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Oxy-propane setup.
T Bourke -
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 - 7:18am
bending | heating | propane | Regulator | torch I have been reading every post on torches here and spent some time on Google looking for the best way to do this. I am looking for confirmation that I am looking at the right way to go about this. Currently I do not have any oxy-fuel equipment. Since I can weld with my stick welder all I need is to cut and heat for bending steel/rebar. The local/regional welding place did not seem too keen on selling me a propane setup. I guess I need to go in with a shopping list. Here is what I have in mind: 20# grill type propane tank from local gas station. Thank you.  torch set ups
Stephen Fitz-Gerald -
Thursday, August 13, 2009 - 9:59am
Stephen Fitz-Gerald Tom,  Well some of my choices have
T Bourke -
Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 3:30pm
Well some of my choices have been made for me. My dad gave me his old OA set. I just have to take over the tank lease. It is an old Victor unit. I plan on taking it to the local welding shop (who also services the lease) and having them give it a once over. I already know it needs some new hoses and check valves. Beyond that some fresh tips. Now I just have to learn to use it. Growing up I spent lots of time with the stick welder, and not time with the OA setup.  If you have a community
Rich Waugh -
Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 5:47pm
If you have a community college nearby that offers courses in gas welding, I'd suggest you take one. If you do nothing else, buy a good textbook on gas welding and thoroughly study it. There are some very important safety rules concerning O/A that you have to know in order to survive the experience, to say nothing of enjoying it. Acetylene can be very dangerous if you don't follow the rules exactly. The best advice I can give you, other than the safety stuff, is what my old welding mentor used to tell me: "Get your face right down there in the puddle!" You need to watch the puddle closely in order to weld well, whether its gas, stick, MIG or TIG. Have fun! Rich There is a school near by
T Bourke -
Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 7:30pm
There is a school near by that offers the proper class. I do plan on taking it. I have been reading quite a bit on line about running an OA rig. With the information on line at least I should be able to keep from blowing my self up. That and the local welding shop is pretty good about helping out. I plan on doing more research before I light it up again. Thank you. I will keep you all apprised of my progress. found a good site.
T Bourke -
Monday, August 24, 2009 - 4:06pm
http://www.fortunecity.com/village/lind/247/weld_book/Ch11.htm Between the torch manual and this link I have all I need to know to run it safe. So far I like it. I have a brand new #2 cutting tip in it (it's what it came with.) Seems to work great for heating rebar for bending (one of my normal media) and cutting. Unfortunately according to the charts it is really too big for the thickness steel I tend to cut. Most of what I have to cut is under 1/4". Can't wait to get to the welding shop for more tips.  " Get your face down in the
Feral Metal -
Saturday, August 29, 2009 - 12:03pm
" Get your face down in the puddle" hehehe, aint that the truth. Just make sure you have a bucket on your head first though,hehe. Propane pressure
visitor -
Friday, November 27, 2009 - 11:11am
I have a very large Harris rosebudd, 2" diameter. The specs call for 15 p.s.i. propane and 60 p.s.i. Oxy. piped in propane
visitor -
Tuesday, June 29, 2010 - 9:56pm
Actually there are limitatuions for companies that install propane for inside use and that should be the warning to those who do it thenselves that you might want to look into the liabilty. A gas company, by code, (and depending on your area) needs to meet distance requirements to windows and doors. Then they can only bring to the inside wall three pounds (in my area,try and work with that!) So, if you want to have regulators that allow you to increase your line preasure inside, then do your homework so, God forbid, there is an accident and YOU ARE NOT COVERED!!! What was that company name?
T Bourke -
Friday, November 27, 2009 - 9:59am
I am trying to remember the name of a company that produces a torch specific to Oxy-Propane. I have looked and can't find it any where on line. As I recall it is made by Harris for this company using proprietary technology Cost around $600 Runs VERY low pressure Does any one know what company I am talking about? OK found it, sort
T Bourke -
Friday, November 27, 2009 - 11:09pm
OK found it, sort of. All-States Distributing. 614 W Highway 39. Blackfoot, ID 83221. (208) 684-4421 However there web site is down, has been for MONTHS. From what I can tell they have been around for 20+ years. Still a bit discontenting to think about buying from a company that can't keep a simple web presence. Not everyone feels that the
Rich Waugh -
Saturday, November 28, 2009 - 8:14pm
Not everyone feels that the web is the be-all and end-all of the world of commerce, you know? There are a number of successful companies who have no web presence and even less desire to have one. I can't speak for All-States, of course, but they may be doing just fine without it. Those of us who have gotten used to doing business with web-based companies tend to think that anything else is a bit backward, but we need to remember that the web is really a fairly new concept. Rich Oxy Fuel Heating
rickshaw -
Monday, November 30, 2009 - 2:40pm
Large scale heating is best accomplished with a purified propane (200 deg hotter than std) and liquid oxygen run through a vaporizer. This is the only way to achieve constant large scale heat in an efficient, economically sustainable process. The set up is not difficult and best if accomplished with your local gas rep. Victor equipment is the best. The setup is actually very similar to ox-acetylene but the liquid O2 (-200 deg f) is stored in insulated steel bottles at about 350 psi. It will vaporize off on its own over a period of time, but the cost benefits offset this loss if one requires large scale work. We easily produced 1.5 million btu's from a single rosebud. Requirements for more heat were augmented with a second torch but one must be careful not to cook the second torchman with the 72" flame. Obviously full face / skin protection is necessary as well as a keen presence of mind to not inhale the flame or injure co-workers. Good Luck, Rob |
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ArtMetal
Tom, Sounds to me like
Tom, Sounds to me like you're pretty much on the right track. I'm a bit surprised that your local welding supply would try to discourage you from using oxy/propane, but I can assure you it is a very satisfactory method for heating and cutting. Not good for fusion welding, but for all else it's just dandy and considerably cheaper than acetylene. There are a couple of things you should know up front:
A regular acetylene regulator isn't going to be real handy, as it is limited in the available secondary pressure. To operate big rosebuds you may want as much as 45-50 psi propane, so you'll really want a good propane regulator. It will also have seals that are compatible with propane, and some acetylene regulators may not. The same applies with the type T hose as opposed to the type R for acetylene only.
Naturally, you need the special two-piece tips for the cutting torch. A three-tube dedicated cutting torch is the best way to go.
In 99% of the places in the US, it is forbidden by the National Fire Code to store propane indoors. No exception is made for welding gas cylinders. Propane is heavier than air and presents special problems if there is a leak. Curiously, while you may not have the compressed gas cylinder indoors, there is no prohibition against plumbing the gas in, provided you follow the code. My shop is done that way, with tank pressure propane piped through black iron pipe to the point of use where I have regulators.
Get the bigger oxygen cylinder - the stoichiometric ratio for oxygen to propane is higher than that for acetylene so you'll need more oxygen. If you can't get what you need locally, you can probably get it at Welding Depot: http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/weldingdepot/index.html?id=L2dKAcwb
I personally prefer Victor equipment over the others, a purely personal preference based on feel and finish. Some of the Victor clones are fully compatible with actual Victor parts, others are not. If you think about getting one of the clones, ask about compatibility. Whenever possible, I recommend dealing with your local supplier, since that's where you'll need to go for gas, consumables and advice/repairs. In my case, that isn't possible and I deal with Welding Depot and Indianapolis Oxygen online for my supplies other than gases. Both are good to deal with.
Hope this helps.
Rich