Among Welding Gases, Acetylene Takes Top Honors For Versatility

January 4, 2018 4:19 pm

Acetylene is like the Swiss Army knife of welding gases. It’s extremely versatile and able to fulfill several different functions in the workshop. This versatility makes it a great choice for welders who work with a variety of different materials and don’t want to break their budgets.

What Is Acetylene?

Acetylene is a colorless and odorless gas with an extremely high flame temperature of more than 3,600 K. It is the hottest burning commonly available fuel gas. This hot flame temperature gives it an advantage over other types welding gases, whose lower flame temperatures limit the types of materials that can be welded. Acetylene can be used on the following materials:

carbon steels
low-alloy steels
stainless steel
aluminum alloys
copper alloys
nickel alloys
cast iron

Since it runs hotter than other welding gases, it can cut and heat materials; other gases can’t do this.

Acetylene and Welding

Although welding with acetylene is less popular these days now that arc-welding has advanced, it is still a worthwhile technique if only because of its’ versatility. When paired with oxygen, the gas is capable of welding a wide variety of materials. Welders can even use the same welding equipment for many different jobs. Just by changing attachments on the torch, the process can be changed from heating to cutting to welding. Without oxy-acetylene, you’d likely have to change welding gases and equipment for each job, adding to expenses and increasing downtime. There are also the storage implications to consider. Using different gases for different materials means you need different equipment and will have more cylinders on hand to store in the work area.

Arrange Delivery Of Acetylene And Other Welding Gases At Josef Gas

Josef Gas is your best source for welding gases in the greater Toronto area. We offer welding mixes, pure gases, and specialty gases to get any job done and our reliable delivery options will ensure you have a steady supply of gases when you need them!