Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Do It Yourself Links & Resources > Bodywork - Repair, Paint, Tools, Tips & Tricks

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-23-2005, 08:36 PM
brabus's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 338
Oxygen / Acetylene Welding Question

I recently purchased an acetylene tank and regulators for both Oxy and acetylene. All I am lacking for a complete kit is an O2 tank.

My question is can I just hook up a high end regulator on my air compressor and use it instead of an air tank?

It’s a shop grade Blue Point compressor so supply shouldn’t be an issue.

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-23-2005, 08:39 PM
boneheaddoctor's Avatar
Senior Benz fanatic
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hells half acre (Great Falls, Virginia)
Posts: 16,007
Quote:
Originally Posted by brabus
I recently purchased an acetylene tank and regulators for both Oxy and acetylene. All I am lacking for a complete kit is an O2 tank.

My question is can I just hook up a high end regulator on my air compressor and use it instead of an air tank?

It’s a shop grade Blue Point compressor so supply shouldn’t be an issue.

No....air is mostly nitrogen not oxygen...
__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-23-2005, 08:40 PM
MercedesRover's Avatar
617T powered Land Rover
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 251
No no no no no. Don't mess around with this. Wait until you get the O2 tank. Torches are more dangerous than you'd think and you might want to take a little lesson from someone with experience before you go messing with them. And again NO! Don't go running them with compressed air.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-23-2005, 08:45 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: central Texas
Posts: 17,281
You need to pick up ..... or read the instructions which came with the outfit...
Mainly the part about not letting any grease or oil get on any fittings which may come in contact with oxygen.... an explosive situation.
Your air tank may be oil lubed... or some of your air lines could have had oil injectors in them for keeping air tools lubed... and you could have a really bad situation ......thus you would not want to hook this up to your torch because then when you DID put an oxygen tank on there you could blow something up...
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-23-2005, 08:52 PM
brabus's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 338
I figured it was a dumb idea

Thanks guys
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-23-2005, 09:08 PM
lietuviai's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: SW WA
Posts: 5,744
Brabus, if you have any other oxy/acetylene questions, feel free to PM me. I was certified in oxy/acetylene welding back in 1982. There's a lot you can do but unfortunately it takes two hands with that method of welding.
__________________
DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-23-2005, 10:04 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: S. Texas
Posts: 1,237
I have been oxy welding since about 1958 and have worked many, many years here in the States and overseas as a welder and cutter.

A few suggestions;
Be careful when buying an oxy bottle. You will see many advertised in local 'Ad Sack' type newspapers. The chances are good that they are the large industrial type bottles. These can not be bought and sold by induviduals. These remain the property of the gas company whose name is on the bottle and if you take them into be filled they will confiscate them as stolen. These companies can get very nasty about individuals having these bottles. Basically you are in possession of stolen property.

If you buy 'hobby' type bottles make sure that they are 'in date', i.e., that they have a current hydro test date. The hydro test used to be good for 5 years but that may have changed. This date is stamped around the neck of the bottle. There may be more than one date. Check for the latest.

The standard hobby oxy bottle is about 4' tall and 7" in diameter. I think it is called a no. 4 bottle. It costs about $15 to fill.

Be careful with acetylene bottles. These bottles are about 40" tall and 8" in dia. Used to be that the hobby bottle did not require proof of ownership but now this size is being used in industry and to prevent theft the gas cos. are requiring this proof. Here in Texas the bottles must have a white plastic collar around the top with your name on it.

When you buy second hand bottles be sure to get a bill of sale. In the over all a receipt from an individual won't stand up in court if the gas cos. confiscate your bottles but it will help get them refilled w/o too much hassel.

Before you buy any bottles make sure that your local gas com. will refill them. Don't just call them. Take the bottles over there and make sure. It won't be any fun to find out that the bottles that you just paid $200 for won't make good flower pots.

If you are getting an oxy rig mostly for cutting you might look into a plasma cutting rig. They are expensive, about $1200, but can be run off your air compressor and make a much better cut than oxy. On the other hand you can only cut with them, you can't heat or weld with them. But you can cut stainless with plasma and you can't with an oxy rig. On the other hand how much stainless do you need to cut?

Oxy welding is interesting but not much used now days. Tig and mig welding is much more common and easier.

The advantage of oxy is that you can braze and solder with it. You can also do this with an electric welder using carbon rods but it takes a LOT of practice.

Good luck.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-23-2005, 10:14 PM
boneheaddoctor's Avatar
Senior Benz fanatic
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hells half acre (Great Falls, Virginia)
Posts: 16,007
Quote:
Originally Posted by kip Foss
I have been oxy welding since about 1958 and have worked many, many years here in the States and overseas as a welder and cutter.

