Wonderful. Time to make my own oxygen...

**gn0me** · 05-24-2011, 05:59 PM

Here are some pics - sorry I don't have time to do a full writeup now

Not at all sure how a Cheetah is draining a 50 gal from 65 to 20 in 20 minutes unless the compressor is only compressing like 5 lpm O_o

**BrassMonkey** · 05-24-2011, 06:13 PM

compresses 15lpm. will have to actually time it next time. definitely under an hour.

**gn0me** · 05-24-2011, 06:50 PM

I will add that my type of system wouldn't handle the CC+ running full bore for the majority of the time - like if you were working on a lathe or something. Laying lines or doing welds or other things with the center or the small torch, or taking a safety break allows the system to recharge, so I find I'm rarely in want of more oxy... I can still get a lot of glass melted when I need to, but maybe I'm not working large enough ^_^

**drew1492** · 05-24-2011, 07:12 PM

Yea if I cant answer your homefill question I am sure that metalbone can hook you up with any info that you would need. And just an FYI on the homefill machines I just found out you need to keep them between 15 and 95F I guess there is a little glass piece inside that can crack and jack up the machine. but luckily probably all of us could find a piece of replacement glass laying around. My garage never gets close to thoes ranges anyway.

Honestly I would go with a homefill and a larger invacare 10 or 15 lpm unit so you can use it for your center fire with the oxy con while you are still filling the tank that you can use at the same time for your outerfire when you need it and have all the pressure you need. I have not bought a tank in 3 months and it has cut my cost in half almost. I pay about the same if not more for propane as I do OXY

**Swampy** · 05-24-2011, 09:15 PM

Can someone put a set up in the Wiki please.

There's so many threads I get lost in trying to understand what's required and why, suggested kit list, &c.

**minerdude** · 05-24-2011, 10:20 PM

I know I'm new around here but here is my two cents:

#1 Figure out how many liters of oxy you use, on average, per day.

#2 Plan your system around your needs and how much you're willing to spend. Ie, can you deal with having one or multiple homefill systems running AT LEAST 12 hours per day and the cost involved? Homefills are great and take up very little space, but how many hours per day will you have to run them figuring a constant 2lpm?
Low pressure systems are a totally different animal. They take up more space, use way more parts, use a good amount of electricity ( when they're on that is ), but would be cheaper if you have the space. AND they only need to be on when you're in the shop. The psi you prefer to run on your torch is also a factor. Like to run it at 15psi or so? Then 3 to 6 m15's and a holding tank might be your answer. Over 15psi? Plumb a Gast or other quality oilless compressor in between the oxy cons and your holding tank. The only hard part with this is matching the compressor cfm to the output of the oxy cons. I believe you want the compressor to only draw around 85-90% of the oxy cons potential.

#3 Purity. Want the best purity you can get on a homebuilt system? Get a homefill. They run around 95% purity. Don't mind so much? Do the low pressure and pump out 88-92%

#4 Time you're willing to spend. Want it done fast? Homefill!!!!!!!! Don't mind scrubbing tons of parts with acetone and alcohol and making a project for youself? You get the idea.

#5 Educate yourself on this subject with some of the excellent threads on this site

I hope this helps steer you in some sort of direction man.

BTW, Drew is good people and if you go homefill call Drew.

Good luck!!!!!!

**Mac Maestro** · 05-24-2011, 11:46 PM

Wow. Thanks for the pictures, Gnome. (Can somebody please +rep him for that?) No need for a write up here. If you wanted to do one, that thread Ben posted on page 1 would be a great place to do it. I just re-read it and everything finally *clicked.*

I think I'll need a 2 homefill system and try to find concentrators that put out high purity Oxygen. Maybe two of the platinum 5's I posted earlier would suffice? Those can be linked together? Anyways, I know what to look for now. I gained enough knowledge today to be able to shop smart. Thanks for that.

I realized that tomorrow I have to go get K tanks myself. Not that I'm too good for that, but I may just have flashbacks to 1996.

**hwcglass** · 05-25-2011, 02:21 AM

Honestly I haven't read this whole thread but . . .

