR TOO MUCH EXPERIENCE TO LEARN THE BEST TEACHERS ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE THE MOST EXPERIENCE AND TRICKS, THANK YOU
I broke out in a shop that put safety last and I haven't learned basically any safety stuff lol I wasn't just a helper either, they had me running the shop by the time I left.. No one in the building had ever held a forklift license, hell I trained myself one day on my lunch break at the boss' recommendation and from that point on I was the one who handled all material deliveries, wiggling 20' sch40 bundles through a 15' door on a little hyster is always fun We used to get a heads up before inspections and boss would have me rush around the week prior hiding and riggin shit up to not get flagged as a safety violation lol fun times though. Almost lost my left testicle there when I tried to quickly grind a tack off the shear's table with a 7" cutoff wheel on a 4.5" hilti lol Not a single grinder guard on anything in the shop, but damn did we produce. Other shops hated us, 5 guys in out shop counting me out-produced everyone in our niche (government structural mostly in DC, but we did other stuff - majority was stairs/rails, but all types of structural from 3/8" to 1" at the thickest - most of us ran millermatic 252 with a bernard pipeworks or the little red trigger 150amp gun, great little machine)
y'a, and my instructor says doesnt matter when shutting down the cylinder, "doesnt matter which comes first". and then in text book says oxy first... text books suck because its a quick buck for them to make, so seems they put what ever.. smh but i always shut down the acetylene cylinder first, obviously when torch is shut off.
Hi Bob first of all thank you for sharing the skills of a being a professional weldor as well as being safe. I was wondering if you could do a video using 7018ac rod I have an old 225 miller thunderbolt boat anchor I am cleaning up and going to use for some projects and then upgrade later.
love your video Bob,, I was also wondering if you could do a video on oxy hydrogen welding etc. I recently bought a set from an old lead burner,, they were journeymen and used oxy hydrogen because it is so very clean, and therefore jewelers use it all the time. you don't see oxy hydrogen often but it has many advantages. anyway I would like to see if you could do a video on this process, there are many of us old timers (like you) who would benefit and many newbies would have another process the add to their resume . thanks
Agreed 99% with content, but why did you not crack the bottle before installing the gauge, is that not good to do (clear debris out)? I know nowdays the bottles come sealed from the lws, so is that just an old school precaution? Thanks boss!
You showed lighting the acetylene first and then adding the oxygen but it wasn't clear which one you shut off first. Is the acetylene always the first on and the first off?
Great video! Can I test the flashback arrestors by turning on the gas on one hose with the other one disconnected and check for gas flow out of the disconnected fitting?
Bob, great video and thank you. Perfect timing for me since I'm considering getting a Victor Journeyman 450 torch set for myself for Christmas. I want something that's going to last a very long time and more importantly, repairable if needed and not disposable if something breaks. Is this a setup you would recommend?
Can some type me a summary about this video on what important steps are provided on this video that I should use and what tips were provided that will help me
Years ago I was a "burner" at a scrap yard - we probably invented violations, lol. Question - I have a smiths little torch with map and a #1 oxygen bottle with regulator and flash arrestor (silversmith) I use my torch daily - given the inherent danger with turning on the oxygen bottle, would it be safer to just leave the system always on? Or shut it down every day?
Was taught in welding school to turn off oxygen first for the reason to create a habit in turning oxygen first in the event of major malfunction to eliminate the oxygen from the situation because fire needs oxygen to burn
I remember back in highschool they had us open the oxygen either a half turn or a full turn. I never understood why you open either tanks one full turn or less, unless you need to shut the system down at the tanks in an emergency.
Oxygen off first because it supports combustion, Oxygen feeds the fire. Flashback arrestors, Mandator at the cylinders, at least in Canada for OH&S regulations.
Bob I don't very often write or comment on RUclips videos but I had to just say thanks on all the great advice. I'm 57 years young and self trained on welding and tried to learn how to do things the right way but like you made a few mistakes over the years. My father was an old school welder but was not around to teach me how to do things the right way. I think I've learned more from watching your videos than I have from books or Trial-and-error on my part. Just saying thanks a lot you've been a big help.
