cutting torch acetylene regulator to propane tank question

[Tinkerer]

In my area all BBQ tanks have an OFP (overfill protection device). They work just like a toilet tank valve.
I thought that a law was passed banning non conforming tanks.
No one will refill one that does not have it. The valves are clearly marked.
I don't use 100 lb tanks so I don't know about them.

 

[Welder Dave]

Maybe the new valves are because the people they hire to fill them couldn't be trusted enough to do it properly.

 

[AllDodge]

I've had the guy that fills my home tank, also fill my 100 and 20 pound tanks. Even the 20 he loosens the bleeder since he didn't have a scale on the truck

 

[Birken Vogt]

You never trust a safety device like an OPD, always fill by the outage valve and the OPD is there as a backup in case you start daydreaming

 

[Tinkerer]

I use a tank exchange service at a local gas station. I haven't had a tank refilled for several years now.
But, some of them short you on how much liquid is in the tank.
Usually 3 lbs, they post the weight on their exchange stations but no one is likely to read it.

 

[Welder Dave]

Costco is bad for that. You think you're getting a great deal but your only getting 16lbs. when you should be getting 20lbs. (80% of 80%) and you have to wait in line for 20-30 minutes. The exchange tanks might be the same but the prices are crazy and have read several stories where the tanks are expired and they won't exchange them the next time so you have to buy a new tank. The best deal I found was going to gas station that has a propane filling station where they actually use a scale so you get a full 20lbs. and it was about the same price as buying gas and sold by the litre.

 

[DMiller]

I use one of three places for Gas, LP Supplier for the house will fill our portable bottles at their yard and my LP Truck at the same yard or when deliver gas to the house. There is a supplier in town that will refill up to 100# bottles off a scale and a third across the river at a Farm Service supply store.

 

[aighead]

I'll have to look a bit further into at-home filling. In the summer I rarely go through any propane and I use charcoal for the grill, otherwise I only use it for weed torching, which is less effective than I'd like. In the winter we can go through a tank per week if I'm doing stuff out in the garage, which I expect I will be more this winter as I'm building my workshop... At 16-20 bucks per tank it seems pricey and I don't like dragging the tanks around for replacement all the time.

Thanks for all the input gang!

 

[Old Doug]

Acetylene prices are the best argument I know for buying a Hypertherm plasma.

I have used plasma cutters on the job but i dont have one at home. I would like to have one to see how much i would use it but the cost of the size i need would buy alot of gases.

 

[DMiller]

Been Looking here too, cannot justify that coin either.

 

[AllDodge]

Right now I could use a spool gun for aluminum and my Hobart 220 handler. Stainless and aluminum just went bad, so need to cut the stainless out and wled all back up to drill and tap

 

[Tugger2]

I had some heavy beams to split down the web into T beams so i bought the plasma. 20 ft lenghts came out dead straight . Thats hard to get right with the torch.

 

[crane operator]

A bit off topic but are you filling your propane tanks off your large tank yourself? How much trouble is that? I just have a standard 500 gallon home tank but I run a propane heater out in the garage when it's cold. I'd love to take advantage of just filling tanks from the home tank, but upon looking up how that process goes I was a bit intimidated and certainly didn't want to screw anything up...

If you don't own your own large tank- you probably won't be able to put a fill valve in it. The propane providers aren't going to install it for you in their tank, without building a whole "fill station". There's probably a book with 200 pages of rules and diagrams on what a "safe" fill station needs to have for dimensions and signage.

I own my 1000gal tank at the shop, the propane company kind of fussed about my fill hose, but they can take a flying *(edited for PG rating)* at a rolling doughnut. I have probably 10 or more small tanks at the shop, and I'm not dragging them all the way across town to get them filled. I told the propane company I can call one of the other three propane delivery companies, and see if they want to fill my tank.

So they fuss about it, but they fill it. "We're not liable- you should remove your fill line, its not safe etc. etc"
The $10/hr. clerk at menards can fill my bottles, surely I can fill my own.

I don't scale them when I fill them. I just kind of slosh them around until they feel around 1/2-3/4 full, and go on with life. I grew up working on grain dryers and we were always messing with propane. It not that dangerous provided you aren't smoking while pulling a line apart or something. Wear gloves so you don't freeze to the valves and fittings when releasing. Don't get your face right up in there when you pull it apart. It's not near as nasty to mess with as anhydrous ammonia. All that said, if you really don't know what you're doing, you are better off to have them filled. If you want to learn and mess with it, its not that hard. Find some old farmer to teach you.

Speaking of propane, I need to get my tank filled. It seems I've already missed my cheap "summer fill" pricing.

And if Old Doug and DMiller will sleep in, when I come across the first plasma cutter that will sever 3/4" for $300 on craigslist in Missouri, I'll have a plasma cutter before them.

 

[Welder Dave]

Have seen pics. of exploded propane tanks that were over filled and people badly burned from propane at a propane filling course I took years ago. I agree if you don't know what you're doing get them filled at a reputable supplier. What I find amazing not just with propane but all welding gases is that anybody can get them and there's no instructions or safety practices brochures for any of them. About all they tell you is acetylene needs to be kept upright. It's not at all surprising when you hear about balcony fires from leaking propane bbq tanks. Some people shouldn't handle anything more than a butter knife let alone a propane tank.

Plasma is nice for thinner metal and to reduce warping but I can cut much nicer with a cutting torch up to 6" if need be. Just change the tip. I just find a cutting torch more suited to using with 2 hands for better control and the narrower tip makes it easier to see where you're cutting. Plasma consumables add up and you also need a decent compressor to run them. If you want to split something like a beam, leave a 3/8-1/2" uncut section every foot or so and it will stop the beam from warping. Then go back and cut out the short sections after it's cooled some.

 

[Tinkerer]

The few times I wanted to make a really straight cut with my acetylene torch I clamped an angle iron to the piece for a guide. I put the torch right against it.

 

[Welder Dave]

You can get magnetic cutting guides that work really well too. I have one of these and because it's aluminum the torch slides on it with less friction than steel. They also have extensions that can be bolted on up to 72" long.

https://ramweldingsupply.com/p/curv-o-mark-magnetic-burning-guide/

 

[Tugger2]

I have split many beams with a torch ,cut 3 ft leave a tab and then go back and cut it all when it cools. But they still arent true and you need to heat shrink them straight. The one i did with the plasma came out dead on. That being said you cant beat the torch for getting into awkward places and general burning. Like all tools they have thier place.I did these compound mitre cuts in 3/8 and 1/2 in hollow structural with the plasma and it worked pretty well.

 

[Welder Dave]

Is that a Peddinghaus ironworker or Mubea?

 

[Tugger2]

Pedinghaus

 

[Tugger2]

If you like handy things to cut stuff with you need one of these. Doall tilting head bandsaw, does 14" square @ 45deg.