Oxygen Use - Bottled Users

[MACE Glass]

Hello!

I was wondering how long (hours) your cylinders of oxy last for a particular torch (typical usage).

I'm thinking an A or B Size (44 or 17 liter) oxy tank on a..

Minor (or equiv)
Mid-range (or equiv)
Major (or equiv)

I'm trying to figure out how many trips I'm going to be making to the welding supply store a month .

Any help would be appreciated!

[Dale M.]

Do you mean...

"A" "T" or "K" or 300 cu-ft
"B" "K" or "A" or 200 cu-ft.

It some what goes by who you are purchasing your oxy from...

http://www.airgas.com/content/produc...x?chart_type=6

Dale

[Bakerman44]

im interested in seeing the outcome of this thread. I will let you know how a red max does by the end of this week

[metalbone]

sounds like you'll be in the market for a larger tank soon...

[midniteburner]

I am picking up a 220 tank on Monday and I am going to clock my hours on it. I am going to be working with the midrange. I will let you know my results.

Oh and just to add my 2 cents on AirGas...they SUCK!!! After 9 years, they wanted to go triple the price of my K tank leases and go from $20 per refill to $80!!!!

I am now using AndyOxy and they love glass artists!!!

Sara

[MACE Glass]

Originally Posted by Dale M.

Do you mean...

"A" "T" or "K" or 300 cu-ft
"B" "K" or "A" or 200 cu-ft.

It some what goes by who you are purchasing your oxy from...

http://www.airgas.com/content/produc...x?chart_type=6

Dale

I didn't know that they had differen't sizes per company. I am going to be going through my local welding supply store so I'm not sure exactly what "brand" it is, but I do know the sizes!

It's the 9 X 56 (2nd down on the list) and the
8 1/2x31 (3rd down on the list).

--Mike

[Bakerman44]

word on the street is that my 250cu/ft tank will last 4-5 hours on the red max. but i will be using the mega max on top most of the time so im hoping to get double that out of my tank. i will only torch about an hour a day...

[Otter's Flame]

Originally Posted by MACE Glass

............ (typical usage)......

Just keep in mind this is going to vary from person to person even on the same torch...... if I am making pendants for a show two months from now.... I will be using X amount of O2. If the show is next week and I am behind, I am going to be using a lot more O2... but that is still typical usage for me.... but if I am making perfume bottles for the show... same torch... I probably should just go with a dewer.

It is good to get a feel for what other people are using out there but your actual oxygen use will probably vary due to many things including your own personal working style.

Otter

[patienthand]

tough question.. if i am making beads I barely sip oxy,. if I am making boro sculpture I use more, if I am making marbles I suck down the oxy. and if I am doing bigger blown work I can go through some oxy as well...

Candice

[Wonker]

Just like Otter says...I tried to get this kind of information once in order to try to figure out how to get started, but it's all about how you're using the torch, what you're making, are you on a foot pedal? It all makes such a difference. When I'm blowing hummingbird feeders I go through crazy amounts of O2, but when I'm doing pendants It's an order of magnitude less. If you can get T (334) tanks, it's more cost effective. You get about 1/2 again as much for only a few dollars more, but you pay for it with the weight to have to move around.

[Dale M.]

Originally Posted by MACE Glass

I didn't know that they had differen't sizes per company. I am going to be going through my local welding supply store so I'm not sure exactly what "brand" it is, but I do know the sizes!

It's the 9 X 56 (2nd down on the list) and the
8 1/2x31 (3rd down on the list).

--Mike

Actually its just "terminology" each different company uses to "state" tank size...

Base line is actually measurements and actual cubic feet (or liters) each tank will hold at a set pressure, usually something like 2100 psi.... General rule is go with biggest tank you can physically move, and with a "deal" that you can afford...

Dale

[MACE Glass]

Originally Posted by Wonker

Just like Otter says...I tried to get this kind of information once in order to try to figure out how to get started, but it's all about how you're using the torch, what you're making, are you on a foot pedal? It all makes such a difference. When I'm blowing hummingbird feeders I go through crazy amounts of O2, but when I'm doing pendants It's an order of magnitude less. If you can get T (334) tanks, it's more cost effective. You get about 1/2 again as much for only a few dollars more, but you pay for it with the weight to have to move around.

I'll be running a mid-range doing small to medium boro work. I'm going to be moving from my teacher's personal studio into my own (I'm working on building the space now - should be ready by the end of the month). I run off bottled oxy when doing larger work and the generator when doing smaller work at her studio, but have no clue really how much bottled I am going through.

