Oxy Acetylene welding

[Birdhunter1]

I finally bought a torch setup, I’ve wanted one a long time but always been able to manage to get stuff to my uncles shop or a cousins place to use theirs.

OA welding is how I learned my freshman year of high school in 1994, haven’t welded anything OA since probably 1998 though I have brazed a lot of stuff.
Tonight I figured I’d teach my son who’s in the 6 th grade, I told him if he can learn this he can learn any of it. Watch the puddle, use the flame to move it, etc etc etc.
Ran a puddle bead then said have at it. I don’t think his first hour of class tonight was bad at all. 1/4” mild steel


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[Rondo]

I finally bought a torch setup, I’ve wanted one a long time but always been able to manage to get stuff to my uncles shop or a cousins place to use theirs.

OA welding is how I learned my freshman year of high school in 1994, haven’t welded anything OA since probably 1998 though I have brazed a lot of stuff.
Tonight I figured I’d teach my son who’s in the 6 th grade, I told him if he can learn this he can learn any of it. Watch the puddle, use the flame to move it, etc etc etc.
Ran a puddle bead then said have at it. I don’t think his first hour of class tonight was bad at all. 1/4” mild steel


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I would consider 1/4" to be a little too thick to learn true torch welding. In my humble opinion the pupil should start with 20ga or 3/32 to start. Glad to see you're passing oxy-fuel welding to the next gen. good for you !!

[Welder Dave]

Start on something around 12 gauge. After learning basic beads can do some lap welds and then butt welds where you have to keep a keyhole. Learning on a thick piece of old scrap kind of defeats the purpose.

[Birdhunter1]

I did have some 16 gauge tube he was first trying on and kept burning holes in it. I knew that 1/4” he wouldn’t burn through, once he got a puddle it was like a big AH HA moment and he said ‘THERE IT IS’ and I said make it dance.

Nothing to brag about but he was definitely seeing a puddle and trying to make it move. He did puddle a bead about 4” across that plate.

When I learned we had 16 gauge x 1” wide pieces. Laps, butts, uphill horizontal and maybe overhead welding and brazing.


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[BD1]

When I was an apprentice 50 years ago, oxy/act pipe welding was still being used.
One oldtimer on the job told a young smart-*** stick welder he could do a 6" schedule 40 pipe weld faster with oxy/act.
The kid said Ok.
Well the old guy was done faster. I don't know by how much but it was something to see a one pass gas weld on 6" pipe.
Talk about some heat !!


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[Birdhunter1]

When I was an apprentice 50 years ago, oxy/act pipe welding was still being used.
One oldtimer on the job told a young smart-*** stick welder he could do a 6" schedule 40 pipe weld faster with oxy/act.
The kid said Ok.
Well the old guy was done faster. I don't know by how much but it was something to see a one pass gas weld on 6" pipe.
Talk about some heat !!


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That would have been impressive, I bet it wasn't the little skinny filler rods I learned on.

[smithdoor]

I like Oxy Acetylene welding I do not need a welding helmet.
Most never run across being on job where all electric welding is band. Oxy Acetylene welding is good skill.

Dave

I finally bought a torch setup, I’ve wanted one a long time but always been able to manage to get stuff to my uncles shop or a cousins place to use theirs.

OA welding is how I learned my freshman year of high school in 1994, haven’t welded anything OA since probably 1998 though I have brazed a lot of stuff.
Tonight I figured I’d teach my son who’s in the 6 th grade, I told him if he can learn this he can learn any of it. Watch the puddle, use the flame to move it, etc etc etc.
Ran a puddle bead then said have at it. I don’t think his first hour of class tonight was bad at all. 1/4” mild steel


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[Stick-man]

When I got rid of all of my acetylene cylinders, I kept one small 80cf. Someday I will try gas welding and also brazing.

[BD1]

That would have been impressive, I bet it wasn't the little skinny filler rods I learned on.

I think the filler was 1/8 or 5/32. The old guy worked for the only shop that still did all gas welding. His speed and the end results were amazing. He was from Batron Rouge Louisiana. I'll never forget him.


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[Welder Dave]

O/A welding was part of my apprenticeship. You had to weld a 2" pipe in the 5G position and it had to have 100% penetration and pass a bend test. I think the pipe was around 10 gauge. I warped/melted my goggles from the reflected heat.

[Josey]

In my younger days almost all light tin work and car body work was oxy /acet I suppose now that has mostly been
taken over by mig or tig. It's a pity to see all that skill disappearing nowadays

[Broccoli1]

I did have some 16 gauge tube he was first trying on and kept burning holes in it. I knew that 1/4” he wouldn’t burn through, once he got a puddle it was like a big AH HA moment and he said ‘THERE IT IS’ and I said make it dance.

Nothing to brag about but he was definitely seeing a puddle and trying to make it move. He did puddle a bead about 4” across that plate.

When I learned we had 16 gauge x 1” wide pieces. Laps, butts, uphill horizontal and maybe overhead welding and brazing.


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It is everything to brag about!! Good job.

It is time with your kid and sounds like he enjoyed it.

that's all that matters.

