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Newbie to cutting -- Medical Oxygen and propane

I want to learn how to cut metal, but don't want to spend the money on
acetalyne. I have heard about using propane, and what I have read on
this site, all I have to do is change the tips on the torch. I have
access to medical oxygen in the big 50 tanks. Do I have to buy a
adaptor to use the oxygen tanks. They have the same screw connetion as
my Harris torch. If I buy a new propane tip for my torch, hook up the
oxygen tank and propane, should I be ready to cut?
I don't want to blow myself up if I have too much pressure in the
medical tanks.
Thanks for any help you can give.
Reply to
jebsoc1
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wrote: (clip) I have
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Medical oxygen has to be pure enough to breath, so it is more expensive. Have access? What does this mean--are you stealing it? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Do I have to buy a adaptor to use the oxygen tanks. They have the same screw connetion as my Harris torch.(clip) I don't want to blow myself up if I have too much pressure in the medical tanks. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Something doesn't make sense here. A torch has a connection for a hose. No one would put a fitting like that on an oxygen tank. The pressure of a fuoll tank is about 2000 psi, which would blow up a hose before you even had time to fully open the valve. YOU NEED A REGULATOR. Medical oxygen regulators are usually calibrated in liters per minute. Regulators for torches are set up in psi. The tank connections for the medical oxygen are not usually interchangeable with those for shop use.
Can you give us a better description of what you have?
Reply to
Leo Lichtman
Careful. Yes, you need to change the tips, but you also most likely need to change the welding hose to use propane. Nearly all welding hose out there is grade R which is to be used with acetylene only. You can buy grade T hose which can be used for propane or other fuel gasses. To use propane/oxygen you must use grade T hose.
You need a regulator on any oxygen cylinder, as full they can be upwards of 2500 psi. Welding pressure is more like 10 psi and cutting pressure is something like 30 psi (exact numbers vary with tip sizes) so you can see that pressure reduction on a large scale is in order. I don't know offhand if there is any difference in cylinder valve threads between medical oxygen and industrial oxygen cylinders. You can poke around the Concoa Website and look at the various CGA specs for cylinders, e.g.:
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Grant
Reply to
Grant Erwin
Should I be grateful that I never heard this advice back in the 70's when I used all that Propane to weld and cut at home, or was I just more proof about "fools and drunks" being watched over?
Reply to
peter divergilio
I've been using the propane st up for about 8 years. Victor torch, regulators, and hose. The acetylene regulator fits the propane tanks.The only thing I bought separate, was the tip for the cutting torch. Welding tips are same. I've had no problems yet. Walt
Reply to
E. Walter Le Roy
I have used medical oxygen in the big tanks with propane. It worked just fine. I just changed the tip on the torch head. Now to the reason why... I was cutting up some scrap on Gramps farm on the weekend a long time ago. I didn't have much more to cut when I ran out of oxygen. We have all been there. He had died a few years back but his oxygen tank was still in the house. No one ever returned it or came for it. As they say necessity is the mother of invention. So I got the idea, hooked it up and it worked great. He has been gone 20 years and I still have that tank about a third full. Every once in a great while when I run out I still use it. I still use propane. It's not as hot as acetylene but i never have to worry about running out on the weekend or after hours. I always have some propane tanks with something in them (gas grill, camper, torches or heater in the barn) Jesse
Reply to
Jesse
I have been using Oxy Propane for over 30 years now! Victor regulator for the Oxygen, an old Sears/Victor for the propane, Victor hoses, all bought separately. I made an adapter for the Propane tank, to accept the regulator. Never a problem. I use the torch for cutting, brazing, and silver soldering (silver brazing).
Steve R.
Reply to
Steve R.
I do the same. Have a 30 gallon Propane and a tall green OX the same height. Heating and brazing is nice. Have not cut with it - but it is possible.
