Equipment and Safety

• Safety in using an oxy/acetylene gas welding setup is paramount. Follow all equipment manufacturer's safety guidelines when setting up the tanks, regulators, hoses, torch handle and cutting or welding tips.
  
  Proper choice in welding tips is imperative to the success of your weld, as is proper oxygen and acetylene regulator settings for each tip. Size the welding tip to match the thickness and type of metal you will be welding. Victor publishes a welding nozzle flow data chart that shows the metal thickness and related tip size to use, along with oxygen minimum and maximum settings for each tip size, acetylene minimum and maximum settings and acetylene consumption in standard cubic feet per hour.
  
  Purge the oxy/acetylene system after each shutdown by opening the oxygen valve and allowing gas to flow for 10 seconds up to size 3 and for five seconds for tip sizes 4 and larger. Follow the same procedure for purging the fuel system.
  
  Light the torch by opening the acetylene valve first and adjusting the flame to a neutral, oxidizing or carburizing flame, depending on the welding job and the material you are going to weld.
  
  

Metal Preparation

• Make sure your base metals are properly prepared for the joint by grinding until you have a proper fit. You may need to clamp the pieces in a vise or by using tools such as C-clamps or vise-grip pliers to hold them in proper alignment. The metal must be clean as well. You can use a grinder or a chemical like an acid to clean the metal before beginning the weld. If you start and then stop the weld, you should grind or wire-brush the end of the weld and the area adjacent to it in order to remove welding slag, and start another clean weld.
  
  

Welding Tips

• Practice the forehand and backhand weld with an oxy/acetylene setup until you are proficient in both. In a forehand welding position, move the torch away from you as the weld progresses from near you to farther away. The backhand position is just the opposite: Start your weld farther away from yourself and move the torch toward you as the weld progresses. A forehand welding position is good for thinner metals when you must maintain more precise control of the welding puddle. Use the backhand position to gain deeper penetration in thicker metals.