1. An Overview to the Process and Experience
Oxyacetylene Cutting
An Overview to the Process and Experience

2. Advantages Units are portable and can be taken to the work site
Equipment is relatively inexpensive compared to other cutting processes
Although is often done manually, can be adapted to automatic processes

3. Safety Requirements When cutting, follow all rules that apply
Use shielding screens to protect nearby areas from showering sparks
Only cut on a grated cutting table that permits slag to drop into a slag box
Do not cut on a masonry floor because moisture is trapped in it and could explode

4. Safety Requirements
Cutting sparks can fly long distances so remove all flammable materials from the area
Do not set oxygen pressure too high; too high a setting causes sparks to blow and wastes oxygen
Do not cut into any containers
Keep cutting work as far away from gas cylinders as hose length will permit

5. Safety Requirements
Keep work area free from grease, oil and flammable materials as sparks can fly for several feet
Cool or quench hot metal and extinguish all sparks before leaving the work area
Do not quench during welding
Do not leave torches, tips or hot metal where they can be touched by someone else

6. Safety Requirements
Never carry matches or lighters filled with butane or propane into any work area where any kind of welding and cutting is taking place
Do not withdraw too much volume at one time from an acetylene tank because of high demand of acetylene could create acetone and a hazardous condition

7. Personal Safety Requirements
Tape all pockets that do not have flaps
Wear a proper welding cap if needed; NO PLASTIC
Wear only high top shoes that lace to the base of any pants
Wear safety glasses under goggles and helmets

8. Pressure Regulating Valves
Be sure to check regulator gauges; one shows working pressure and the other cylinder pressure
Turn adjusting screws counterclockwise to decrease pressure

9. Hoses Acetylene hoses are always red
Oxygen hoses are usually green, but sometimes black
Acetylene connectors have a V-groove and left-handed threads
Oxygen connectors have a plain surface and right-handed threads

10. Torch Parts Slip In Tip Tip Nut Oxygen Cutting Lever
Oxygen Torch Needle Valve
Torch Body
Oxygen Fitting
Acetylene Fitting
Acetylene Torch Needle Valve
Oxygen Preheat Needle Valve

11. Mixers Equal-Pressure Type Mixer Injector Type Mixer
Provides the most efficient use of oxygen and fuel gasses for welding and cutting processes
Injector Type Mixer
Supplies oxygen at a high pressure rating

12. Cylinder and Gas Safety
Blow out the cylinder valve before attaching a regulator to the oxygen tank
Release the adjusting screws on the regulators before opening cylinder valves after connecting regulator gauges
Stand opposite the regulators before opening cylinder valves

13. Cylinder and Gas Safety
Be sure to open all valves slowly
Do not compress acetylene at pressures higher than 15 psi

14. Flame Characteristics
Oxidizing
Excess Oxygen with No Acetylene Feather and Makes Hissing Sound
Least Used because it Oxidizes Metal; Used Mostly for Brazing with Bronze
Neutral X
Burns equal amounts of oxygen and acetylene and has clear inner cone
Most used flame for cutting applications

15. Flame Characteristics
Light Carburizing
Burns slightly more acetylene than oxygen and contains a small acetylene feather
Used for backhand welding and for welding mild steel
Carburizing
Excess acetylene with large acetylene feather, 2-3 times the length of the inner cone
Used for hardfacing, but selectively because it adds carbon to the base metal

16. Flame Adjustment
Start with an excess of acetylene, then increase the flow of oxygen or decrease acetylene until the feather disappears
Be sure regulator working pressures are those recommended for the tip size being used
Decrease flame size slightly when it is too harsh

17. Backfire and Flashback
Momentary backing of the flame into the welding tip; leads to loud popping noise
Flashback
Continued burning back of the flame into the tip, mixer or torch body; leads to a loud hissing or squealing noise

18. Causes of Backfires and Flashbacks
Overheating a tip, using a tip too close to the work or touching a tip to the work
An insufficient volume of oxygen or acetylene or incorrect gas pressures
Dirty seating surfaces, leaks from loose tips and failure to purge the equipment

