Oxy-acetylene gear

[inchpincher]

Recent purchase of a pipe bender resulted in an unexpected bonus gift from the old boy, all his gas welding/cutting gear. He gave me a quick demo, most of which I've forgotten but then also gave me the cylinders too! They're full btw but im a bit twitchy about the ptfe tape on both and although i have a boc contract with a couple of cylinders i thought i'd keep these hush until they're empty

Anyway, always wanted to try gas welding panel work so apart from the rubber pipes that are scarily perished, what else will need a careful inspection or replacement before i blow myself to smithereens...?

 

[voipio]

Those hoses definitely need replacing!! The PTFE tape is between the service valve and cylinder and is standard practice on these threads, which will be tapered. The cylinders and regulators are probably well beyond their test validity period so will need re-testing, at the very least, and the service valve on the oxygen cylinder looks non-standard to me. You will probably have to give the cylinders up when they're empty, and get a rental contract set up.

 

[brightspark]

a new set of hoses with clips on. its got flashback arestors on and hose check valves then just test for leaks and make sure regulators turn completely off without pasing gas and oxygen

 

[Welderpaul]

Its an ancient set up. The regs are well past their use by date and shouldnt be used. I would imagine the flashbacks are of a similar age and also should be binned. The hoses should be binned and the torch, by rights, shouldnt be used either. BOC won't fill the cylinders and will probably take them off you if you try to get them filled.

 

[Hitch]

That wont be any old PTFE, that'll be oxygen safe tape.

Hoses are fit for the bin.
Regulators, very old, have a look, see if you can see a test/inspection date on them, for a laugh.
Torch, id be inclined to inspect it very carefully and decide on that, looks like its been looked after well.



And the acetylene hose, appears to be a push fit, no Oclip....

 

[octo0072000]

new pipes needed at least check there should be dates on the regs oxy bottle doesn't look that old and some boc bottles do have that valve now so you don't need a bottle key i would change the acetylene reg for safety oxy one looks a bit newer and so do the flash backs just check for leaks washing up liquid and water or kids bubble blower stuff

 

[hotrodder]

Gas suppliers will typically say something like...

oil based solutions, or those containing fatty acids, can ignite if they come in contact with oxygen. For this reason soapy water or washing up liquid must not be used

 

[octo0072000]

water

Gas suppliers will typically say something like...

so what does the plumber use on house gas no idea if it's fatty based ??
in that case a use some water in a sports drink bottle plain not flavored

 

[slimjim]

so what does the plumber use on house gas no idea if it's fatty based ??
in that case a use some water in a sports drink bottle plain not flavored

plumbers dont usually deal with oxygen

 

[Welderpaul]

oxy bottle doesn't look that old

It is... Oxygen bottles have been painted with a white band around the collar for years now.

 

[madkayaker]

we have the same kit at work and that was used for the building of the ark! http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk/cylinders.html

 

[inchpincher]

thanks all for the input, looks like i need to have a think about the reg's then...
The oxy one looks more modern but there are no dates to be found on either, the flash arresters have boc stickers so i guess are at least modernish... a few more pics...

 

[weldequip]

The Oxygen regulator is circa 1980's, Acetylene regulator 70's or earlier
Flashback Arrestors are more modern, but still well outside their recommended use dates. You won't find nozzles for the torch set. Might all work, but it would be deemed to be unsafe to use & immediately condemned in a professional workshop.

 

[madkayaker]

we have regs like that in stores with new spare 1995 on!

 

[Windy Miller]

So the hoses are shot, the torch is obsolete, the regs need changing, flashbacks are out of date, and the bottles are ancient. Talk about ******* on your chips! Oh well at least you got a nice bottle trolley!

 

[eil]

I can see why the regs and hoses are unsafe by their condition and age, but why should the Aga torch kit be thrown out as well, what makes that set unsafe ?. Is it just age or do they have to pass a certain test etc, the reason I ask is because I have that same set and quite like it.

 

[pedrobedro]

To be honest I'd have put new hoses on that and used it without even worrying, it's been kept in a shed or somewhere sheltered and not abused and would only receive a visual inspection and physical test to see if it works anywhere I've been anyway.

 

[inchpincher]

So the hoses are shot, the torch is obsolete, the regs need changing, flashbacks are out of date, and the bottles are ancient. Talk about ******* on your chips! Oh well at least you got a nice bottle trolley!

It's got a wobbly wheel....

 

[Llundberg]

The acetylene reg looks exactly like the one I had in Sweden in the late 70's.