I realize that oxy-acetylene torches aren't nearly as sexy as a TIG or Plasma machine, but why is it that people seem to think its a process that produces inferior welds? I'm not talking about brazing, but normal fusion wellding on mild steel.

 

I do...sorta...

I'm actually seriously out of practice & trying to re-learn at the moment. Been away from it for about 12 years and suddenly have 4 or 5 projects that need welding & no 220 to the current shop yet. My solution: bought a brand new torch set & borrowed a set of tanks from work.

I forgot how much I missed my torches until I started practicing with the new set.

My step-daughters car is getting new floorboards. My wifes beagle is getting a place to play. My old post vice is getting a new post. My bench grinder is getting new mounts. My scrap pile is shrinking.

 

i often wondered this my self fordzlla, then today i found the answer. i started school today for welding and one of the intructors told us why we wouldnt be learning that much about it. its not as cost effective, its easier to teach someone to mig then oxy, les fire hazards. and its pretty much out dated.

 

i welded all the home made patch panel into my pickup with an old torch. the only reason i did was cause the ranch i live on don't have a mig so it was the torch or the messed up arc welded which wouldn't weld that thin anyway so it was the torch.

 

o contrare

i started welding school two weeks ago and teh first month and a half of seven months is spent on gas welding. the teacher admits that it is not used as much anymore but as far as working in a bill it comes up often enought that you need to know it. right now its 40+ degrees celsius and we have sixteen torches going in the shop at once. it gets a little warm. but a good gas weld looks the same as a TIG weld. if it was more cost effective it would still be more widely used than TIG welding, its very versatile and for hobby use its the most cost effective system. when i have my own shop and start working on cars i will be sure to always have a dual use setup on hand. I mean $600 plus bottle rent gets you a good setup and then its jsut technique. in colder weather or working outside i would sooner gas weld then ARC. its actually quite enjoyable. just my honest opinion

 

Just personal opinion here...but I believe gas welding should be taught first. It's a lot easier to learn about how the metal reacts when using a torch. I just finished welding two pieces of angle together. (still practicing) The whole time, I managed to keep total control of the puddle. It doesn't look much like any bead using electricity (Looks more like a high spot in the steel), but it's solid and penetration was 100%.

 

guys i completely agree it should be taught first and is a great way to weld. i was mearly stating what the teacher had said. this school teaches you what you need to know for the job market. you dont see many bottle carts rolling around anymore so they dont make a big deal out of it. as soon as im done i will be taking a class at the local college to learn more torch welding also. it the pyro in me that likes holding the 5000+ torch i think


tony

 

I haven't gas welded in years. It's ok, takes some practice, lots more than tig jsut to stay in shape with it. In remote areas, it's great, no power supply needed, all you need is the bottles, torch, and filler rod.

 

Don't forget cutting and heat treating or bending metal or hardening metal. also can be used to start the BBQ

 

Gas welding is a different skill than the others, the welds are not as strong, but in most situations ultimate strength is not necessary. And gas welds are not as brittle so they can withstand a lot of vibration.

It is the only way to go when you have to weld something small or thin to something much thicker.

Also when you need to weld in a recessed area where you can't see past your mig tip.

You can weld up a crack without doing a lot of grinding too.

 

Nothing wrong with oxy/acetylene torches for welding or cutting. I have both torches and the huge, heavy bottles to go with them and use them mostly for welding aluminum.

I generally use my MIG welder, which I I could run gas but generally use fluxcore, because there is something convienent about flipping a switch and being able to weld instantly. Also at 100-120lbs in a 2'x1.5'x1' package (with a handle), my mig welder is reasonably portable.

 

Nothing wrong with it. I find it a bit crude and slow compared to the alternatives, and as mentioned before, the welds aren't as strong, but it has the advantage of not requiring electricity, so it can be done pretty much anywhere. Add to this the fact that one of the little sets (smallest) bottles in one of those plastic carriers is far lighter than even a tiny MIG machine and can be used to weld much larger material, and it definitely has it's advantages. I think it should still be taught, and probably first as well. Too many people start with MIG and think they can REALLY weld these days. I think the harder stuff should be taught first and progress downward to MIG.

 

Why aren't the welds as strong?

As long as you use a neutral flame so your not adding carbon or oxygen to the weld, and use the filler rod properly, theres no reason why it can't be as strong as any other process.

Oxy-acet also produces its own shielding gas as a by-product of combustion.

 

Ok, I was going to ask, but frederic already answered. You can weld aluminium with gas? I guess so, but I would have though that absent the shield gas the weld quality would be poor.

 

gas is the way to start learning how to weld, the different types of flames, and the technique used in welding and brazing. I have had good luck using alum electrodes for gas welding alum, not pretty but strong. The hand eye coordination required for gas welding is similar to that req. for TIG.