The ressurgence of the brazed chassis thread has reminded me how much I miss the ability to braze, having given my oxy acetylene bottles up due
BOC's theiving rates and penalties!
Does anyone know if any of the 'no contract' type gas suppliers do Oxygen and Acetylene? I've gad a google round and can't find
anything, but it would be nice to get some low cost bottles for the occasions I need it....
I have the same problem, you can get Oxygen but BoC have a monopoly on Acetelene gas. The plant that makes it in Europe blew up so they import it from US I am told. You can use MAP gas but I have not found that in big cylinders (yet).
if the acetylene is the issue is another option Oxy/Propane Brazing?
+1 for MAP gas. It's easy enough to get hold of at least in small bottles for blowlamps. It's a lot hotter than npropane and only i think 40 degrees less than Acetelene if my memory serves me right.
This is a good link to help you make up your mind:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adiabatic_flame_temperature
Oxy/Accetelene 3480degC
Oxy/MAPP 2927degC
Ocy/Propane 2526 deg C
Propane is almost 1000deg cooler than Oxy/Accetelene
However the original MAPP gas these figures were based on is no longer available but unfortunately the modern equivalant is not listed but is also
called MAPP gas just to confuse us.
I have a small Oxy/MAPP kit I use for brazing small items and it is fantastic but I can only do stuff up to about 12mmdiameter I still keep the
ridiculously priced Accetelene BoC bottle in combination with a no rtental Oxygen bottle that can be refilled once a year for £40.
Thanks guys, a BOC acetylene and no rent Oxy seems the best way forward, it has the advantage I'll be able to gas weld too, along with MIG & TIG....
I 'bought' a set of bottles out of the local paper. I just exchange them at my local stockist which is also an engineering place and pay cash. No questions.
have you tried air products, we use them at work because after boc plant blew up it was near impossible to get acet.
they are 3/4 size but hold the same as the big bottles as higher pressure. also they come with regulators built on.
not sure on costs though.
hobbyweld do acetylene.1off deposit then just pay for refills.check their website for a local stockist
Some degree of caution as your insurance company may have issues with acetylene being stored in a domestic garage especially if it's connected to
the house.
I've read somewhere (on here?) a rumour that if the fire brigade are called to a fire and are told there is oxyacetylene gear in the garage
they'll pull everyone back till they hear the second loud bang before even trying to put it out.
Thanks all I'll follow the leads up.
I was looking at old receipts, my first rentals were £33 & £27 for 5 years, my last annual rental was over £100
Cheers.
Pete.
Exclusion zone is 500 meters for a fire where there is acetylene present, I think?
quote:
Originally posted by iank
Some degree of caution as your insurance company may have issues with acetylene being stored in a domestic garage especially if it's connected to the house.
I've read somewhere (on here?) a rumour that if the fire brigade are called to a fire and are told there is oxyacetylene gear in the garage they'll pull everyone back till they hear the second loud bang before even trying to put it out.
I had heard about the fire brigade being cautious, back in 88/89 when I first got the kit, my Mrs spoke with South Yorkshire Fire Service, and they weren't interested in offering advice or taking note such was on the property, they said at the time there was less danger from Oxy Acetylene than the Propane and Butane people keep for caravans etc. BOC offered no advice either...
hello everyone, i was told by a weldor some time ago that propane was viable substitute for acetylene. the figures i've got are.... oxygen/acetylene 3100 degrees, oxygen/propane 2820 degrees.... good enough for welding so more than enough for brazing?.. i've also just bought my first bottle of argon for tig welding from hobbyweld, and will very soon be replacing my argon co2 mix migging bottle with one from hobbyweld and closing my boc account, the anual rental is just too high for the occasional weldor. if i decide to fire up the gas torch again i will use propane and hobbyweld again for oxygen, all one off deposits then pay for what you use. also ( stating the bloody obvious i know) you get a deposit back if you no longer need the bottles, rental is dead money... another thing with acetylene, if you read the safe handling paperwork, is it requires a little respect when moving and handling, scares the bejesus out of me when i see some numpty lob a cylinder on its side in the back of a pickup truck!!!!!
Local Blacksmith at Dalston near Carlisle closed the road (wellthe fire brigade did!!) for about 2 days after an acetylene bottle went up, it took
half his house out as well!! I'm sure you will be able to find it via Google or the archives of that well known literary masterpiece "The
Cumberland News" from Cumbrian newspapers.
We have a little brazing hearth at work which is great for small stuff, scares the hellout of the kids, too!
atb
Mike
quote:
Originally posted by paulix
hello everyone, i was told by a weldor some time ago that propane was viable substitute for acetylene. the figures i've got are.... oxygen/acetylene 3100 degrees, oxygen/propane 2820 degrees.... good enough for welding so more than enough for brazing?.
I had a set in the garage and after I done my ADR gas safety course got rid of them double quick!
If you remember that fire under the M1 a while back the place was locked down for days while the fire brigade just fed a water jet on a ac bottle for
48 hours!
Just discovered that hobyweld operate nationwide. Anyone used them? they don't give prices on the website which is a bit offputting any
experiences?
Cheers!