[Willie B]

My first oxy welding was on a Jeep. It was rusted to oblivion. All that was left to save was the rear floor, and the top edge of the side panels. With a neighbor's advice, I cut away everything but the top edges. All the new was 16 gauge (1/16" thick, .0625"). Dad bought me that Jeep at age 13. I still have it 51 years later. The paint on that body is not pristine, but it is still VERY solid.



My daughter in law gave me this drawing at Christmas. The sort of faded blue is near accurate. Youngest son is currently reviving it. It has been in dry storage a few years. Mice made their home in the carburetor. Not a pretty sight! Basically, it is 1947, but there are parts from many sources, a bit like Johnny Cash's Cadillac.

[Birdhunter1]

It is everything to brag about!! Good job.

It is time with your kid and sounds like he enjoyed it.

that's all that matters.

On that you are correct, we do about everything together, hes becoming my top hand on the farm.
I told him this is how I first learned to weld in 1994 in my freshman year of high school, you'll have a leg up when you get to that class in 3 years as you'll have already done this.

At 12 years old him and my 10 year old daughter have their own sweet corn patch, my daughter routinely does the daily chores with the horses and my son often runs the tractor while I'm the ground man.


Not long ago we were doing something and they asked 'why do we have to do this' and I replied 'so that when you're at your first paying job and minimum wage is $15 an hour then by God you won't be the lazy *** and you'll be worth paying $15 dollar an hour.'

[whtbaron]

I think the filler was 1/8 or 5/32. The old guy worked for the only shop that still did all gas welding. His speed and the end results were amazing. He was from Batron Rouge Louisiana. I'll never forget him.


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When I took Auto Body in the 70's it was still all O/A. I believe we used copper coated steel rods at 1/8". For practice we would slice up old hoods and fenders into strips and butt weld the pieces.

[MinnesotaDave]

When I was an apprentice 50 years ago, oxy/act pipe welding was still being used.
One oldtimer on the job told a young smart-*** stick welder he could do a 6" schedule 40 pipe weld faster with oxy/act.
The kid said Ok.
Well the old guy was done faster. I don't know by how much but it was something to see a one pass gas weld on 6" pipe.
Talk about some heat !!


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Geez, that's impressive.
My first welder was a torch, stick came later.
So I welded up some heavy stuff with a torch and it's certainly hot after a while.

Made tire chains for my truck, fixed stuff, etc.

Welded the box sides on my 77 F150 with it too.
They tend to break and rip metal at the corner of the tailgate.
The metal had zippered up the sides a few inches too.

OP: good for you and your kiddo - shop time is fun time

[Fast Leroy]

On that you are correct, we do about everything together, hes becoming my top hand on the farm.
I told him this is how I first learned to weld in 1994 in my freshman year of high school, you'll have a leg up when you get to that class in 3 years as you'll have already done this.

At 12 years old him and my 10 year old daughter have their own sweet corn patch, my daughter routinely does the daily chores with the horses and my son often runs the tractor while I'm the ground man.


Not long ago we were doing something and they asked 'why do we have to do this' and I replied 'so that when you're at your first paying job and minimum wage is $15 an hour then by God you won't be the lazy *** and you'll be worth paying $15 dollar an hour.'

That's great parenting there, well done!

[Weldordie]

I used O/A to fuse coat hangers and utility wire to join EMT when making the frame for my first recumbent bicycle, because that's all I had. Fortunately, none of the joints failed.

[Kelvin]

When I got rid of all of my acetylene cylinders, I kept one small 80cf. Someday I will try gas welding and also brazing.

Brazing is a key skill IMHO. I don't know what I would have done without it on a lot of jobs.

One of the nice things about it is that it's like glue: Even if you screw up, you don't normally alter the substrate/workpiece in the process (as you do when welding), so you can just remove the glue and re-glue it.

[Stick-man]

Brazing is a key skill IMHO. I don't know what I would have done without it on a lot of jobs.

One of the nice things about it is that it's like glue: Even if you screw up, you don't normally alter the substrate/workpiece in the process (as you do when welding), so you can just remove the glue and re-glue it.

What are some current day uses for it? I guess I have never had the need. I hear it's easy, but someday I will try it.

[tapwelder]

Great for modding tools without destroying the tool. Making socket/wrench extensions.

For ornamental stuff, it is a great indicator for when the surface is ground flush
And still have substantial material inside the joint.

I primarily braze with propane. Acetylene and propane work differently. Much smaller heat point with acetylene offering easier application of heat. Propane heats a wider surface, better fir sweatting.

[whtbaron]

Great for modding tools without destroying the tool. Making socket/wrench extensions.

For ornamental stuff, it is a great indicator for when the surface is ground flush
And still have substantial material inside the joint.

I primarily braze with propane. Acetylene and propane work differently. Much smaller heat point with acetylene offering easier application of heat. Propane heats a wider surface, better fir sweatting.

I never tried propane, it was always acetylene, but when I worked I liked the small tips for detail work.... like 00 or 000 .

[tapwelder]

Here I decided to braze for ease of cleanup and blending. Mild steel. With brass lug. 3 parts.

[Weldordie]

What are some current day uses for it? I guess I have never had the need. I hear it's easy, but someday I will try it.

Handy option for repairing cast iron, and joining small steel parts, if you don't have tig.