Oxyacetylene advice please

[Nemesis]

Right im looking for a full oxy kit for stick welding and cutting. I've done both before, but never bought a kit.

Questions:

1. Is it best to buy or rent bottles? I'll only be using occasionally. Where's best for refills?
2. Is there pro's and con's to buying full size or mini bottles? I'd prefer the mini ones to save on space but can these be refilled readily?
3. Do all the gas regulators have a common thread? Or do I need to buy regulators to suit the bottle?

Thanks in advance

[jamied]

are you using it at home or business unit?

[Nemesis]

are you using it at home or business unit?

Home!

[dave_gsi]

Your regulators are specific to th gas you are using And usually the accetylene reg is Left hand thread also they are dated. You wil need flash back arrestor On your accetyline. The wee sets are great handy because they are light and if you are doin th bigger stuff then you can just swap the nozzles. We have a little at work and to be honest they last a while th wee bottles and we use them often.
As for where to get a set i would try and industrial shop or boc would sell them But i thought you needed a license to get them refilled but not sure on that one.

[jamied]

you will need a license and people like BOC might not deliver to a home address any gas like that (normal co2 ect your fine with) also it might invalidate your home insurance, sounds stupid but my mate lost his house due to hold the tanks in his garage.
Your best off doing that type of work in an industrial unit.
What are you looking to cut and weld?

[Nemesis]

Thanks for the info guys much appreciated, I'll go for a mini kit then I reckon!

Jamie it's mainly for heating up seized bolts, warming up bearings before pressing them out etc... it's just really handy. It's one of the last bits of kit I don't own, and I forever seem to be going down the local kwik fit and asking for them to burn things off for me. All well and good but the amount of "drinks" I'm giving them I might as well buy my own oxy kit lmao

Good call on the insurance side of things though, I'll have to make sure thats covered.

What does the licence entail?

[Frisco]

You can use propane instead of acetylene. Its not quite as good but its much easier to get

[Nemesis]

You can use propane instead of acetylene. Its not quite as good but its much easier to get

Acetylene burns nearly twice as hot though, so I'd sooner have that if im honest.

Plus I can rob banks then lmao

[dave_gsi]

Yeh the accetylene is better. Was talkin to a couple of boys today at work they said th same thing bout th insurance on your house and also you have to pay a contract yearly plus pay for refills from boc.

[Frisco]

Yeah acetylene is better but propane is fine for heating up bolts and bearings etc and over here bottles can be bought in most local shops and petrol stations.

Bottle rental with boc is pretty much the same for the big and small bottles so you'd be better off with a bigger one

[Nemesis]

Thanks Frisco but I've got propane already, been using it for years and it struggles to get big bits of metal cherry red. I'd just sooner have the flexibility of acetylene as I can weld with it as well.

[Frisco]

Are you using it with oxygen?

[Nemesis]

Are you using it with oxygen?

Yes mate