Blacksmiths, Welders, History Buffs: Oxy-Acetylene

MoreSaltThanPepper · Jul 11, 2009

I just finished watching "The Ebb-Tide" with Robbie Coltrane. Good watch, I can recommend it.

Anyway, at one point in the story, they are fixing the mast step with an oxy-acetylene torch (with gauges).

This was written in 1894 or '95. When was the torch invented? Anyone?

- John

Jatte · Jul 11, 2009

acetylene was first discovered in i think 1836, or atleast thats what i was told at welding school lol,
then re discovered in 1860 by some french dude , who started calling it acetylene

the first oxy acet welder was made in 1903 i think that could do welding/

now, a blowtorch can be used for brazing, and for alot of fixups, it was originaly produced or invented in 1882 and patented in sweden,
it used compressed kerosene or other flamable oils and was used for heating brazing, soldering, and braze welding , also could be used to help with riveting on ships and stuff,

dunno what else to tell you,

localized heating was done mainly with coal and charcoal, up untill the early 1900's the town blacksmith was the man to talk to ,
the dials and stuff on the blowtorch or acetalyne torch use the same principals that were in place with several other things of the day, mainly steam guages and stuff, so their use was probably integrated into the originals,

hope it helps

MoreSaltThanPepper · Jul 12, 2009

And once again, one reply to my thread.

Today's winnah is . . . Jatte.

Let's see . . . how about a bottle of Trumper's English Fern :biggrin:

- John

gratewhitehuntr · Jul 12, 2009

I can only speak to one aspect of the acetylene torch

anyone who says they have used a torch for any period of time and never caught anything on fire is either a LIAR or a LIAR

I once caught the power wires on fire (BIG flames) :lol:

Jatte · Jul 12, 2009

I used an acetylene torch for practice welding for 4 hours a day for 4 months during school and i never lit anything on fire...

i think that the statement shoudl be,

anyone that uses acetylene for any time and says theyve never been BURNED, is a liar or a LIAR

gratewhitehuntr · Jul 12, 2009

ok well I was including myself :lol:

(shoes, pants, etc)

agreed

gollum83 · Jul 12, 2009

Jatte said:
acetylene was first discovered in i think 1836, or atleast thats what i was told at welding school lol,
then re discovered in 1860 by some french dude , who started calling it acetylene

Yes, it was discovered in 1836 by Edmund Davy, who oddly enough accidentally discovered it trying to isolate potassium. Instead he ended up getting potassium carbide, which releases acetylene gas when exposed to water.

What I find particularly interesting though is that his discovery that carbides produce acetylene when exposed to water eventually led to the development of the carbide lamp in the late 1800's. It ended up replacing the Davy Lamp widely used by miners that was invented in 1815 by his cousin Humphry Davy.

HankG · Jul 12, 2009

That's pretty awesome that the technology is that old; I figured it was fairly recent. I've never used a torch before so I've never set anything on fire, but my brother set his old truck on fire once with one. Wasn't there so I can't comment on the event itself, but I can say when we went off-roading shortly after, we got a face full of fire extinguisher dust after a large jump; not something I'd like to experience again. :tongue:

blackfoot · Jul 12, 2009

Jatte said:
I used an acetylene torch for practice welding for 4 hours a day for 4 months during school and i never lit anything on fire...

i think that the statement shoudl be,

anyone that uses acetylene for any time and says theyve never been BURNED, is a liar or a LIAR

When I worked as an electrician, I used a plasma cutter when working with metal studs. Sometimes, I was stuck using the oxy-acetylene torch. The guy in charge of the weld shop was a dick. One of his guys came and asked if I was done with it, which I was. They took it and used it on another project. Two hours later the Mr. Dick came and started yelling at me. I finally figured out he was accusing me of cutting the hoses in two. He wouldn't believe me and I considered the value of my job compared with the feel of his head getting to know the wall. I decided to keep my job, but was never allowed to use the torch again.

Jatte · Jul 12, 2009

Im confused... did you just attach the oxygen chord to the plasma... or what?

this make no sense, the plasma cutter usually has its own hookups,

btw, with regards to acetylene, i think anyone who uses it in any capacity should know its rules,
it explodes above like 15 psi, , and you cannot use more than 1/7th of the current capacity of a tank in an hour, or else the acetone starts to pull out with it, and is not so good for your hoses lol

it can be smelt at like aquarter of a percent in normal air, and explodes from like dont quote me, but like, in pure oxygen it can burn in quantities as low as 2 percent i think... i'll check my book later but yeah, if you are in a welding booth, and leave your torch on a bit, you can seriously blow up a room without a spark, because it reacts with the oxygen in the room...

scary sh*t

blackfoot said:
When I worked as an electrician, I used a plasma cutter when working with metal studs. Sometimes, I was stuck using the oxy-acetylene torch. The guy in charge of the weld shop was a dick. One of his guys came and asked if I was done with it, which I was. They took it and used it on another project. Two hours later the Mr. Dick came and started yelling at me. I finally figured out he was accusing me of cutting the hoses in two. He wouldn't believe me and I considered the value of my job compared with the feel of his head getting to know the wall. I decided to keep my job, but was never allowed to use the torch again.

