# oxy-acet flame makeup



## EVO-AU (Mar 18, 2010)

Gentlemen/Ladies:

Back in the saddle again. It would be nice if somebody could teach teens how to drive. Months of re-hab to go. 

However, I am having a bit of trouble adjusting my torch flame. My oxidizing flame has a nice blue tip about a 1/4" long with a long magenta flame. However, I cannot seem to get the bushy flame for reducing. I have twiddled the knobs every which way from Sunday. HELP !!!! Thanks, Phill

P.S. It will be a few days before I can access public computer domain. So, no immediate hurry. I'm not going anywhere. Phill


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## Barren Realms 007 (Mar 18, 2010)

When you first light your tourch with the acet on just adjust the volume just a little bit open with just a small touch of oxy till the soot dissapears, and then the yellow flame is gone and you should be there. 

Have you messed with the main regulators on top of the tanks, hope not.


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## EVO-AU (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks Barren: No, I did not mess with the tank regulators. But a good point. I started out using a Prest-O-Lite with acet 'bout three years back and and the flame was fairly easy to set up. But after the tip went haywire and just too darn expensive to replace I quit messing around with a torch. But then came the stimulus and I went out and purchased an oxy/acet rig. I had done some pipeline welding up in Prudhoe Bay in the early seventies, but that was entirely different. That was all stick welding. Really, not applicable to this state of affairs. Thanks for your input. Phill


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## philddreamer (May 9, 2010)

Hi Phill!
If I may add a bit of info. to what brother Barren Realms 007said, for the safety of some other members of the forum that might go out & buy an acet/oxi rig. These can be very dangerous! 
Here are some safety tips:
In regards to the settin'n of the gauges. I've been a steel fabricator for a while & we set the acet. as follows: when you first open the valve, turn only 1/4 of a turn. You don't need more. Watch the gauge move. For sett'n the pressure, only use 5 pounds, thats more than plenty, unless you are melting big quantities. Never lay down horizontally the acet bottle!

For the oxigen, be very carefull when turn'n the knob. Don't stand in front of the knob that is used for sett'n the pressure. It can unscrew I go right thru you. When you open the main knob, wrap the knob with your index & dumb, in case the knob decides to shoot straight up. If your hand is on top of the knob, it will be rip off from your arm. So be carefull. Full oxigen tanks hold 2000# pounds per sq. in. 
Make sure both bottles are secure. If the oxi tank falls & the knob brakes off, you have a projectile! 
As to sett'n oxigen pressure, set no more than 20 pounds. If your torch starts popping, add a bit more oxigen. 
If your torch pops & continues making a whistle sound & black smoke comes out of the tip, TURN OFF THE THORCH! The torch has ignited inside. Turn the bottles off if need be. Wait for a while. Bacause if the fire reaches the bottles... boom!
These are some of the safety tips welders are tought early in the trade.
In my 36 years, thank God, I've only expirienced the pop & whistle. It's common, but by reacting quickly it's taken care of. A dirty tip, tip too close to metal being cut, a tip that gets too hot, a tip that's no good... are some of the causes of the "pop & whistle".

When you're done with the torch, DON'T LEAVE THE TANKS ON OVER NITE! If there is a leak of any of the gases & you walk in with any kind of flame... boom! 

Don't ever use the oxigen to cool off yourself. Your clothes become saturated with oxigen & the smallest flame will ignite you!
This I saw while work'n in a shipyard. Hot summer morning, a helper cooled himself down by blowing some oxigen inside his clothes. The sparks of a grinder 5 feet away ignited him. He was a human torch. He survived, but it left a mark. 

These are some of the safety tips, they can go on & on...

Be careful, so you can enjoy your gold & silver! :lol:

Also check "Safety" in the Board Index.

Take care!
philddreamer


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