On this Episode of Make It Kustom, I go thru oxy-acetylene cutting techniques that will help you do more with your set up! Join this channel to get access to perks: / @makeitkustom
I'm 66 years old. When I was a kid in the farmland of Indiana all Grandpa had was an oxy torch and a Lincoln 225 buzz box. I still have his buzz box and it works fine. I grew up gas welding with bailing wire for sheet metal and coat hangers for the heavier stuff. They were fine nice looking welds. I can still hear my mother yelling from the house "where's my coat hangers?". I think it helped me a lot when I got into TIG and MIG. I counted the days until I could get my very own torch. It's still my go to tool. Thank you for your time.
@@TrashcanGarage I'm 67, and the same. We also did ox-acetylene cutting and welding, as well as stick welding when that's all there was if you didn't work for a large company or the military. We even did foundry work. I was about 11, so whatever grade that was.
Karl - bet you never imagined that someday you'd be the teacher back in your days of welding school. You are fulfilling a very basic and overlooked societal obligation we all have which is to teach other hows to carry on these skills. You do it very well, thank you.
I'm 80, and in the 50s, while going to school, I worked part time at a welding supply store. I had free use of the torches and welders in the shop, and did one chop and channel and 2 engine swaps before I finished school. In 1970, even as a hobbiest, the first major tool I wanted and bought for myself, was a top quality welding and cutting torch set. People joke about the blue wrench, but for me, it is still an indispensable tool.
One of the best oxy torch videos I've seen. Most presenters tell you "do this, do that" but never really explain what you are trying to accomplish setting up the flame on the torch. Would like to see more oxy torch videos.
Back to the basics. Great vid. Most of those things you only learn in a classroom. 7 max acetylene 30 max oxygen. Man you got a nice shop. One of these days. Got a mobile welding truck tooled out with mig tig stick plas and oxy fuel. But need a shop.
It is true, this contraption is what you buy right after the hammer. The only real downside of oxy acethylen welding is the weight of the bottles. When you need to work where you don't have electric power, this is the tool of choice and it is already extremely versatile in a workshop, but oh man those bottles. Back in the day, the by far cheapest sets available were the big bottled ones on a cart with the big steel wheels and the little chains everyone should use, but nobody did. You ever tried walking one of those bottles up a ladder? I did, but never again. I positively love this video. 100% good enough is really the way to go. It is so true. People walking in, not everything going as planned, but that's okay anyway and learning how to lip read might be a good idea, but who cares ? We're having fun. It feels like I could be standing right there and you are just telling me all this. No slick fancy studio stuff, just the real deal. It's Great.
Just like you said, my old high school shop teacher would tell us the same to open the acetylene tank first then light the torch only after that to open the oxygen to get the flame desired. He would always say to us "A" before "O" or "Up you go!"
One of the coolest demos I saw with a cutting torch was the instructor starting a cut on some one inch thick plate. As he got the cut going, he cut the fuel and just the pressurized oxygen finished the cut. Really drove home the point that it is the oxygen doing the work. Great demo with the bolt too - I could never understand how my dad was able to cut nuts off without touching the bolt threads.
thanks Karl, great video. ha ha, I didn't learn anything new, but recommend all aspiring chopper, hot rod, and custom to make your FIRST piece of equipment an oxy-acet set up. Getting a rosebud, cutting, and gas welding tips and you are set. I really enjoyed your presentation. How about a video on gas welding and brazing. I'm always brazing small brackets and non structual components. I'm 76, went to L.A. Trade-Tech for welding in '65. My day job was building and repairing trash trucks but my free time was chopping Harley Knuckleheads Panheads and Shovelheads. We chopped, raked, stretched old HD rigid frames with a torch, stick welder and 9" grinders, oh and no frame tables. A dead flat concrete floor and some soapstone is how we built show winning, Easyrider Featured bikes that jammed down the highway straight as a string, During the summer in High School I worked for the Ayala Bros sanding cars. Learned how to shave handles, french headlights and such with brazing. I don't know when Mig and Tig came out but never used one until late 70's I think 1978. The young guys today are very talented and you are among the BEST. Keep up the good work. Your humiliyu and teaching/sharing skills are paramount, all without profanity or vulgarity. I watch all your videos. Thanks. Ross
I would love to have oxy again. The problem here in Australia is the bottle rental, more expensive than the gas itself. As it is, the recent economic situation meant that I now have the weld with flux core wire , and I hate it. I dont have any sort of business, I am a retired pensioner who builds for the fun of it. Thanks for the tips
When I went to school oxy-acetylene was the primary tool. Brazing, silver soldering, welding,cutting and other things. I don’t think that has changed, but the specialized tool are better a certain things, but those tools can’t do everything! Today you can pickup an used oxy-acetalyne setup for less than nothing, hope there’s some young fabricatees paying attention! Good video.
