Acetylene is unstable under pressure. The bottle, when empty is not really empty or hollow. It is full of a pourous material, sort of like a rocky sponge. This keeps it from sloshing around in the tank. This sloshing can make it explode like nitro glyceryne. I was taught to never set the acetylene above 10 lbs. for this reason. Also never let your gas bottle get totally empty, because there is another chemical in there, I think it is tolulene, it will ruin a regulator.
Question Concerning Oxygen/Acetelene Torch
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wroughtn_harv
Super Member
It's been so long (thirty years) but as I recall acetylene was explained as a chemical process where the chemicals were in the bottom of the tank and the tank was full of a balsa like substance. The acetylene gas itself is the result of the chemical reaction. So when you have it horizontal during use the gas isn't directed towards the regulator.
I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but like I said, thirty years, that's a lifetime for some folks.
If you want to expand your oxy acetylene world buy a Henrob torch.
I learned to weld with oxy acetylene before arc. I think that's a great way to learn to weld. The reason is you're really welding, not gluing. Manipulating the welding process, sometimes you go up to come down etc, helps with the other processes.
Oxy acetylene shouldn't be just about cutting. That's like marrying just for the cooking. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but like I said, thirty years, that's a lifetime for some folks.
If you want to expand your oxy acetylene world buy a Henrob torch.
I learned to weld with oxy acetylene before arc. I think that's a great way to learn to weld. The reason is you're really welding, not gluing. Manipulating the welding process, sometimes you go up to come down etc, helps with the other processes.
Oxy acetylene shouldn't be just about cutting. That's like marrying just for the cooking. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Not sure, but I have been told that Acetelene is the gas you get when you put water with carbide, you know like the miners use to use in they carbide lights in the mines. I know it smells the same, at the plants where they make it.
OP
PineRidge
Super Member
Dick you are correct Acetylene gas is produced by mixing Carbide and water. It can be very explosive indeed under the right conditions. As kids we did a lot of experimenting with it and I am very fortunate to still have all ten of my fingers and toes. Some of my friends were not so lucky. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
higgy
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You are correct, the porous material in the cylinder is to keep the material "stable", or not sloshing around. If the cylinders are used in the horizontal position you run a risk of getting liquid state material into you regulator and system, not desirable. If your cylinder is horizontal you should stand it up and give it a day or so to settle.
This has to do with the triple point of acetylene, which wants to be liquid at the pressure and temperature in the cylinder. When we let the pressure off the acetylene flashes to a gaseous state and can be drawn from the top of the cylinder.
As for opening the valves I was taught open and back off. As indicated they will work at many openings as long as the valve is opened far enough to let the volume of gas out that is required, remember the valve has nothing to do with pressure, that is done by the regulator. The only physical limitation the valve has is open, close or act on the volume on material to be delivered. The more flow needed the more open the valve must be.
Just my 0.02
This has to do with the triple point of acetylene, which wants to be liquid at the pressure and temperature in the cylinder. When we let the pressure off the acetylene flashes to a gaseous state and can be drawn from the top of the cylinder.
As for opening the valves I was taught open and back off. As indicated they will work at many openings as long as the valve is opened far enough to let the volume of gas out that is required, remember the valve has nothing to do with pressure, that is done by the regulator. The only physical limitation the valve has is open, close or act on the volume on material to be delivered. The more flow needed the more open the valve must be.
Just my 0.02
gotrocks
Platinum Member
Merry Christmas!
It's been a bunch of Christmases since I had my welding course in "heat & beat" but I seem to remember what has already been mentioned don't get Acetelene above 15#. I will break down into carbon and hydrogen and hydrogen is BOOM BOOM BAD News. Here is a little clip I found on a web site about cylinders.
