O/T Make your own Acetylene

[37 chief]

Back in the 50's my Uncle had what he called a acetylene generator. He said he made his own acetylene gas. As I think back that must have been a very dangerious operation. Has anyone seen one of these, or have one? Even with the price of acetylene being high,I don't believe I would want to attempt it. Stan

 

[Anonymous-0]

They became illegal because of the danger factor. In some of the older books on gas welding and cutting, there are pictures of them. Dave

 

[RAB]

Acetylene lighting sets were in common use on early cars. Very few problems, I think, for those days. Not quite the same scale as cutting steel, though.

Regards,RAB

 

[Robert Huntress]

Check out this e-book. It's old as dirt, but it is good reading. There are three types, that I quess one has to produce themself.

http://books.google.com/books?id=4FgIAAAAIAAJ&dq=acetylene+generators&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=ZIoLGxcJsI&sig=4OSvsaf_hGX4m97Hv6s3EKPOD08
Acetylene Generators

 

[Robert Huntress]

Did it look like this?
Acetylene Generators

 

[poogie]

I learned to weld and cut with one. I recall we were told to evacuate the shop if the gauge reached 15psi. I think I still have a small container of calcium carbide.

 

[Gene Dotson]

This brings back memories of my high school days and chemistry class. I was the lab foreman of our class, so was my job during study hall period to set up all experiments so they were ready for the class.
I would put a couple rocks of calcium carbide in a sink drain. When a student would start to run water in the sink, the gas would start to generate. Of course there was always a bunson burner next to the sink to ignite the gas. Would make a nice little "PFOOOF" that would get everyone's attention. Managed to survive all of these imprompto experiments that probably would be an immediate expulsion today... Gene

 

[Anonymous-0]

In the 40s we had no elect. on the farm so a half smart uncle plumed the house and workshop/garage for gas light. He escaped with minor bruses and cuts workshop blew up then burned up. The carbide contraption (homade) looked somewhat like your picture.

 

[Bus Driver]

Acetylene can spontaneously explode at pressures as low as 30 PSI. Some of the old lighting systems used 32 volt batteries charged with a one cylinder engine and generator. Run the engine two or three times a week during the day, no engine noise at night. The acetylene was fuel for the engine. Calcium carbide was purchased in bags for use in the acetylene generator vessel.

 

[Rauville]

Our little town just spent $500K+ this past summer to clean up the buried biproducts from a municipal acetylene gas plant that had been tore down in 1940.

 

[Nolan]

No big deal. Just a bit of calcium carbide and a bit of water. Use this in spelunking lanterns. Works well, no big deal.

Now if you're going to go compressing acetylene on your own, that gets interesting.

 

[Iowa_tire_guy]

My Dad has one. I remember him using it and it was much cheaper to use. He said the problem he knew of with it was that if it was used in an unheated shop then a thin layer of ice would form on the water over night. If you kicked it on then it would just keep dropping carbide onto the ice until it would melt through but it would then generate too fast and explode. Killed people that way.

 

[Nebraska Cowman]

this from Wickipedia.

When all of the calcium carbide has been reacted, the carbide chamber contains a wet paste of caustic lime (calcium hydroxide). The residue is toxic to animals and should not be deposited in locations where animals may consume it. However, over time the hydroxide will react with atmospheric carbon dioxide to form calcium carbonate, which is non-toxic.

 

[supergrumpy]

flames, danger, explosions

sure sounds tempting and just in time for santa's list

 

[Sam#3]

Once you reminded me about miners lanters I remember what acetylene is. When I was much younger we used the miners lanterns for night hunting. Lots less expensive than flashlight and cells and lighter too.

 

[Bill in Colo]

Ex FIL used to make his own up until the late 70<s.
neighboring ranch had house and out buildings plumbed for carbide lites. the generator was under ground well away from buildings. sytem was abandoned about 1940 as no lived there during the war. They used gas lanterns afterwards until the REA came in 1950.

 

[old]

Easy to make but hard to compress. Back in the day when I would go caving I have 2 or 3 of the head lights that worked in it. Haven't seen the carbide for sale in years so don't even know if you can buy the stuff any more
Hobby farm

 

[Walt Davies]

When i went to high school back in the Olden days the Ag shop had a Carbide acetylene welder. It looked a lot like a big still on a small trailer.
never did get to use it but other's that did liked it and I'm sure if it was still around the PC police would condemn it for sure.

Walt

 

[Mike (WA)]

The neighboring farmer I worked for when I was a kid had one in the back corner of a shed, and they were trying to get it going one day when I went over to work, more to see if they could than anything else, I think. I recall asking for my work assignment immediately, rather than watching the fun, as even at age 14, I had the distinct impression that I wanted to put some distance between myself and that contraption, pronto. It was quite a bit bigger than the one shown below.

 

[Jerry/MT]

The old miners lamps used a piece of carbide and water to generate acetylene. In the old days, acetylene used in shops was generated by the same method but in larger quantities. I doubt doing it you self is cost effective and it"s also dangerous if you have a leak anywhere in the system.

 

[GeneMO]

I have always been interested in carbide lights. I have 4 or 5 that I have fixed up and I mess with them every so often. I have found carbide in antique stores, in old cans, that if sealed still have good carbide in them.

Occasionally you will find carbide in gun or hunting supply stores. I have two or three cans that I picked up about 10 years ago. If kept sealed it is still good.

Fun to play with.


Gene

 

[Anonymous-0]

Used to be my favorite "gopher getter"
Sprinkle a little calcium carbide down a pipe with dirt packed around hole. Add a little water....wait a few minutes and add match....watch for gopher in orbit!!!! OSHA approved of course.
Still got a can of it around here someplace.

 

[noncompos]

All these comments re" acetylene generators and no one remembers using the leftover sludge, mixed with salt (probably regular table salt, but darned if I can remember) and water for paint?? In NM, at least, on plaster or wood, outside or inside, was a blinding white, and long lasting.
Our generator, for welding, didn"t look lihe the one in the pic: ours was about the size of a barrel, round, on the bottom (holding the water) straight side up 2" or so, then tapering to a neck (6-8"?) where the glassed carbide feeder top went on, probably 4" or so total, if I recall correctly.

 

[Robert Huntress]

By the way, if you are just looking for a cheaper gas for cutting only, since you probably do most farm welding electrically, have you considered an oxy/propane rig for cutting?