[TheForge] Volume of a #4 acetylene cylinder?

[craig.schaefer at verizon.net]

Why aren't folks using propylene for steel welding?   Does it require a new set of tips or can acetylene tips be used in torches?

>From: Keporter at aol.com
>Date: Tue Jul 05 17:01:32 CDT 2005
>To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [TheForge] Volume of a #4 acetylene cylinder?

>Acytelene is sold by the cubic foot. It isn't practical to sell it by the  
>pound or by the gallon, because it must be stored under pressure within acetone, 
> which itself is contained in a special bottle that is filled with a padding  
>material to ensure against shock. The acetylene is stored at about 400 PSI, 
>but  cannot bubble out of the acetone very fast; thus partially full containers 
>are  often sent in to be filled. So, in order to manage the situation, 
>acetylene is  sold by the cubic foot, and how many cubic feet are being compressed 
>into the  bottle is kept track of during filling--anyway, that's the theory :-) 
>Unless you  plan to weigh your bottle before and after every filling, you 
>kind of have  little choice but to trust your dealer; nice huh? Most people, who 
>don't use  their torch for steel welding, are switching to propylene, which is 
>nearly as  hot, and about half the price to run, even with increased oxygen 
>consumption  figured in.
>Mike P.
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