Year 8 Metalwork

Oxy Acetylene equipment

Gas Properties
Oxygen  Invisible
 Won’t burn on own
 Odourless
 Makes the flame more intense
Acetylene  Invisible
 Will burn on own
 Has a distinct odour
 Makes low intensity flame

Equipment

All parts are colour coded

 Oxygen – Black

 Acetylene – Red (Maroon)

Cylinders – contains the gases.
Regulators – controls the pressure flow of gas from the cylinders to the torch.
Hoses – transports gases to torch.
Torch – Mixes the gases together.
Needle valves – allows you to adjust the flow of gases to the tip.
Tip – controls the size of the flame.

The Neutral Flame

The neutral flame has a one-to-one ratio of acetylene and oxygen.

It is used for the majority of work completed on the oxy/Acetylene plant.

How to adjust to a neutral flame
1. Open acetylene gas needle valve ¼ turn.
2. Ignite flame with striker.
3. Increase acetylene gas flow until flame majority of smoke is gone.
4. Open oxygen needle valve and adjust until the outer feather joins the inner cone.

How to turn the flame off?

1. Turn the acetylene off.
2. Turn the acetylene off.
Answer the following questions
1. What safety equipment should you be wearing when you use the oxy/acetylene
plant?
Welding helmet or safety glasses, a fire extinguisher near by just in case if there is a fire.

2. Which hand should the flint lighter be held in?

on the dominant hand for the more strength

3. Which part mix the 2 gases together?

The torch part

4. Why do we turn the acetylene off first?

If the oxygen is turned off first the acetylene can still burn, but without the acetylene the oxygen
cannot keep on burning without a source of fuel.

5. What do you think a tip size of 10 refers to?

The size of the flame the torch is able to produce based on the size of the tip, the bigger the size
the bigger the flame.
6. List 2 safety rules for the safe use of the oxy/acetylene plant?
- Never point the flame near someone
-Make sure to not get distracted by others around you as you are holding a dangerous piece of
equipment.