Oxyfuel Cutting Tip: Always Set Your Pressure by the Chart

When it comes to oxyfuel cutting, one of the most common rookie mistakes is guessing gas pressure.

You might be tempted to crank up the regulator “just enough” or rely on what “feels right.” But here’s the truth:

> Eyeballing pressure leads to poor cuts, wasted gas, and dangerous outcomes.

by Brent Mathurin

📐 The Problem with Guesswork

If your oxygen or fuel gas pressure is too low, you’ll get:

Sloppy, rough cuts

Incomplete penetration

Excess slag that’s hard to remove

If your pressure is too high, you risk:

Backfires or flashbacks

Blowing out your kerf

Wasting fuel (which costs money fast)

And when both pressures are off? You get a cut that looks like it was chewed through, not sliced clean.

Oxyfuel Cutting Tip Pressure Chart – Set your torch correctly using this guide for safer, cleaner, and more efficient cuts.

📊 Why the Cutting Chart Matters

Every torch tip is designed to operate at a specific pressure range. That range depends on:

Tip size

Type of fuel gas (Acetylene, Propane, etc.)

Thickness of the material

By referring to a standard cutting chart, you set:

Correct oxygen pressure

Correct fuel gas pressure

Ideal cutting speed

These charts are available from:

Torch manufacturers

Welding handbooks

Or printed directly on your gas kit manual

🔎 Real-World Example

Let’s say you’re using a Victor-style #1 tip to cut ½" mild steel.

🔵 Oxygen pressure might be 40–45 psi

🔴 Acetylene pressure might be 5–7 psi

Get this wrong by even a little — and the flame changes. Your steel might heat too slowly, or your pierce might explode into a mess of molten slag.

✅ The Pro Welder's Mindset

Professional welders don’t leave things to chance.

They:

Check the chart

Set the gauges

Test the flame before cutting

Keep cut quality consistent

If you want cleaner, safer, and more fuel-efficient cuts, follow this one golden rule:

> Use the cutting chart every time.