I would suggest buying your own truck with lift gate.

Even if you don't immediately think it a good idea at least do the math as a comparative.

Advantages to this move are:
* potentially lower capital investment vs. PSA system
* equipment purchased (truck and lift gate) are easily serviceable locally and possibly by you.
* equipment purchased uses no technology you are not already familiar with; you know, it's a truck.
* equipment purchased will have exponentially lower run time and so exponentially lower operating and maintenance costs than o2 systems; truck runs for a delivery, o2 system runs every minute you work.
* you maintain a known relationship with known company - your o2 joint - rather than starting a new relationship with a new company - o2 system manufacturer.
* equipment purchased can be sold in any paper at any time; it's a truck not some custom o2 system.
* it's nice to have a truck around and dude, lift gate = friends. seriously. cowboy hat, gun rack. couple a Palin stickers, right as rain brother.
* yes, you have to have room to park it but you have to have room for an o2 system too. and the system must go inside where space is limited.
* yes, you have to insure a truck, change the oil, buy gas, but o2 systems burn electric not much but neither is a trip to the o2 joint. 02 systems have filters that need replacing, no better than a truck.

. . . shit. what a douche; don't read the post and then write all this crap. oh well. 2 cents. you're a pro, you'll make it work what ever happens.

**Midnight Glassworx** · 05-25-2011, 08:10 AM

Hey Maetro, I run a carlise cc on a Psyclone w/ booster from Jack at Unlimited Oxygen and it works great over the weekend I'll post some pic's

Mark

**Mac Maestro** · 05-25-2011, 09:25 AM

Interesting. There might be a Deisel F250 or sale with a lift gate for cheap. Good idea, I forgot about that. One of the reasons I'm so quick to make my own oxy is I HATE HATE HATE the douches at the oxy company. They are forever giving me leaking tanks, f'ing up deliveries, making me pay for a weeks worth of K tanks because THEY screwed up the liquid. But with a truck I could switch companies...

Originally Posted by hwcglass

* it's nice to have a truck around and dude, lift gate = friends. seriously. cowboy hat, gun rack. couple a Palin stickers, right as rain brother.

This made my day. haha. I would fit right in with all the country boyz around here. That is the opposite of what I want to do, but I'm going to be driving around today giggling at that. Seriously hilarious, Harold.

I think one of the main reasons making my own oxy sounds good is not having to depend on anyone else. I'm big on that. Plus if worst case scenario hits America I will still be able to weld and fill tanks for people that need to weld up a Mad Max car...

**wfsupply** · 05-25-2011, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by Maestro

I think one of the main reasons making my own oxy sounds good is not having to depend on anyone else. I'm big on that. Plus if worst case scenario hits America I will still be able to weld and fill tanks for people that need to weld up a Mad Max car...

I am a hobby glass blower. A 160 tank will last me about 6 hours of use on the Mirage. For me to work 6 hours means I really worked 12 hours and just did nothing for half of the time except listen to music surf the web and smoke.

Because of my lower-ish requirements, I think the Homefill is just right.

1 (cu foot) = 28.3168466 litre.

160 cuft tank = 4480 litres

Homefill II fills 3-5 LPM

Which means that my tank should be filled by the homefill in around 14-18 hours or so, which does seem to be about the norm from the other threads posters.....

Since I dont use more than one tank a day, it works for me.

It wasnt as much as the tank fill prices, as with you, the oxy store guys are not customer service friendly and the cost to drive there back and forth or for delivery made it too expensive.

**gn0me** · 05-25-2011, 09:55 AM

Also meriting consideration is the massive amount of time and labor you save by not having to haul tanks around and drive all over the place.

When I want to blow glass, I flip two concentrators on, flip the compressor on, open a ball valve, open the reg, and I'm good for as long as I want. To hell with moving tanks around, and the same for driving them some place to get raped on oxygen charges by some unfriendly staff that could give a shit less whether I buy from them or someone else. I'll drive a coupe and save my back. Rebuilding these things is not hard, either.

