How to blow up your garage in two easy steps!

First, buy 100 year old torch from a flea market.



Then, while using it, have it backfire and light the oxygen hose on fire, causing it to explode!



Yeah, that was my night. Luckily I turned all the valves off, including the tank valves, before I leveled the entire barn.

 

wow......

 

I lit the torch normally, when I tried to feather in the 02, nothing happened, so I turned everything off because something didn't seem right. I felt the 02 hose for some reason, and it was HOT. I verified everything was turned off fully, and I squeezed the trigger on the torch to release the pressure. The hose made a "pop" with about the force of a small fire cracker. I think I'm done with ol'timey torch.

 

And then you changed your shorts...............

 

I would take them to a shop and have them gone through, both the torch and the regulators. There's nothing wrong with old tools, but if you don't know how they were maintained, spend a couple bucks and don't risk it.

BUT, if you're really not going to use them, send me a PM and I'll take 'em off your hands.

 

I bought new regulators because the one wouldn't even thread onto a modern tank, and the other one leaked. So the only "old" part of the setup was the torch. It doesn't have check valves on it, which will be remedied tomorrow, along with buying a new hose.

 

Do you have 911 on speed dial?
Seriously, when you're working alone in the garage it's the prudent thing to do!

 

Geez no back valves ....oh we missed that lesson........wow

 

Ha, not sure having anyone else there would have been much help other than to yet "DUCK!"

 

Glad you're ok. Good thing it wasnt the acetelyne hose. Use blowback arrestors.

 

That reminds me that I need to get new hoses for my gas torches. Mine are brittle and cracked.

 

^x2!

 

fun

 

Anti-Flashback Valves.
Cheap insurance.




The ass you save might be your own.

 

safety wake up calls suck....they suck less when you live to tell someone else

 

I was just going to mention those/\

 

I have heard of people getting killed dead using ox/ac.




Ago

 

Or you could just rebuild the torch it isn't expensive to do and it works wonders.

I have a 60 year old victor that I got from a retired wrecking yard owner. Having delt with these torches since they were new I know that they requirre maintenance and I wouldn't dream of trying to use this one without a rebuild. The most common problem is that they backfire into the mixing valve ( handle) and you loose the skin on the palm of your hand (and perhaps a finger or two).

 

It's cheaper learning from somebody else, but I almost feel many of these posts here on the HAMB (hey 'look at my stiches', or 'look what blew up') are more the sort of bragging post.

 

I think you are correct but I will never understand it. I try to never let anyone know when I screw up. As a matter of fact I doubt I ever have screwed up.

Something that was drilled into me from as far back as I can remember, never cut corners on tools or your ride.

Oh yea and don't leave the chuck in the lathe.

 

wall ornaments

 

I remember a while ago I was cutting on something in the shop, then all of a sudden the dark shop I was in lit up and I could see my shadow on the wall infront of me. I had a pins and needle feeling crawling up my spine. I turned around to see that the acetelyne tank had ignited!!! The tank had a leak around the valve and there literally was a ring of fire shooting about 3 feet high. I threw my welding jacket on top the tank and booked. Suprisingly the jacket smothered the fire.

 

True.

 

The chuck less likely to hurt anyone.
The chuck key can easily turn into a projectile.

Same thing on a drill press.

 

I'll have check to see if I has these on my lines. If not, I'd better buy some.

 

or the key in the drill press chuck!

 

When I was way younger...I was using a torch setup and the acetelyne hose came off. When it came off it caught fire and started whipping around like a water hose, but with fire. Home by myself, actually a buddys house, it came across my head and hair. Well i use to have a full head of hair then, long and curly but after that I looked like a Chia pet. it started several little fires in the few seconds that it was flaming but I was lucky it didn't burn his house down, or put me in hospital. Man I can still smell the burnt hair...

 

Glad you're ok, Moloko! You too, Chia...I mean voodoo1!

I'm grateful for guys that'll admit to blowin' up their garage and cuttin' their heads off and stuff...even if it's "braggin". It gives the rest of us an idea of what can happen...and maybe how to avoid the same fate.

I learned something here. Anti flashback valves...got it.

 

I have a small 70 year old one car wood garage and my cut table is outside several feet from the garage just because that garage would go up in about two minutes if it ever caught fire.

 

Did that before, cept mine is tethered to the side of the press so I dont lose it. That was interesting.