A few suggestions;
Be careful when buying an oxy bottle. You will see many advertised in local 'Ad Sack' type newspapers. The chances are good that they are the large industrial type bottles. These can not be bought and sold by induviduals. These remain the property of the gas company whose name is on the bottle and if you take them into be filled they will confiscate them as stolen. These companies can get very nasty about individuals having these bottles. Basically you are in possession of stolen property.

If you buy 'hobby' type bottles make sure that they are 'in date', i.e., that they have a current hydro test date. The hydro test used to be good for 5 years but that may have changed. This date is stamped around the neck of the bottle. There may be more than one date. Check for the latest.

The standard hobby oxy bottle is about 4' tall and 7" in diameter. I think it is called a no. 4 bottle. It costs about $15 to fill.

Be careful with acetylene bottles. These bottles are about 40" tall and 8" in dia. Used to be that the hobby bottle did not require proof of ownership but now this size is being used in industry and to prevent theft the gas cos. are requiring this proof. Here in Texas the bottles must have a white plastic collar around the top with your name on it.

When you buy second hand bottles be sure to get a bill of sale. In the over all a receipt from an individual won't stand up in court if the gas cos. confiscate your bottles but it will help get them refilled w/o too much hassel.

Before you buy any bottles make sure that your local gas com. will refill them. Don't just call them. Take the bottles over there and make sure. It won't be any fun to find out that the bottles that you just paid $200 for won't make good flower pots.

If you are getting an oxy rig mostly for cutting you might look into a plasma cutting rig. They are expensive, about $1200, but can be run off your air compressor and make a much better cut than oxy. On the other hand you can only cut with them, you can't heat or weld with them. But you can cut stainless with plasma and you can't with an oxy rig. On the other hand how much stainless do you need to cut?

Oxy welding is interesting but not much used now days. Tig and mig welding is much more common and easier.

The advantage of oxy is that you can braze and solder with it. You can also do this with an electric welder using carbon rods but it takes a LOT of practice.

Good luck.
good points....have you ever heard of these guys and whats your opinion...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67058&item=7501391774&rd=1

I have the setup..just need affordible tanks...and these guys are 1/2 the price of Roberts Oxygen tanks.
__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-24-2005, 01:42 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
Posts: 6,510
On the bottle.

Boneheaddoctor, most important as someone mentioned is if you can get it locally filled. Also About 40.00 of that auction price is shipping. Should be able to get one locally cheaper unless things have changed. See what the company that you would use to fill a bottle will do for you. In canada the supply is a monopoly. Only hobby oxygen bottles can be self owned and refilled. As of late you can own and have refilled any self owned mixed gas bottle for mig or tig use here but they make it difficult. The other reason to try to buy locally is some companys demand you pay for a hydro test even if bottle is fresh coded here. The games never end it seems. Also for our friend that thought of using compressed air as a replacement for oxygen. The resultant flame temperature would be so low in my opinion as to be useless for anything other than soldering at best. Plus with acetelene as the fuel base suspect still might be a smokey flame. With propane and compressed air best temperature obtainable is just adaquate for brazing or fairly low grade parts heating at best.

Last edited by barry123400; 03-24-2005 at 01:54 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-24-2005, 07:49 AM
boneheaddoctor's Avatar
Senior Benz fanatic
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hells half acre (Great Falls, Virginia)
Posts: 16,007
Quote:
Originally Posted by barry123400
Boneheaddoctor, most important as someone mentioned is if you can get it locally filled. Also About 40.00 of that auction price is shipping. Should be able to get one locally cheaper unless things have changed. See what the company that you would use to fill a bottle will do for you. In canada the supply is a monopoly. Only hobby oxygen bottles can be self owned and refilled. As of late you can own and have refilled any self owned mixed gas bottle for mig or tig use here but they make it difficult. The other reason to try to buy locally is some companys demand you pay for a hydro test even if bottle is fresh coded here. The games never end it seems. Also for our friend that thought of using compressed air as a replacement for oxygen. The resultant flame temperature would be so low in my opinion as to be useless for anything other than soldering at best. Plus with acetelene as the fuel base suspect still might be a smokey flame. With propane and compressed air best temperature obtainable is just adaquate for brazing or fairly low grade parts heating at best.
Roberts oxygen wants $400 for a pair of tanks..........local...Roberts also said if I owned the tanks and they had a valid hydo they would fill them. $200 is not chump change to me. I would use these so infrequently rental is not an option.....but I do understand the points you are making....and those are one of the reasons I havent bought them in the last 6 months I have had the rest of the stuff.
__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 03-24-2005, 08:11 AM
dannym's Avatar
I'm not here
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Deltona, Florida
Posts: 2,360
Hey,
Kip made some very good points. But he didn't mention how dangerous acetylene can be.
Acetylene is highly explosive at a very low pressure. If I remember correctly it's somewhere between 10 - 15 psi.
It is safe to use but you should know what your doing.
I used to use it to cut bolts off cast iron flanges. It's a lot easier than using a sawzall.

