Ignoramus29627 wrote:

I have had three classes already. I have learned one new thing, which
is how to properly open and close valves on acetylene welding
set.


Which is slowly open valves, don't screw them full open in case you need to close them
rapidly?

Wes

On 2008-09-05, Wes wrote:
Ignoramus29627 wrote:

I have had three classes already. I have learned one new thing, which
is how to properly open and close valves on acetylene welding
set.

Which is slowly open valves, don't screw them full open in case you need to close them
rapidly?

There is a whole sequence to that, as I learned. It is much more than
this.

Assuming the tank valves are closed to begin with...

Open valves on torch first, then close them, then turn regulator
handles counterclockwise until they are clearly free from springs,
open the tank valves (acetylene one a little bit, oxygen ALL the way),
adjust regulators.

Then closing: close tank valves, open torch valves, back out
regulators.

I hope that I did not forget anything.
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Sorry to hear your class is spending as much time as it is on
generalities/safety, and not as much on practical applications.

The one I took struck a really good balance really quick: a good dose
of safety and a list of materials the first day, melting metal by the
second. After that, new book-learning on techniques was matched by
practice.

I hope yours speeds up!

On Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:08:14 -0500, Ignoramus29627
wrote:

snip
There is a whole sequence to that, as I learned. It is much more than
this.

Assuming the tank valves are closed to begin with...

Open valves on torch first, then close them, then turn regulator
handles counterclockwise until they are clearly free from springs,
open the tank valves (acetylene one a little bit, oxygen ALL the way),
adjust regulators.

Then closing: close tank valves, open torch valves, back out
regulators.

So which valve do you shut off first on a lit torch, the
oxygen or acetylene?

Old books/refs say to shut off the acy, new say to shut of
the oxy... which way are they telling you?

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

Wes wrote:
Ignoramus29627 wrote:

I have had three classes already. I have learned one new thing, which
is how to properly open and close valves on acetylene welding
set.

Which is slowly open valves, don't screw them full open in case you need
to close them rapidly?

For acetylene that's true. Only open it about 1/4 or 1/2 turn so you can
close it quickly if needed. Acetylene is not very high pressure however so
you can get away with that. What is it ... I forget, around 250 psi?

For O2 and all the other high pressure welding gases (a few thousand PSI),
you need to open it all the way up and allow the valve to seat against the
back stop so the packing on the valve doesn't have to hold the full
pressure while you use it.

Then there is the order issues as iggy talked about.

Wes

--
Curt Welch http://CurtWelch.Com/
http://NewsReader.Com/

"SteveB" toquerville@zionvistas writes:

"Joe Pfeiffer" wrote in message
...
Sorry to hear your class is spending as much time as it is on
generalities/safety, and not as much on practical applications.

The one I took struck a really good balance really quick: a good dose
of safety and a list of materials the first day, melting metal by the
second. After that, new book-learning on techniques was matched by
practice.

I hope yours speeds up!

I, on the other hand, am glad you have an instructor who values your fingers
and eyes as much as you do. There's a lot of ABC's to be learned before
writing essays, as there is fundamentals before welding.

Very true, and I didn't mean to imply otherwise -- we got what I
think was a thick dose of safety (and I don't mean to imply this is a
bad thing!), but didn't spend a lot of time on "generalities" before
getting into specific techniques. It was the latter I was really
referring to.

When I was in training to be a diver, I asked what the big deal was about
learning to rig correctly. One of the old guys asked, "What the heck do you
think you'll be doing underwater, watching fish?"

You are paying for this. Learn all you can, even the simple stuff. It's
all valuable, and if it keeps you from having one fire or losing one finger,
it's important.

Absolutely (and my father had nine fingers due to using a tablesaw one
day when he was distracted).

"Joe Pfeiffer" wrote in message
...
Sorry to hear your class is spending as much time as it is on
generalities/safety, and not as much on practical applications.

The one I took struck a really good balance really quick: a good dose
of safety and a list of materials the first day, melting metal by the
second. After that, new book-learning on techniques was matched by
practice.

I hope yours speeds up!

I, on the other hand, am glad you have an instructor who values your fingers
and eyes as much as you do. There's a lot of ABC's to be learned before
writing essays, as there is fundamentals before welding.

When I was in training to be a diver, I asked what the big deal was about
learning to rig correctly. One of the old guys asked, "What the heck do you
think you'll be doing underwater, watching fish?"

You are paying for this. Learn all you can, even the simple stuff. It's
all valuable, and if it keeps you from having one fire or losing one finger,
it's important.

This stuff ain't rocket surgery, but it CAN kill you in a heartbeat. And if
you go blind, they send you home.

Steve (welder since 1974)

"Joe Pfeiffer" wrote in message
...
"SteveB" toquerville@zionvistas writes:

"Joe Pfeiffer" wrote in message
...
Sorry to hear your class is spending as much time as it is on
generalities/safety, and not as much on practical applications.

The one I took struck a really good balance really quick: a good dose
of safety and a list of materials the first day, melting metal by the
second. After that, new book-learning on techniques was matched by
practice.

I hope yours speeds up!

I, on the other hand, am glad you have an instructor who values your
fingers
and eyes as much as you do. There's a lot of ABC's to be learned before
writing essays, as there is fundamentals before welding.

Very true, and I didn't mean to imply otherwise -- we got what I
think was a thick dose of safety (and I don't mean to imply this is a
bad thing!), but didn't spend a lot of time on "generalities" before
getting into specific techniques. It was the latter I was really
referring to.

When I was in training to be a diver, I asked what the big deal was about
learning to rig correctly. One of the old guys asked, "What the heck do
you
think you'll be doing underwater, watching fish?"

You are paying for this. Learn all you can, even the simple stuff. It's
all valuable, and if it keeps you from having one fire or losing one
finger,
it's important.

Absolutely (and my father had nine fingers due to using a tablesaw one
day when he was distracted).

I've been welding now for over thirty years. I have had several high stress
dangerous jobs in my life, seemingly gravitating to them. I've worked
underwater, at heights, with explosives, run cranes and lots of other
equipment, enough to now have a full blown case of PTSD.

Yet, even with my "LOOKOUT" mentality sometimes, which aggravates others,
I've seen lots of really dumb **** that cause people grief that was as
simple as a guy using a gloved hand to guide steel cable onto a 10,000#
hoist drum. Now he only has FOUR fingers.

I think two things happen. Not enough time is spent on basics, and people
just don't listen.

I know how jazzed people are when they sign up for "welding classes", having
been in many myself. Yet, imagine bringing in several clueless people to a
shop full of power tools and high amperage equipment. Some of them
shouldn't even be allowed to use a butter knife without supervision.
They're a danger to themselves, but mainly to others.

I can live with safety rules and safety tips.

Steve

On Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:36:26 -0500, Ignoramus10032
wrote:

On 2008-09-06, Leon Fisk wrote:
On Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:08:14 -0500, Ignoramus29627
wrote:

snip
There is a whole sequence to that, as I learned. It is much more than
this.

Assuming the tank valves are closed to begin with...

Open valves on torch first, then close them, then turn regulator
handles counterclockwise until they are clearly free from springs,
open the tank valves (acetylene one a little bit, oxygen ALL the way),
adjust regulators.

Then closing: close tank valves, open torch valves, back out
regulators.

So which valve do you shut off first on a lit torch, the
oxygen or acetylene?

Old books/refs say to shut off the acy, new say to shut of
the oxy... which way are they telling you?


They told me to shut off acetylene first.

Interesting, that is what the old literature says and what I
do. Don't be surprised though if you find literature telling
you to shut the oxygen off first.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email