Finally Ditching the Oxy-Acetylene Tank Rental

[radios1]

Many reasons to get rid of your acetylene tanks and just use you BBQ propane tank. Very simple and it works. Just need to buy a proper tip. You can braze with it but I'm not sure about about welding with a steel rod. Some may not agree but search around. No end to the discussions
Al.

Propane produces a much lower temperature, and don't have the shielding effect that Acetylene does, so you'd have to use flux coated rods, or dip your uncoated rods in flux after heating, else you won't get a proper weld..

 

[Jstpssng]

I took MY medium tank of 75/25 in to get refilled and the counter guy could not find a full medium tank so he ask me how about if I give you a large one?
I ask will I still own it?
He showed me the "customer owned" ring on top!
I think he even gave me the gas at the medium price.
I have always owned my own tanks.
Another tip- if I come across an empty rental tank that was "borrowed/lost" I will return it and tell them where I found it.
If it is my supplier I have had them give me my fill for free.
Not my supplier I ask if there is any reward for returning and have been given $25. or store credit for supplies.

I found two full medical O2 tanks on the side of the road, apparently the driver drove buko miles with his rear doors open. I called the company but they didn't offer me anything; just told me where to drop them off.

A coworker said I should keep them;" Just like if you found a $100 bill on the road."
I told him that if I knew who the $100 belonged to I would return it, also.

 

[dragoneggs]

I took MY medium tank of 75/25 in to get refilled and the counter guy could not find a full medium tank so he ask me how about if I give you a large one?
I ask will I still own it?
He showed me the "customer owned" ring on top!
I think he even gave me the gas at the medium price.
I have always owned my own tanks.
Another tip- if I come across an empty rental tank that was "borrowed/lost" I will return it and tell them where I found it.
If it is my supplier I have had them give me my fill for free.
Not my supplier I ask if there is any reward for returning and have been given $25. or store credit for supplies.

Good reasons to befriend your LWS shop. Make friends with the guys at the counter. I buy small amounts of metal there too. Need to poke around 'out back' and get them to throw an extra piece of cut off in your haul. Doesn't always work but try sweetening the pot. Show up at the end of the day... Beer?

 

[Al 2]

I'm just a hobby welder and have brazed a few things over the last 40 years using propane and as suggested, flux coated rods. Never seemed to have any issues with small projects and repairs. Probably ok for most members here.
Al

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Many reasons to get rid of your acetylene tanks and just use you BBQ propane tank. Very simple and it works. Just need to buy a proper tip. You can braze with it but I'm not sure about about welding with a steel rod. Some may not agree but search around. No end to the discussions
Al.

Steel can only be field/shop fusion welded with O/A and electric arc. Carbon arc and forge welding demised a long time ago. In the case of O/A it has to do with carbon provided by the acetelene. There are other process used in a production mode but they are not field feasible. A substitue for Acetelene as a fuel has never been found. The terms "weld" and "braze" are not interchangable. Weld is a fusion process, braze is a soldering process using high temp alloys, penetration is a capillary penetration process involving only the material surfaces.

I have had excellent results using propane or natural gas as a combustible fuel mixed with O2 for heating, brazing/soldering, and cutting of steel. Standard acetylene tips and rosebuds work with other fuels only steel cutting requires a special tip. I modified my tank cart to also hold a propane tank. The acet regulator works fine but requires an adaptor to the tank outlet of propane. Make sure your twin hose is propane certified, older hoses are not and will break down rapidly.

I predict the demise of acetylene due to production cost as demand declines and O/A tecniques become rare. O/A welding is not taught much anymore. What we used to O/A butt weld is now done with with arc using socket weld fittings (smaller pipe). I was always a better O/A welder than arc welder although certified on pressure vessels/power piping for both. Even know well and have used acetylene generators.

Now I have dated myself, Ron

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I'm just a hobby welder and have brazed a few things over the last 40 years using propane and as suggested, flux coated rods. Never seemed to have any issues with small projects and repairs. Probably ok for most members here.
Al

There is only one brazing process not requireing a flux that I know of. That is copper to copper brazing with an alloy of phosphrous and copper (no silver added).

Ron

 

[jaxs]

There is only one brazing process not requireing a flux that I know of. That is copper to copper brazing with an alloy of phosphrous and copper (no silver added).

