8
Gas Welding Practice:
Jobs 8-J1J38
Chapter Objectives
After completing this chapter, you will be able to:
8-1 Demonstrate safe and practical setting up and closing
down of the oxyacetylene equipment.
8-2 Adjust the equipment and perform tip maintenance to
produce the best flame operation.
8-3 Demonstrate ability to manipulate the torch and filler
rod to make sound welds on sheet metal andpipe.
As a new student of welding, these practice jobs in oxy-
acetylene welding are your first experience in actually
performing a welding operation. The practice jobs in this
text have been carefully selected, according to the recom-
mendations of a number of skilled welders, supervisors of
welding, and teachers of welding. Thus, the sequence rep-
resents many years of experience in the welding industry.
Table 8-4, on page 231, provides a job outline for Chapter 8.
We recommend that students complete the jobs in the
order shown because they are organized on the basis of
learning difficulty in an orderly sequence. If you com-
plete the assigned reading and welding practice, you will
acquire enough skill and knowledge to qualify for a job
in industry in any one of the many branches of welding.
It is desirable for students to begin practice with the
oxyacetylene welding process because it offers many
learning advantages. The student is able to develop that
coordination of mind, eye, and hands that is the basis for
all welding practice. The action of a molten pool of metal
can be clearly observed. The significance of fusion and
penetration is better understood than when the beginner
practices with the electric arc processes. The ability to
control the size, direction, and appearance of the molten
pool is quickly acquired.
203
 Your undivided attention as a welder to your work
is required at all times. You must not only see that you
are fusing the weld metal properly to the base metal,
but you must also observe the welding flame itself to
see that it is not burning an excess of oxygen or
acetylene.
Review Chapter 5 before beginning practice so that you
have a thorough knowledge of the equipment used in the
process. Before you begin welding, you must also learn
the following information in this chapter:
How to set up the equipment in a safe and practical
manner
How to adjust the equipment for the best operation
How to light and adjust the torch for the proper
flame
How to manipulate the torch for sound welding
It is also important that you recognize the basic charac-
teristics of a sound weld of good appearance.
Sound Weld Characteristics
Fusion
Fusion is the complete blending of the two edges of
the base metal being joined or the blending of the base
metal and the filler metal being added during welding.
When there is a lack of fu-
sion, we have the condition
Weld Interface
referred to as incomplete
fusion, Fig. 8-1.
Incomplete fusion (IF)
may be caused by add-
ing molten metal to solid
Incomplete Fusion
metal or by lack of fluidity
in the molten weld pool.
Fig. 8-1 Incomplete fusion.
IF may also be caused by
improperly beveling the
pieces to be welded, by improper inclination of the torch,
by improper use of the filler rod, or by faulty adjustment
and manipulation of the welding flame.
AB OUT W E L DIN G
Spatter
Spatter is the metal pieces thrown out from
the welding arc, which are not part of the weld.
204Chapter 8 Gas Welding Practice: Jobs 8-J1J38
Beginning welding students frequently do not pre-
pare the plates properly for welding. The beveling is not
deep enough to extend entirely through the s ection to be
welded, or it is not wide enough.
A common fault of beginning welders is that they
add filler rod to the surfaces of the material being
joined before they are in the proper condition for
fusion to take place. Sometimes one surface is in
fusion, but the other is not. When a lack of fusion takes
place on only one side, the overall strength of the weld
is lessened just as if a lack of fusion were present on
both sides.
In some cases the surfaces of the metal are brought to a
state of fusion too soon so that oxide has a chance to form
on the edges of the weld. When the filler rod is added, IF
occurs because a film of oxide separates the surface and
the added filler material.
Often through faulty torch manipulation, some of
the molten weld metal is forced ahead. The surface of
this metal is not in the proper state of fusion, and IF
will occur.
Penetration
The term penetration refers to the depth to which the
base metal is melted and fused in the root of the joint.
Fusion is the essential characteristic of a good weld. It
is possible to have penetration through the joint and at
the same time have a condition of incomplete fusion,
Fig. 8-2.
A sound weld must penetrate through to the root of the
joint. The cross section of weld metal should be as thick
