45 lpm to run a red max!?

[doosight]

So I have been doing a lot of research trying to decide how to escape the aggrivating process of getting oxy to my red max. It costs 30 bucks to fill a q tank (80 cubic feet I believe) me and it's the only size I can transport right now. My money does not go very far with oxygen.

I thought I had found the perfect oxycon with the 20 lpm 20 psi unit on abr but then I found this page: http://artistryinglass.on.ca/charts/oxygenrequirementsfortorches.html

Wow are you kidding me!? A redmax taxes more oxy than a delta mag? I just can't believe those numbers. I thought the 20 lpm concentrator would at least be able to run the torch at 80% not less than 50. Now I'm starting to wonder if what I need is a different torch...

I know someone ran a red max on 3 ex-15s with less than awsome results but please tell me it won't take 2 1500 dollar concentrators to run my torch at 90%. :bummed:

[istandalone24/7]

the redmax is one of the most inefficient torches out there imo....and you really have to put the oxy to it in order to maintain an oxidizing flame. one 20lpm machine might suffice with a holding tank, but it will be a very reducing flame.

check out youtube....there's a video of a guy running a redmax off of 3 ex15's and it does pretty well. you'll need a couple oxycons in order to run that redmax at any decent capacity. do you have the premix or minor topfire? if you use oxycons with a holding tank, if the holding tank runs dry switch to the topfire until your reserve builds back up.

but don't put too much credence in that chart...it says the phantom runs at 17lpm.....ime it consumes more then that.

also, 80cf tanks are pretty much a waste of time in regards to glassblowing...not enough oxy to even both with you'd be switching out tanks every 2 hours. a K tank (250cf or thereabouts) is only about 130lbs (that is a guess based on i can carry a k tank up and down a flight of stairs- when i fill it via homefill) and is a decent amount of oxy.

[istandalone24/7]

look into a homefill.

[doosight]

I was thinking about the homefill option but it honestly scares me a bit. Transporting a tank at 2000 or so psi In my car is sketchy enough I don't feel safe filling them myself.

The 80 cubic foot tanks are horrible. They barely last 3 hours but they are the only ones I can transport right now. I was just hoping those numbers would be with the top and bottom torch open to all the way at the same time or something.

I think I read on here that the guy that ran those ex 15s found out later when he switched to a mirage and tanked oxy that the red max on tanked made him wonder if he even needed the mirage.

I have the pre-mix top btw.

[istandalone24/7]

dude....a tank of compressed oxygen is only as dangerous as the person who is moving it/using it. be smart about it, no smoking in the car with it. no grease anywhere near it or it's fittings.

if an 85 year old lady w/lung cancer can safely run a homefill, you can too. yes, bigger tank then the portable ones they're designed for, but it works good. just be careful and you will be fine.

[JBob]

I was thinking about the homefill option but it honestly scares me a bit. Transporting a tank at 2000 or so psi In my car is sketchy enough I don't feel safe filling them myself.

The 80 cubic foot tanks are horrible. They barely last 3 hours but they are the only ones I can transport right now. I was just hoping those numbers would be with the top and bottom torch open to all the way at the same time or something.

I think I read on here that the guy that ran those ex 15s found out later when he switched to a mirage and tanked oxy that the red max on tanked made him wonder if he even needed the mirage.

I have the pre-mix top btw.

I pick up multiple oxy and 100lbs propane tanks at a time in a 1997 subcompact then kick them accross my snowy frozen lawn, trust me you will be fine.

[jr23]

If you use oxycon without holding tank they suck.

If you use q tanks you will never make a dime paying for it like that.

K tanks will fit in a car, don't it plenty of times.

Learn to leverage get a dolly and do some push ups

[doosight]

Thanks for the advice guys. If I was willing to drop 1500 on a concentrator it stands to reason that I should go with a homefill. That way I don't have the hassle and cost of transporting and paying for tanked oxy.

[Greymatter Glass]

If you're willing to drop $1500 on a concentrator, get a mirage.....

Also, you can pick up useable used concentrators for under $200 with not too much work.... yeah they might have 8-10k hours run time on them, but if they've been maintained they should be good for 2-3x that.

[dplaza]

if something happened to the compressed tank in your car its gonna be bad regardless of the tank size. i load my T tank into my 93 civic hatchback. just drive safe, by getting a larger tank you will spend less time with it in your car because it wont be empty every couple hours. so its safer in that respect.

[LarryC]

As long as the safety cap is screwed on it is probably the safest part of the car.

[TlkQ]

Why can't you transport bigger than an 80 cf tank? I used to toss 4 275cf's in the trunk of a chevy aveo. We had to drop one at the bottom of the mountain and come back for it because it wouldn't make it up with all 4 in the trunk lol

[abysm]

If you go with oxycons or homefill you need a better torch. Straight oxycons get a bravo or sidewinder if compressing to 100 psi get phantom or mirage. Im not a fan of homefill its going to break and has to be running 24/7 your elect bill will be much higher than with oxycons alone. You never need more than 100 psi in this hobby anything more is a waste of energy and extra danger

[doosight]

A mirage would be fantastic. So would a lathe and a giant walk-in kiln.

Not to be an ass but I'm spending this money to save myself time and expense, not upgrade things I already have.

Anyway I went ahead and got a homefill that I'm going to fill a decent sized tank (no less than 250 cuft) with. Thanks for the advice everyone. The next time I have a chunk of change to spend on glass equipment I'll look into a new torch.

[greengenez]

I'm also new to glass, and I got the Redmax major/minor.
These torches eat oxy like mad, then add my learning curve onto how long it takes me to do, what a lot make look simple, and I end up in a pinch for oxygen. Lol

I'm looking into homefill also.

Good luck man.

[menty666]

Hate to break it to you, but glassblowing isn't a low cost pursuit regardless.

[greengenez]

Nothing is man, (nothing is). Lol

[kbinkster]

You can run a Red Max on two 10 LPM machines (they don't have to be the $1500 ones), but would probably like it better on three if you're pushing the RedMax to the top end. But, as someone who sells concentrators, I would suggest trying a different torch (one designed to make the most use of low flow, not just low pressure) and seeing how it does with fewer machines or a Homefill. If you are on a burner that goes through a lot of oxygen and you go through your tank, you're out of oxygen and you have to wait to fill it up. So, a burner that is more efficient would be a good choice with a Homefill, as well.

The cost of a Scorpion, for example, plus the cost of two $800 10 LPM machines is lower than the cost of three $800 10 LPM machines, and that's before you factor in what you would get from selling your Red Max.


ETA: Just saw you got a Homefill. Have fun!

[MrNiceGuy]

I saved some big bucks on OXY by switching the tip on the rider of my redmax. I rarely use the large torch any more as the minor will produce a large enough flame to do most of my work.

[abysm]

Your not saving time or expense running a red max unless you rent bench space that includes unlimited lox

[doosight]

Wow the red max really doesn't get any love these days.

It may not be an efficient torch but paying 3 dollars a fill on a tank 3x the size of what I was working with before will help take the sting out.

Mrniceguy: what tip did you switch to and how hard is it on colors?