GREAT VIDEO !!! I've used torches for many years, but learned things here. A lot of us were taught incorrectly. You show it all and explain WHY.
Suggestions:
1. Always use a tip brush to clean tips, even if the tips are new. Never use a tip brush when the tip is installed on the torch. You'll only push the dirt deeper inside the torch. The worst way to clean a tip is to just rub it on a concrete floor. I've seen guys do that.
2. Soapy water in a spritzer bottle... **** just a LITTLE bit of soap !!! Too much liquid dish detergent and you'll have LOTSA bubbles. You won't know if you've got a leak or not. A little it of soap won't foam up unless there is a leak.
3. For thicker metal, use a bigger tip. Increasing the gas pressures won't help much. The small holes in the tip only let so much gas thru. It took me years to learn that. I just never thought much about it, until one day a guy explained it to me.
4. Never leave the hoses pressurized. ALWAYS turn the bottles off, when you're finished, and release the gasses in the hose.
gord johnson ...Good tips my friend! Please allow me to add the obvious:
To clean tip when a piece of slag or foreign material is stuck to it DO NOT tap or beat the tip on anything. Also do not run a file across the face of the tip. In both cases you just ruined the tip, it will never cut right again. If you are operating a cutting torch correctly you should never need to do any more than occasionally use a tip cleaner.
@@leebarnhart9725 Not true with respect to filing. I have filed and cleaned basket-case tips and had them cut like new. The main issue is that it is an acquired skill which takes quite a bit of practice, and you must use the correct file (either the one in the cleaner set, or a fine single-row mill file). It is also best to finish the tip with 400-grit sandpaper or a stone, which like the filing takes practice. The good news is that if you have junk tips, then you have nothing to lose by practicing on them. One thing to keep in mind is that you can typically only remove up to perhaps 1/4" of material from the end of most tips. After that, the flame gas passages will either start to expand in diameter and/or start angling away from a parallel direction.
WTFChuk ....The fact that you have enough torch tips to "practice" on tells all.
The "file", as you call it, that is found on most tip cleaners is for removing carbon build up---not for removing tip material.
For those reading our disagreement, it's like going to the race track, put your money on the horse you believe in. If you find yourself with a torch tip in one hand and a file in the other, you've already screwed up, don't make worse.
@@leebarnhart9725 The reason I have tips to "practice on" is because I recondition and sell oxy-fuel equipment, among other things, and as a result you end up with plenty of bad nozzles. After you remove your foot from your mouth, you may want to consider that people who do a lot of cutting, particularly scrap cutting, can end up with fouled tips from a piece of metal or slag blowing back and clogging an orifice. You also have folks who cut a LOT, and as the oxygen cylinder pressure drops on a typical single-stage regulator (the most common type) the outlet pressure INCREASES. The result is that the flame becomes increasingly oxidizing causing the flame root to erode the exit of the flame orifice. This is the reason I always recommend two-stage regulators for folks using cutting machines. I have seen all this and more. Before you call someone out, you might want to know what you're talking about.
gord johnson when depressurizing the hoses, turn off the tanks first, open the torch to let the oxy/acetylene out (one at a time) and *then* turn off the regulators. It's not a big deal if you turn the regulators off first, but that still leaves pressure between them and the bottle. If someone else - or you - comes along to change the regulator or tank out you get a nice blast of gas when you loosen the fitting.
Acetylene is smelly stuff, and I've got a sensitive nose.
GREAT PRECISE EXPLANATION RIGHT TO THE POINT, LOVE IT. 43 YEARS SINCE I WENT TO SCHOOL FOR THIS STUFF YOU DID NOT MISS A POINT CHEERS. STAY SAFE. I'm NOW 77 AND ALWAYS WATCH STUFF TO KEEP LEARNING.
You described a priceless habit. Don’t take for granted and go over it (safty) again. Hope many will pay attention.