Ron

That has been my experience. Hvac repairmen use Sil-Phos without flux that is claimed to contain a small % silver but I'm not convinced it contain's silver. This debate always results in people talking about the inability to weld with propane. So what,very few want to weld with gas anyhow.Then there's the argument of insufficient heat from propane. 90% of oxy- gas is used for brazing,rosebud heating and cutting,all of which propane work's just fine. You can turn the gas off after metal is hot then cut with oxygen alone so what's the argument? Who want's to lug around enough acetylene to run a rosebud when propane work's fine without drawdown issues. Having said that,I still have a midget torch, B acty tank and 40cf oxy in a caddy from my hvac and plumbing days. In addition to occasionally working on roof,under floor and in closets,I silver braze on the bench once and a while. I'm sure there will be argument about this to but to each his own. If one has never done welding of any kind,a lot can be said in favor of starting with oxy-acety welding with clean baling wire,clothes hanger or the like. If anyone need's more reason for using propane instead of acetylene,there's fewer ways of blowing yourself into the next world.:shocked:

 

[Tractor Seabee]

That has been my experience. Hvac repairmen use Sil-Phos without flux that is claimed to contain a small % silver but I'm not convinced it contain's silver. This debate always results in people talking about the inability to weld with propane. So what,very few want to weld with gas anyhow.Then there's the argument of insufficient heat from propane. 90% of oxy- gas is used for brazing,rosebud heating and cutting,all of which propane work's just fine. You can turn the gas off after metal is hot then cut with oxygen alone so what's the argument? Who want's to lug around enough acetylene to run a rosebud when propane work's fine without drawdown issues. Having said that,I still have a midget torch, B acty tank and 40cf oxy in a caddy from my hvac and plumbing days. In addition to occasionally working on roof,under floor and in closets,I silver braze on the bench once and a while. I'm sure there will be argument about this to but to each his own. If one has never done welding of any kind,a lot can be said in favor of starting with oxy-acety welding with clean baling wire,clothes hanger or the like. If anyone need's more reason for using propane instead of acetylene,there's fewer ways of blowing yourself into the next world.:shocked:

Sil-Phos is a brand name for a copper-phosphorus alloywith 5% silver. Phos-copper is a brand name for the copper-phosphorus alloy. They are the only ones that do not require a flux copper to copper. Disimilar metals (copper alloys to iron/steel) all require one of the other alloys containing more silver and flux. Sil-Phos copper to steel is not a good joint even with flux. These are all in the Bcup series of alloys.

Ron

 

[dstig1]

Steel can only be field/shop fusion welded with O/A and electric arc. Carbon arc and forge welding demised a long time ago. In the case of O/A it has to do with carbon provided by the acetelene. There are other process used in a production mode but they are not field feasible. A substitue for Acetelene as a fuel has never been found. The terms "weld" and "braze" are not interchangable. Weld is a fusion process, braze is a soldering process using high temp alloys, penetration is a capillary penetration process involving only the material surfaces.

I have had excellent results using propane or natural gas as a combustible fuel mixed with O2 for heating, brazing/soldering, and cutting of steel. Standard acetylene tips and rosebuds work with other fuels only steel cutting requires a special tip. I modified my tank cart to also hold a propane tank. The acet regulator works fine but requires an adaptor to the tank outlet of propane. Make sure your twin hose is propane certified, older hoses are not and will break down rapidly.

I predict the demise of acetylene due to production cost as demand declines and O/A tecniques become rare. O/A welding is not taught much anymore. What we used to O/A butt weld is now done with with arc using socket weld fittings (smaller pipe). I was always a better O/A welder than arc welder although certified on pressure vessels/power piping for both. Even know well and have used acetylene generators.

Now I have dated myself, Ron

Got any photos? I am looking to make a tank cart for my 125cf O2 and grill propane tank, but it isn't working in my head very well what it would look like...

 

[Big Barn]

Got any photos? I am looking to make a tank cart for my 125cf O2 and grill propane tank, but it isn't working in my head very well what it would look like...

I have a few tanks of acetylene on hand and don’t really use that much but the day is rapidly approaching where I will also have to remod my cart to accommodate a propane tank.

We’ll have to wait and see which entity runs out first -acetylene or me. Possibly BOTH at the same time