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Old 2016-07-10, 1:31pm
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Speedslug Speedslug is offline
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Join Date: Mar 21, 2009
Location: Winnebago, MN
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Please keep in mind that although oxygen it self does not actually burn it can and does cause some things that do burn ( like lubricating oil in a garage type air compressor,) to spontaneously burst in to flame especially under pressure and often that can lead to explosions that will take out all 4 walls of a house in an instant.


All of that to say don't use a tank from an old garage air compressor without doing some serious research on how to clean it and also don't use a compressor that is not designed specifically for oxygen.

End of PSA.


I have an analogy about the holding tank versus the welding tanks.

When bagpipe players fill the air bag under their arms by blowing in to them that is kind of like the holding tank that some people use.
They have an oxygen concentrator that can only produce some 20 pounds of pressure at most and feed that into a really large volume tank like a (thoroughly cleaned) garage air compressor tank (minus the compressor motor).
That tank acts like the air bag under the bag pipe players arm and can provide a goodly amount of extra when you just need a burst for a minute or three.
Medium sized volume at low pressure.
Great for short bursts on big torches but can be used up in short order unless you are stingy with it.


The welding tanks hold a huge volume amount of oxygen but it is compressed to something close to 2100 pounds.
You can get a machine to refill these kinds of tanks at home (search for the words "homefil II") using an oxygen concentrator but it takes a good day or three to refill one and you have to hunt up the parts to connect one to the large welding tanks that will give you enough volume to be worth the effort.
These homefil II systems can run some $600 to $1000 depending on how long you can wait to find used ones or buying new.
And then you still have to buy a high pressure tank at yet another $300 each on a good day.
The second thousand pounds of pressure takes two thirds to three quarters of the effort and time so folks that do this home set up often set up two tanks to be filled at half pressure and that gives them just as much volume as one at higher pressure with a lot less effort and energy dollars.
The nice thing about high pressure tanks is that you can use one pretty much all week long anyway you want and just create huge glass with outrageous flames.

Also high pressure tanks are used all over the place in industry and are often just rented full and swapped out when empty but some towns limit whether the tanks can be stored or delivered to homes and some companies will not deliver them and they can be really really heavy and awkward to move around by yourself.

Also, home oxygen concentrators only produce oxygen at some 94 to 96 % purity while the welding tanks can be found easily at 99% purity or better and if you are working really hot and really large that extra % can make a difference to some.
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