as the material being welded.
In their desire to complete the weld as soon as possible,
beginning welders have the tendency to hasten over the
most important part of the work, which is to penetrate to
the root of the weld. Incomplete penetration reduces the
thickness of the metal at the weld and provides a line of
weakness that will break down when the joint is under
stress and strain.
The principal cause of incomplete penetration is
improper joint preparation and alignment. The mate-
rial may not be beveled in the proper manner, the root
face may be too thick, or
the root opening may be
too much or too little. Im-
proper heat, poor weld-
ing technique, or using a
Oxide filler rod that is too large
may also cause incomplete
Fig. 8-2 Poor penetration. penetration.
Weld Reinforcement
A groove weld is said to be reinforced when the weld
metal is built up above the surface of the metal being
welded. Beginning welding students may build up
weld metal above the surface of the base metal be-
cause they feel that the more weld metal that is added
to the bead, the stronger the weld. Metal above the
surface of the plate adds little strength to the joint.
In fact, too much reinforcement reduces the strength
of the welded joint by introducing stresses at the cen-
ter and edges of the weld bead. If the weld is sound
from the root of the joint to the surface of the joint,
there is no need to add a great amount of face or root
reinforcement.
Some reinforcement is desirable to offset possible
pockets and other discontinuities on the surface of the
weld. It should not be more than 116 inch above the surface
of the plate. There should be an absence of undercutting
where the weld bead joins the plate. The edge of the weld
bead should flow into the plate surface with an appear-
ance of perfect fusion.
Satisfactory Weld Appearance
Careful visual inspection of each bead that student weld-
ers complete is necessary before going on to the next
bead. They must be familiar with the characteristics of
a good weld in order to set the standard of performance
that they will try to attain. At this time we will limit
our concern with visual inspection. It is assumed that
the student is familiar with Chapter 28 on inspection
and testing.
The weld should be of consistent width through-
out. The two edges should form straight parallel
lines.
The face of the fillet weld should be slightly convex
with a groove weld reinforcement of not more than
1
16 inch above the plate surface. The convexity rein-
forcement should be even along the entire length of
the weld. It should not be high in one place and low
in another.
The face of the weld should have fine, evenly spaced
ripples. It should be free of excessive spatter, scale,
and pitting.
The edges of the weld should be free of undercut or
overlap. The edges should be fused into the plate sur-
face so that they do not have a distinct line of demar-
cation. The weld should appear to have been molded
into the surface.
Starts and stops should blend together so that it is dif-
ficult to determine where they have taken place.
J OB T IP
Communication
Perhaps you have heard the saying, He
couldnt get along with a welding robot! Its clear that
working with people is important on the job. Effective
working relationships are those based on communication
that is direct, honest, respectful, and sincere.
The crater at the end of the weld should be filled and
show no porosity or holes. There is always a tendency
to undercut at the end of the weld because of the high
heat that has built up. Proper torch and filler rod ma-
nipulation prevents undercutting.
If the joint is a butt joint, check the back side for
complete penetration through the root of the joint.
A slight bead should form on the back side.
The root penetration and fusion of lap and T-joints
can be checked by putting pressure on the upper
plate until it is bent double. If the weld has not
penetrated through the root, the plate will crack
open at the joint as it is being bent. If it breaks,
observe the extent of the penetration and fusion at
the root. It will probably be incomplete in fusion and
penetration.
The Oxyacetylene Welding Flame
Before setting up the welding equipment and adjusting the
flame, the student should have a good understanding of
the various types of oxyacetylene flames and their weld-
ing applications. A knowledge of the chemistry of the
flame is also important.
The tool of the oxyacetylene welding process is not
the welding torch, but the flame it produces. The sole
purpose of the various items of equipment is to enable
the welder to produce an oxyacetylene flame suited for
the work at hand. The flame must be of the proper size,
shape, and chemical type to operate with maximum
efficiency.
