have MIG and OAW - what would you use OAW for

I have both a MIG welder and an oxyacetylene setup (Henrob). My question is this. These days what applications would you use Oxyacetylene? Obviously MIG is better for lots of things (sheetmetal etc). However, OAW must still be useful for something (and it is fun). I can think of these: cutting torch, cast iron (manifold), frame? Brazing. What do you guys use it for?

Rebecca

 

sheet metal... easier to hammer weld with a flame as the weld does not harden... note that i say easier, as its not impossible to hammer a wire weld if you use the right wire.

shrinking/stretching... cant do that with a MIG

annealing...

there are benefits to both, but gas is a bit more versatile ...specially if you have a henrob, i know i love mine

 

I think that the Henrob is quite superior. However, I have found that for some kinds of sheetmetal work I prefer the mig (grind the welds) because there is less of a warping problem.

 

Learn to hammer weld with the Henrob, and you'll never use the mig for sheetmetal again. The only time I use my mig on sheetmetal is if I have no access to the back side. I'll even go as far as cutting out innerstructure to gas weld in a patch. Then I'll use the mig to weld the innerstructure.

 

Anybody wanna show the process with a Henrob?

 

I still use MIG on sheetmetal....though it's usually just to tack a panel in place and then I weld the seam with my Henrob.

Tim D.

 

Yes. I wish I could see a video of that. I would really like to learn this technique.
Rebecca

 

Hey,

Go ahead and try to solder (lead) a seam or repair on a panel with
a squirt-gun welder, I double dare ya! A hot shrink is also a tough
one without a torch.

S****ey Devils C.C.

"Meanwhile, back aboard the Tainted Pork"

 

I do a fair amount of Stainless Steel welding with OAW but tig will give a softer weld that is easier to work and polish out.

 

I use mine for cuttin' stuff when my waterjet is down! Ha Ha

 

IMO welding panel steel is better with the OA, for the hammerwelding aspect as well as the better heat control when you come across pitts or thin spots. I also use it for cutting heavier steel and for freeing frozen nuts, bolts, etc which is kinda common with old stuff.

 

Hammer welding is not all that complicated. It just takes practice.
Set up a patch to be **** welded with little or no gap. I use a 1/16" rod and a gap about the same or less. Weld a section, I weld until the pieces start to move, about 1/2 to 1" Put the tourch in a stand, or have someone hold it while you hammer the weld with a dolly directly behind the weld. How much you hammer will depend on how much the panel is shrinking. There are a lot of varibles, and you'll just have to experiment. After hammering, I cool with air only and don't do the next weld until the surface is cool enough to touch. If you stretch too much heat and cool to re-shrink. Not enough, then hammer more. You can re-heat if you need to. The most important thing is to have the metal where you want it BEFORE you make the next weld. Otherwise you'll compound the problems, and make it harder to straighten things out. Skip weld to help keep things even, and make sure you have complete fusion in both pieces of base metal, and where the sections of weld bead meet.

 

when i was a kid in norwood ohio,No coathanger was safe.we used them for filler.you Old guys will know what i'm talking about.i use migs now.one is a small hobart. the other is a large miller.i have several different types of wire for them.spot and s***ch settings are very useful also.BUT clean is very important.i have an old smith oa for cutting and brazing.paint does't like braze!jim