Propane instead of Oxy/acetylene

[pondman]

Hi all.

I have recently tried to purchase a set of the new albi oxy/acetylene bottles but because of the shortage of acetylene its going to take a bit longer than I can wait. I don't really weld or cut with the O/A at present, I just need it to heat in aid of manipulation of the steel. I have come across a handy propane powered blacksmith forge and wondered if I could get a hose and torch that would fit the same bottle to use when the object is too big to put in the forge or already fabricated and needs to be moved/adjusted. I know O/A is best and eventually will get a set but this is hopefully gonna be better/cheaper for me now.

Any advise or info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance

Regards

 

[Fazerruss]

I have Oxy, Acet and Propane and only ever use the oxy prop for heating and cutting.
Now I have tig the Accet never gets used.

 

[pondman]

I have Oxy, Acet and Propane and only ever use the oxy prop for heating and cutting.
Now I have tig the Accet never gets used.

What sort of connection/hose and torch do you use??

 

[astro_al]

Hi, I recently got myself set up with oxy propane. I'm a blacksmith (some of the time) and I selected O-P instead of O-A. I bought from Rapid welding, here is my set up:

Item Description Quantity Price
040742 Trolley Twin Oxygen / Propane 1 £ 49.15
1151 Superheating Neck 270mm 1 £ 11.62
1217 Oxy Propane Super Heating Nozzle 1H 1 £ 5.85
1218S Oxy Propane Super Heating Nozzle 2H 1 £ 8.80
40421 Type III Welding & Cutting Shank 3/8"bsp 1 £ 24.50
40425 Type III Cutting Super- Heating Mixer - Propane 1 £ 14.10
A5117 10MM OXYGEN HOSE FITTED WITH 3/8" BSP CHECK VALVE & 3/8" BSP REGULATOR CONNECTION. 5M LONG 1 £ 11.00
A5132 10MM PROPANE HOSE FITTED WITH 3/8" BSP L/H CHECK VALVE & 3/8" BSP L/H REGULATOR CONNECTION. 5M LONG 1 £ 11.38
H1104 Harris Regulator 801B, Oxygen, Single Stage Two Gauge, Bottom Entry, 10bar 1 £ 32.84
H1133 Oxy Flash Arrestor - Reg Mounted 1 £ 15.23
H1134 Fuel Gas Flash Arrestor - Reg Mounted 1 £ 15.23
H1384 Harris Propane Regulator Single Stage 2 Gauge 818B 4.0 Bar 1 £ 32.84

Depending on your oxygen supplier (i.e. if its air products), you may also need one of these as the cylinder output is a different position:

Item Description Quantity Price
63A 90 DEGREE CYLINDER ADAPTOR RH 1 £ 17.94

Note, this is a heating set up, not a cutting set up (although most of it is universal). You may want to go with 10m hoses and a longer neck on the torch - just depends.

If you're a blacksmith and you're not already a member, join BABA before you get any gas. If you're already a member, you'll know where to get your gas from.

Cheers, Al.

 

[pondman]

Hi, I recently got myself set up with oxy propane. I'm a blacksmith (some of the time) and I selected O-P instead of O-A. I bought from Rapid welding, here is my set up:

Item Description Quantity Price
040742 Trolley Twin Oxygen / Propane 1 £ 49.15
1151 Superheating Neck 270mm 1 £ 11.62
1217 Oxy Propane Super Heating Nozzle 1H 1 £ 5.85
1218S Oxy Propane Super Heating Nozzle 2H 1 £ 8.80
40421 Type III Welding & Cutting Shank 3/8"bsp 1 £ 24.50
40425 Type III Cutting Super- Heating Mixer - Propane 1 £ 14.10
A5117 10MM OXYGEN HOSE FITTED WITH 3/8" BSP CHECK VALVE & 3/8" BSP REGULATOR CONNECTION. 5M LONG 1 £ 11.00
A5132 10MM PROPANE HOSE FITTED WITH 3/8" BSP L/H CHECK VALVE & 3/8" BSP L/H REGULATOR CONNECTION. 5M LONG 1 £ 11.38
H1104 Harris Regulator 801B, Oxygen, Single Stage Two Gauge, Bottom Entry, 10bar 1 £ 32.84
H1133 Oxy Flash Arrestor - Reg Mounted 1 £ 15.23
H1134 Fuel Gas Flash Arrestor - Reg Mounted 1 £ 15.23
H1384 Harris Propane Regulator Single Stage 2 Gauge 818B 4.0 Bar 1 £ 32.84