There are three chemical types of oxyacetylene flames,
depending upon the ratio of the amounts of oxygen and
acetylene supplied through the welding torch. These
flames are the neutral flame, the excess acetylene flame,
and the excess oxygen flame. Their applications are given
in Tables 8-1 and 8-2.
Gas Welding Practice: Jobs 8-J1J38 Chapter 8205
The Neutral Flame The neutral flame, Fig. 8-3, is obtained by burning an
The name neutral flame is derived from the fact that there approximately one-to-one mixture of acetylene and oxy-
is no chemical effect of the flame on the molten weld metal gen. The pale blue core of the flame, Fig. 8-4, is known as
during welding. The metal is clean and clear and flows easily. the inner cone. The oxygen required for the combustion
of the carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the
outer envelope of the flame is supplied from
Table 8-1 Various Types of Flame That Are the surrounding air, Fig. 8-5. The tempera-
Recommended for Different Metals and Alloys ture at the inner cone ranges from 5,800 to
6,300F.
Neutral Flame
IRON-WELDING
Cast iron and semi-steel: cast iron rod; flux;
The neutral flame is used for the majority
the major process preheating. of oxyacetylene welding and cutting opera-
Malleable iron: weldable as white iron before
for all metals
malleableizing; white iron rod; preheating. tions. It serves as a basic point of reference for
making other flame adjustments.
Wrought iron: Norway iron rod or high strength
rod.
IRON AND STEELBRAZING
OR BRAZE WELDING OF
The Excess Acetylene Flame
Cast iron and semi-steel: bronze rod; flux; slight
preheating.
The excess acetylene flame has an excess
Malleable iron: bronze rod; flux; no preheating.
of acetylene gas in its mixture. The flame
has three zones: the inner cone, the excess
Wrought iron: can be fabricated with bronze
welding. acetylene feather, and the outer envelope,
O Cast steel: bronze rod; flux; no preheating. Fig. 8-6. This acetylene feather contains
X CARBON STEELSWELDING: High
strengthrod. white hot carbon particles, some of which
Y Low carbon: up to .10% carbon. are introduced into the weld pool during
A Medium carbon: between .10% and .25%
welding. For this reason, the flame adjust-
carbon.
C P
P High carbon: between .25% and .55% carbon. ment is also referred to as a carburizing
E P
flame. It is also known as a reducing flame
CAST STEELWELDING: High strength rod.
T
Y Excess Acetylene
SPECIAL TREATMENT STEELWELDING: because it tends to remove the oxygen from
L Flame
Weld while heated; then normalize; special rod.
iron oxides when welding steel.
E supplementary process, ALLOY STEELWELDING: specially selected rod;
flux; preheating and/or normalizing.
The excess acetylene flame is used for
advantageous
N where indicated Nickel steel.
many gas welding applications, high test pipe
E Chrome steel. welding, and for certain surfacing applica-
Other weldable S.A.E. steels such as chrome
molybdenum, chrome nickel, chrome, tions. Its effect on steel is to cause the weld
W vanadium, etc. pool to boil and be very cloudy. Welds are
E STAINLESS STEELSWELDING
hard and brittle. The temperature of this flame
Chrome type: 12-16-18-26% chromium.
L Chrome nickel type: 18 to 25% chromium, 7to ranges between 5,500 and 5,700F, depending
D 12% nickel.
upon the oxygen content. The temperature in-
COPPERWELDING: base metal deoxidized; high
I P strength deoxidized rod; flux. creases as the amount of oxygen increases.
N
COPPERBRAZING OR BRONZE WELDING
G BRASSWELDING: special rod; flux.
The Excess Oxygen Flame
Sheet brass: no preheating. This type of flame adjustment has an excess
Cast brass: low temperature preheating.
P of oxygen in the mixture. The flame has only
P
P
BRONZEWELDING: high strength rod; flux;
preheating. two zones like the neutral flame, but the
ALUMINUMWELDING: aluminum rod; flux. inner cone is shorter and may be sharper. It is
Excess Oxygen
Flame
Sheet aluminum: no preheating. nicked on the sides and has a purplish tinge.
Cast aluminum: low temperature preheating.
supplementary process, NICKELWELDING: Nickel rod; flux. See Figs. 8-3 and 8-7. At high temperatures
advantageous
where indicated
Sheet nickel. the excess oxygen in this flame mixture com-
Cast nickel.
MONELWELDING: Monelrod; flux; preheating bines readily with many metals to form ox-
of castings.
HARD-FACING
ides that are hard, brittle, and of low strength,
P = Preferred Method
BRONZE-FACING thus seriously reducing weld quality.
MAGNESIUM: magnesium rod; flux; preheating A slightly oxidizing flame is used in
of castings and forgings.
braze welding and bronze surfacing. A
Source: The Welding Encyclopedia. Modified from the Oxy-Acetylene Committee of the International.
more strongly oxidizing flame is used in fu-
Acetylene Association sion welding certain brasses and bronzes.

