# Is Pro Fuel realy a good alternative to Acetylene?



## justinhcase (Jul 8, 2016)

Acetylene is getting quite hard to get in the U.K. if you do not want to pay through the nose.
Apparently you had a large accident state side which is affecting the market.
So they are trying to get us to buy new torch tips and regulators for "Pro Fuel".
No one I know has ever used it.
I only use a very small amount for small welding job's so paying the £200 a year rent form B.O.C. just to borrow a bottle is a bit much.
I can get a new bottle of Acetylene if I drive out to an old farm machinery shop I know ,which is what I am lightly to do. Have to make a day of it on Dartmoor, I love dropping a military surplus of back street engineering shop into a date with out warning. I find It helps manage female expectations.
But the new gas is meant to be much safer ,am I just being set in my ways and just being closed to new gasses.
They will not even say what Pro Gas is .I am worried it will just be that Propylene additive to Propane which will not do.
Propane fine for cutting and melting but I need a good hot flame to get my weld's right.
Any thoughts 
J


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## myfalconry76 (Jul 8, 2016)

justinhcase said:


> Acetylene is getting quite hard to get in the U.K. if you do not want to pay through the nose.
> Apparently you had a large accident state side which is affecting the market.
> So they are trying to get us to buy new torch tips and regulators for "Pro Fuel".
> No one I know has ever used it.
> ...


 I'm building a good water splitter, it is going to cost a little for proper building. But you can cut, weld or melt just about anything with hydrogen and oxygen! 100% enviromentaly friendly and power and water are fairly cheap! And you could still cut that cost with solar power and rain water! :lol:


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## justinhcase (Jul 8, 2016)

I have a small unit for very fine work.the large units are a bit pricey.
And have just about every oxy-acetylene torch possible thanks to a friend.
I know it is old fashioned,but I quite like the finish on some of the older metal work.
And as I can now mix fairly accurate alloys thanks to the tutelage on this site.
I was thinking specialist brazing might go well with the service.
I also like hitting hot metal with a big hammer,
love obsolete and traditional manufacturing methods.


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## rewalston (Jul 8, 2016)

myfalconry76 said:


> justinhcase said:
> 
> 
> > Acetylene is getting quite hard to get in the U.K. if you do not want to pay through the nose.
> ...


I would be interested in building a hydroxy unit myself. I've seen a few plans but they are all a little confusing to me. Care to share yours?
Rusty


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## myfalconry76 (Jul 8, 2016)

rewalston said:


> myfalconry76 said:
> 
> 
> > justinhcase said:
> ...


 Not much to it really a combination of a lot of different designs. Its the basic principles all the way up to storage of gasses. The only difference is it being made with quality high end material. Such as a actual hydrogen gas storage tank designed to hold hydrogen. Electrolysis oxygen line to one compressor into a tank! Hydrogen through another compressor to the hydrogen tank. Hoses and torch nozzle or into the forge.


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## justinhcase (Jul 8, 2016)

No one is trying to split and store outside the renewable energy industry.
It is far too demanding for the average industrial unit.let alone at home.
On demand HO production is workable but still only in it's development stage.


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## myfalconry76 (Jul 8, 2016)

justinhcase said:


> No one is trying to split and store outside the renewable energy industry.
> It is far too demanding for the average industrial unit.let alone at home.
> On demand HO production is workable but still only in it's development stage.


Not true, I know of two body shops and at least 5 private users.


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## justinhcase (Jul 9, 2016)

myfalconry76 said:


> justinhcase said:
> 
> 
> > No one is trying to split and store outside the renewable energy industry.
> ...


Well that is impressive.
Not just one cryogenic plant but two independent unit's that can go down to -218c and the other at -260c.
I would love to do some work on rocket motors if I had that kind of kit.
But my survival rating would probably be brought down to day's if I had access to home made fuel like that. :roll:


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## upcyclist (Jul 12, 2016)

I've considered getting Rio Grande's 'water torch' for use in my studio. It's currently $1525 (US), and great for a basement studio because you're not storing explosive gases under your bedroom. 

Is the system's casting torch (I guess just a different head didn't fix flow volume issues) adequate for a refiner's melting needs? I'm not sure.


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## FrugalRefiner (Jul 12, 2016)

I've used one comparable to the model in the first link. I believe it was from LR, but pretty similar. The "torch tips" are hypodermic needles of different sizes. It's good for small soldering jobs. It gets very hot and you can get in and out quick with a pinpoint flame, but that's about its limit.

The casting torch in your second link requires a different model HO generator with greater capacity. The one in your first link puts out 45 liters/hour. The one required to fuel the casting torch puts out 160 liters/hour and is currently listed at $3,695. I would still think it will be very limited.

I used the one I did because I did some bench work in a mall jewelry store, where compressed gasses weren't permitted for obvious safety reasons. Other than that situation, I'd opt for a gas torch.

Dave


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