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Now you're cutting with gas

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 4:47 pm
by rokhound
Yeah but it is so bloooody expensive. :cry:
I've already converted to LPG instead of acetylene, but my question is can a tank be set up to use standard compressor air or the air mix used by dive tank shops instead od BOC's oxygen cylinder. I kind'a recall being told something about the purity of the air is an issue. :?
I am only interested in using the gas plant for cutting, not welding.
If a way can be devised of running the air side of the mixture equation with a compressor or dive tanks (utilising air purifiers etc) it would save shit loads of cash.

Does any one know of a way this can be done? :D

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 5:33 pm
by Cloggy_NZ
Don't think it can. The cutting process as you probably know is actually rapid oxidisation of the metal requiring lots of pure oxygen. I am not sure of the actual proportions of normal air but I wouldn't mind betting only less than half of it is oxygen with the rest being other gases. That is why I don't think it can.
But I am very happy to be proven wrong, I too would love to save some dollars here.
Can you give us some more info on your Oxy/LPG setup please.

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:11 am
by rokhound
Cloggy_NZ wrote:Can you give us some more info on your Oxy/LPG setup please.


Head down to your local welding supply shop and grab a cutting tip for your gas axe that is designed to be run with lpg as one of the propellants.
Not sure if there is a dedicated valve to use or not, but i then just hooked the aceteylene line up to a normal lp gas bottle.
The lpg lasts for ages, but I think it chews up the oxy a bit faster than before. Some say it doesn't cut quite as good as aceteylene, but I found there was bugger all difference.

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:30 am
by matwelli
hi guys,

AIr is only 20.8 percent oxygen, most of the rest is nitrogen and a small amount of co2, wont work as a replacement for the bottled oxygen.