206Chapter 8 Gas Welding Practice: Jobs 8-J1J38

 Table 8-2 Gas Welding Data for the Welding
of Ferrous Metals Brilliant White Blue Outer
Pointed Inner Cone Envelope
Flame Strongly Reducing Flame
Base Metal Adjustment Flux Welding Rod (Excess of Acetylene)

Steel, cast Neutral No Steel

See Note A
Steel pipe Neutral No Steel
Steel plate Neutral No Steel
Steel sheet Neutral No Steel Medium Length Light-Blue
Slightly Yes Bronze White Inner Cone Outer Envelope
oxidizing Slightly Reducing Flame
High carbon Reducing No Steel (Slight Excess of Acetylene)
steel
Manganese steel Slightly No Base metal
oxidizing composition
Cromansil steel Neutral No Steel Rounded Tip Light-Blue
Blue Inner Cone Outer Envelope
Wrought iron Neutral No Steel
Neutral Flame
Galvanized iron Neutral No Steel
Slightly Yes Bronze See Note B
oxidizing
Cast iron, gray Neutral Yes Cast iron
Slightly Yes Bronze Short Purple Shorter, Light-Blue
oxidizing Inner Cone Outer Envelope
Cast iron, Slightly Yes Bronze Oxidizing Flame
malleable oxidizing
Chromium Slightly Yes Bronze Note A Feather of C2H2 for welding aluminum,
nickel oxidizing feather length should range from 1/4
to 1/2 the length of inner cone.
Chromium Neutral Yes Base metal
nickel steel composition 25-12 Note B Necking of inner cone is characteristic
castings chromium nickel of oxidizing flame.

Chromium Neutral Yes Columbium stainless Fig. 8-3 Typical oxyacetylene flames.
nickel (18-8) steel or base metal
and (25-12) composition
Chromium steel Neutral Yes Columbium stainless
steel or base metal
composition
Chromium iron Neutral Yes Columbium stainless
steel or base metal
composition

On steel it causes excessive foaming and sparking of the

molten weld pool. Welds have very poor strength and duc-
tility. The temperature of this flame ranges between 6,000
and 6,300F, depending upon the oxygen content. Beyond
a certain point, an increase in the oxygen content reduces
the flame temperature.
Setting Up the Equipment
If you are a student in a welding school, the oxyacety-
lene welding shop is probably equipped with a manifold
system of welding stations. They have the regulators
Fig. 8-4 Neutral welding flame does not have an excess of
oxygen or acetylene. It is used for welding steel and cast iron. Its
temperature is approximately 6,300F. David A. Tietz/Editorial
Image, LLC
and welding torch already set up and attached, ready
for welding. It is essential, however, that you know
how to set up a portable welding outfit for welding.
This type of equipment is found on construction jobs,
in repair shops, and wherever maintenance welding is
performed.

Gas Welding Practice: Jobs 8-J1J38 Chapter 8207

 Torch FlameComplete Reaction Review pages 187 to 193 in Chapter 7 before setting up
1 volume of acetylene 2 volumes carbon the welding equipment. The equipment n ecessary to per-
combines with
2 1/2 volumes of
and burns
to form
dioxide and
1 volume water
plus
heat
form oxyacetylene welding includes the following:
oxygen vapor
Oxygen cylinder
Acetylene cylinder
Oxygen regulator
1 volume of acetylene
Acetylene regulator
Torch Tip combines with Welding torch (also called a blowpipe)
1 volume of oxygen and
burns to form
Oxygen hose
2 volumes carbon Acetylene hose
Luminous Cone
5,8006,300F
monoxide and
Wrenches
1 volume of hydrogen
plus Friction lighter
heat Filler rod
Gloves and goggles
2 volumes of carbon
monoxide and
Use the following procedure to set up the equipment:
1 volume of hydrogen
3,800F combine with
oxygen from the air 1. Set up the cylinders. Secure them on a portable hand
and burn to form truck or fasten them to a wall so that they cannot fall
2 volumes carbon
dioxide and over. Remove the protector caps from the cylinders.
1 volume of water vapor 2. Dirt and dust collect in the cylinder valve outlets
during storage. To make sure that dirt and dust will
2,300F not be carried into the regulators, clear the cylinder
valves by blowing them out. Crack the valves only
Fig. 8-5 The products of combustion of the oxyacetylene flame. slightly. Open the acetylene cylinder outdoors and
away from open flame.
3. Attach the oxygen regulator, Fig. 7-21, page 189,
and the acetylene regulator, Fig. 7-22, page 189, to
the tanks. Always make certain your hands are free
of oil and grease prior to handling the regulators as
a small amount inside the oxygen regulator connec-
tions could create a fire or explosion. Observe that
the oxygen regulator has a right-hand thread and
that the acetylene regulator has a left-hand thread.
Make sure that the regulator nipples are in line with
the valves of the tanks so that they may seat prop-
Fig. 8-6 Carburizing welding flame commonly used for welding erly. Be careful not to cross the threads in the con-
white metal, stainless steel, hard facing, some forms of pipe necting nuts.
welding, and soldering and brazing. David A. Tietz/Editorial 4. Attach the welding hoses to the flashback arrestors
Image, LLC
and tighten them to the regulators. These arrestors
are designed to prevent a flashback (smallfire)
from entering the regulators (Fig.7-23, page189).
The oxygen hose is green or black and has a right-
hand thread. The acetylene hose is red and has a
left-hand thread. Make sure that the nipples of the
hose are in line with the connections on the regula-
tor to ensure correct seating. Make sure that the
threads in the nuts are not crossed. Tighten the nuts
securely with a wrench and make sure the
connections do not leak.
Fig. 8-7 Oxidizing welding flame commonly used for brazing 5. It is important that no grit or dirt be allowed to
with bronze rods. David A. Tietz/Editorial Image, LLC remain in the regulators or the hoses. This can be

