Newbie needs oxygen
 

I'm a new lampworker, have been working on a hothead, and I just bought a nortel mid-range/minor. I am having trouble figuring out a reasonably-priced way to get oxygen. It seems everyone suggests using a big tank because a small tank will run out too quickly, but to rent a 125CU tank costs about $40/mo, plus the cost of refilling. Plus the oxy place is only open during the week and I have a day-job, with a long commute. Apparently I can't drive a large tank of oxy home in my car, as my husband says it's like driving a bomb. This is just a weekend hobby for now, but I didn't realize it would be so difficult to get oxygen to my house. The welding places look at me like I'm insane to want a big tank of industrial oxygen at my house. And they definitely won't deliver it to a residential neighborhood. And concentrators seem pretty expensive if I have to run several together. What do you all do?

Ouch, I wouldn't go for that price either! Whereabouts are you located? (message me if you don't want to post it publicly) For a minor torch you shouldn't have to chain oxygen concentrators together, I do fine on just one and the guy I know that has a mega minor is good with just one too. I'd keep an eye out on craigslist for a used one, apparently they pop up every now and again and you might be able to get a good price for it.

I'm in the Antelope Valley. I had my eye on a few small oxy tanks on Craigslist for $40 each, thinking that if I had a couple of small ones I could switch them out and they would probably last a month. What I read and was told by a teacher was the one concentrator wasn't enough to keep up with the demand of the torch, so your flame wouldn't be hot enough. I suppose maybe it depend on the size of the concentrator. Do they come in different sizes? All I've found online are small medical ones.

If you are using 104 "soft" glass, the concentrator will work just fine.
I have used the same torch as yours-midrange with minor-for eight years using only one "5 LPM"concentrator and either torch works great.

Ah yes, forgot to ask if you're working with "soft" glass or boro.

I am currently using soft glass, but I bought the bigger torch hoping to try boro. If I can find one at a reasonable price, I guess I'll start with a concentrator. I was getting very frustrated with my hothead's tank freezing after every few beads, so it will be nice to resolve that at least. So I don't need to buy a concentrator made for glass work, a medical one will be fine, as long as it's at least 5 LPM? Anything special about how to hook it up?

The hot head freezing issue can be fixed by using a bigger tank. Your local ace hardware, tractor supply, or walmart may have a bulk hose in stock or be able to order one in.

The common 20 lb tanks are a lot easier to source and you can often get them refilled or exchanged for $15 or less.

Yeah just get an oxycon, I've done some pretty big pieces in both boro and soft on a cricket and 5lpm, now I have two concentrators. Crickets were made for oxycons, not sure what lpm would be best for your midrange but someone will ;)

While we're on the topic, any thoughts on either oxycon or tank sizes for an 8M? I'll be primarily on the SM7 but will sometimes jump up to the SM21.

Thanks for your help everyone. I will get the oxycon, just not sure what size or where to get it. It looks like ABR has decent prices on reburbished ones. They have an EX20, which is 10LPM, so I could definitely do boro with it. But the shipping is $75. If I could find a place where I can pick it up in LA I could save that. Anyone know if there are used medical equipment places that carry bigger oxycons? All I can find online are 5LPM's.

A used oxygen concentrator can often be found on Craig's List in the range of $125 to $250. Look for one with low hours perhaps less than 1000. The more hours on the machine should be reflected in the asking price. (i.e. more hours = lower price) Many machines, depending on brand, will perform well in the 20,000 to 25,000 hour range. However, the less the better.

As indicated above, the Cricket will work well with one 5 LPM concentrator. With two even better. The Scorpion requires three 5 LPM machines for best performance.

When purchasing multiple machine, make sure the static output pressures are all the same. Generally machines are 5 PSI or 9 to 10 PSI. Only connect two fives together or two tens, etc.

Also try to run your oxycons just a smidgeon less than maximum output.

The purity of the oxygen output can decrease from 96% (the theoretical best they can make) down to 88% if you try to push them to the largest volume of out put.

So if it is a 5liter per minute machine run it at 4.7 lpm or 4.5 lpm.

If its (or they) are 10 lpm machine(s) then run them at 9.5 lpm.

Tanked oxygen from the welders shops is often 99% pure and some boro glass workers will tell you that you can really feel the difference especially if you are used to working with tanked oxygen and then you switch to oxygen concentrators.

Don't let the high or low hours on a machine throw you off and wind up paying more than you need to though.

Most people that have one for sale used them for medical reasons and they wind up being for sale because the person using it has passed over the bridge and the things are just taking up space now.

Because the insurance companies paid some 4 thousand dollars or more for them new ( or recertified ) doesn't mean that anyone can sell one for anything close to that amount.


They have to get overhauled and recertified for medical use after a patient is through with one and then a prescription is needed.

These things are built to run 24/7/365 and they only need filters changed once or twice a year and then are overhauled and recertified every 3 or 5 years ( I think).

Using them for our purposes or for welding work does not need anything like that kind of rigorous going over and we can pretty much just run them into the ground for decades or more as long as they are kept out high humidity and in a low dust environment.

Shop around all the sources you can think of; want ads, freecycle, craigs list, friends and neighbors and such.

Its best to get multiples of the same LPM if you are going to use more than one ganged together.
The different out put pressures don't work together well mixing 5 lpm units with 10 lpm units.

There some torches that are designed to work needing only a single 5 lpm.
The GTT Cricket is one I know of.

Some of the multi hose torches can use a 5 lpm for the center fire and a 10 lpm for the outer ring and that is one way to use 2 machines with different out put pressures.


I bought a 5lpm unit along with a "homefil II" tank filling machine for $600 that I can eventually hook up to one of the big welding tanks and refill it at home but that is a whole other topic of conversation.

I have seen just oxycons for sale on craigs list for $250, $100 and for $1200.
The $1200 unit never did sell near as I can tell.
Just because they are asking for that much doesn't mean people are paying that much.


Good Luck and Happy Hunting.

I recently purchased a Hellcat and need an oxycon to work with it. I have a 5L for my minor. I've heard that I need a larger oxycon for the center flame. Can I use the 5L or do I need to possibly get another 5 to hook up with it as well as another to run the outer flame OR maybe a 10L for center and a 20L hooked up with the 10L to run the outer flame? Would 20L be enough for the outer?