Martin
Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net TSRA, Life; NRA LOH & Endowment Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot"s Medal. NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
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E. Walter Le Roy wrote:
Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn
On Mon, 19 Feb 2007 19:03:12 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm, "Steve R." quickly quoth:
What's the cost (both setup and running) vs. an oxy/acet setup? Heat comparisons?
-- This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it. - John Adams
Reply to
Larry Jaques
I don't think the original poster is either. He said it will screw on the tank. I think he just didn't mention the regulator.
To answer the original question, yes, change to a propane tip and screw the regulators on the tanks. Replacing the hose with a propane rated hose would be nice, but I have been using propane with the original hose that came with my Victor Firepower set a couple of decades ago with no ill effects. If the hose fails, then replace it. A hose failure is not a big deal.
According to my supplier at Airco, medical O2 is lower spec than industrial O2, but they are filled at the same station. I didn't witness it, but that is what he said.
When I used to deliver liquid O2, we delivered to hospitals and industrial sites from the same tank.
This is much like the myth that name brand gasoline is better than "cheap gas", it comes from the same tanks.
Ron Thompson On the Beautiful Florida Space Coast, right beside the Kennedy Space Center, USA
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Reply to
Ron Thompson
Propane uses more O2 and isn't as hot as acet. The advantage is the propane tank is cheaper and can be filled or traded at more places and on weekends. The cost of operation is not a noticeable difference, to me.
Ron Thompson On the Beautiful Florida Space Coast, right beside the Kennedy Space Center, USA
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Reply to
Ron Thompson
Ron Thompson wrote in article ...
I don't know about other parts of the country, but my welding gas distributor has several satellite outlets - including a local hardware store.
Getting welding gases on Sunday is absolutely no problem for me.
Reply to
*
On Tue, 20 Feb 2007 08:02:09 -0500, with neither quill nor qualm, Ron Thompson quickly quoth:
I finally found the temp difference. Oxy/Propane is 2,828C and Oxy/Acet is 3,160 degrees C.
Oxyfuel cutting - process and fuel gases
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-- If it weren't for jumping to conclusions, some of us wouldn't get any exercise.
Reply to
Larry Jaques
gases
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I want to thank everyone for the advice. I was not going to hook the hose to the oxygen tank, I have a regulator, but did not know about the internal pressure of the medical tank, if the regulator would handle it. Sorry for not making that clear. The advanage to me using propane is that I don't have to buy the tanks or pay a demarrige on them. ( I think I spelled that right). I will not be using it enough to spend the $350 charge they want for the tanks. I will take my harris torch to a welding shop in town and see if they can set me up with a tip and hose. Again thanks for all the help. If you see or hear a big bang in S.C. USA, you know it did not work for me. :-)
JeB
Reply to
jebsoc1
From charts the heat is near the same. I got a standard medium Victor rig and the gas side fits the propane (gas side).
Oxygen was standard for oxygen. Bought the propane tip - it is different from the other gas - might have been able to switch tips - but book said to get new L tip.
Martin
Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net TSRA, Life; NRA LOH & Endowment Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot"s Medal. NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
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Larry Jaques wrote:
Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn
gases
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You will know when you have the propane adjusted correctly..when it sounds like being inside a GE turbofan.
Gunner, who hates cutting with propane.
"Liberalism is a philosophy of consolation for Western civilization as it commits suicide" - James Burnham
Reply to
Gunner
(snip)
Gunner, if you ever get a chance to try out an Allstates Oxy/Propane torch, I think you will like it. Doesn't sound louder than Oxy/Acetelyene, and cuts very nicely.
Reply to
Todd Rich
O2 is O2. If the valve fits the reg, it'll work just fine. There are some of the medical bottles that run at lower pressures, but I think they use a different valve anyways.
The O2 bottles we use at work are marked as "Aviators Breathing Oxygen". It would cost us more to get in separate bottles to use in the welding shop. Easier and cheaper to use what comes by the truckload.
Cheers Trevor Jones
Reply to
Trevor Jones

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