208Chapter 8 Gas Welding Practice: Jobs 8-J1J38

 prevented by blowing them out. After having made
sure that the regulator-adjusting screw is fully re-
leased so that the regulator will not be damaged, turn
on the tanks. Be sure that you use the proper acety-
lene tank wrench. Adjust the regulator by turning the
adjusting screw to the right (Fig. 7-24, p. 189) to per-
mit the gases to flow through. (After turning off the
tanks, turn the regulator-adjusting screw to the left
again after enough gas has flowed to clear the regula-
tor and hose.)
6. Connect the green or black oxygen hose to the torch
inlet marked oxygen and the red acetylene hose to the
torch inlet marked acetylene, Fig. 7-25, page 190. The
torch body should have reverse flow check valves to
prevent backflow of gases. The oxygen and acetylene
hoses are then connected to the check valves that are
connected to the torch body. Make sure that the nip-
ples of the hose connections are in line with the torch
inlet for proper seating. Make sure that the threads in
the nuts are not crossed. Tighten the nuts securely with
a wrench and make sure the connections do not leak.
7. Open the valve of the oxygen and acetylene tanks.
Open acetylene cylinders no more than one-half turn,
in case a quick emergency shutdown is necessary. Be
sure you have the proper acetylene tank wrench.
8. Select the proper welding tip for the job at hand and
adjust the oxygen and acetylene regulators for the
proper working pressure, Table 8-3. To adjust the
working pressure, open the torch valves and set the
correct pressure on the regulators by turning the ad-
justing screw to the right, Fig. 7-24, page 189. Close
the torch valves when the pressure has been set. You
are now ready to light the torch and adjust the flame.
Flame Adjustment
Proper flame adjustment for the job at hand is essential. If
the flame is not correct, the properties of the weld metal
will be affected, and a sound weld of maximum strength
and durability will be impossible. The oxidizing flame
causes oxides to form in the weld metal, and an excess
acetylene introduces carbon particles into the weld. Both
of these conditions are detrimental to good welding under
certain conditions. The most common fault is the presence
of too much oxygen in the welding flame. It is not eas-
ily detected because of its similarity to the neutral flame.
Too much acetylene is readily seen by the presence of the
slight feather.
A flame may also be too harsh. This is caused by set-
ting the regulator at too high gas pressure. The gas flows
in greater quantity and with greater force than it should.
A harsh flame disturbs the weld pool, causing the metal
to spatter around it. High pressure is often the major cause
of poor fusion. It is impossible to make a weld of good ap-
pearance with a high pressure flame. The flame is noisy,
and the inner cone is sharp.

