Thread: Gas Torches Yet Again

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

I don't believe that testing is a ripoff as it also includes an inspection and the actual pressure testing of the vessel. Added to that for me is that it used to be a local doing the test rather than someone in a massive factory situation. There are a lot of factors to consider. Maybe we don't have access to local testing anymore because most people just had Swap and Go do it for them LOL.

I think the times of actual pressure testing may be over. Today its 10 seconds on an automated ultrasonic tester. The "inspection" is just a visual, plus a coat of paint if looking too rusty, or a new valve if damaged. If too old and rusty to be swapped, just buy a new cylinder when they are on sale. Did I see cylinders at Aldi a while ago?

Originally Posted by cba_melbourne

I think the times of actual pressure testing may be over. Today its 10 seconds on an automated ultrasonic tester. The "inspection" is just a visual, plus a coat of paint if looking too rusty, or a new valve if damaged. If too old and rusty to be swapped, just buy a new cylinder when they are on sale. Did I see cylinders at Aldi a while ago?

A few years ago you would see any number of expired gas bottles put out on junk day. Hard to get rid of. Scrap merchants won't take them.

Now you don't see any.

Why? Probably because the expiry has no bearing on a swap over now.

It's probably a good thing in my estimation, as it helps get the unsafe stuff out of circulation.

Rob

Originally Posted by nearnexus

A few years ago you would see any number of expired gas bottles put out on junk day. Hard to get rid of. Scrap merchants won't take them.

Now you don't see any.

Why? Probably because the expiry has no bearing on a swap over now.

It's probably a good thing in my estimation, as it helps get the unsafe stuff out of circulation.

Rob

That is true. It used to be rare to see anyone check for a date.

I was also under the impression that a new valve was fitted at each inspection or has this gone by the wayside as well?

Our car gas cylinder was tested when fitted to our old wagon as we supplied it out of the previous vehicle. That was during the full on AutoGas install period. Only standard type cylinders were being made as the factories were flat out and couldn't keep up with demand. We already had a manifold type multi cylinder but it was about a year off 10 years so it was tested. When was the last time someone looked at the test date on these cylinders? This test was done locally, when this was still available.

At the time the cylinder was over half full. I could not get the gas out. No matter what I tried. The cylinder had safety valves that shut down as soon as the flow got above a certain point. The AutoGas fitter had to unscrew one of the units mounted to the cylinder (with screws) to allow the gas out. The reason I mention this situation is that the car that cylinder was fitted to is now unused and it is about 3/4 full. About 45 litres which would be about 22.5kg. Maybe I should just use this cylinder to run the gas torch untill it is empty. Not very portable tho. Put wheels on it?

I checked at the servo tonight and found nothing to say expired cylinders cannot be returned. SWMBO thinks she misread it. All good there. However!! The price to swap a cylinder here is $38.95. WOW! That is $4.58 per kilo compared to $2.44 at the hardware we go to and $1.50 at the AutoGas pump. This last is illegal by the way. I would never do that. Emptying an unusable AutoGas cylinder is different tho .

Dean

Or as an alternative, build a jet engine based on a truck turbo charger and tweak it up to burn waste oil - that way you get to make lots of noise as well as funny smells. Check out this one... start at about half way through the video.

Jet engine home made DIY with after burner - YouTube

Originally Posted by WelderMick

Or as an alternative, build a jet engine based on a truck turbo charger and tweak it up to burn waste oil - that way you get to make lots of noise as well as funny smells. Check out this one... start at about half way through the video.

Jet engine home made DIY with after burner - YouTube

And perhaps you could help me out with a procedure to solder 1/2 inch copper pipes in my bathroom wall with such a torch!

Dean

I used the Bullfinch on a project today, which shows what it does best.

Light gauge hard bronzing.

I had to decoke the blower exhaust port, then found that the metal heat shield for the muffler had a fatigue crack almost right across it.

Hard bronzed that up, and then I got carried away and made up a cover for the blower intake. The original cover got busted decades ago.

It had a habit of sucking in my shirt tail and chewing it up.

Anyway, here's a snap of the job, each weld on the mesh to vertical support took about 30 seconds max.

r2.jpgr3.jpg

Be difficult to do that with arc.

