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Re: Oxy Acetylene Torches

To: David Scheidt <dmschei@attglobal.net>
Subject: Re: Oxy Acetylene Torches
From: doug shook <dirtbeard@pacbell.net>
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2003 21:53:38 -0700
David,

Thank you for the best post I have seen on this 
topic. As a person who owns tanks, this has been 
extremely informative.

thanks again,

old dirtbeard

los angeles

'72 BSA B50SS
'74 Triumph TR6
'01 HD  XL883
'03 GMC Cargo Van

> 
>> I agree with David.   I had a small set and was always frustrated with
>> the lack of capacity.  The problem with the larger tanks, at least in my
>> area (Wash. D.C.) is that many welding supply shops have strict rules
>> about refills.  In my case, the original supplier went out of business,
>> and when I took the tanks to another place they would not refill them as
>> I hadn't made my original purchase there.  I finally found a shop that
>> would refill them, but it was a hassle.  I also was told to be careful
>> with the dates on the tanks that you own as the tank that's given to you
>> refilled in exchange for yours can have a date that has expired and so
>> you cannot have that tank refilled next time and may be forced to buy a
>> new tank.  Always have the tanks you own refilled, not swapped with
>> others.
>>
>> I'd love to hear more about this date business on the tanks--anyone.
>>
> 
> All DOT-spec tanks are required to be requalified periodically.  (For most 
>bottles, it's a visual inspection and a hydrostatic pressure test, though 
>ultrasonic testing is becoming more common.) How often depends on the tank 
>type, and what's stored in it.  For DOT 3AA bottles (which is what the vast 
>majority of welding O2, Ar, and He cylinders are) it's every five years -- but 
>most welding bottles qualify for a special 10 year interval, if they're 
>removed from a gang, rack or vehicle and are hit with a hammer (really!) 
>before each refilling.  DOT 3 cylinders (acetylene tanks, mostly) are every 
>five years.  The month and year of the last test is stamped on the bottle. For 
>3AA cylinders, there's almost always two additional markings as part of the 
>date stamp.  A + sign, indicating that the bottle can be overfilled by 10% (I
> ve never seen a bottle without one of these); and a five pointed star, which 
>indicates that the bottle gets the 10 year retest interval.
> 
> Tanks past the re-qualification interval can't be refilled or offered for 
>transportation.  If they were filled before the expiration of the interval, 
>they can be offered for transportation.  The rules on tank ownership vary from 
>state to state.  Some states title bottles, and you can't get them refilled 
>without showing the title.  Some states don't.  Around here, most suppliers 
>will take a bottle with anyones ownership ring on it, and give you a filled 
>one with theirs on it.  I don't know if they trade the bottles they get with 
>the suppliers they belong to, or if they just swap the rings.  In some areas, 
>suppliers won't touch a bottle that doesn't have their neck ring on it.
> 
> David

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