Table 8-3 Tip Size for Steel Plates of Different Thickness

Approximate Pressure Approximate No. of Cubic

Average of Regulator Feet of Gas Used per Hour
Tip 1
Diameter Thickness Length of Diameter of
Size of Hole (in.) of Plate Flame (in.) Acetylene Oxygen Oxygen Acetylene Rod (in.)
1 0.037 2216 ga. 16
3
1 1 4.0 4.0 16
1

2 0.042 1
16 18 in. 1
4 2 2 5.0 5.0 16 18
1

3 0.055 1
8 316 in. 16
5
3 3 8.0 8.0 1
8
4 0.063 3
16 16 in.
5 3
8 4 4 12.0 12.0 16
3

5 0.076 5
16 716 in. 16
7
5 5 19.0 19.0 16
3

6 0.086 7
16 8 in.
5 1
2 6 6 23.0 23.0 1
4
7 0.098 1
2 4 in.
3 1
2 7 7 35.0 35.0 1
4
8 0.1065 5
8 1 in. 16
9
8 8 48.0 48.0 1
4
9 0.116 1 in. or over 5
8 9 9 57.0 57.0 1
4
10 0.140 Heavy duty 3
4 10 10 95.0 95.0 1
4
11 0.147 Heavy duty 7
8 10 10 100.0 100.0 1
4
12 0.149 Heavy duty 7
8 10 10 110.0 110.0 1
4

1
There is no standardization in tip sizes so this table gives approximations only. The pressures are correct for the hole size indicated.
Source: Modern Engineering Co.