Cheers

Rob

I thought I would finally report on the Rothenberger Gas Torch I was considering.

The Oxy cylinder has been returned and the final account has been settled.

When I tried to purchase the Gas Torch there was some problems with Reese Plumbing finding that model. It turns out that it is no longer available in Oz. Back to the net. I had a difficult time in finding a supplier that ticked all the boxes. The main one being that they would deliver to Oz. Most were in England. I found a supplier that looked as tho they would come to the party. Trade Counter Direct. When I got to the checkout I got a message that they could not send this item to Oz due to its size. Damn. Must be a mistake. It is not very big. I sent an email and received a reply asking me to try again as the woman who was emailing me had corrected the issue. All fixed. The postage was pretty high but the total price was still way below what I would have paid here from Reese Plumbing.

I had a quick test of the torch when I received it, but today I tried it out a bit more. I was thinking of casting an aluminium piece to replace the plastic pivoting table on my electric chainsaw sharpener. I want a bit less flex. I got my steel crucible (pipe) and a chunk of ali and managed to melt it (the Ali). Not all of it together tho. I was only using the uninsulated crucible sitting on the shed floor. It would not melt brass tho. There was a ring of brass pipe with thread stuck to the bottom of the crucible from my one and only try at foundry work. Got to get back to it. I guess I should make another crucible for Ali.

Melted Aluminium.jpg

This is an ingot(?) of aluminium that I melted by pointing the torch into the crucible. It is poured into a large fruit tin (100mm diam?), about 12mm thick on the edge visible, about 8mm most of the width and a bit thinner on the bottom left. This was just a try out to see what the torch could do.


Gas Torch on Low.jpg

The torch adjusted to max, but just idling (pilot light). The pressure was set to 250 kpa.

Gas Torch on High.jpg

The same setting but at full revs.

Gas Torch Closeup.jpg

The knob on the top adjusts the gas flow and so final flame size.

The smaller knob on the side adjusts the idle speed. This can be used wide open.

The trigger opens the smaller knob setting to full on. So the torch can be set to idle (pilot light) until you need the heat, then pulling the trigger will give full heat straight away.

The nozzle end is about 18mm diameter. It certainly appears to pack some punch.

Dean

Dean
I've been thinking about a good torch like this for a while as well, but due to house renos etc its been put on the back burner (pun intended)
What was the final, all up, cost to get this torch to your door?
thanks
bollie7

Interesting torch Dean.

Final cost?

Also lets see it hard bronze brazing.

Cheers

Rob

Originally Posted by bollie7

Dean
I've been thinking about a good torch like this for a while as well, but due to house renos etc its been put on the back burner (pun intended)
What was the final, all up, cost to get this torch to your door?
thanks
bollie7

From memory it was about £140. I did not check the oz value. About half was freight. Delivery was quick.

Dean

Originally Posted by nearnexus

Interesting torch Dean.

Final cost?

Also lets see it hard bronze brazing.

Cheers

Rob

See previous post lol.

Hard bronze brazing? Explain to an amateur please. I have normal brazing rods and I will try brazing tonight.

The nozzle supplied is a large one. Other sizes are available, but I gave up looking. I would send an email to source other nozzles.

Dean

Originally Posted by bollie7

Dean
I've been thinking about a good torch like this for a while as well, but due to house renos etc its been put on the back burner (pun intended)
What was the final, all up, cost to get this torch to your door?
thanks
bollie7

Another point. I used house reno as justification for having the oxy cylinder in the first place, and replacing it with this torch. Plumbing! Our place is not connected to outside water so I do my own plumbing.

Dean

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

See previous post lol.

Hard bronze brazing? Explain to an amateur please. I have normal brazing rods and I will try brazing tonight.

The nozzle supplied is a large one. Other sizes are available, but I gave up looking. I would send an email to source other nozzles.

Dean

I meant GP bronze rods, not that low temp stuff for copper pipe.

Rob

Originally Posted by nearnexus

I meant GP bronze rods, not that low temp stuff for copper pipe.

Rob

Ok. I have both and will try both, but the brazing will be the test.

Dean