What size tanks for an oxy/acet setup?

   / What size tanks for an oxy/acet setup? #11  
The advice I generally give is, if you don't consider leasing costs, get the largest cylinders you can handle.

If you feel the need to go smaller, then size your acetylent tank to the cutting tip size you use. To store the acetylene in a stable manner, it's disolved in acetone. If you use too large of a tip, you'll draw out the acetylene too quickly and pull acetone out of the cylinder too; you'll notice a purple flame. I think the old rule of thumb was to draw no more that 1/6th-1/8th of the tank capacity per hour; a tip chart will tell you how much gas the torches use.

Generally, it's hard to go too small if you're just cutting with a small tip. Large cutting tips and heating tips of almost any size can pull a lot of acetylene and you need to check it out with a tip chart, or just ask the guys selling the gas.

I've never heard of an oxygen cylinder freezing with a simple torch of any sort, but I've never used baby cylinders either; maybe with an oxygen lance, but you usually have a LOX or manifold system for those...and it's the regulators that end up freezing.
 
   / What size tanks for an oxy/acet setup? #12  
I always had the bigger bottles, I think the cu ft was the same as Steve mentioned above, that sounds familiar.
Anyway they are wicked heavy even for 2 guys if you have to lift the whole cart onto a truck, after 25 years I went with the smaller ones, where the acetylene bottle is the P-tank size and the ox is about 3 ft tall, they still fit in my big tank cart but much easier on the back.
Also with more abrasive wheel cutting tools, the torch doesn't get as much of a work out anymore. Pic of saw was just today.

Round here, whether you own or rent you still swap bottles, you don't get them filled, if you live close to the supplier go with the smaller bottles and try and get 2 of each this way you never run out in the middle of a job.

.
 

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   / What size tanks for an oxy/acet setup? #13  
You didn't see it here but I know a guy really well, that has a set of the big tanks in the shop, because Oxy is MUCH cheaper in the big tanks and has small portable tanks to throw in the truck or wheeler, for those little jobs in the field. He just exchanges the little plumber stye B acetylene tanks, but fills the Oxys off the big one with an old double sided regulator, VERY SLOWLY. Probably not recommended but he's been doing it for 40 years that I know of with no problem.
 
   / What size tanks for an oxy/acet setup? #14  
You didn't see it here but I know a guy really well, that has a set of the big tanks in the shop, because Oxy is MUCH cheaper in the big tanks and has small portable tanks to throw in the truck or wheeler, for those little jobs in the field. He just exchanges the little plumber stye B acetylene tanks, but fills the Oxys off the big one with an old double sided regulator, VERY SLOWLY. Probably not recommended but he's been doing it for 40 years that I know of with no problem.

With the local Fire Department we re-fill our portable medical oxygen tanks all the time from a cascade system of large tanks in the rescue truck bay. I don't think it's a big deal with oxygen.

However, DON'T try to refill any kind of acetylene tank.
 
   / What size tanks for an oxy/acet setup? #15  
I bought a set last summer and after conversing with the dealer decided renting was the way to go for me. If I find my tanks are not big enough, I can up grade to a larger size while swapping for a filled tank at only the difference in rental fee and the cost of the gas.
 
   / What size tanks for an oxy/acet setup? #16  
I bought a set last summer and after conversing with the dealer decided renting was the way to go for me. If I find my tanks are not big enough, I can up grade to a larger size while swapping for a filled tank at only the difference in rental fee and the cost of the gas.

One of my gas suppliers will do the same thing and I own my tanks. The up charge is only the difference in price to go to the larger size. Not really a big deal. And yet the local big time gas supplier will not do the swap. I tend to not deal with them for my gas, but they do sell machines for less money than all the other guys around here. :confused:
 
   / What size tanks for an oxy/acet setup? #17  
I bought a set last summer and after conversing with the dealer decided renting was the way to go for me. If I find my tanks are not big enough, I can up grade to a larger size while swapping for a filled tank at only the difference in rental fee and the cost of the gas.

Here I'm pretty sure the rental is the same for large or small, the cost of buying is huge, the big tanks are pretty big bucks from what I remember.

I own a couple and rent a couple, been renting for to many years, but at one time you couldn't own them with the suppliers I dealt with. Now you can, not sure when they changed that but by now I've paid for them over several times.

.
 
   / What size tanks for an oxy/acet setup? #18  
I leased the largest size possible, life time lease both tanks for 500. ( this included a free first fill ) They will buy them back for 70 percent when your done OR you can sub lease ( sell ) them to another with the orig paperwork which they will change ownership name and continue the lease no charge.
This way I have an up front cost of 500 but as time goes by and the leases go up when I'm ready to turn them in or sub lease I will get nearly all the fee back.
When you look at the cost per cubic foot, large tank vs small, it will quickly convince you to go with the large size. Besides every time you turn in a tank for refill your charged a fee for maint. and inspections. Our facility is open six days a week. Running out after hours isn't that big a deal. If it would be..... a thirty five dollar after hour fee would get you a refill and back to your immediate needs project.

No one will fill customer owned tanks in my area.... Must have copy of paperwork or be in their current computer files for exchange. They say it is for liability reasons and restrictions are getting worse.
 
   / What size tanks for an oxy/acet setup? #19  
I have decided that when I use up the last couple of feet of act.,I gonna switch to propane. Did the math and found out that I have paid over $1000 over the last five years in rental fees. We're going to be moving into Dad's house fairly soon and won't be doing near the torch work I do out here. Think I'll just get a small oxy. bottle from TSC.
 
   / What size tanks for an oxy/acet setup? #20  
I think I would pass on an 80 oxygen, if your using it for cutting steel. Maybe for a lot of brazing, but not cutting. A cutting torch EATS oxygen, and the normal occasional user will use a lot more of it than a guy that does it every day, and they still use a lot. If you cut steel closer to 1" more often than you cut 1/4", then you need a 251. I have a 251 but seldom use it due to the shop I get my oxygen at rarely has a filled one in stock and I hate waiting on them (requires two trips to the store). I went with a size that is often mistaken by shops as a smaller size, and have to watch them when I swap them out. The 150 customer owned bottle looks just like a 120/125 and they get them confused often. A 110 is generally a leased tank but can be bought in customer owned also.
Whatever size you, or anybody decides on, you need to KNOW the rules and the guidelines that dictate the exchange practices. Have the shop show you the identifying marks that make your bottle a customer owned tank and what is different from a leased tank. That information will also come in handy if you ever find a set for sale from an individual. It will also protect you when you come in to exchange it and they give you a leased tank by mistake. If you bring in a customer owned tank and they give you a leased tank by mistake, the next time you go in to get it filled, they aren't going to refill it, but confiscate it because it is technically theirs. Then you are "out" so make sure you know what your dealing with and the differences. It isn't rocket science, but there is a general pattern followed by most of the refill plants.
Short and sweet answer, get something bigger than a 80 for oxygen. I prefer a 150 oxygen coupled with a 100 acetylene.
David from jax
 

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