Basic Gas

Welding

Millwright
BASIC GAS WELDING 1
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
On completion of this programme, you will be able to:

1. Name the parts and functions of the gas welding set and the accessories required when welding.
2. Name the safety precautions to be taken when welding.
3. Assemble a gas welding set
4. Light the torch
5. Prepare a work piece for welding
6. Run a bead in a down hand fashion.

Achieve not less than 90% in theoretical tests and 100% in practical tests.

RESOURCES

• Video Programme Basic Gas Welding : Part 1

• Your Course Controller
• This handout which will assist you in remembering the terminology and processes used in the weld-
ing trade and how to apply them correctly.

RECOMMENDED HOURS FOR THIS MODULE :

Theory : ________________
Practical : ________________

BASIC GAS WELDING 2

CONTENTS
1. The main parts of the gas welding set and their functions 4

2. The main parts of gas welding equipment (continued) 7

3. Safety precautions when welding 12

4. Steps for safely assembling the gas welding set 14

5. Adjusting the regulators and testing equipment for leaks 16

6. How to light, adjust and extinguish the flame 18

7. The preparation of the work piece before welding and

running a bead in a down-hand position 20

8. The closing down procedure when finished welding 23

BASIC GAS WELDING 3

The Main Parts of the
Gas Welding Set and
Their Functions

BASIC GAS WELDING 4

1. THE MAIN PARTS OF THE GAS WELDING SET AND
THEIR FUNCTIONS

Oxygen Cylinder Acetylene Cylinder

(BLACK) (MAROON)

Welding Pressure Gauge Cylinder Pressure Gauge

Regulator Pressure Screw

RH Thread to Cylinder

BASIC GAS WELDING 5

A steel cylinder painted black contains the oxygen and a steel cylinder painted maroon contains the acetylene.
• A special valve called a regulator is fitted to each cylinder. The part of the cylinder to which the regulator
is fitted is called the valve set.
• The regulator has two gauges. The right hand one is the cylinder pressure gauge and indicates the
amount of gas in the cylinder.
• The left hand one is the welding pressure gauge indicating the amount of gas flowing from the cylinder
when welding.
• The regulator pressure screw is turned to adjust the flow of gas from the cylinder.
• The regulator used for oxygen can be identified by the blue ring around the regulator screw and the
acetylene regulator has a maroon ring.

NOTES:

BASIC GAS WELDING 6

The Main Parts of Gas
Welding Equipment
(Contined)

BASIC GAS WELDING 7

2. THE MAIN PARTS OF GAS WELDING EQUIPMENT
(CONTINUED)

Maroon Acetylene Hose

Blue Oxygen Hose

Hose Protector

Needle Control Valves

Blowpipe

BASIC GAS WELDING 8

• To carry gas from the cylinders, special canvas rubber hoses are used. The blue hose must be used for
oxygen and the maroon hose for acetylene.
• All acetylene equipment is maroon in colour for safety reasons and ease of identification. The connection
nuts on all acetylene equipment have a left hand thread. This is indicated by a groove on the nuts. All
oxygen equipment has a right hand thread with no grooves on the nut.
• To prevent burning gas going back into the hoses, hose protectors are fitted to the ends of both hoses.
The hose protectors fit onto the welding torch connections, which are marked O for oxygen and A for
acetylene.
• The welding torch is also known as the blowpipe and has two needle control valves. The maroon valve
controls the flow of acetylene into the torch and the back valve the flow of oxygen.
• Just beyond these valves is the mixing chamber where the two gases mix.
• A torch tip is fitted to the front of the welding torch to direct the heat of the flame. Different size torch tips
are available and are selected according to the thickness of the metal being welded.
• The size of the tip is identified by a number stamped on the stem. The higher the number on the stem, the
larger the opening at the end of the tip.
• To transport the welding equipment safely, a trolley is used.

NOTES:

BASIC GAS WELDING 9

These are the accessories required when gas welding:

Welding Rod

Torch Tip Cleaners

Pliers

Wire Brush

File

Correct Spanner

Spindle Key

Spark Lighter

BASIC GAS WELDING 10

• A gas welding rod is also known as a filler rod which is made of copper coated wire. They are made in
various thicknesses and you should use a rod of the same metal as the metal to be welded. During the
welding process the rod melts and fills the gap being welded.
• Torch tip cleaners are used to open up torch tips clogged by molten metal during welding. Torch tip
cleaners are stainless steel wires and are numbered according to the size of the hole in the torch tip.
• A pair of pliers is used to handle a hot work piece after welding.
• A wire brush is used for removing dirt or surface rust from your work piece.
• A file is required for cleaning the work piece before welding, especially if it is covered with paint or is badly
rusted.
• The correct spanner is used to assist you in assembling the gas welding set.
• The spindle key is used to open and close the cylinders.
• Spark lighters produce a spark by rubbing a flint against a rough steel surface. The spark lighter is used to
safely light the welding torch.
• A solid table covered with fire bricks is normally used for gas welding, as it is fireproof and quickly absorbs
the heat produced by the welding flame.

