Joe wrote:
Hello everyone, I'm in the market for an oxy-acetylene welding/cutting
set but I have a few questions before I make my purchase. I have done
some stick welding before but never used gas so I'm a little nervous
about the safety aspects. I want the set for making sculptures out of
scrap metal parts and I wanted the most flexible tools I could get. My
questions:

1. What can't I do with oxy-acetylene? Or, is there something of
comparable cost that would be better for me to use?

Depends a lot on your skill and patience. Try to find someone
who can give you hands-on training. As much as I like to
self-teach myself, welding is one field where a little hands-on
help goes a long way.

Your ideal setup would be a MIG, a TIG, and a plasma cutter.
Since that would set you back about $4000-$5000 for new
gear, I suspect it's not an option.

My biggest problem with O/A is that it takes awhile to heat
the material to welding temp and that causes too much warp
and discoloration. My next new toy will be a TIG.

For a beginner at least, O/A will limit you to steel.

2. I'm going to have the tanks in my garage at home, which is about 25
feet from my house and my neighbour's. Is this legal, are there any
regulations about residential areas I should know about?

Thousands of O/A sets in garages throughout the world.

When I'm done I always: close the bottle valves, bleed
off the pressure in the hoses one at a time, turn the
regulator pressure adjustments CCW until they go slack,
close the torch valves. Just like Mr. Cole taught me
in HS shop class 35 years ago.

I probably should leak-test the acetylene regulator
connection to the bottle each time I put it on.

3. What is the best reverse-flow & flashback configuration ( at the
torch or tank or both)?

I don't use them. See your dealer if no one else replies.

4. The Smith booklet takes about '4 preheats' on a tip, what does it
mean?

Sounds like a cutting torch (or gas axe as we call them).
Cutting torches have multple O/A flames positioned around
a central oxygen jet. You use the O/A flames to get the
metal up to welding temperature then turn on the oxygen.
The oxygen will then burn through the metal. Works well
with steel, works poorly with cast iron, and not at all
with everything else.

5. My garage is unheated, would this be a problem in winter when
everything freezes?

I've seen guys thawing pipes with O/A rigs so they
must work ok in the cold.

Thanks very much in advance for your help.
Adriaan