MoreSaltThanPepper · Jul 13, 2009

gollum83 said:
Yes, it was discovered in 1836 by Edmund Davy, who oddly enough accidentally discovered it trying to isolate potassium. Instead he ended up getting potassium carbide, which releases acetylene gas when exposed to water.

What I find particularly interesting though is that his discovery that carbides produce acetylene when exposed to water eventually led to the development of the carbide lamp in the late 1800's. It ended up replacing the Davy Lamp widely used by miners that was invented in 1815 by his cousin Humphry Davy.

I thought calcium carbide made acetylene? Am I finally losing it?

soapbox · Jul 13, 2009

MoreSaltThanPepper said:
I thought calcium chloride made acetylene? Am I finally losing it?

I'm pretty sure you use calcium carbide in miner's / caver's lamps, so I think you're just losing it. :001_smile

My experience with oxy-acetylene was cutting the tops off of an old set of V8 Ford valve covers so I could adjust the lifters without getting oil all over the shop. Later I cut a bike lock because my fraternity brother lost his key. I should have used Freon to break the lock. Cutting with the torch took forever. Good lock.

I'm glad my father has all these tools, or else I'd be far less experienced in the ways of metal. Some day I'll get a chance to use the MIG welder... :tongue_sm

MoreSaltThanPepper · Jul 13, 2009

soapbox said:
I'm pretty sure you use calcium carbide in miner's / caver's lamps, so I think you're just losing it.

My experience with oxy-acetylene was cutting the tops off of an old set of V8 Ford valve covers so I could adjust the lifters without getting oil all over the shop. Later I cut a bike lock because my fraternity brother lost his key. I should have used Freon to break the lock. Cutting with the torch took forever. Good lock.

I'm glad my father has all these tools, or else I'd be far less experienced in the ways of metal. Some day I'll get a chance to use the MIG welder...

Losing it alright, since I used "chloride" instead of "carbide".

You used a torch on valve covers?

gollum83 · Jul 13, 2009

MoreSaltThanPepper said:
I thought calcium carbide made acetylene? Am I finally losing it?

It does, but potassium carbide does as well, along with a few other carbides. Calcium carbide, though, is probably the the most commonly encountered one.

soapbox · Jul 13, 2009

MoreSaltThanPepper said:
Losing it alright, since I used "chloride" instead of "carbide".

Hah!

You used a torch on valve covers?

Not my good set, and certainly not while they were attached to the car! It's just sheet metal, after all...but too big for tin snips. :biggrin:

blackfoot · Jul 13, 2009

Jatte said:
Im confused... did you just attach the oxygen chord to the plasma... or what?

this make no sense, the plasma cutter usually has its own hookups,

Sorry. The plasma cutter was completely separate. I was using the torch because someone else had the plasma cutter.

Jatte · Jul 13, 2009

okay

that makes more sense,

im horrified of plasma cutters, i saw a guy cut his finger off with one...

i try to avoid them, lol :blushing:

blackfoot · Jul 13, 2009

Jatte said:
okay that makes more sense,

im horrified of plasma cutters, i saw a guy cut his finger off with one...

i try to avoid them, lol

For what I was doing, the plasma was easier. I would like to get a oxy-acetylene torch though.

soapbox · Jul 13, 2009

Jatte said:
okay that makes more sense,

im horrified of plasma cutters, i saw a guy cut his finger off with one...

Did it self-cauterize? :tongue:

(But seriously, yowza!)

My favorite string of jokes in this situation:

Q: What's the last thing a redneck says?
A: "Hey y'all, watch this!"

Q: What's the last thing his friend ever says?
A: "Aw, hell, I can do that!"

Q: ...And what's the last thing his brother ever says?
A: "Naw, naw, you're doin' it wrong! Here, hold my beer 'n' lemme show ya..."

blackfoot · Jul 13, 2009

soapbox said:
Did it self-cauterize? (But seriously, yowza!)

That was the first thing I thought of too.