BOB MOFFAT,JOB WELL DONE.BROUGHT BACK ALOT OF MEMORIES.I WENT TO WELDING SCHOOL AT A TRADE SCHOOL(AMERICAN TRADES INSTITUTE)IN DALLAS,TEXAS IN 1980.THEY TOUGHT US EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CUTTING TORCH,BOTTLES,REGULATORS,HOW TO SET THE REGULATORS UP,EVERYTHING.PRETTY MUCH THE WAY YOU DO IN THE VIDEO AND TO THIS DAY IF I HAD TO TELL A FIRE MARSHAL OR COAST GUARD I CAN DO IT RIGHT NOW(I MOVED BACK TO SEATTLE,WASHINGTON),I DON'T NEED TO BRUSH UP OR READ A BOOK!THAT'S ONE DEPARTMENT I MEMORIZED,PERIOD.STAY HEALTHY,I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS,KEEP MAKING THEM!
Great video! I really liked the last part of it, I recently found out the hard way> I loaned my set up to a neighbor that claimed he was a Qualified welder, after getting it back it cost me $45.00 for a regulator repair kit plus buying a bottle of OXY.
a QW wouldn't have returned an empty bottle or damaged equipment.
Excellent video Bob. Very educational, clear, thorough and concise. Just got my first torch and I feel confident after watching. Thank you!
A point or two.
1. Never, never, never ever use grease, oil or any other type of petroleum product on an Oxy/Act rig. ANYWHERE !
2. Do not use Teflon tape on anything other than where the two brass valves mount to the torch barrel that have pipe threads. All other connections have "seats", the threads do no seal.
3. Act. can "explode" at any pressure over 15 psi. That is why you turn on the Oxy tank first, so you do not hit the 5-7 psi on the Act. side with 40-50, or more pounds of pressure, if you have some sort of feedback.
4. Do not use Act. bottles laying on their side.
Great Additional Info, Wally!!
You did it right; always shut the gas off first and starve a bad situation from an explosion. This is one great video. I thank the producer for being unselfish and sharing this with us amatures.
Hi Bob, Another great video so thanks for that.
One tip I learned about Acetylene gas bottles is when you load them into your van or truck to transport them to a site never ever lay the Acetylene bottle down horizontally. This is (as I understand it, but I stand to be corrected) critical as the Acetone separates and can if left long enough cause the bottle to explode causing considerable devastation and possibly injuries or death.
Any Acetylene bottles (even empty) I may have a need to carry will always be upright and never laid down. It is not recommended but I do know people that do it. That is their risk and if you want to lay them down then that is also fine. But don't try to suggest it is safe to lay them down.
I have not used an O-A torch in nearly 40 years (high school metal shop...), so this was an excellent refresher for me. I just picked up some used equipment at an estate sale, so I am now going through the pieces and parts, checking the condition of everything. Bought new hose set, getting the bottles refilled, etc. now.
Anyway, thanks for the slow and clear explanation and including the WHY I DO THIS part of the process.
Thanks for your careful review, Bob. Good idea to go over the basics regularly. It's easy to get complacent and build dangerous habits. I'm rabid about safety, and I still miss a step now and then.
Great video Bob, I been fascinated and became a expert on Oxyacetylene welding and cutting since 6th grade and I'm with you I was taught to have the torch valves pointing to the floor to prevent accidentally bumping them. I myself don't mind the smell of Acetylene but can't stand the smell of Propane.
I can definitively say that it does not matter whether you shut off the fuel or oxygen first, but you must ALWAYS close all the valves on the torch before shutting off the cylinders.
AFAIK, Victors are the only torches (and not all models have them) with internal arrestors. Purox, Oxweld, Smith, Harris, and even many Victor clones do not have them, and so will need external arrestors. What most people don't know is that both the torch AND the regulator should have arrestors, and the arrestors for each are a bit different (mainly due to connection reversals vs direction of flow, but also the regulator-side arrestor also usually has a thermal cutoff valve in it). The reason is this: if you have a flashback in the torch, you don't want it backing into the hoses. Hoses can easily rupture, and a ruptured fuel gas hose is a bad scene. Also, even of the hose doesn't rupture, the inner hose section can be damaged. This is why you need torch-side arrestors. The reason for regulator side arrestors is this: if a hose is damaged, cut, or burned through, and a gas leak catches fire and burns back to the regulator, the arrestor will prevent it from flowing into the regulator. It also provides redundancy; if a torch-side check valve leaks and backs gas up into the opposite hose (which shouldn't happen if proper shutdown and start up procedures are observed), the additional valve provides a last line of defense.
