| > No one should use or handle cylinders in any fashion, if they are not | > competent to assess the condition of the cap and threads. | | I "assessed" condition of the cylinder and determined that the cap was | snug.
Unless you are the one that snugged the cap, which you shouldn't, a snug cap is a good reason to inspect the threads. Caps should never be snug. The should be completely seated, but turn easily, otherwise look for a problem just like the one you found.
| | Nothing could be further from the truth, in fact, something that I | learned by unscrewing the cap later and then realizing that it falls | through threads.
The very reason to inspect the threads on a snug cap.
| | > If you are the kind of person that would hoist a cylinder by the cap (or | > move or transport it for that matter) without verifying the fit of the cap, | > then you have no business handling them at all. | | I think that I would rather pass on the idea of lifting cylinders by | cap, and will use other methods in the future.
Obviously a lot of people would, and a lot of organizations will always forbid the practice. However, this prohibition does nothing to prove the practice unsafe. My "guess" would be, that people forbid it because far too many people would do so without taking a second to check the condition of the cap and threads.
| | > Based on your description of your new cylinders condition, you should | > release all but a few pounds of pressure, and find a reliable vendor to | > inspect and repair it. It sounds like it might just be the wrong cap. All | > caps are not the same. | | I have not had time to look yet. This cylinder was an unexpected | freebie that came with a 800 lbs MIG/Stick welder called Mega-Flex 650 | RVS, that I picked up at Rock Island Arsenal. You are probably right, | I have a small assortment of caps and I will try them.
Good luck with your project.