The most common use for an acetylene torch is the cut and or weld steel and iron, you will find that many industries use these torches such as construction where the steel frame work of large building is being assembled. However, these torches have many production and manufacturing uses including the automotive and aerospace industries. You can even buy smaller versions of acetylene torches that you can use at home for auto repair and other hobbies.

You can buy an acetylene torch as a complete set or you can buy the pieces separately depending on your particular needs. Along with the torch you will need hoses and a set of gauges. The gauges are used to regulate the flow of either oxygen or acetylene to the torch where you have a set of valve to fine tune the mixture of the gasses and produce the appropriate size of flame for the job you are doing as not all tasks require the same level of heat.

Working with metals is not the only place that this type of torch is used; in the glass industry acetylene torches are used to create a super smooth finish known as “Fire Polishing” this makes the glass look as though it has been polished by hand. In the world of jewelry making the torch is used in a process known as “Water Welding” and lends an annealing effect to the jewelry when it is done.

There are two basics types of torch used in conjunction with the oxy-acetylene gas mixture. The welding torch comes in a multitude of sizes and has only two valves on the handle, one for oxygen and one for acetylene to adjust the intensity of the flame. The cutting torch has three pipes leading to the cutting head from the handle.  Along with the two valves, there is a lever that is used to provide an extra level of oxygen to the mix once the metal is heated to melting temperature. This blast helps to increase the heat and blow the slag out of the way for a clean cut.