Oxygen Supplies

Hi there!

I am just hoping to start working with borosilicate glass using a
propane/oxygen torch. I am just wondering if anybody knows of a
supplier of oxygen cylinders for this or similar purposes in the UK.
Preferably one that is reasonably priced, however I'm not sure what
the going rate for O2 is and whether there are any regulations
involved with the purchase, supply and storage of it for home users
(i.e my home is not registered as a business).
Thanks,

Samantha

In article ,
Samantha BeanHead wrote:

Hi there!

I am just hoping to start working with borosilicate glass using a
propane/oxygen torch. I am just wondering if anybody knows of a
supplier of oxygen cylinders for this or similar purposes in the UK.
Preferably one that is reasonably priced, however I'm not sure what
the going rate for O2 is and whether there are any regulations
involved with the purchase, supply and storage of it for home users
(i.e my home is not registered as a business).
Thanks,

Samantha

In the states, I get my compressed gasses from a welding supply shop,
check your phone book. No special license is required (here, at least).
Generally you 'lease' the cylinder. When it's empty, take it back and
they will swap it for a full one. I chose cylinders that were the
biggest ones I could still carry alone. Under $20 to fill up, but you
will have some initial leasing fee, I imagine. Do some reading on
safety, too, they can be very dangerous if not handled properly.

--
"Roadkill has its seasons
just like anything.
Possums in the autumn
and there's farm cats in the spring"

"PostScript" wrote in message
news
In article ,
Samantha BeanHead wrote:

I am just hoping to start working with borosilicate glass using a
propane/oxygen torch. I am just wondering if anybody knows of a
supplier of oxygen cylinders for this or similar purposes in the UK.
Preferably one that is reasonably priced, however I'm not sure what
the going rate for O2 is and whether there are any regulations
involved with the purchase, supply and storage of it for home users
(i.e my home is not registered as a business).
Thanks,

In the states, I get my compressed gasses from a welding supply shop,
check your phone book. No special license is required (here, at least).
Generally you 'lease' the cylinder. When it's empty, take it back and
they will swap it for a full one. I chose cylinders that were the
biggest ones I could still carry alone. Under $20 to fill up, but you
will have some initial leasing fee, I imagine. Do some reading on
safety, too, they can be very dangerous if not handled properly.

Google throws up a medical supplier
http://www.gallsonlineshop.co.uk/cod...gen%20cylinder
who offer them. Presumably you've tried BOC?

There is also http://www.solihull.gov.uk/wwwes/hs/infosheets/lpg.htm which
gives details of the regulations for storing LPG where Oxygen is also
present.
--
Terry Harper
http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/

On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 09:43:28 GMT, Samantha BeanHead
wrote:

I am just wondering if anybody knows of a
supplier of oxygen cylinders for this or similar purposes in the UK.

BOC, unless you live in one of those few areas where there's an Air
Products or Linde shop instead. Your nearest town's welding dealer
will carry cylinders, if BOC themselves don't have a depot. Most
welding dealers are extremely helpful, but they do like to sell you
brand new shiny toys and that can get expensive (and unnecessarily so)
if you're not careful!

Gas supply is generally still listed as "BOC", but welding hardware is
now rebranded as "Murex".
www.murexwelding.co.uk

My small cylinders are an M (acetylene) and an X (oxygen) and a
variety of sizes of propane cylinders. These are the biggest
practically car-portable cylinders and the tallest that fit a
Porta-pak trolley. You _must_ have a trolley or safe means of
chaining the cylinder vertical - a falling cylinder is something you
really don't want in the workshop. Mainly though I use full size
cylinders, because I'm welding or forging steel, rather than working
glass. I often use a 6" wide oxy-propane flame cleaning nozzle, which
is a lovely way to make things red-hot quickly, but it certainly eats
oxygen!

