A welding mask protects the welder’s eyes and face while cutting.
Oxygen cutting is the practice of introducing oxygen to increase the heating temperature of a cutting gas such as acetylene. By introducing oxygen into the flame through the cutting torch head, the heat is increased and the operator can adjust the cutting flame to produce the desired effect. Oxygen cutting also uses compressed oxygen to blow liquid metal out of the path of the cut.
Only oxy-acetylene torches are hot enough to weld or cut all commercial metals.
Oxygen-acetylene cutting and welding is a popular method of repairing and creating metal structures where electrical power is not available. The practice of cutting with oxygen, or oxyacetylene, as it is commonly called, makes cutting through thick steel an easy task on almost any job site. Most construction sites around the world have at least one oxygen and acetylene cutting system.
The flame from an oxyacetylene torch used for metal cutting and welding burns at a temperature of 5432°F.
Adding oxygen to any flame allows the flame to burn hotter. Just like blowing on a fire to cause the material to burn, introducing oxygen to any fuel gas will increase the temperature at which it burns. Propane is often used in a cutting torch instead of the more expensive acetylene. This is due in part to oxygen’s ability to create a hotter flame with propane, allowing it to cut through metal.
Cutting with oxygen also saves gasoline. The amount of gas used to create an intense flame is less than half the amount of oxygen used. Acetylene is only used to create a base of fire at the tip of the torch, and oxygen is used to adjust the level of heat at the tip of the flame. The flame adjusts from a dull orange to a bright blue by adding oxygen to the gas mixture. When using the gas welding system, oxygen is added until a long flame turns into a short, concentrated fire.
When adjusting the oxygen cutting torch, the oxygen is adjusted in two ways. The gas is ignited and adjusted until no black smoke comes out of the flame. Oxygen is then added to the flame until it turns a bright blue hue, signifying that the temperature is at its peak. Finally, the oxygen shutoff valve is adjusted until the flame turns a short, bright blue color and the flame does not change much when the oxygen lever is depressed. This creates a loud popping sound that clears the cutting path of any residual molten metal.