(162) In drawing this elementary course in oxy-acetylene welding to a close, the author wishes to again call attention to the fact that this course is merely to be considered as a foundation upon which to build. An effort has been made to confine the student’s line of thought exclusively to the actual welding of the various metals and an intimate knowledge of the tools necessary to accomplish this. Technical terms have been avoided as much as possible, and history, as well as the generation of the various gases, have been considered only of secondary importance and have been purposely omitted. Many repetitions have been made to place emphasis upon certain points and methods. It is hoped that the student who pursues this course if he has been restricted to the use of only one apparatus will realize that there are many such on the market, each one of which may have its advantages, but if the general rules, as outlined, are followed, he will not have much difficulty or be covered with confusion if called upon to operate different makes of apparatus for the first time. If he sees that there is gas pressure on his lines, he should not hesitate, thereby showing his ignorance of that particular type of apparatus, rather let him turn on one valve, and direct the stream of gas toward his nostrils. He can then readily determine whether it is the fuel gas or not and knowing that oxygen will not burn he can turn his fuel gas on and proceed without showing any concern. It might be said that confidence in one’s self is the keynote of success, and this is imperative to make an expert welder, but to the man who studies the flame action on his metals and appreciates the apparatus to the fullest extent, there is a very bright future.
Fig. 91.—Quick, Permanent Repairs are Made on Large Supply Trucks in the U. S. Army by its Corps of Trained Welders. This View Shows an Individual Welding Unit in Operation at the U. S. Army (Ordnance) Welding School.
(Courtesy of Ben K. Smith, U. S. Welding Co.)
Fig. 92.—This Cylinder did not Require to be Bored or have any other Machine Work Performed, but was Placed in Service Directly after Welding and has been Serving for over Three Years.
(163) The welder who desires the best results should procure the best apparatus possible to fill his requirements. The cost of such is only of secondary importance, the hazard attached to cheaply constructed apparatus and the loss of gas, time and the execution of faulty work and the depreciation of the welder’s reputation, are matters of vital importance. The supplies too, such as filler-rods and the like, should be obtained only from reliable welding companies who have their own shops in which they may test them. It is false economy indeed, to attempt to save a few cents on filling materials, for many dollars’ worth of time and gas may be lost on account of the failure of the metal added.
(164) There are a few illustrations set forth herein, to show what has been accomplished in the way of machine construction used in adapting the oxy-acetylene process to the requirements of various manufacturers. These will tend to show to some extent what the future has in store for this wonderful process.
(165) It has been rightly stated that oxy-acetylene welding is yet in its infancy. The torches, regulators and in fact all parts of the apparatus are constantly being improved. The process of cutting cast iron must still be solved, so it will again be stated that it behooves those who are interested in this work to apply themselves to the great future in store for them.