I have a Smith accetylene generator. Can not find carbide anymore
around here. Anyone know where one can purchase a container.
I have lots of cutting to do an want to use the old machine.
The plan is to pressure test and replace the seals but waiting to do so
until I can locate the carbide.
These generators can be dangerous. I am 49 and have grown up around
this unit.
If the carbide is not available, I may clean it up and put it in a
museum or sell the generator.

On Mon, 30 May 2005 22:25:26 -0700, claytonjaystory wrote:

I have a Smith accetylene generator. Can not find carbide anymore
around here. Anyone know where one can purchase a container.


Here's a place that sells Miner's Grade Calcium Carbide in 12 pound
lots for $70.00, a large part of that goes toward shipping costs
because of calcium carbide's hazardous material classification
by the DOT.

http://store.karstsports.com/mingradcalca.html

Thanks, I pasted the website to my computer.
Guess the next step will be to do a complete inspection of the unit.
Sure do not want a pinhole and blow myself up.

I would consider using propane for your fuel gas. Acetylene regulators
will screw right on the larger propane tanks. Your welding supply
dealer should be able to fix you up with a propane tip for your torch.
Engineman

wrote:
I have a Smith accetylene generator. Can not find carbide anymore
around here. Anyone know where one can purchase a container.
I have lots of cutting to do an want to use the old machine.
The plan is to pressure test and replace the seals but waiting to do so
until I can locate the carbide.
These generators can be dangerous. I am 49 and have grown up around
this unit.
If the carbide is not available, I may clean it up and put it in a
museum or sell the generator.

You can still pick up small cans of calcium carbide at most camping
supply outfitters (not a sporting goods store in a mall). Many of the
outdoor tradiing posts here in New England still sell it.

Harry C.

wrote:
I have a Smith accetylene generator. Can not find carbide anymore
around here. Anyone know where one can purchase a container.
I have lots of cutting to do an want to use the old machine.
The plan is to pressure test and replace the seals but waiting to do so
until I can locate the carbide.
These generators can be dangerous. I am 49 and have grown up around
this unit.
If the carbide is not available, I may clean it up and put it in a
museum or sell the generator.


Acetylene generators are *cool*. I know where I could get one, if I knew
where to get carbide I'd go for it.

John

I recall using a generator on a farm many years ago. As I recall the
regulation was terrible. Pressure would drop until more Calcium Carbide
was released, then pressure would go way back up. I would vote for
popane.

Paul

wrote:
I have a Smith accetylene generator. Can not find carbide anymore
around here. Anyone know where one can purchase a container.
I have lots of cutting to do an want to use the old machine.
The plan is to pressure test and replace the seals but waiting to do so
until I can locate the carbide.
These generators can be dangerous. I am 49 and have grown up around
this unit.
If the carbide is not available, I may clean it up and put it in a
museum or sell the generator.

I've found some 1 gallon-sized cans at the local army surplus store,
they mostly carry camping gear now. IIRC, the generator carbide is
larger than the lamp-sized stuff. We used to have a welding supply
that made their own acetylene, got their carbide in big drums on
railroad cars, which may be the only way you can get the stuff for
generators these days. Might be easier to go with oxy/propane for
extensive cutting. I've got an old Union Carbide welding manual, it
shows a special injector-type handle for use with low-pressure
acetylene from a generator. Not sure if you have one of those already
or not.

FWIW, there's a couple of old acetylene and welding manuals out on
www.gutenberg.org, for those that want to go looking. Free downloads.
Gives how many cubic feet of acetylene you should get from a pound of
carbide. It isn't as much as you'd think.

Stan

wrote:
I recall using a generator on a farm many years ago. As I recall the
regulation was terrible. Pressure would drop until more Calcium Carbide
was released, then pressure would go way back up. I would vote for
popane.

Paul


As I've said before, LP is an excellent cutting fuel. If the OP is
scrapping it's definitely the way to go.

Are you sure the generator you used was working properly? I'd hate to
try to do anything with a torch when the fuel pressure was constantly
changing.. Did it have a regulator?

John

I have no idea.This was in 1961. I was working for a one eyed grass
seed farmer in the Willamette valley. I had never used a torch before
and didn't again until 2 years ago. I just remember it was a pain in
the butt trying to heat steel rods to burn enlarge holes drilled in 2/4
walls of a seed storage bin.

Paul

wrote:
I have no idea.This was in 1961. I was working for a one eyed grass
seed farmer in the Willamette valley. I had never used a torch before
and didn't again until 2 years ago. I just remember it was a pain in
the butt trying to heat steel rods to burn enlarge holes drilled in 2/4
walls of a seed storage bin.

Paul


Yeah, I'll bet it was. I don't like single stage regulators for the
reason the pressure changes more than two-stage, I can imagine what your
experience was like..

John