Depending on your oxygen supplier (i.e. if its air products), you may also need one of these as the cylinder output is a different position:

Item Description Quantity Price
63A 90 DEGREE CYLINDER ADAPTOR RH 1 £ 17.94

Note, this is a heating set up, not a cutting set up (although most of it is universal). You may want to go with 10m hoses and a longer neck on the torch - just depends.

If you're a blacksmith and you're not already a member, join BABA before you get any gas. If you're already a member, you'll know where to get your gas from.

Cheers, Al.

Thanks for the info Al!

I will look into this. I am not a blacksmith yet. I am an artist/fabricator but I want to become a blacksmiths and am slowly working myself into it. I have just ordered my forge and am now trying to source an anvil and other tools. I have had a look at BABA an will probably join it. Will that help me with links to find all the tools I need?

Thanks again!
Shaun

 

[astro_al]

Right. Well, join. Then order all the back issues you can of the BABA magazine.

Read the newsletter for info on where to get your oxygen & welding gasses, and separately your propane. Don't get any gas until you do this, but you need to join.

There is also used kit advertised in there, so you might find what you need there.

Good luck, Al.

 

[shirazman]

Hi all.

I have recently tried to purchase a set of the new albi oxy/acetylene bottles but because of the shortage of acetylene its going to take a bit longer than I can wait. I don't really weld or cut with the O/A at present, I just need it to heat in aid of manipulation of the steel. I have come across a handy propane powered blacksmith forge and wondered if I could get a hose and torch that would fit the same bottle to use when the object is too big to put in the forge or already fabricated and needs to be moved/adjusted. I know O/A is best and eventually will get a set but this is hopefully gonna be better/cheaper for me now.

Any advise or info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance

I have used o/p for years for cutting and heating and wouldnt even dream of
using acetylene.. far to expensive and only marginally faster. All you need is
a propane reg, a oxy reg 2 flashbacks, hoses and cutting torch. £150-£200 should pay for the kit

 

[@Turbo]

i have been using the propane and oxy recently it is quite good for cutting and heating. i only have a cutting nozzle atm but for heating you want one of these.

I used my acetlyne regulator but the bottle needed mod'd so if you are not in a rush a different reg might be best.

 

[pondman]

Thanks turbo!
I now have all I need except for a trolley, which I will make today. I ended up buying the kit from weldequip. I'll post up how it all goes soon

 

[pondman]

I put it all together yesterday and it worked beautifully!! I'm really pleased with it and I don't need to mess around with acetylene!

 

[@Turbo]

good stuff mate I do abit of welding but managed to get a loan of an acetylene bottle. apart from that prop works pretty well.

 

[pondman]

I works brilliantly! Its great for what I need and the propane costs a lot less than acetylene. Thanks for the advice!!

 

[KemppiFrog]

One would only need O/A if gas welding now. With the advances in MIG TIG over the years, I wonder how many people use O/A welding?
KF

 

[Water skier 16]

I know two welders/ fabricators that have used O/A welding since they were apprentices, one is 75 and the other about 60

 

[brightspark]

One would only need O/A if gas welding now. With the advances in MIG TIG over the years, I wonder how many people use O/A welding?
KF

i do . have done for 40 years and its cheap

 

[pondman]

i do . have done for 40 years and its cheap

by the sound of it O/A is not as popular anymore. my oxy/propane kit works great and just as well as any o/a setup i've ever used and propane is much cheaper and easier to get!