Pricing in the UK is quite different to the USA, and much more
expensive. Gas is practically free, so don't be afraid to use it,
cylinders vary little in cost so get the biggest you can handle, but
the annual rental is absolutely crippling for small-scale users.

eBay is an excellent source for equipment. You can pick up torches,
brand new hoses, good condition S/H two-stage regulators from BOC, and
a pair of resettable flashback arrestors. You can save 3/4 of your
equipment cost by this means, and get good quality equipment (ie BOC).
Avoid Machine-Mart and any "Butbro" or similar regulators (to some
extent Hi-Lo, Milburn or Harris too). While you're at BOC, start
acquiring catalogues. Learn to spot equipment models and what's a
bargain for modern gear.

Your torch body will probably be a BOC Saffire 3. This is nicely small
and lightweight, and it takes an exchangeable mixer so you can use
either propane or acetylene. The mixer neck is also interchangeable
for different lengths, and there are a range of burners to fit this
standard neck. Oxy-propane burners are hellishly noisy (some need ear
defenders!) and very powerful - you will probably need a range of a
couple and don't be too quick to get a big one.

If you ever come across a BOC Type 0 torch, snap it up. It needs
acetylene, not propane, but they're an excellent miniature torch and
keenly sought after (sheet lead workers love them).

There are two sizes of hose fitting, generally the same at each end of
the hose. They'll vary between large or small regulators and different
torch bodies - adapters are easily changed on the regulator end, but
try to keep the torch end lightweight for easy handling (generally
small hoses for bench work)

As safety equipment you _must_ have one-way check valves on the torch
end of the hose, and you _should_ have resettable flashback arrestors
at the regulator end. The little non-resettables aren't thought much
of.

Regulators are not rebuildable. They are in the USA, but it just
doesn't happen in the UK. Personally I hate single-stage regulators,
especially for high-flow use with a big torch and I just don't use
them - go for a decent two-stage (large diameter) with proper gauges.
With a modern catalogue you can easily spot the model year variations
to find a recent regulator on eBay (anything still in a box and with a
plastic knob is a good bet).

I have no idea if such things are available or usable for oxy-propane,
but for benchwork with oxy-acetylene welding I love my economiser.
This is a bench-mounted torch-hanging hook that operates a double gas
valve and contains a pilot light. When I'm not actively welding I
park the torch and the flame goes out. When I want it again, I pick it
up and pass it through the pilot light - no parking a flaming torch,
no continually turning my careful adjustments on and off.


The newsgroup sci.engr.joining.welding is an excellent place to
discuss gas torches, if a little USA-biased.

--
Smert' spamionam

How large is the work you're planning to do? If you can track down a
couple of used medical oxygen concentrators, you can link them with
plastic tubing and a simple "T" connection (available in most hardware
stores for almost nothing) and although you couldn't power a larger
torch, I get plenty of heat from my Bethlehem Barracuda to do solid boro
up to about 1.5" in diameter. Maybe larger if I was more patient.

In the long run, concentrators are cheaper, as well as safer, than
tanked oxygen.

Samantha BeanHead wrote:
Hi there!

I am just hoping to start working with borosilicate glass using a
propane/oxygen torch. I am just wondering if anybody knows of a
supplier of oxygen cylinders for this or similar purposes in the UK.
Preferably one that is reasonably priced, however I'm not sure what
the going rate for O2 is and whether there are any regulations
involved with the purchase, supply and storage of it for home users
(i.e my home is not registered as a business).
Thanks,

Samantha

--
-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com

the new generators will charge bottles!!!!!!



"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...
How large is the work you're planning to do? If you can track down a
couple of used medical oxygen concentrators, you can link them with
plastic tubing and a simple "T" connection (available in most hardware
stores for almost nothing) and although you couldn't power a larger
torch, I get plenty of heat from my Bethlehem Barracuda to do solid boro
up to about 1.5" in diameter. Maybe larger if I was more patient.

In the long run, concentrators are cheaper, as well as safer, than
tanked oxygen.