NOTES:

BASIC GAS WELDING 11

Safety Precautions
When Welding

BASIC GAS WELDING 12

3. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WHEN WELDING

Tinted Welding Goggles

Overalls Without Cuffs or Turn-ups

• Before welding always remove all flammable materials such as petrol, oily rags and grease from the
welding area as they could cause a fire.
• When welding, good ventilation is necessary to avoid inhaling poisonous fumes.
• For putting out any accidental fires, always check before welding that suitable fire extinguishers or buckets
of dry sand are nearby.
• To protect onlookers from welding rays, which can damage the eyes, canvas or special welding screens
are used.
• To protect your eyes from the welding rays and glare, but more importantly from flying sparks, tinted
welding goggles must be worn.
• Overalls must be without cuffs or turn-ups as these are possible lodging places for sparks.

NOTES:

BASIC GAS WELDING 13

Steps for Safely
Assembling the Gas
Welding Set

BASIC GAS WELDING 14

4. STEPS FOR SAFELY ASSEMBLING THE GAS
WELDING SET.
• Place both cylinders on a trolley and secure them with a safety chain.
• Remove any dust or grit from the cylinder valve seats of both cylinders by briefly opening and closing
the cylinder valves with the spindle key.
• Check that the cylinder valves and all joints are free from oil or grease which, if present, could cause an
explosion when the bottles are opened.
• Next, screw the oxygen regulator, which is identified by the blue ring, into the cylinder valve seat turning
the nut in a clockwise direction until it is finger tight. Use a spanner and turn the nut to obtain a gas tight
joint.
• Turn the regulator pressure screw in an anti-clockwise direction until it is loose.
• Then, screw the acetylene regulator, which is identified by its maroon ring, into the cylinder valve seat
turning the nut in an anti-clockwise direction until it is finger tight. Tighten it with a spanner until you
obtain a gas tight joint.
• The next step is to connect the hoses.
• Screw the hose protector of the blue hose onto the welding torch connection marked O for oxygen and
the hose protector of the maroon hose onto the connection marked A for acetylene. Use a spanner to
tighten the hose protector nuts to obtain gas tight joints.
• The other ends of the hoses are then connected to their respective regulators, the blue hose to the
oxygen regulator and the maroon hose to the acetylene regulator. Tighten the nuts with a spanner until
they are gas tight.

NOTES:

BASIC GAS WELDING 15

Adjusting the
Regulators and Testing
Equipment for Leaks

BASIC GAS WELDING 16

5. ADJUSTING THE REGULATORS AND TESTING
EQUIPMENT FOR LEAKS
• Select the correct size torch tip for the thickness of metal you are going to weld and screw it finger tight
into position.
• As a safety precaution when opening the cylinders, always stand at the side of the gauges.
• Open both cylinder valves with the spindle key half a turn in an anticlockwise direction. Leave the spin-
dle key in the acetylene cylinder so that in an emergency the valve can be closed quickly.
• Open the oxygen needle control valve on the welding torch about one turn.
• Turn the oxygen regulator pressure screw clockwise until the oxygen gauge shows 60 K.P.A.
• Then close the oxygen needle control valve on the welding torch.
• Next, open the acetylene needle control valve on the welding torch about one turn. Then turn the acety-
lene regulator pressure screw clockwise until the gauge shows 60 K.P.A.
• Close the acetylene needle control valve on the welding torch.
• Now that the regulators have been adjusted to the required pressure, test the connections for leaks by
applying soapy water to all the joints.
• If a joint is leaking, bubbles will appear from the leak. Leaking equipment is dangerous and must be
reported immediately and must not be used until corrected or repaired.

