Why not use propane???????

Howdy,
OK here's a question or more of a statement on my part.... one that might save some hambers a few bucks.... By trade I'm a marine contractor.... so about 16 years ago I'm out on a barge in the middle of BFE... and were doin some cuttin' on a dolphin.... not the live kind... the kind you make when you weld two piles together...and we run outa accetaline... this is a real problem since we need to get the job done that day.... and it's a 2 hour round trip by boat to get some more gas.... so this old guy I had working says why not just use the propane? we got a propane cuttin' tip right here that'll fit that victor torch..... and the regulator has left hand threads and screws right into the propane tank.... well I'll be ****ed by a billy goat.... the propane worked great.... so then I realize that s****pys always use propane....and guys with pattern torches like it too... and they have some really clean cuts...so after that day I did me some thinkin'.... accetaline costs about $40.00 bucks to fill a bottle.... and rent on the bottle is $10.00 per month... one 5 gal propane will cut as much as 4-5 normal sized accetaline bottles and only costs $8.00 bucks to fill.... so I swore I'd never buy another accetaline again... and here I am 16 years later after building several barges.. tug boats... and possibly a thousand oxy bottles over the years... I still havn't purchased a single bottle of accetaline....I've easily saved over 10-20 grand.... you can cut plate up to 10" or more ( I've cut 14" plate with propane) your cuts will be cleaner (less slag) you can gas weld or braise.... your rose bud will work fine... you'll own the bottle for about $20.00 bucks... and you can fill it for about $10.00 ..... so go to your welding store and ask for a propane tip for your torch and then give propane a try.... you'll be happy you did....
The motorhead

 

That sounds like very good advice from a very experienced guy.
If it works, it works and it's hard to argue with success.

Having said that - and keep in mind I'm not arguing against propane - I wonder why we use acetylene if propane works so well?

And if natural gas can be run into gas BBQ's that were designed for propane and work the same after a little burner tuning, why couldn't a commercial welding shop use natural gas?

 

What a great tip!
For some reason, I never thought propane would be hot enough to be effective. And cleaner too!
Now comes the stupid question??? If propane has all these benefits, then why hasn't all manufacturing facilities started using it years ago? There has to be some reason for it, with the cost of materials and equipment for manufacturing, I'm sure some techie bean counter would have come up with this.

 

OK I asked my friend who owns a welding supply the same question.... why does everyone use Accetaline??????? mostly just out of habbit... why would the welding supply push propane when they can rent you a bottle for 10 bucks a month and charge you $40 bucks to fill it...accetaline does light a bit easier... propane will blow the flame out if you have it cranked up... so just get it the habbit of cracking the valve for lighting.... once lit lay the tip against a piece of metal at about a 45 degree angle...this will help the flame stay lit....and then give it some oxygen... and increase gas and oxygen untill you get the flame you want.... need more heat?? just give it more fuel and oxygen... once you get the hang of liting the torch it's easy....

 

I use both in my shop ,propane for cutting and acey.for gas welding . I don't think propane welds worth a darn.

Just my opinion,I could be wrong.

 

here's the scoop...Manufactures do use propane for cutting... most production flame cutters use propane.... s****pers use propane..... try it... you'll like it!

 

OK.... I for gas welding accetaline is superior...however... you can still gas weld with propane...for gas welding always use a carborizing flame... but with a mig.... who does much torch welding these days.... propane will braise as good as accetaline....I think you'll agree... most of the time the torch is used for cutting and heating...

 

look in the back of your Victor handbook. Propane burns ~ 400º less than acytelyne. The local Technical school use propane for cutting, its just a tad slower on heatup than oxy-accetyllene. You get used to it pretty quick

 

I do use propane and in a couple torch discussions I recommended it cause it can be filled up at your local gas station where you get bbq bottles filled anytime day or night

it is slower but cheaper

 

And here I was thinking that I was jumping into a thread on alternative fuels....Some Lincolns had been made to run on both Propane and Gas...in the 80's...and from what I understand before the gas prices went up...they were about equal in cost to run....I bet now it will pay to make the conversion...does anyone know more about that?
Just a thought....as far as the torches go...you still need the oxy bottle right?
Tim
MBL

 

OK it has a few less btu's.... but just crank up the gas and oxy.... I have had a few races with the accetaline guys and if you have the right tip and have your gas cranked up you can preheat just as fast.... thing is most folks don't crank up the gas... they just want to run it like their accetaline torch... it does take a slightly different technique for flame adjustment... like I said I've cut some thick plate (up to 14") with both propane and accet.... in my opinion I prefer propane for the thick stuff....

 

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OK it has a few less btu's.... but just crank up the gas and oxy.... I have had a few races with the accetaline guys and if you have the right tip and have your gas cranked up you can preheat just as fast.... thing is most folks don't crank up the gas... they just want to run it like their accetaline torch... it does take a slightly different technique for flame adjustment... like I said I've cut some thick plate (up to 14") with both propane and accet.... in my opinion I prefer propane for the thick stuff....

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I use my propane settings just about like acetylene, how should I be running the gauge settings? figured if I ran the propane to high I'd getting that popping and spitting so I never even tried it

 

Up chuck knows it works....and like I keep saying need more heat... just give it more fuel....
A few more tidbits of info...
Accetaline is an unstable gas...
the cylinders are foam filled to prevent explosion.... this is why the guague is red after 15 psi.... I run my propane right at 15 psi... this way you can get the fuel to the torch... propane bottles are at a constant pressure of about 150 psi... the fuel is liquid at this pressure.. when the pressure drops the liquid boils thus releasing the gas.... a 5 gal propane will last about the same as 4-5 accetaline bottles...