Heavy cutting or use of large heating heads may require more flow than two seriesed flashback arrestors can provide. In that case, you can remove the regulator-side arrestors, although it isn't recommended. The better option is to use an alternate fuel gas such as propylene or propane which can be run at increased pressure to overcome the restriction of the arrestors. The best option for acetylene use is to increase to 3/8" hoses and arrestors, or run high-flow (fat body) 1/4" arrestors. Always run two sets of arrestors if at all possible.
As a rule, all brands of arrestors will get the job done, but the German-made Ibeda's are my fave. In particular, their combination arrestor and quick disco for the torch-side are the most compact units I know of. They are sold rebranded by at least one US outfit.
WTFChuk I agree my school has them on the torch built in on the regulator and on the acetylene side of the manifold system has another one it’s always better to have a back up then just have one and it fails if you ever don’t see the flame and hear the torch whistling shut off the torch immediately a first o 2 then shut off the valves on the cylinders
An excellent example of oxy-acetylene setup and proper usage video seen in last 15+ years. Concise and to the point without any unnecessary ramblings. A real pleasure to watch and it was very helpful to refresh my memory. Thank you and I look forward to your future postings. Best regards. WK
Thank You Bob a good refresh haven't done acetylene cutting in a while.......
Very good presentation Bob. Hats off to a no nonsense guy that truly knows his shit
I run a small HVAC setup. Good to know that I’ve got good practices and procedures. Our little rigs are jostled and banged around a lot more than shop setup. More than a few times I’ve found loose hose ends and loose regulators to the bottles. I get on the guys who fail to bleed out the hoses. Thanks for the refresher.
Bob, I've watched many, many videos as I self-taught MIG. Just acquired an O-E system and am starting from scratch. thank you!
I had an ex brother-in-law that my sister divorced. He told me I'm going to teach you how to weld someday but then when they got divorced he moved to West Virginia. He was a slow talking guy just like you and if they never got divorced I'm sure I'd be 10 times the welder I am now because of guys like you. Thanks for your awesome video oh by the way he died 10 years ago
Sorry to hear he passed on.
You're a great teacher. Thank you. Checking equipment to ensure it's serviceable is essential to prevent avoidable incidents. That's the same reason pilots go through a preflight checklist/check before taking off.
Excellent video for the novice. After watching this a few times, I now feel confident enough to give oxy acetylene a try. Even if its just setting the torch up over and over before moving on to cutting/heating. Thanks!
Outstanding video Bob !!!!! I have seen so many people stand in front of those gauges when opening the cylinder valves. Makes me cringe every time I see that and I feel compelled to let them know that its not wise to stand in front of those gauges when opening the valve. I only saw one blow up in my life but it's like a fragmentation grenade. You can't move fast enough to get out of the way.
Great video, good information, very helpful. I cringe when I see a person using these tools in an unsafe manner. Many people don't realize how dangerous these tools are until they have an accident, but then it's too late. Thanks for the great video. Dan
Thanks for the video. Its been a a few, well more than a few years since I had formal training with a torch and you learned me a few things.
Thanks for this video I’m moving on from mig welding to oxy and this is going to help me tremendously in my class
Thank you Bob. I'm new to torch work and will use your video many times to get started safely.
Love oxyfuel welding and cutting. Been using it since 1969
Thanks, I don't use my setup often enough to remember all points of the correct startup/shutdown process, so this is quite helpful.
brilliant as always bob. simply excellent simple, logical teaching. THIS is how to do it. I refer anyone to your methods.
