Welding Tips and Tricks

I find that I don't fire up the Oxy-Acetylene rig very often now that I have Plasma and TIG. I only use it for cutting thick metals and welding thin metals that will need a lot of forming.

Other than the normal safety start-up and storage procedures, are there things to consider when an Oxy-fuel rig sits idle for months at a time between use? I'm sure hoses need to be inspected. How about the tank, gas, regulator, torch......? The gases can't 'go bad' can they?

I worked at a LWS for a few years, and never heard of gas going bad or stale. Over a long period of time hoses can dry rot; diaphragms in regulators and o-rings in torch valves can dry out and leak. But that's a long time out. Seems like you"re more likely to find you have a slow leak in a cylinder valve, when you go to turn on the gas and there's no pressure in the cylinder.

Thanks Artie for sharing a response from a professional perspective having worked at LWS for a few years. I also think that with the correct storage procedures, you should not face much problems as gas does not “go bad” to my knowledge. Nevertheless, I do think that eventually if left abandoned it will escape and be empty.