 

Popping and spitting come from dirty tips..(and dirty tips come frome dirty girls HA HA... oh were talking welding.... ) and dirty metal... not gas pressure... propane tips are two piece... clean the fluted pat with a broken tape measure... and the center with a regular tip cleaner... file the end first to make it clean and flat... remember a clean tip is a happy tip... so be sure to keep your tip clean... remember.... always check the girls before you dip your tip....

 

Ive been lookin into buying a torch setup..as of right now ive only used the rig at my job..when i buy,i get the oxy tank the PROPANE tank ,regs, and tips then?

 

do you use the regular cutting torch??? how bout the rosebud???? Nothing special needed there???

I only use the O/A for cutting and heating... propane would save a bunch!

 

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Ive been lookin into buying a torch setup..as of right now ive only used the rig at my job..when i buy,i get the oxy tank the PROPANE tank ,regs, and tips then?

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right, but the only different tip you need is a cutting tip the welding tips work same as if you used acetylene, I use a bbq propane bottle nothing special there

 

Hi j...
just buy a standard torch and regulator setup.... then rent or buy an oxy bottle.... then buy a propane (or just rob the on off your BBQ) take it all and put it together... make sure to have your oxy bottle tied off so it can't fall over... remember they're really rockets in disguise... back off your regulators by unscrewing the T handle untill it's loose... in is more pressure... out is less...turn on the tanks... set your oxy line pressure to about 30 psi... (adjust for meatal thickness) set your gas pressure to 15 psi... open the gas and oxy valves to purge the lines... close valves... crack the gas and light... lay the lit torch against some metal at a 45 degree angle (not the concrete!!! concrete will pop if heated due to moisture being turned into steam this can be really dangerous!!!) turn on the oxy untill the flame looks good... you'll know when... if you want more heat just add more fuel and oxy... better yet.. if you want...since your in sac just come by and I'll let you try my torch... my number is 541-9232...

 

Upchucks right... you'll need a propane tip....

 

The rosebud works fine... just get it lit by cracking the gas then add oxy continue crank up both till you get the heat you need.... gas welding tips can be a little tricky to light.... a little gas and then a little oxy and then a little more gas then a little more oxy.... you get the idea...remember to run atleast 15 psi on the gas... you may even need more if you want more heat... more than 15 psi is no problem for propane... the gauge is only red after 15 psi for accetaline.... it's unstable at higher pressures... if you go over 15 make sure to turn the pressure back down if you switch back to accetaline.... as for cutting most folks buy too big of a tip.... O or OO works fine for 90 percent of cutting needs (up to 1/2")... then buy a number 1 up for the thick stuff (1 to 10") ...

 

Propane has saved me $THOUSANDS$.
I would go thru 3 or 4 cylinders of acetylene a year, plus the yearly contract.
Now I have NO acetylene contract to pay and I get 2 years (or better!) from a 20 lb propane tank!($15.00 bucks up here)
2 year saving:
2 contracts at $75.00 each $150.00
7 refills at approx $60.00 each $420.00

Thats $570.00 in just TWO years (less the $15.00 for the propane)...I've been using it for 11 or 12 years!!!
Thats a BIG save anyway you slice it.

Brazes Ok and cuts fine WITH the proper tip, but I can't gas weld with it worth a damn!

MIG is great but its nice to lay a good gas bead on some stuff! If I'm stuck I can get a tank of acetylene on a monthly contract...If I return the tank empty before the month is up, I pay no contract fee. Still expensive but a save over a yearly contract IF I NEED the acetylene for something...
But ya know...it hasn't happened yet.

Ohhhh there have been times I've missed the acetylene but I just look at the $$$ and feel MUCH better!

Bill

 

Is the Henrob versitile enough to run on Propane? Do they have propane cutting tips for it?

 

Do the standard oxy-accetylene regulators work with an oxy-propane setup? I have an older set of craftsman torches and wondering if save money is really that easy. Great suggestions, Thanks!

 

No need for a special regulator. Your old set will work fine on propane. Just need the propane cutting tip.

I've always used propane, but then again I haul s**** on a regular basis. I never realized how many people didn't know that propane would work for a cutting rig!

 

just checked in to see how my campane for propane was doing...glad to see I have a few propane bro's out there.... I've really saved thousands by using it and have converted most of my friends to propane.... what's a henrob....

 

GREAT!

Could someone post a pic of the adapter needed to hook the acetylene regulator up to a BBQ bottle? Wanna know what it looks like.

Thanks,
J

 

WOW! I say TECHOMATIC!!!!!!!!!!

 

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GREAT!

Could someone post a pic of the adapter needed to hook the acetylene regulator up to a BBQ bottle? Wanna know what it looks like.

Thanks,
J

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no adaptor for propane, its a straight connection from regulator to the bottle, its acetylene you need the adaptor for cause on acetylene the regulator and bottle are both male

 

Ya know, BURNDUP might be onto something!
I'm using an older style cyl with the br*** connector so the acetylene regulator just screwed right in, but didn't the "powers that be" require a new style connector for BBQ's a few years back?

That would require a new fitting for the regulator BUT it should be easily available from a welding house. They DO stock the necessary parts for propane useage. A different fitting is just a minor bump in the road, not a huge problem.

Hey, get a 100 lb tank, I think they still have the older fittings, and just fill it up ONCE in your lifetime!!!! LoL

Bill

 

I just bought my bbq tank last year so unless it was NOS nothing changed that affected my connection

then again I try to lead an isolated life and live under the radar so anything is possible!!