Samantha BeanHead wrote:
Hi there!

I am just hoping to start working with borosilicate glass using a
propane/oxygen torch. I am just wondering if anybody knows of a
supplier of oxygen cylinders for this or similar purposes in the UK.
Preferably one that is reasonably priced, however I'm not sure what
the going rate for O2 is and whether there are any regulations
involved with the purchase, supply and storage of it for home users
(i.e my home is not registered as a business).
Thanks,

Samantha

--
-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com

Kalera wrote:

How large is the work you're planning to do? If you can track down a
couple of used medical oxygen concentrators, you can link them with
plastic tubing and a simple "T" connection (available in most hardware
stores for almost nothing) and although you couldn't power a larger
torch, I get plenty of heat from my Bethlehem Barracuda to do solid boro
up to about 1.5" in diameter. Maybe larger if I was more patient.

In the long run, concentrators are cheaper, as well as safer, than
tanked oxygen.

It's not nearly as easy to find oxygen concentrators in the UK, I've been
looking for ages. Once in a while one surfaces on eBay but they're very
expensive compared to what you can find in the US.

I keep searching online but have had no success yet in finding any sort of
supplier for reconditioned oxycons here in the UK but I keep trying.

-Su

--
Tillerman Beads website: http://www.tillerman.co.uk

Yes, those are HOT! Pricey still, but I bet they'll come down.

Boner the Cat wrote:
the new generators will charge bottles!!!!!!



"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...

How large is the work you're planning to do? If you can track down a
couple of used medical oxygen concentrators, you can link them with
plastic tubing and a simple "T" connection (available in most hardware
stores for almost nothing) and although you couldn't power a larger
torch, I get plenty of heat from my Bethlehem Barracuda to do solid boro
up to about 1.5" in diameter. Maybe larger if I was more patient.

In the long run, concentrators are cheaper, as well as safer, than
tanked oxygen.

Samantha BeanHead wrote:

Hi there!

I am just hoping to start working with borosilicate glass using a
propane/oxygen torch. I am just wondering if anybody knows of a
supplier of oxygen cylinders for this or similar purposes in the UK.
Preferably one that is reasonably priced, however I'm not sure what
the going rate for O2 is and whether there are any regulations
involved with the purchase, supply and storage of it for home users
(i.e my home is not registered as a business).
Thanks,

Samantha

--
-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com




--
-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com

Try nursing home dumpsters...

(only partly kidding)

Su/Cutworks wrote:
Kalera wrote:


How large is the work you're planning to do? If you can track down a
couple of used medical oxygen concentrators, you can link them with
plastic tubing and a simple "T" connection (available in most hardware
stores for almost nothing) and although you couldn't power a larger
torch, I get plenty of heat from my Bethlehem Barracuda to do solid boro
up to about 1.5" in diameter. Maybe larger if I was more patient.

In the long run, concentrators are cheaper, as well as safer, than
tanked oxygen.


It's not nearly as easy to find oxygen concentrators in the UK, I've been
looking for ages. Once in a while one surfaces on eBay but they're very
expensive compared to what you can find in the US.

I keep searching online but have had no success yet in finding any sort of
supplier for reconditioned oxycons here in the UK but I keep trying.

-Su


--
-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com

Kalera wrote:

Try nursing home dumpsters...

(only partly kidding)

I know but they don't do things the same way here. I just contacted one of
the biggest suppliers of oxycons to the medical services and he said they
get them back and then destroy them.

I am working to convince them we'd give them a good home. The NHS makes it
a different kettle of fish, things don't just get dumped. They're
contracted out and collected when not needed.

Finges crossed.

-Su

--
Tillerman eBay auctions: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZthetillermanbeads
Tillerman on JustBeads:
http://www.justbeads.com/search/ql.cfm?s=tillermanbeads
Tillerman website: http://www.tillerman.co.uk