Making glowing blobs, thats my skill. No one ever really taught me about torch cutting. I have managed to muddle through for 30 plus years. I did lots of gas welding sheet metal, before buying a mig welder. Explaining and demonstrating the neutral flame. Thats what was never properly explained. Thanks. Cutting nuts off works better if its rusty imho.
Please,please dont forget to inform your viewers the most important procedure in oxy-acetylene is checking for combustables before you use ! Check for fuel leaks, fuel cans,solvent cleaning stations all present a diaster waiting to happen ! Also good idea to have a fire blanket on hand to prevent a fire from spreading quickly and give you a few seconds to think! Ive been there and have some horror stories!
I bought a oxy/aced torch a couple of weeks ago and have not found a good video explaining as well as you just did. Thank you for the demonstration. I'd like to see more videos on other applications.
Great video especially for people new to torches.I started out in 1976 in my dads blacksmith shop for several years, have done every thing from pounding out plow shares to to making ornamental railings.The the thickest plate i have cut is five and a half inches thick with a hand held torch with a home made circle guide.Your fab and sheet metal skills are awesome.Keep the tutorials coming !
I learned how to weldand cut metal in high school and after i got out of the Navy in 1980 the first thing I bought was a set of tourches. I still use and have them. The first thing I built with it was a tank cart and still have that too.
Thanks for the videos for our enjoyment and education. I would like more videos on using oxy-fuel for welding aluminum and thin gage steel if possible..
Very helpful and definitely useful video explaining this tool. Thanks so much. I really liked this. Can't wait to see more updates an projects and many more videos soon my friend. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend. Fab On. Weld On. Keep Making. God bless.
Also, the mixing handle, welding tips vs cutting torch vs "how do I know what pressure?" Simplez! IF your fuel gas velocity is too slow, you run the risk of "flash back" or the flame front running back from the tip and into the mixer handle... IE bad news, melted welding tips, or melting mixer handles. You're at the right gas velocity just before the acetylene soot disappears. Then add your O2. If you've got your fuel valve wide open and it's still blowing soot everywhere, you're too low on pressure/velocity and run the risk of a "flash back". That said, if the tip is a bit large, you can compensate by upping the flow until the soot buggers off, then add oxy to an oxidising flame, then back both fuel and oxy down for less heat, just watch the "seat" of the fire doesn't disappear into the orifice's... or... bang BA BANG ABANG ABABANGAH BANG! Or at least, no bangabangs and your cutter will fold in half, half way through your cut cause the fuel is burning inside the tubes of the torch.
I have to cut a 3 X 3 square 3/16 thick that’s about 3 inches from my stucco house. Now most of my life I’ve supervised welders and they actually taught me to weld. So I would weld while they took a cig. break. It would drive the union stewards crazy. But that’s another story. Now I’m 82yrs old and need to cut this 3 inch square tube that’s close to my foundation… I’m looking for tips and help in Yuma Az.
I've done a little oxy-acetylene cutting and was taught some of what you just showed, it was the little tricks and techniques that really shine, thanks Karl.
Great vid as always, A good example of washing away material with a torch in my personal experience, when my dad was still alive he was a truck driver, he bought a semi that needed some exhaust work and he rented a torch, we need to separate some pipes but the band clamps were rusted to shit, I had learned to use a torch from my older hotrod builder buddy. I told him I can get them off no issues, my father was kinda skeptical about me doing it him never had see me use a torch, I used the same technique you shared and cut the band clamps off under the cab without ever burning through the actual pipe. One of the very rare moments I had ever witnessed my father so impressed with me. Thanks for continuing to share your knowledge, skills, and learnings with the rest of us! Still hoping some day to be able to meet ya and shake your hand and maybe share a few hotrod stories some day. Cheers!