Great video. The only thing he didn't do was have his goggles on when he lit the torch. A lot of the old heads are pretty laidback when it comes to this (and that's who taught me, but still), but make sure you have proper eyewear, sunglasses don't count.
Every word this man speaks is golden
Hi Bob,
Was interesting to see that in the US they have brass to brass in the cylinder connections, in Oz we have an O Ring around the perimeter of the hose fitting so you don't have to do it up so tight.
I've not seen a set with built in flashback arresters, always an extra fitting, or was when I got my last kit in Oz.
I would agree, most forget a lot of what they may have been taught, and where oxygen and acetylene are concerned one can never be too careful.
A good video as always.
Regards Dennis.
Hi mate just out of curiosity how many flashback arrestors do you have in your kit
Definitely enjoyed ur video! I like ur no bullshit attitude and the fact u explain a lot of "why we do this is because of this, or that"!
Oxygen valve on the bottle is a DOUBLE seated valve. Therefore MUST be all the way open!
Great work. I would love to see more on cutting tips, cleaning, selecting, how to tune everything, etc.
I think I could spend a year picking your brain!
Thanks
Thanks for these videos..these tips are helping me get thru welding school.
Really interesting- I see most everyone here was taught to turn the fuel off before the oxy, I was taught different (maybe because I learned in a lab setting?) The idea was that the acetylene can't burn without oxygen, and so can't travel back down the hoses. Pure oxygen will make most anything burn like crazy, so if there's enough heat the hoses themselves will become a fuel source. Maybe it doesn't matter either way or maybe those lab guys over thought the whole thing and the field guys have it right (no surprise to anyone right?)
Bob you did a very good job . Only saying Bob that oil and oxygen don't mix . So make your hands are clean . Mechanics are noted for oily hands .
Привет из России! Не понимаю английский, но даже просто посмотрев, узнаёшь много нового!!! Спасибо!
Hello from Russia. I don’t understand English but learned a lot just by watching. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge on this dying process. We must not let this happen. Thanks again for all of your trachings I very much appreciate them all. Stay safe.
This was awesome. Can you consider doing a similar one for MIG/TIG gas safety/setup. i know there is no fuel involved but the nuance and detail was brilliant.
Yes youre absolutely right on everything. Typically my settings if im using a #3 tip i have the oxy at 35 psi and acety at 10 psi. I realize anything after 10 psi on the acetylene the acetone becomes unstable and more dangerous.
@Mario Martinez you betcha kind sir.
Mario Martinez Acetylene is explosif over 15 psi, you should be good with 7 psi acetylene and 55 oxygene for most jobs
Mario Martinez i miss read sorry but thanks for the pointer! have a great cutting day haha peace ✌️
Well Said Bob - Keep Your Videos Coming
Awesome video I’m gonna have to show this to some hard heads in my welding class because non of them know how to use a torch right and it’s probably gonna get somebody hurt
One of the better videos I've seen on the subject, thank you for sharing!
Great video. Safety first always!
I was going to make a comment about purging the inlets but I see it been hit on thanks Bob
EXCELLENT INFORMATION!!! Thank you.
Thanks Bob for sharing this video, I'd be watching this video for several times more so to get acquainted with the proper procedure on how to start the oxy/ace torch. Better be safe than sorry, as they say. Thanks for another awesome video !
Like Bob said, don't think it really matters during shut down procedure at that point. Its an age old debate, personally I feel better to turn off the fuel first.
Teachers have said: "A before O or else you'll blow."
Always a good refresher till it becomes 2nd nature and natural! thank you!!
Thank you so much I’m new to this and I’m going to stick with the same habit like you have thank you once again
I love your patient explanation sir this is a great instructional video I love watching it over and over so I can ground those basics in my memory I done cutting and burning before and actually I got to get free hand stroke from doing sign work over the years so I look forward to becoming a lot better at it in Practical n Creative ways Thank You Sir
I always shut the oxygen off first on my torch. I have been told both ways. I have welded professionally for many years. I know a lot of people are taught in school to kill the o2 first. I have never had any issues and I don't get the pop that some people say you get. what is correct and why? I personally use propane at my home shop but have ran both. I actually am so use to propane i prefer now.
