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Post by bobby1 on Dec 8, 2013 0:47:29 GMT -5
Most fire districts forbid any propane tanks within an occupied dwelling (ever wonder why they put your home heating tank 50 to 100 feet away from your house?). Of the fuel gasses that we use in our hobbies most are lighter than air so when you have a leak the combustible gas rises and mixes with the air in the room. It takes a considerable leak to get to an explosive mixture. Propane on the other hand is heavier than air so it drops to the floor and pools there. It takes very little to become an explosive mixture. Other than propane most fuel gasses probably are allowed in your home within certain quantities. All ultimately will cause an explosion if enough gets leaked into the room but it only takes a very little for propane. A fire resulting from having propane in your house won't be covered by your insurance. Always check with the local fire district and your insurance company for what their limits on these tanks in your home. Acetylene generally isn't any more hazardous than other gasses. My first torch was a air/acetylene one but when I needed to do more delicate work I went to a smith torch with oxy/acetylene. I do use a very large air/acetylene torch to do my casting because it uses much less oxygen in the flame. Molten silver has a love affair with absorbing oxygen and the resultant casting can easily have porosity problem when the dissolved oxygen comes out of the solution. Bob
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Post by roy on Dec 8, 2013 12:23:40 GMT -5
Acetylene in the trunk of your car... Transport and store acetylene carefully! Lee wow lee what happined to your car ! after working in a radiator shop for the last 30 years i switch the little smith torch my wife bought me last year to propain that way you wont have black soot all over your walls in the shop or house it is easy to do burns just as hot and cleaner
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Post by bobby1 on Dec 8, 2013 14:04:35 GMT -5
The soot from an acetylene torch can be easily avoided. When you light the torch open the oxygen valve slightly, open the acetylene valve slightly and light your flame. It will start burning very clean. No fuel gas burns hotter than acetylene..... Bob
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,773
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Post by gemfeller on Dec 8, 2013 14:36:50 GMT -5
No fuel gas burns hotter than acetylene..... Bob And that's my problem with it Bob. It's too hot for the kind of work I do. But different strokes, eh? I much preferred using natural gas/oxy but my present set-up isn't piped for it. Rick
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Post by 1dave on Dec 8, 2013 15:51:50 GMT -5
Many Silversmiths use the Hoke torch.
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Post by Rockoonz on Dec 8, 2013 16:00:29 GMT -5
The soot from an acetylene torch can be easily avoided. When you light the torch open the oxygen valve slightly, open the acetylene valve slightly and light your flame. It will start burning very clean. No fuel gas burns hotter than acetylene..... Bob Melting Points of silver solders are as follows: Easy: 1325: Medium: 1390: Hard: 1475: Extra hard: 1540 Annealing copper requires 1400 to 1700 degrees F All the fuel sources on the list are sufficient without oxygen. I have acetylene but it's only for use with steel. The tank lives in a shed 75 feet from the house when not in use The one advantage of acetylene is the smaller molecules and the ability to use a smaller tip to focus heat to a small area, good if you do a lot of fusing. Lee
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Post by Donnie's Rocky Treasures on Dec 8, 2013 17:08:45 GMT -5
Although I haven't used it yet, I got an Orca to use with a disposable propane tank. Has anyone one else used it? tinyurl.com/o4u5696
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Post by bobby1 on Dec 8, 2013 23:43:46 GMT -5
I really like the hotter flame from acetylene because it allows me to use a smaller tip and smaller flame especially when I'm retipping prongs in a ring. I don't have to expose the whole ring to high temperatures to get enough heat to get the tip repaired. Bob
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,773
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Post by gemfeller on Dec 9, 2013 1:09:10 GMT -5
As I said, different strokes. I have no problem doing prong work with propane or NG. No one has a patent on methods or technique. We all develop our own style based on equipment, knowledge, skill and experience. If you prefer acetylene, by all means use it.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Feb 13, 2014 11:49:13 GMT -5
Someone just emailed this to me. Thought it belonged here, so had to go searching for this thread. Man, I am amazed at how quickly this topic took off. Congrats everyone, you are all winners!
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Feb 13, 2014 17:44:08 GMT -5
Wow that's scary yet cool, wonder how the driver made out?
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