Welding/brazing

[Mycologist]

My first post is a question - HELP!!!
I was given a fairly old Prestolight acetylene system (Torch, hose and bottle). The bottle is different in that the valve at the top is off centre and the pressure gauge is in the bottom of the bottle. It is painted a color that I would describe as WW2 army green and is in good shape (no rust). What do I have and how do I get the bottle refilled?

[Hillbillysmith]

First off, I would like to be the first one to say; welcome to the site! If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. Everyone here will be more than willing to share their knowledge with youy and everyone else.

The way you describe the bottle, I'm not sure if you can get the bottle refilled. If it's a REALLY old bottle I, personally, would keep it and keep it separate because of the classic or historical nature of the bottle. But that's my opinion. I'm not sure where you can go to have them REFILLED, because around here where I live, you have to take them in to th local welding supply and get them EXCHANGED. The supplier sends the bottles back to the manufacturer to have them tested and then refilled.

P.S;
I said that I would keep it just because I love "antique" tools and things of that sort from WW2 era. It's my opinion and my opinion ONLY and that's that. There is nothing wrong with exchanging it or getting it refilled.




-Hillbilly

[ThomasPowers]

I'd take it right over there and ask *them* if it's refillable; they have always been a good resource and I'm sure you must live in the exact same location as I do.

If you are in the USA I would take it to a place that does the actually refilling and have them vet it. If you are in Australia, South Africa, the UK, etc; I don't know how they handle this sort of thing over there.

It may have been used for a motorcycle or bus headlights and predate WWII by a long while.

I have seen O2 tanks that were originally german U-boat tanks and had be re-stamped after the war and were still in use as welding tanks.

[Mycologist]

I am in Northern British Columbia- (54 degrees N) and the nearest refilling depot is at least 200 miles if not 650 miles away. It sounds as if I should buy another tank rather than risk losing a collectable!!! Thanks for the info - I will keep checking for more ideas.

[irnsrgn]

no one told you what you have! Its commonly called a prestolite torch, used by plumbers for soldering copper pipe, just acetylene and air, not hot enough to braze or weld anything.

you can actually braze using bronze rod and flux with a Mapp Gas torch like that. I keep one in my basement wood shop along with some fire bricks for the occasionally braze job.

[welder19]

Welcome!
I never recomend people own ther own tanks, renting them is much better, since they have to be recertifyed every so often, when you rent them all you have to do is go drop off your empty and pick up a full one.
I have 3 bottles, oxy, acet, and argon and I only pay $36 every 3 months and then just pay for the gas when I exxhange them.

welder19

[irnsrgn]

I beg to differ on renting, renting is the most expensive, every 5 months you actually pay the cost of purchasing one of the bottles. And everytime you exchange one of your owner bottles, you get one back that has been retested. In 15 months you could have owned 1 of your 3 bottles and just have to pay for refilling. I personally own 7 Oxy, 4 Acet, 2 argon and 2 CO2. When a bottle gets empty I just put on one of my full ones, no running down to the supplier which is 100 miles away to get a refill, they came every 2 weeks with a route truck.

In 3.75 years you could own all 3, so all the rent after that is just wasted money.

[welder19]

$60 dollars per bottle?
What size bottles do you use? unless their small I have never seen cylinders for $60.
If you use that many then most places won't charge any rental fees, just pay for the gas and delivery.

welder19

[Doug C]

The math works out to $60 / bottle assuming 15 months. I don't weld so I don't know if that is reasonable or not. Irnsrgn, do you have your bottles retested every so often or do they just give you another retested bottle? Just curious, trying to understand the economics. I was thinking of taking a welding course this fall at the local tech school. Might have to buy or rent tanks after that.

[irnsrgn]

My math may be a little off, and I misread the post about every 3 months, but still renting is expensive and you don't really have a bottle just the use of it temporarily.

When you own your own bottles, unless they are some really offbrand, they just exchange with you, just the same as rented bottles are exchanged.

You have to be careful when buying your own bottles tho, a lot of the companies do not sell bottles outright, but instead you buy a lease for a given amount of years and then have to renew the lease after that time period, and the lease amount is about the same as an outright purchase.

If you decide to purchase your bottles outright make sure you get a deed for them.

I have repossessed several rented/leased bottle sets in the past for my supplier, when they came up on an auction.

I hope this helps.