[Jewelry making - Article 00279] - Re: [Orchid] Still more torch questions!

[Jim Zimmerman]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========

Hi all,

    A few fact about acetylene tanks (B-size tanks = 40 cubic feet). The
    tank are fill with pith (looks like a very porous plaster) then they
    put acetone into the tank. 

    The acetylene is dissolved into the acetone make it stable. Sort of
    like a French dip sandwich. Acetylene is explosive over 15psi, so do
    not crack it up trying to get a hotter flame. You only need 5psi for
    anything. Including cutting apart a battleship. I have always traded
    in tanks and there is only one thing to look out for. That is
    condition of the valve stem and regulator seat. Do accept a tank
    with a damage regulator seat. The thread should all be there and not
    damaged. The valve nut should be tight. 

    The reason taking a tank home in your car is frowned on is that you
    might lay the tank on its side. The acetone will go into the valve
    and then into your regulator and eat up any rubber gaskets it come in
    contact with. This could get dangerous when the pressure goes over
    15psi (pounds per square inch). Regulators can and have exploded as
    shown to me by a welding teacher. If you must lay a tank down, when
    you get home stand it upright and leave it for a day, till a the
    acetone has settled back into the tank. 

    If you are truly worried about the appearance of your tank (paint
    appearance is not a safety issue). Go to the lumber yard and get a
    peace of sewer pipe wide enough to hold the tank and tall enough to
    cover just the tank but not the stem. Screw it to your bench so the
    tank can't knock over. This is safer and will look good. Breaking
    off a valve stem is a very bad thing. You never want that to happen. 

    Sorry to scare you kids to death, but this is a serious business and
    these aren't toys. They can and will kill you, if you don't treat
    them with respect and know what your doing. I suggest taking a
    beginners welding course to learn more about safety. Jewellers have
    flown by the seat of the pants for to long now. 

Jim Zimmerman
jzim AT www.hay.net
http://www.handengravingcanada.com

____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________