Natural Gas/Oxygen Torch

The Setup, Operation, and Cleanup Checklists of this guide are what instructors use to ensure that you can use the equipment according to community expectations.

The soldering torch heats metal so that it can be joined together.

This section acts as a summary of the rest of the guide. It highlights the three most critical, tool-specific takeaways related to Safety, Care, and Cleanup that are generated throughout the rest of the document. This section should be filled out only after the rest of the guide is complete to ensure that it captures what is covered.

Jewelry Area Clearance or Class Equivalent  Required Before Use

If there is no tool specific PPE, please adjust this section while making sure to keep the critical Pandemic-specific PPE listed.

Face Masks & Cleaning Kits are required at all times during the Pandemic.

At the Magical Chocolate Machine, Hearing Protection, Safety Goggles, and a Leather Apron are also required.

Clothing and closed-toed shoes (preferably boots) must be of natural materials that will burn quickly and not melt to skin (i.e. cotton, denim, leather).

What key parts are critical to know in order to operate the tool?

An image is critical here, but the first step is to draft a list of the critical components. Once the list is drafted, we’ll revisit and set a strategy for the visuals in the 2nd draft.

1. Power Switch - on/off switch
2. E-Stop - Reserved for emergencies. To deactivate and reset, you must twist the spring-loaded knob.
3. Maintenance Tag - Manually tracks the usability status with Green/Yellow/Red cards

This will generally be reserved for CNC related equipment like the Lasers, Vinyl Cutter, 3D Printer or complex machinery that have digital readouts, like the Manual Mill. If the tool you are working with has no Control Panel, please delete this section.

Again, an image is critical here, but the first step is to draft a list of the critical components.

1. Jog X and Y axis
2. Jog Z axis
3. Set Origin
4. Start Job
5. Stop Job
6. Decrease
7. Increase
8. 
   

What are the common hazards of use? I.e. Burning yourself, hazardous off-gassing, or electrocution.

How can we avoid those hazards? I.e. Avoid contact with heated elements, check that your material is safe to use, ensure your piece is grounded appropriately.

Are there materials that are unsafe to use with this tool? If so, list them here.

These subsections unpack the “how” of any complex step that might be listed in the Setup Checklist. For example, step #2 of the Setup Checklist for the Rabbit Lasers says to “Import your file into Lightburn”. To guide new folks on exactly how to do that, there is a “LIGHTBURN SETUP” sub section that breaks it down.

A perhaps non-obvious feature is that the font styles ( “Title, Heading 1…” etc.)are saved in the document. This allows for consistent, pre-formatted styles rather than the default Arial.

To format correctly, use “Heading 3” for the subsection title. This will auto populate the table of contents on the left hand menu.

Turn on the gases:

1. Turn on ventilation hood

2. Turn yellow knob (A) on gas line that's mounted on the wall from perpendicular (off) to parallel (on)

3. Open bronze valve (B)

a. There are two valves. Open the valve of the torch you want to use.

b. The big torch has big hoses, the mini torch has small hoses.

4. Turn the grey Oxygen tank valve (C) to “Open”. It's the valve on top of the oxygen tank.

5. Open bronze valve (D) that connects to the oxygen tank.

Lighting the torch:

RED = GAS

GREEN = OXYGEN S (RED) knob A

1. On the torch, turn on the GAS (RED) knob ¼ turn**
2. Light the gas with a striker, do not use a lighter
3. Then introduce the OXYGEN (GREEN) by opening the valve slowly**

**Note: If you open either the gas or oxy  valve too much, it  will blow itself out. Go slow, start small.

Turning off the torch:

1. Close GREEN OXY valve on the torch FIRST

2. Then close RED GAS valve on the torch

3. Make sure both valves are closed when not in use!

Turn off the gases:

1. Turn yellow knob on gas line (A) from parallel (on) to perpendicular (off)

2. Turn grey valve on top of the oxygen tank (C) to “Closed”

3. Bleed out all gas and oxygen from the hoses by opening the valves on the torch.

a. Watch the oxygen gauges. When they both read “0”, close both valves on the torch.

4. Close all bronze valves (B & D)

5. Turn off ventilation hood

SOLDERING

1. Make sure your piece is clean and free of debris
2. Light your torch
3. Dip your piece in firescale protection solution (FPS) (boric acid+alcohol)
4. Burn off the alcohol in the firescale protection solution with torch
5. Clip a chip of solder and use your flux and flux brush to paint it onto your solder seam
6. SOLDER

Remember if your piece has more than one solder joint, use HARD solder first,  Use MEDIUM solder second,  Use EASY solder last

(Hard solder tarnishes the least and has the closest color to the metal you are working with, so use hard if you just have one seam.)

Are there common cut settings or speeds and feed rates that must be known? This could also relate to heat settings.

What consumables are members responsible for? If you need to inspect a blade or nozzle for wear and tear, what exactly is one looking for? How does one safely and carefully install the consumable?

These subsections explain the ”how”.For example, step #3 of the Operation Checklist for the Rabbit Lasers says to “Focus the Lens”. To guide new folks on how to do that, there is a “FOCUSING THE LENS” subsection to break it down.

To format correctly, use “Heading 3” for the subsection title. This will auto populate the table of contents on the left hand menu.

There are two black scrap bins reserved for laser waste. Maintaining these is a shared, communal responsibility.

When you notice the scrap bins are full, it’s time to take it to the dumpster out back. Feel free to enlist a helping hand.

If you notice valuable material while emptying the bins, use your judgement to selectively save a few pieces or take it home for your personal use.

1. Update the physical Maintenance Tag at the machine

• Green can be used without issue
• Yellow can be used with caution
• Red cannot be used without hazard to either the user or the equipment

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Record issues at protohaven.org/maintenance. This notifies our staff and volunteer maintenance crew of any issues

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Our Basic Clearances and Tool Tutorials cover the general use setup. Are there additional setups that are common, but qualify as more intermediate use of the equipment than will be covered in a Basic Clearance?

For example, cutting round stock at the bandsaw, sewing a special buttonhole stitch at a sewing machine, or using a special material that needs to be pre-qualified by a staff member.

Where can one find materials, tools, or other consumables (either local or online vendors)?

What helpful video tutorials are there where one can dive deeper into operating this tool?

If this is a CNC tool, where can one learn more about the CAD, CAM or CAD software?

If you are part of the maintenance group please log on to the #maintenance channel of our Discord server to:

• Perform a Maintenance Action
• Request a Maintenance Purchase
• Review complete Maintenance Logs for each machine
• Generally chit-chat about maintenance

What preventative maintenance areas does the manual indicate? For example, a regular oil schedule, how often to tension belts/blades, and when to change a filter.

This is the area to simply name the topic, frequency, and page number where more information can be found in the manual.

Links to helpful videos or additional resources would be a helpful secondary source.