Awesome video about an old school tool that doesn't get appreciated as much as it should. One of the things I love about a torch is that I can be 100 miles away from the nearest outlet cutting, bending, and welding just about anything ferrous, then take a break for lunch and cook that with it too.
Even when I was smoking 50plus years ago, I would always use a flint gun, just something that I was taught. Come to think about it, ive have done the exact opposite, used the flint gun ,to make a flame, so I can light a cigarette .
I was hoping you would do fundamentals on the Oxyline torch welding. I always said people should start to learn how to weld with the torch welding/cutting first. Then do the Mig, Tig.
Dude, really love these educational videos. I've always struggled with oxy cutting (self taught doesn't help) so this video really is helpful. You're a really good teacher. Looking forward to more, especially the sand bending.
The great thing about oxy fuel is that it is almost the same skill set as tig. The only difference is a gas fueled flame versus an electric flame. I was in autobody trade school in 1979. No mig...no tig. We had junk cars stripped from their frames and mechanicals. Our instructor cut a 3" square out of the roof of our car with an air hammer. We had to weld it back in minus the 1/8" strip the air hammer cutter bit left. We welded the 3" square back in and metal finished it back to perfect using hammer and dolly. Bullseye pick and vixen file. My instructors were real bodymen from the 50's before bono was invented. Oxy fuel leaves a maliable weld which means you can hammer and file it without hard spots (versus mig). Tig makes maliable welds as well. Oxy may cause a little more distortion versus tig but both will distort. The hammering of the weld will solve this in both oxy and tig...mig will have a harder nugget at the bead that will be harder to hammer out the distortion..could possibly crack. All the custom cars of the 50's were oxy welded... some lead could be used but the term" lead sled" was a derogatory term like bondo bucket is used today. If you had low skills you had to use filler.(lead instead of plastic filler). You rock Karl..love the vids..keep them coming!
Fellow has a shop, and the three main tools would be an oxyacetylene setup a welder and an air compressor. would be nice to show folks the oxyacetylene gas welding process. You get that down and all of the mig, tig and arc welding process will be better understood. Like riding a bicycle once you get the hang of it, it is just practice, practice, practice. One thing though when one gets away from the cutting process the steadiness of the torch gives the impression that a drunk was wielding the troch due to the loss of coordination. A very good demonstration though especially with the darkened lens to enable the viewer to see the process.
I see that is a new nut and bolt. How good does it work on a heavily rusted nut and bolt.? This was a great lesson. Thanks for bringing up these use's of the oxy-acetylene torch. Can't wait for the 'bend with sand' episode .
I need to put a slight curve in a 4" 16 ga. stainless exhaust pipe. Waiting on your video to see any tricks you have for the sand filled bending technique. So, let's make that a priority 😁😁
The oxy/acetylene torch is becoming a lost art these days. There have been so many new tools introduced that simply were not available or were just too expensive for the home or farm shop 40-50 years ago . We didn't have or couldn't afford band saws, chop saws, cold cut saws or plasma cutters and in many instances the torch is so much more versatile, you often times cant take your work piece to the saw, but the torch can be easily transported to the work. I think a video on gas welding would be awesome too Karl, I learned to gas weld in the 80's in my highschool shop class and largely at that time TIG (then called heli-arc) welding wasn't as popular for home and ag use, the machines were HUGE then and stupidly expensive so gas welding was quite common, ut even today I think gas welding has a place in our home shops.
Thanks Karl ---------- You know ------ it was 59 years ago when I took a Welding coarse ------- but that was a Body and Fender Coarse ------- Gas and Stick ------- Did my first '30 Model A with Oxy-acetylene ------- only needed the smaller tip for that stuff --------Nice to have you go over ----- the use ----- settings ----- and some Tips ------------- Have a Good Week ----- See Ya on your next one ------- Rodney
FYI while the common expression is "Oxy Cutting" with a oxy cutter rather than 'cutting' in the way a disc/blade cuts what is actually in play is the extra oxygen (side lever) hitting the preheated steel 'burns' the steel as opposed to simply melting it away (which is what I thought was happening back in the 60's when I first heard about 'Oxy cutting' 😮
Excellent tutorial and explanation of torch settings and gas balance! Go Karl and Elio (next time you'll get your friendship bracelet!). Keep moving forward!