Acetone
A colorless, flammable liquid miscable with water and alcohols. Classic solvent for celluloid. Acetone is good for degreasing metal and glass parts before assembly into objects to be sealed under vacuum. A good leak detector, a little on a cotton swab will alter a vaccum gauge reading if it enters a leak. A temperature of -75 C or lower can be obtained by mixing dry ice with acetone. Acetone can absorb many times it's volume of acetelene, the common container for acetelene is a porous chamber saturated with acetone. This is why acetelene tanks should not be used on their side, because some of the liquid acetone might flow out!
(I knew she was a welder's daughter because she had a set'a-lean legs!)
Yep carbide is fun to play with (adult supervision) get a paint can put a nail hole in the bottom edge, drop a chunk of carbide in the can, spit on it, snap on the lid, wait a few minutes, lean back away from top of can, stick a lite to the nail hole, and WHOOM the top blows off, run get the top, more spit, and go again. CAUTION DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME OR ANYWHERE ELSE I WAS JUST FOOLING.
but it is fun. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
It's been a bunch of Christmases since I had my welding course in "heat & beat" but I seem to remember what has already been mentioned don't get Acetelene above 15#. I will break down into carbon and hydrogen and hydrogen is BOOM BOOM BAD News. Here is a little clip I found on a web site about cylinders.
Acetone
A colorless, flammable liquid miscable with water and alcohols. Classic solvent for celluloid. Acetone is good for degreasing metal and glass parts before assembly into objects to be sealed under vacuum. A good leak detector, a little on a cotton swab will alter a vaccum gauge reading if it enters a leak. A temperature of -75 C or lower can be obtained by mixing dry ice with acetone. Acetone can absorb many times it's volume of acetelene, the common container for acetelene is a porous chamber saturated with acetone. This is why acetelene tanks should not be used on their side, because some of the liquid acetone might flow out!
(I knew she was a welder's daughter because she had a set'a-lean legs!)
Yep carbide is fun to play with (adult supervision) get a paint can put a nail hole in the bottom edge, drop a chunk of carbide in the can, spit on it, snap on the lid, wait a few minutes, lean back away from top of can, stick a lite to the nail hole, and WHOOM the top blows off, run get the top, more spit, and go again. CAUTION DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME OR ANYWHERE ELSE I WAS JUST FOOLING.
but it is fun. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
higgy
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Ahh.. It was the acetone that was helping to keep the acetylene in solution. I could not remember the whole bit. Thanks for reminding me, it has been a long time.
Junkman
Super Member
Re: Question Concerning Oxygen/Acetylene Torch
The interesting thing about acetylene tanks is that they were used on early automobiles. The "B" tank stood for Bus and the "MC" tank was for motorcycles. I know that the "B" tank was mounted on the running board in a horizontal position and the bottom of the tank had a gauge to show how much was left in the tank. I also know that the tanks should be used in the vertical position, so I have no idea why they were mounted horizontally on the cars...
The interesting thing about acetylene tanks is that they were used on early automobiles. The "B" tank stood for Bus and the "MC" tank was for motorcycles. I know that the "B" tank was mounted on the running board in a horizontal position and the bottom of the tank had a gauge to show how much was left in the tank. I also know that the tanks should be used in the vertical position, so I have no idea why they were mounted horizontally on the cars...
OP
PineRidge
Super Member
Re: Question Concerning Oxygen/Acetylene Torch
Junkman I'm stumped on that one. All my old car experiece is with the Model A Ford. But it used all electric lights.
Junkman I'm stumped on that one. All my old car experiece is with the Model A Ford. But it used all electric lights.
bgott
Veteran Member
I was told by my step dad, who came from coal mining country, that the can of choice was a Calumet can. He also bought a carbide cannon through mail order when I was a kid. It was shaped like a WW II howitzer. You put water in the body and it had a little spoon mounted in a plug in the back of the cannon. You filled the spoon with calcium carbide, stuck it in the back of the cannon, turned it and then spun a spark lighter mounted in the side. KA- BOOM! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Another thing, I haven't seen one in years but when I was younger all the old welding shops had acetylene generators. They were supposedly dangerous but I never saw one blow up nor saw any damage from a previous explosion.