Oxy/Acetylene to Oxy/Propane

[autumnwillow]

On a 300cf acetylene tank costing 15$ to refill we were able to melt:
500g silver
250g silver
200g silver
200g jewelry bench dust
250g jewelry bench dust
180g fine gold
800g inquarted gold
800g inquarted gold
40g silver

After all this melting we are down to 50cf.

I preheat most of them with a propane torch just to save up. Its not an oxy type though. And I haven't refilled its tank for 3 months already.

I was thinking of switching to oxy/propane to save up. I know I can use the acetylene regulator, change the hose specifically for propane. What about the tips/mixers/etc?

 

[butcher]

I have an oxygen/acetylene Victor torch, I got propane cutting tips and a rose bud for mine, you can find the tips very reasonable online. Make sure they fit the type of torch you are using (like Victor brand)...

 

[snoman701]

Are you certain on the regulator? You should double check. I know my victor's work fine, but they list at $400 ea. If all of the wettable parts are stainless, you are fine.

As for the hose, just use it. It will deteriorate a little faster with the LP gas, but you'll have to replace the hose anyway...then when you replace it, get the T rated.

Your cutting tips, yes, you'll need different ones. Check online, you'll likely find them a lot cheaper.

Welding tips will work the same...rosebud, not entirely sure. I've always been able to get a good flame, but it's not easy.

 

[Lou]

rosebuds put out much more heat.


Propane is way more economic to melt with but you can't soot molds like you can with acetylene.

Instead you buy boron nitride mold release and use that.

 

[autumnwillow]

Its a harris acetylene regulator, I believe this should work fine on propane as long as I buy the adapter, the reading of content will not work though.
Would re-using my acetylene hose not go into flames? I read somewhere in a welding forum that using a used a acetylene hose with propane will disintegrate.

As for the soot, I learned from my craftsman that I can use gasoline and a tissue paper. Pour small amount of gasoline in a tissue paper, light it and there goes lots of carbon soot. This way I can totally discard my acetylene tanks.

I bought the propane multi-heat tip and extension for my torch, it can go from 30,000 to 100,000 btu/hr. I think this should suffice.

 

[snoman701]

It depends on the seals in the regulator. If the seals in the regulator are rubber based, then propane can't be used. In Victor's, all wettable parts are stainless.

As for the hoses, yes, they will deteriorate faster, but it won't be an instant thing. My torch hoses are at least ten years old. If they were not rated for propane, I would have expected three or four years. They bulge out...it will become apparent. If you inspect your hoses every once in a while, then just replace when you notice problems, you'll be fine.

 

[autumnwillow]

I got my tip last week, works well. I'm glad I bought it. More BTU/hr, lower temp but lots of heat.
When melting 1kg+ with acetylene it took us a lot of time as the heat were concentrated in a small area whereas with propane almost everything just melts at the same time.

I used an adapter for the acetylene regulator. I've been trying to search on the web on how to convert the content reading and couldn't find one.