19. Setting Up Regulators and Cylinders
Secure cylinders with a chain to a cylinder cart or wall support
Remove cylinder valve caps
Examine cylinder valve threads for damage and wipe clean of any dust, oil or grease with a clean, dry cloth
Stand to one side of the oxygen cylinder valve, open it momentarily and then close it quickly to purge the valve; repeat for fuel gas cylinder

20. Setting Up Regulators and Cylinders
Attach oxygen regulator to oxygen valve and tighten with a cylinder wrench
Attach fuel gas regulator to fuel gas cylinder valve and tighten with a cylinder wrench
Release pressure on both regulators by turning each regulator adjusting screw counterclockwise until tension is completely released on the adjusting screw

21. Purging Regulators
Stand to one side and open oxygen cylinder valve SLOWLY until inlet pressure gauge needle moves slowly to maximum reading, then open cylinder valve fully
Stand to one side and open fuel gas cylinder valve, and if it is an acetylene cylinder, open only one-half to three-quarters of a turn

22. Setting Up Oxy Fuel Equipment
Use an open-end wrench when hoses are attached to regulators and torch handles
Turn adjusting screws counterclockwise to release pressure after turning regulator adjusting screws clockwise for 3-5 seconds when purging hoses
Test all threaded connections with a leak test solution for leaks

23. Cutting Tip Design
Preheated orifices provide a mixture of oxygen and acetylene for preheating base metal
Single oxygen orifice directs a pressurized stream onto the heated metal to blow the metal away and complete the cut
Cutting tips have to be wrench tightened

24. Cutting Tip Selection
Be sure to select a tip recommended for the thickness of the metal to be cut
Cutting tip size directly affects cutting speed

25. Tip Cleaning Tools Tip Drill Tip Cleaner Tip Nip
A miniature drill; used for cleaning and reconditioning orifices
Tip Cleaner
A device with a series of small file-like probes that are gauged to match specific orifice openings; used to remove carbon buildup inside the tip
Tip Nip
A circular device with a small steel cutting blade to be placed over the entire tip end; cleans and refaces

26. Tip Use
Never try to clean a tip by rubbing it on fire brick or against anything not designed for tip cleaning
Never use an oily or greasy wrench to tighten cutting tips
Never use an oily rag to clean dirt from a tip

27. Metal Preparation for Cutting
For all critical cutting that requires following layout lines, burn metal free of oil and grease
It is not necessary to remove scale and rust with a grinder before cutting

28. Starting A Cut
Place the cutting tip so that the preheat flame is half on the metal and half off the edge of the metal, and the tip is perpendicular to the metal surface
Preheat the starting point until the metal is cherry red, then depress the oxygen cutting lever

29. Starting A Cut
When cutting starts, tilt the cutting tip slightly in the direction of the cut and move the tip at a constant speed along the cut line
Place the tips of the preheat inner cones as close as possible to the metal without touching it

30. Restarting A Cut
Anytime cutting stops, release the oxygen lever immediately, preheat the restarting point at the edge only, and start again as if beginning a cut
Blowholes are the biggest problem with restarting a cut, and blowholes can be avoided by:
Stopping the torch travel before releasing oxygen lever
Moving the torch into the scrap area beyond the cutting line to form a corner or a curl about ¼” long so the cut can be restarted in the scrap area and moved cleanly back to the original cutting line
Avoid cutting across slag when restarting because slag will fly in all directions and create a hazard

31. Cutting Straight Lines
Hold the torch in your right hand with your thumb on the cutting lever and the torch centered in front of your body
As you move the torch along the cutting line, roll your left hand slightly to the left from time to time to make the adjustment required to keep the cutting flame straight along the line

32. Controlling Kerf and Drag
Good cutting requires proper tip selection, proper travel speed and proper fuel gas pressures
The thickness of the metal being cut determines tip selection, fuel gas pressure and torch angle
Torch angle should vary with the thickness of the metal being cut

33. Elements of a Good Cut The edge is square
Drag lines are vertical and clean
There is no adhering slag at the bottom edge of the cut

34. Poor Cut Characteristics
Bad gouging at the bottom of a cut indicates the preheat was not hot enough
A melted top surface and excessive slag indicates the preheat was too hot
An out of control cut is due to oxygen pressure being too high and the tip size being too small

35. Poor Cut Characteristics
Irregularities in the drag line means cutting speed was too slow
A definite break in the drag line and an irregular cut edge indicates speed was too fast