NOTES:

BASIC GAS WELDING 17

How to Light, Adjust
and Extinguish the
Flame

BASIC GAS WELDING 18

6. HOW TO LIGHT, ADJUST AND EXTINGUISH THE FLAME
• Before you light the welding torch, be sure that you have the correct clothing on.
• To prevent the hoses from accidentally burning it is important to ensure that they are behind you.
• When lighting the torch keep the torch tip pointing away from your body and the cylinders.
• First open the acetylene needle control valve about half a turn.
• Light the acetylene gas with a spark lighter. Adjust the acetylene flow with the acetylene needle control
valve until the yellow flame stops smoking and takes on a feathery appearance.
• Open the oxygen needle control valve slowly, changing the yellow flame to a blue colour while an inner
white flame called a cone appears.
• Adjust the oxygen needle control valve until the cone is sharply defined.
• This is called a neutral flame and is used for welding mild steel.
• If the oxygen needle control valve is not opened far enough a carburising flame is formed. A
carburising flame has a longer irregular cone than the neutral flame and is used for some special
types of gas welding.
• If the acetylene needle control valve is opened too much an oxidising flame is formed. An oxidising
flame has a very short pointed cone, and makes a hissing sound. It is also used for special type of gas
welding.
• To extinguish the flame for short periods, close the acetylene needle control valve first and then close
the oxygen needle control valve.
• Hand the welding hoses and torch on the hooks provided making sure that the hot torch tip does not
touch the hoses.
• Then close the gas cylinders.

NOTES:

BASIC GAS WELDING 19

The Preparation of
the Work Piece Before
Welding and Running
a Bead in a Down-hand
Position

BASIC GAS WELDING 20

7. THE PREPARATION OF THE WORK PIECE BEFORE
WELDING AND RUNNING A BEAD IN A DOWN-HAND
POSITION
• If the area to be welded is not clean, dirt and impurities will mix with the molten metal causing it to be-
come brittle and weak.
• Use the wire brush to remove surface rust from the work piece. If the area is covered with paint or is
badly rusted, clean it with a file.
• Grease and oil must be removed with a cloth which has been soaked in a cleaning agent. Allow the
work piece to dry before welding.
• Compressed air can be used for this purpose.
• When welding metals of 5mm or less in thickness, forehand welding is used. This means that the weld-
ing torch is moved from right to left along the joint to be welded. This type of welding is done to give
more control of the molten metal whilst welding thin metal.
• When welding metal over 5mm in thickness, backhand welding is used.
• The welding torch is moved from left to right along the joint to be welded. This type of welding is pre-
ferred for thicker metal because:
- Less filler rod is used.
- Welding speed is greater.
- Gas consumption is less.
• Set up a cleaned work piece of 5 mm or less in thickness.
• Put on the welding goggles so that they will be ready for use when needed.
• Light up the torch to give a neutral flame.
• Place the goggles over your eyes and take a thin welding rod.
• Starting at the beginning of the joint, hold the welding torch so that its tip forms an angle of approxi-
mately 45 degrees with the work piece.
• Hold the flame steady over the work piece with the inner flame above the surface to be welded.
• When the work piece has heated up sufficiently it melts and forms a pool.
• To prevent a hole being burnt through the metal, lift the torch tip slightly to keep the pool small.
• When you have established the pool, place the end of the filler rod at a 45 degree angle in the centre of
the pool. This forms a weld as you move forward steadily.
• As the weld progresses the filler rod melts and has to be continually fed into the weld.
• The longer you hold the filler rod in the pool, the larger the build up the weld.
• The filler rod must be removed from the pool when there is enough build up.
• When the filler rod is not in the pool, the end is kept just inside the flame.
• Continue with the weld until a bead is formed. The end of the weld needs special care or the weld pool
collapses.

BASIC GAS WELDING 21

• To prevent this from happening, and to retain control, withdraw the welding torch for a moment to arrest
the build up of heat.
• Then re-apply the filler rod and flame as needed to form a smooth and even bead.
• When you have finished welding extinguish the flame and inspect the bead. A good weld has an even,
slightly rounded shape and just penetrates the bare metal.

NOTES:

BASIC GAS WELDING 22

The Closing Down
Procedure When
Finished Welding

BASIC GAS WELDING 23

8. THE CLOSING DOWN PROCEDURE WHEN FINISHED
WELDING
• Extinguish the flame in normal manner.
• Then close both gas cylinder valves.
• Release the pressure in both hoses by first opening the oxygen, and then the acetylene needle
control valves.
• Next, the pressure is released, first in the oxygen, then the acetylene regulators by turning the
regulator screws anti-clockwise until the needles rest on naught.
• Close both needle control valves on the welding torch.
• Wind the welding hoses and torch onto the hooks attached to the back of the trolley.
• Finally, return the gas welding set to its storage place and put safety and other equipment in its
proper place.

NOTES:

BASIC GAS WELDING 24

BASIC GAS WELDING 25