[SteveWright]

I typically used 9-10 cubic feet of oxygen an hour on a Minor. That translates to 250-280 liters of oxygen an hour.

Steve

[Bunyip]

On my minor, I used to get about 9 hours out of a 100(ish) cu-ft tank. A "K" tank (a/k/a 200 or 220 depending on who is talking) should last around 20. According to a very reliable source, a K tank will actually last closer to 22 hours, on a minor burner - and I believe that is working boro so you may get more time.

Bigger torch, less time, for example if I remember correctly, a K tank lasts more like 10 hours on a lynx (assuming you're blasting away at boro like I do, anyhow)

I was wondering: 44 liters is equivalent to about 1.55 cubic feet. I'm guessing it is the physical (uncompressed) volume you're discussing, rather than how much gas it can hold in a compressed state? This really threw me for a loop until I started doing the calcs and figured out that pretty much had to be what you meant...

[metalbone]

Originally Posted by MACE Glass

...It's the 9 X 56 (2nd down on the list) and the
8 1/2x31 (3rd down on the list).

--Mike

imo, the 8.5 x 31 is too small

[MACE Glass]

Originally Posted by metalbone

imo, the 8.5 x 31 is too small

I was thinking of having that as a backup tank in case I was in the middle of a piece. What would you suggest to keep that from happening?

I ask becuase I see "mirage tank and fill system" under your name (I have no clue what that is).

Oxycon's are out of the picture for me since the temperature where they would be located will be often lower than the recomened temp. + I would probably need 2-M15's minimum.

The big tank I will be renting will have 251cf of oxy in it. Should I rent 2?

[SadiesJewels]

I have two 282's ... and make sure I swap them over (bigger torch though and not doing much boro at the moment). Having 2 covers me when one runs out.

[metalbone]

the tank fill system is a compressor and oxygen concentrator system I use to fill two K tanks so that I don't have to lug tanks around or keep visiting the local air gas guy (there are no more independents nearby...). I refill the system when the psi reaches about 500.

If I were going to buy oxy from the welding store, I would have 3 Ks so that I can get 2 refills at a time and spread the gas across 2 tanks rather than just 1.

[MACE Glass]

Originally Posted by metalbone

the tank fill system is a compressor and oxygen concentrator system I use to fill two K tanks so that I don't have to lug tanks around or keep visiting the local air gas guy (there are no more independents nearby...). I refill the system when the psi reaches about 500.

If I were going to buy oxy from the welding store, I would have 3 Ks so that I can get 2 refills at a time and spread the gas across 2 tanks rather than just 1.

By spread them apart are you talking about hooking them up using a Y connector?

Would I put my regulator on after the Y connector? Or would I need 1 on each tank before the Y?

How much does a tank fill system run?

[MACE Glass]

Originally Posted by SadiesJewels

I have two 282's ... and make sure I swap them over (bigger torch though and not doing much boro at the moment). Having 2 covers me when one runs out.

What is your torch of choice?



Also... A little off topic..Great Website! Very nicely laid out!

[MACE Glass]

Originally Posted by Bunyip

On my minor, I used to get about 9 hours out of a 100(ish) cu-ft tank. A "K" tank (a/k/a 200 or 220 depending on who is talking) should last around 20. According to a very reliable source, a K tank will actually last closer to 22 hours, on a minor burner - and I believe that is working boro so you may get more time.

Bigger torch, less time, for example if I remember correctly, a K tank lasts more like 10 hours on a lynx (assuming you're blasting away at boro like I do, anyhow)

I was wondering: 44 liters is equivalent to about 1.55 cubic feet. I'm guessing it is the physical (uncompressed) volume you're discussing, rather than how much gas it can hold in a compressed state? This really threw me for a loop until I started doing the calcs and figured out that pretty much had to be what you meant...

Yea, I'm talking about in the acutal tank . I now know the torch I will be using will use about 15-30 CFH based on how much I crank it.

Blasting boro is fun... until you boil your white again.

[MACE Glass]

Originally Posted by SteveWright

I typically used 9-10 cubic feet of oxygen an hour on a Minor. That translates to 250-280 liters of oxygen an hour.

Steve

How hard are you running the Minor?

[SteveWright]

Originally Posted by MACE Glass

How hard are you running the Minor?

That would be a neutral flame hot enough to melt Effetre.

Steve