There are many methods for fusing or welding metal together. Depending upon the type of metal involved, the nature of the task, and the desired strength of the bond, there are welds to fit every need. The forge, or fire, method is generally used in blacksmithing. This method is the oldest welding process and establishes fusion by hammering the heated pieces of metal together. Blacksmithing fell into disuse at the end of the nineteenth century when more accurate welding techniques became available.

In the late 1860s, electric welding was introduced in America and oxyacetylene welding followed in 1903. Oxyacetylene welding has become the most common type of welding in non-industrial settings. In high-pressure oxyacetylene systems, which are most often used for small jobs, oxygen and acetylene are fed by hoses from separate cylinders to a torch mechanism where the two gases are mixed and burned at a high temperature...