Re flame (lighter) V spark ignition, your (not burning yet) fuel gas flow directed at the lighter flame can easily blow out the flame, also pure fuel (centre of gas flow) won't ignite (too little oxygen available) so IF using a naked flame it's best to aim the fuel gas flow to the side of the flame.... while directing the pure fuel gas into a 'spark cup' encourages turbulent flow, mixing the fuel with air significantly increasing odds of having a spark near a good fuel&air mix. PS post ignition you can often see (spark cup now clear of the flaming tourch) fuel gas 'sticking' to the cup and 'softly burning' with the surrounding air 🔥
I used a Henrob torch, now called a Cobra I think. Low pressure and cuts super clean and you can weld just about anything. I done all my body repairs on my rod with one. More comfortable to use. Pistol grip is great.
I have one. Mine is called the Dillon mark III, but it is the exact same setup. It actually took awhile to get used to the pistol grip, because it felt a lot heavier than the torch I was accustomed to using. I watched the demos multiple times, and changed the way I hold the torch, and have really grown to like it.
Bending flat bar the hard way is how we used to make bale hooks. A fairly uncommon, but incredibly practical farmers tool, which unfortunately has gone a bit out of fashion. A bale hook allows you to get control over a classic small bale of hay without having to either grab the hay by hand or hold the whole bale. The shape is a bit like the thing Captain Hook has for a hand, but then made out of flat bar. Just an ordinary hook with a rounded end roughly four inches across, and a straight end of about eight inches. The tip of the rounded end is tapered to the extend that it easily slides in between straws, but not into a straw, so not too sharp. At the far end of the straight part, a hole through the flat bar allows for a cross bolt handle with wood cover. Holding the handle in one hand with the bar sticking out between middle and ring finger allows you to swing the hook. To handle a bale, first 'comb' the hook through the hay to pick up both (!!!) wires that hold the bale together. Then grab the wires with your free hand and swing the hook into the bale's short end. You now have full control over the bale, so you can position it or swing it into place when packing a flat bed truck or building a hay stack,... or a straw house or whatever. I've seen a few of your fellow RU-vid farming creators fumble around bales hopelessly without it, so I bet they would love to have such a hook.
Thank you for all the tips and tricks. One thing that a torch can do way better is heating. Plasma is too directional and is in too small of a spot to do that effectively, but then you just flip the machine into stick-welder mode, put in a carbon rod, and heat away! :D
The reason you don’t use a lighter to light and oxyacetylene torches is because if you accidentally crack the oxygen first the moment you like the lighter, the whole tank will blow up as the flame will travel down the hose. With a striker there is no flame to travel down into the tank and cause an explosion.
The hose itself burns as the oxygen accelerates the flame. Once the seals in the tank are comprised due to the heat, the tank blows. Oxygen can reignite the smallest ember into a large flame almost instantly, making it almost impossible to put out the fire until the oxygen is gone.
And that’s why you should have spark arrest after the gauges and before the pipes to the torch. Also if you accidentally hit a lighter with the gas torch it will go straight through and the resulting ball of flame is quite interesting.
Great video for those just starting, I've have one but haven't used it in ten years or longer. Years ago we would use propane torch for cutting because of cost but different tip and slower and differently not good for welding, maybe do one on the different tips for propane and such, and maybe explain what you doing before lighting the torch, it makes it hard to hear you !
So I think I may have missed it but, what size tip did you say this is? Was it a number 1 or a 0? When I first started trying to master my torches the smallest tip I had was a number 2. After failing for weeks I figured out that my tip was much too large and have just recently switched to a 0 tip. What a world of difference. It is amazing how small of a tip can cut such a large variety of materials.
Very informative video. I have a question about safety gear. Should a pair of cutting gloves or welding gloves be tight fitting or fairly loose/oversized?