Safety standard in New Zealand is much higher. You need to have flashback arrestors on both the regulator and mixer.
NZer here as well, I was always taught absolutely not to use soapy water to check for leaks.
@@annabellovatt7938 How do you check for leaks instead?
@@37Iulian There's a foam type spray designed especially for it. Honestly, I don't really think it matters which you use as long as there's no leak...
bob i hope you follow up with another video if so please remember your viewers not to handle oxy connections and regulators (seat side) with bare/dirty/oily hands. a surival guide in case of blowback or reg fire would be helpful too. thanks for sharing man, the youngsters and some old farts will learn much from this. take care. peter
Excellent tutorial Bob!
Thanks Hank Hill, very informative!
New Piher Clamps on the ....”coopins”.....wall rack. Someone got some Fabtech loot lol. Thanks for the video Bob, helps a lot.
They're an incredible product. We were very impressed.
Safety rules/procedures are written in blood, don't take them lightly, someone got hurt or died breaking them at some point. Thanks for taking time sharing the details.
Thanks Bob, this seems to be lost on alot of guys regardless of experience or years in the trades. Happy belated thanksgiving!
Thanks for the rundown Bob! Great presentation/video
Get your safety glasses on and hearing protection in place folks. I'm going to smack that like button a good one.
Very informative video, Bob. Thanks for posting it.
Where I'm at its required to have flame arresters on the regulators "in case the hoses are accidentally severed".
Beach&BoardFan I have a set on my regulators because my tanks are in my truck box, the torch is on the end of a hose reel several feet away. I also have another set on the torch.
And no matter how safe, there’s always some moron on a job site that tries to drive equipment or light a cigarette in the 6’ between me and my truck in spite of the lights. And the 3” no smoking letters. So I operate with redundancies.
I agree with the idea of FBA's on the output of the regulators, but I don't see how a severed hose would 'prevent' anything untoward happening. Surely fuel & oxygen would just come gushing out of both hoses?
@@thecorbies Its to prevent flame from getting past the regulators
@@beachboardfan9544 I understand the reason for FBA's, but why would there necessarily be flames just because the hoses got severed?
Especially if the torch wasn't even alight or being used.
@@thecorbies And if it was?
Thank you for this education. I am picking this up as a hobby, and I do not want my epitaph to say - she died doing what she loved....
3RD QUESTION, HOW DOES THE FLAME BURN INSIDE THE THE TORCH HEAD, I WAS TOLD TOO LOW OF PRESSURE. NEVER TOO OLD OR TOO MUCH EXPERIENCE TO LEARN THE BEST TEACHERS ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE THE MOST EXPERIENCE AND TRICKS, THANK YOU
I broke out in a shop that put safety last and I haven't learned basically any safety stuff lol I wasn't just a helper either, they had me running the shop by the time I left.. No one in the building had ever held a forklift license, hell I trained myself one day on my lunch break at the boss' recommendation and from that point on I was the one who handled all material deliveries, wiggling 20' sch40 bundles through a 15' door on a little hyster is always fun
We used to get a heads up before inspections and boss would have me rush around the week prior hiding and riggin shit up to not get flagged as a safety violation lol fun times though. Almost lost my left testicle there when I tried to quickly grind a tack off the shear's table with a 7" cutoff wheel on a 4.5" hilti lol
Not a single grinder guard on anything in the shop, but damn did we produce. Other shops hated us, 5 guys in out shop counting me out-produced everyone in our niche (government structural mostly in DC, but we did other stuff - majority was stairs/rails, but all types of structural from 3/8" to 1" at the thickest - most of us ran millermatic 252 with a bernard pipeworks or the little red trigger 150amp gun, great little machine)
Very nice video
Been a long time since I used my torch this was a nice and quick reminder
Im in a high school welding program the textbook say oxygen first but our teacher taught us to turn the fuel off first
your textbook was very wrong. You'd still have a flame if you turned oxy off first.