Danny
__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

(\__/)
(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 03-24-2005, 08:16 AM
boneheaddoctor's Avatar
Senior Benz fanatic
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hells half acre (Great Falls, Virginia)
Posts: 16,007
And don't EVER lay an Acetylene tank on its side....it will overpressure and possible explode. It has to remain verticle.
__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 03-24-2005, 10:05 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,292
The Vo-Tech school here in Leesburg, Virginia, has a great welding class in the evenings. As I recall, it goes once a week for about 10 weeks. It won't make a welder out of you, but it will get you started in the right direction and help you avoid blowing yourself up or electrocuting yourself.

In addition to the other safety rules mentioned above, pay attention to these:

Never transport tanks without their safety caps on. The instructor at my Vo Tech class told a story of an oxy tank on an aircraft carrier getting knocked over, shearing off the pipe fitting at the top. That resulted in about a ton of thrust at the end of the tank. It flew across the room and put a big dent in some 4-inch-thick steel plate.

If you find your flame is too big for the job, get a smaller tip. Don't turn the gas pressure down because that might encourage the flame to travel back through the lines toward the tank, which is not a happy situation.

Read as much as you can and find someone to teach you. There are a lot of rules that you would never think of on your own, like the one leathermang mentioned about not getting grease near any oxygen leaks. Who would have guessed that one? Not me.

Having said all that doom and gloom, I encourage you to pursue this. I love my oxy/acetylene set. My welds are pretty offensive, but it is fun to do. There is also no substitute for serious heat when it comes to loosening or cutting rusted bolts.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 03-24-2005, 10:17 AM
boneheaddoctor's Avatar
Senior Benz fanatic
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hells half acre (Great Falls, Virginia)
Posts: 16,007
Quote:
Originally Posted by dculkin
The Vo-Tech school here in Leesburg, Virginia, has a great welding class in the evenings. As I recall, it goes once a week for about 10 weeks. It won't make a welder out of you, but it will get you started in the right direction and help you avoid blowing yourself up or electrocuting yourself.

In addition to the other safety rules mentioned above, pay attention to these:

Never transport tanks without their safety caps on. The instructor at my Vo Tech class told a story of an oxy tank on an aircraft carrier getting knocked over, shearing off the pipe fitting at the top. That resulted in about a ton of thrust at the end of the tank. It flew across the room and put a big dent in some 4-inch-thick steel plate.

If you find your flame is too big for the job, get a smaller tip. Don't turn the gas pressure down because that might encourage the flame to travel back through the lines toward the tank, which is not a happy situation.

Read as much as you can and find someone to teach you. There are a lot of rules that you would never think of on your own, like the one leathermang mentioned about not getting grease near any oxygen leaks. Who would have guessed that one? Not me.

Having said all that doom and gloom, I encourage you to pursue this. I love my oxy/acetylene set. My welds are pretty offensive, but it is fun to do. There is also no substitute for serious heat when it comes to loosening or cutting rusted bolts.
I know how to weld..but I am rusty at it. Just don't do it all that often to keep the touch....What I never learned was verticle and overhead welding.
__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 03-24-2005, 10:41 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: central Texas
Posts: 17,281
"might encourage the flame to travel back through the lines toward the tank"

They sell inline check valves for this .... good safety equipment... and cheap.

I don't know how anyone gets along without an oxy-Acet rig... too useful to quantify.

check out this site....

http://www.welding.org/newsletters/fall2003/torch.html

also google Lincoln arc welding institute....


Last edited by leathermang; 03-24-2005 at 10:49 AM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
1991 300E scanner Diagnostic Question talons40 Tech Help 0 07-09-2003 07:32 PM
Newbie Question josephcorderomd Diesel Discussion 1 07-07-2003 10:59 AM
Radiator & Oil Cooler Question cKoeller Tech Help 1 03-25-2003 05:50 PM
Radiator & Oil Cooler Question. cKoeller Vintage Mercedes Forum 0 03-25-2003 01:30 PM
Question for LarryBible (and others, of course) RE: diesel combustion processes RunningTooHot Tech Help 2 07-12-2001 07:52 AM



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:32 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page