How to Cut With an Oxygen Acetylene Torch
- 1). Set the hoses out straight and free them of kinks. Close all regulator valves on the tanks and close the torch valves. Each regulator valve is located on top of the regulator. The regulator is screwed into the tank and has two gauges on it -- one for tank pressure and one for hose pressure. The torch valves are located on the main cutting torch.
- 2). Attach each hose to its respective tank. Screw the green hose to the oxygen tank and tighten with an adjustable wrench. Screw the red hose to the acetylene tank and tighten with an adjustable wrench. Attach the hoses to the cutting torch (green to the oxygen connection and red to the acetylene connection). Tighten with an adjustable wrench.
- 3). Open the main shutoff valves on the tanks slowly -- acetylene first and oxygen second. They are located directly on top of each tank. Open both regulator valves until you reach the manufacturer's recommended pressure for your torch. Once again, open the acetylene valve first and the oxygen one second.
- 4). Purge each of the hoses at the torch by opening one valve at a time. You do not want acetylene in the oxygen hose or vice versa. Close both valves at the torch once purged.
- 5). Open the acetylene valve on the torch one-eighth to one-quarter turn. Light the torch with a torch striker. Open the acetylene valve farther until there is no more smoke. Open the oxygen valve on the torch until the inner cone is well defined and the flame is blue.
- 6). Place the torch at a 20-degree angle to the material you are cutting. It should almost touch the material.
- 7). Squeeze the trigger on the torch to begin cutting. Slowly move the torch along the path you want to cut. When you see sparks shooting out the bottom of the material, it means you have successfully cut through it.
- 8). Shut down the torch when finished. Turn off the oxygen valve on the torch; then turn off the acetylene valve. Close both of the tank valves. Open the valves at the torch once more to bleed the lines and then close them. Open the regulator valves until the handles turn freely.