Not just a flame but very carbon rich flame that will float around the whole workshop and blacken everything it lands on.
y'a, and my instructor says doesnt matter when shutting down the cylinder, "doesnt matter which comes first". and then in text book says oxy first... text books suck because its a quick buck for them to make, so seems they put what ever.. smh but i always shut down the acetylene cylinder first, obviously when torch is shut off.
My welding instructor says to turn off the fuel first as well. What year was your textbook published? Or, what was the name of your textbook?
A before O or up you go.
Well explained...hey have a question how do I know if my torch built with arrestor in it?
please direct questions to our forum so the advisors and community can help you weld.com/forum
Looks good! Love the video! Love this channel.
Hi Bob first of all thank you for sharing the skills of a being a professional weldor as well as being safe.
I was wondering if you could do a video using 7018ac rod I have an old 225 miller thunderbolt boat anchor I am cleaning up and going to use for some projects and then upgrade later.
That’s just how I was taught and continue to do things
love your video Bob,, I was also wondering if you could do a video on oxy hydrogen welding etc. I recently bought a set from an old lead burner,, they were journeymen and used oxy hydrogen because it is so very clean, and therefore jewelers use it all the time. you don't see oxy hydrogen often but it has many advantages. anyway I would like to see if you could do a video on this process, there are many of us old timers (like you) who would benefit and many newbies would have another process the add to their resume . thanks
I've not done oxy-hydrogen work.
Agreed 99% with content, but why did you not crack the bottle before installing the gauge, is that not good to do (clear debris out)? I know nowdays the bottles come sealed from the lws, so is that just an old school precaution? Thanks boss!
You showed lighting the acetylene first and then adding the oxygen but it wasn't clear which one you shut off first. Is the acetylene always the first on and the first off?
Thank you for this.
I have to teach myself anything new.
... Cause it's just me.
Great video. Your a good teacher. Thanks
Thanks, Bob, this was a great video to learn this information
These are the older cats I love learning things from. "It absolutely blew up, and it just wasn't cool"
Great video! Can I test the flashback arrestors by turning on the gas on one hose with the other one disconnected and check for gas flow out of the disconnected fitting?
Great vid - you Moffed things up for the uneducated.
Thank You for going through the set up!...Very easy to blow yerself up!!!
went to welding school and they never even taught this simple stuff great video
Bob, great video and thank you. Perfect timing for me since I'm considering getting a Victor Journeyman 450 torch set for myself for Christmas. I want something that's going to last a very long time and more importantly, repairable if needed and not disposable if something breaks. Is this a setup you would recommend?
Yes! I've had mine for 40 years. Only been in the shop once.
@@bobmoffatt4133 Thank you sir.
a perfect tutorial does exist
Can some type me a summary about this video on what important steps are provided on this video that I should use and what tips were provided that will help me
Years ago I was a "burner" at a scrap yard - we probably invented violations, lol.
Question - I have a smiths little torch with map and a #1 oxygen bottle with regulator and flash arrestor (silversmith)
I use my torch daily - given the inherent danger with turning on the oxygen bottle, would it be safer to just leave the system always on? Or shut it down every day?
I just know that the pros make a pop when they shut off the torch.
Thanks, Bob. Great instruction.
Was taught in welding school to turn off oxygen first for the reason to create a habit in turning oxygen first in the event of major malfunction to eliminate the oxygen from the situation because fire needs oxygen to burn
Great idea bob 👍 thanks
Thank you Bob
I remember back in highschool they had us open the oxygen either a half turn or a full turn. I never understood why you open either tanks one full turn or less, unless you need to shut the system down at the tanks in an emergency.
Great video!!!!!
So the ideal arrester is the one which doubles as a flashback arrester and check value all in one.
Oxygen off first because it supports combustion, Oxygen feeds the fire. Flashback arrestors, Mandator at the cylinders, at least in Canada for OH&S regulations.
"A" comes before "O" Always turn the acetylene first. Tanks, regulators or handle.