In my setup you'll also notice there's no pressure switch or anything.... I was going to install one, but upon reflection believe it's unnecessary. Everything is rated for continuous use, so I just have it all on all the time. When the tank's full, excess oxy is released from the micrometer style pressure valve on the left side of the compressor. That way it's recharging from any pressure below 100psi, instead of flipping on once it hits 80psi or whatever. The whole system has already paid for itself in oxy costs alone.

**minerdude** · 05-25-2011, 11:20 AM

Gnome, I couldn't of said it better myself. Either way you're going to to pay for oxy. Now do you feel like moving tanks, wasting gas transporting them, and letting the oxy guys bend you over whenever they feel a rate increase is in order?
Or do you feel like pushing a few buttons and turning a valve or two and NEVER worring about bottled oxy price increases OR ahole suppliers. If you can get liquid DELIVERED for cheap that's great, if not I think this is a no brainer.

**petto** · 05-25-2011, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by azsoulsearcher

Hey Maetro, I run a carlise cc on a Psyclone w/ booster from Jack at Unlimited Oxygen and it works great over the weekend I'll post some pic's

Mark

How long can you "full bore" the CC on that system? I ask 'cause I run a Mirage and need to be able to open it up for 30-45 min at a time with no break (for flat cane or tube pull). Could it do that? Pics please and how much did you pay for it?

**petto** · 05-25-2011, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by gn0me

Also meriting consideration is the massive amount of time and labor you save by not having to haul tanks around and drive all over the place.

When I want to blow glass, I flip two concentrators on, flip the compressor on, open a ball valve, open the reg, and I'm good for as long as I want. To hell with moving tanks around, and the same for driving them some place to get raped on oxygen charges by some unfriendly staff that could give a shit less whether I buy from them or someone else. I'll drive a coupe and save my back. Rebuilding these things is not hard, either.

In my setup you'll also notice there's no pressure switch or anything.... I was going to install one, but upon reflection believe it's unnecessary. Everything is rated for continuous use, so I just have it all on all the time. When the tank's full, excess oxy is released from the micrometer style pressure valve on the left side of the compressor. That way it's recharging from any pressure below 100psi, instead of flipping on once it hits 80psi or whatever. The whole system has already paid for itself in oxy costs alone.

What was the cost of your system and could you provide specs on parts etc.. ? Also what size compressor is that? Thanks man, sounds like a killer system. Alos what torch do you run and how long can you "full bore" it?

**Mac Maestro** · 05-25-2011, 03:45 PM

I found a Chevy box truck with a hydraulic lift gate for $3000. Plenty of headroom for a cowboy hat, big space for Palin stickers... lol

The truck is a great idea but I have to go with being Oxygen Independent on this one. No more oxy bills/companies/drivers. After 15 years of this - Good riddance.

I went with a Homefill II unit with the adapter whip from Drew. Now I just need to buy an oxy con and an extra tank or two and I should be good for now. Eventually I'm sure I'll be running 2 Homefills...

For those who are interested: I'll be sure to take pics of the setup, review the unit, and give a review of Drew's services once our business is complete. (because he'll probably have more for sale in the future) So far so good. Thanks Drew!

**wfsupply** · 05-25-2011, 06:14 PM

Sounds like he'll be shipping both our systems at the same time I bet! It'll be good to compare notes.....

**BigTeasel** · 05-25-2011, 10:00 PM

this is great and all, but what i'm looking for is a propane generator.....

**gn0me** · 05-25-2011, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by BigTeasel

this is great and all, but what i'm looking for is a propane generator.....

The next best thing...

**gn0me** · 05-25-2011, 11:35 PM

I'm running a CC+ with the above setup, using a ghetto footpedal (gn0melever!). A ghetto Minor handtorch and also a Meco Midget are plumbed in and can run indefinitely on their own.

Next time I'm in the shop I'll turn the CC+ on to a reasonable flame (oxidizing 1cm candles), turn the propane off, and see how long it takes me to drain the tank from 100 psi to 30, which is when I'd start seeing variation in the flame... I might just post a full writeup then as well, as I'm finding it a more than capable system