Gas Welding Practice: Jobs 8-J1J38 Chapter 8209

 If the gas pressure is correct for the tip size, the flame
is quiet and soft. The molten weld pool is not disturbed.
Spatter and sparks are at a minimum. Good fusion results,
and the weld pool may be advanced along the weld joint
with little risk of incomplete fusion.
The condition of the welding tip also helps in secur-
ing a quiet, even flame. The hole in the tip end must
be absolutely round, and the internal passage of the tip
must be free of dirt and metal particles. An out-of-round
hole or foreign matter in the tip changes the direction
of gas flow, causing a harsh flame with an imperfect
inner cone.
Procedure for Lighting the Torch:
1. Keeping the tip facing downward, open the
acetylene valve and light the gas with the friction
lighter. The acetylene will burn with a smoky
yellow flame and will give off quantities of fine
black soot, Fig. 8-8.
2. Open the oxygen valve slowly. The flame will
gradually change in color from yellow to blue and
will show the characteristics of the excess acety-
lene flame. There will be three distinct parts to the
flame: (1) a brilliant but feathery edged inner cone,
(2) a secondary cone, and (3) a bluish outer envelope
of flame, Fig. 8-6.
3. If you continue turning the oxygen valve, you will
notice that the secondary cone gets smaller and
smaller until it finally disappears completely. Just
at this point of complete disappearance, the neutral
flame is formed, Fig. 8-4. If you continue to turn
the oxygen valve, the flame will go past the neutral
stage, and an excess oxygen (oxidizing) flame will
be formed. The entire flame will decrease in size.
The inner cone will become shorter and much bluer
in color. It is usually more pointed than the neutral
flame, Fig. 8-7.
4. Practice adjusting the flame several times until you
are familiar with all three flames and can adjust the
neutral flame with precision.
Fig. 8-8 Atmospheric burning of acetylene. Open the acetylene
valve until the smoke disappears. David A. Tietz/Editorial Image,
LLC
210Chapter 8 Gas Welding Practice: Jobs 8-J1J38
Backfire
Improper operation of the welding torch or defective
equipment may cause the flame to go out with a loud
snap or pop and the flame goes out. Reignition may take
place if sufficient heat is present. This is not normally a
safety concern and, in fact, many manufacturers induce
backfires during design and production tests to ensure
flame integrity of torches and tips. This is called back-
fire. However, a sustained backfirethat is, a sustained
burning of the flame back inside the torch, usually at
the mixerunder certain situations can burn upstream
past the mixer. Sustained backfires can be recognized
by a hissing or squealing sound and/or a smoky, sharp-
pointed flame. The torch should be shut down immedi-
ately, first by shutting off the oxygen valve and then the
fuel gas valve. Severe damage to the torch, as well as
an increased risk of fire, would result if the valves are
not turned off immediately. Sustained backfires are nor-
mally contained inside the torch with the quick action
of the welder in shutting off the valves. This prevents
the flame from burning through to the outside of the
torch. The sustained backfire is serious in that if it is not
recognized quickly and the valves turned off, the flame
can burn through the torch body and spew fire and mol-
ten metal. The torch should be turned off at the valves.
Check the equipment and the job to see which of the fol-
lowing causes may be at fault:
Operating the torch at lower pressure than that
required for the tip size used. The gases are flow-
ing too slowly through the tip, and they are burning
faster than the speed at which they flow out of the tip.
Increasing the gas pressure will correct this. Always
use a smaller tip with higher flow rate than a large
tip with reduced flow rate. Make certain the safety
devices such as check valves and flashback arres-
tors are of the proper size for the pressure and flow
requirements.
Touching the tip to the work. This smothers the flame
and does not allow for combustion to take place. The
welder should always keep the inner cone of the flame
from touching the work.
The tip may become overheated. This can result from
overuse, from welding in a corner, or from being too
close to the weld. The tip must be cooled before going
ahead with the work. The job conditions should also
be corrected.
A loose tip or head. A loose tip may be the result of
overheating, which causes expansion of the threaded
joint. The obvious correction is to tighten the tip. The
screw threads on the tip may also be crossed.
 The inside of the tip may have carbon deposits or
small metal particles inside the hole. These particles
become hot and cause preignition of the gases. Clean
the tip out with standard tip cleaners.
The seat of the tip may have dirt on it, or it may have
become nicked through careless handling. Dirt and
nicks prevent a positive seat at the joint where the tip
is screwed into the stem. Gas escapes at this point,
causing preignition. The dirt should be cleaned out. If
the seat is nicked, it may be possible to reseat it with a
seating tool. A new tip may have to be used.
Flashback
A flashback occurs when the flame burns back inside
the torch and causes a shrill hissing or squealing. The
oxygen valve should be closed first, thus eliminating the
oxygen to the fire (flashback). Never shut off the fuel first
as this gives the flashback the opportunity to seek other
fuel such as soot or other flammable material and con-
tinue to burn. The torch should be allowed to cool. Before
relighting, blow oxygen through the torch tip for a few
seconds to clear out any soot that may have formed in
the passage.
To prevent the flashback from traveling upstream into
the hose, regulator, and gas supply systems, flashback
arrestors are used. Most flashback arrestors used are
designed with sintered stainless-steel elements. The re-
mainder uses designs of coiled tubing to quench the heat
associated with a flashback flame. These elements quench
the flame front as it moves back upstream toward the torch
and/or regulator. Flashback arrestors are reliable in per-
forming the intended function if the device is used accord-
ing to the manufacturers instructions. The dry (sintered
metal alloy) flash arrestor was first developed to fit onto
the regulator outlet. The design has both a check valve
and a sintered stainless-steel filter or tube. The flashback
arrestor would permit forward passage (and also reverse
flow) of gas but would extinguish a flame, thus prevent-
ing a flame from moving upstream of the arrestor. This
type of arrestor offers almost total protection against
a flame entering the gas source, and yet it allows good
downstream flow of gases. A large flashback arrestor uses
a large sintered filter to allow high gas flow through it.
While small arrestors may provide better balance when
mounted on the torch, they may actually reduce flow rate
to the point where they may contribute to torch flashback.
Dry torch flashback arrestors are available that will allow
flows great enough to handle all tips and high volume
heating nozzles, even if attached to units that also contain
check valves. Regulator and torch arrestors both may be
used in the same oxyacetylene system.
Neither check valves nor flashback arrestors will
protect the torch or tip. As an oxyacetylene welder,
you must recognize the situation and promptly shut
the system down and take corrective action. Repeated
flashbacks indicate that there is a serious defect in
the equipment or that it is being used incorrectly.
The orifice, barrel, or mixing chamber may be clogged.
Oxides may have formed, flow rates may not be suf-
ficient, or gas pressure may be incorrect. Never use
gas pressures higher than those recommended by the
manufacturer of the equipment you are using. Use
flashback arrestors and check valves that do not overly
restrict the flow. Always follow safe operating proce-
dures. For more information contact the Compressed
Gas Association, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite
501, Arlington, VA 22202-3269 and ask for document
E-2 on check valves and document TB-3 on flashback
arrestors.
Closing Down the Equipment
When the welding practice is finished for the day, take
down the equipment. If you are welding with a portable
outfit on the job, use the following method:
1. Turn off the flame by first closing the oxygen valve
on the torch. Then close the acetylene valve on the
torch. This will extinguish the flame.
2. Close the oxygen and acetylene cylinder valves.
3. Open the acetylene and the oxygen valves on the
torch to permit the trapped gases to pass out of the
regulators and the hoses.
4. Release the regulator-adjusting screws by turning
them to the left.
5. Disconnect the hoses from the torch.
6. Disconnect the hoses from the regulators.
7. Remove the regulators from the cylinders and
replace the protective caps on the cylinders.
If you are working on a line system in the school shop,
use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the flame as stated in step 1.
2. Close the oxygen and acetylene valves on the line
system.
3. Open the acetylene and the oxygen valves on the
torch to permit the trapped gases to pass out of the
regulators and the hoses.
4. Release the regulator-adjusting screws by turning
them to the left.
5. Close the torch valves and hang the torch on the gas
economizer.
Gas Welding Practice: Jobs 8-J1J38 Chapter 8211

AB OUT W E L DIN G
Lockout
Lockout means a device that prevents a
mechanism such as a switch or valve from being turned
on. On the device is put a warning tag, with the date and
name of the person who closed down the mechanism.
This method helps prevent injury on the job. Two persons
working together should have their own locks and tags.
Safety
At this point it would be well to review a few important
safety tips for gas welding and cutting:
Wear goggles with the right filter lenses.
Wear gauntlet gloves of heat-resistant leather; keep
them away from oil and grease.
Dont wear oily or greasy clothes. Oil or grease, plus
oxygen, will burn. Dont blow off your clothes or the
work with oxygen; its wasteful and dangerous.
Woolen clothes are better than cotton. They burn less
easily and protect better against heat.
Wear fire-resistant apron, sleeves, and leggings when
you do heavy cutting. Keep cuffs rolled down and
pockets closed. Dont wear low-cut shoes.
Oxygen should never be substituted for
compressedair.
Do not use matches for lighting the torch.
When welding or cutting material containing, or
coated with, lead, zinc, aluminum, cadmium, or
beryllium, wear an air-supply respirator. Fluoride-type
fluxes give off poisonous fumes. Avoid heavy smoke.
Wear a respirator when you weld galvanized iron,
brass, or bronze in confined areas. Even if ventilation
is good, the respirator is a good idea.
Dont let your clothing become saturated with oxygen or
air-rich in oxygen; youre chancing burns if you do.
Dont work with equipment that you suspect is defec-
tive. Have leaking or damaged equipment repaired by
a qualified person.
Never use oil on, or around, oxygen regulators, cylinder
connections, or torches. Keep your hands clean.
Blow water or dust out of new welding hose with
compressed air or oxygennever acetylene.
Never use oily compounds on hose connections.
Never interchange hose connections. Standard oxygen
hose is green; fittings have right-hand threads. Stan-
dard hose for acetylene is red; fittings have left-hand
threads and a grooved nut. Dont force connections.
212Chapter 8 Gas Welding Practice: Jobs 8-J1J38
Unnecessarily long hoses tend to kink and leak.
Store hose on reels. Inspect hose every week for
cracks, wear, and burns.
Test hose for leaks at normal working pressure by
submerging it in water. Test connections for leaks
with soapy water.
Do not hang the torch and hose on the regulators and
cylinders.
Cut off parts of hose burned by flashback and remake
connections. Flashback weakens the inner wall.
Dont repair hose with friction tape.
Practice Jobs
Instructions for Completing Practice Jobs
Your instructor will assign appropriate practice in gas
welding from the jobs listed in the Job Outline in Table 8-4.
Before you begin a job, study the specifications given in
the Job Outline. Then turn to the pages indicated in the
Page column for that job and study the welding technique
described. For example, find the specifications for Job
8-J8. According to the outline for this job, you are to prac-
tice beading on a 18-inch mild steel plate. You are to use
a type RG45 mild steel filler rod with 332-inch diameter.
The weld is to be done in the overhead position. Informa-
tion on the welding technique proper for this job is given
on page 219.
Low Carbon Steel Plate
It is common practice to limit the application of oxy-
acetylene welding of low carbon steel to steel plate with a
maximum thickness of about 11 gauge (18inch). The elec-
tric arc welding processes such as flux cord arc, shielded
metal arc, gas metal arc, and gas tungsten arc are used
for heavier plate. The oxyacetylene process is still used
a good deal in maintenance and repair, for welding cast
iron, braze-welding, brazing, and soft soldering. It is also
used for the welding of small diameter steel pipe.
It was pointed out earlier that the skills learned in the
practice of oxyacetylene welding are the basis for learn-
ing techniques in the other welding processes. These gas
welding practice jobs provide practice in the coordinated
use of both hands. They also provide the means for ob-
serving the flow of molten metal and the appearance of
fusion and penetration taking place. You are urged to de-
velop the highest possible skill in torch manipulation and
visual inspection.
Carrying a Pool without Filler Rod
The first steps in learning to weld are to get the feel of the
torch and to observe the action of the flame on steel and the