To be a great welder, the individual needs both skills, experience, and great equipment. We can provide useful hints and tips to help you with your welding on our blog, but we are most experienced when it comes to helping you understand the importance of the welding equipment and tools that we stock instore.
Here’s our guide to our welding accessories and how they can benefit you.
Welding Pliers
Welding pliers have a number of uses and are a must-have for any professional welder. If you need to adjust your welding nozzle while it’s hot, you’ll want to be using these welding pliers. Proper welding pliers are also simultaneously wire cutters – offering you two tools in one! Welding pliers can also be used to remove spatter from the inside of the nozzle, so you really shouldn’t have to go without this useful tool in the workplace.
Welding Chemicals
If you regularly struggle with splatter during your welding attempts, then you might be having an issue with setting the pressure of shielding gas correctly for the type of gas and environment that you’re in. It’s important to learn to regulate your shield gas properly, but you can also use welding chemicals to prevent against splatter. We offer a choice of anti-splatter spray or paste. Many welders use a form of anti-spatter chemicals on their workpieces, but they’re also incredibly important for your welding torches, too. Don’t let spatter build up in your welding nozzle, pre-empt it by using anti-spatter spray on your torch and weld with better results.
Welding Regulator
Our MIG Welding Regulator is used to moderate the flow of your shielding gas. We supply MIG welding gas and TIG welding gas for your welding torches, but without a fully functioning welding regulator, your weld might not come out the way you want it to and you may even be putting yourself in danger.
You need a regulator that can give you the appropriate amount of pressure for the gas you’re using and your workpiece. For example, Acetylene can be explosive if it’s compressed too much, therefore you’re going to need a regulator that allows a fairly loose flow of gas, that still allows you to have some control over the amount of shielding gas for use on different materials.
Welding Fume Extraction Equipment
For any welder worrying about breathing any noxious fumes from welding, we recommend our Parweld Safety Helmets, which purify the air as well as providing protection for the wearer’s eyesight. It is battery powered so you won’t have to worry about tripping over wires while you weld, and the filter is easily replaceable, ensuring that your purchase of this helmet is a secure and long-term investment.
Safety should always be at the forefront of any business, especially in high-risk situations. For other helmets and general safety equipment – such as clothes, gloves and googles – check out our welding safety equipment page.
Gas Trolly
You don’t want to ruin a day of work by putting your back out in the morning, trying to carry a canister of gas to your workstation. Don’t risk your work, use our gas cylinder handling equipment instead. We offer small and large sizes to accommodate your business’ needs.
Toolbox
Organisation of all your different pieces of equipment can be just as important as owning the tools in the first place. After all, there’s little point in owning the tools if you can’t keep track of them or find them when you need them! We sell Weldability Toolbox Cases to help you keep everything together and safe from weathering.
Ready to Go Welding Sets
Alternatively, if you’re tired of sifting through pages of products, you might be interested in one of these sets. They offer all the basic equipment that you might need, and we have two types at present:
There are multiple choices depending on your gas-mix of choice, and depending on how your workshop is already stocked, some options may be more useful to you than others. These sets are here to make your life easier when trying to choose the optimal accessories for your welding needs and are especially useful for start-ups and hobbyists.
We supply a range of welding gases and accessories that will help you to achieve your best welds. Whether you’re welding for a client or for a hobby, we’re here to support you. We offer gas bottle delivery, as well as refills and safe gas canister disposal.
How to Choose Your Welding Accessories
To be a great welder, the individual needs both skills, experience, and great equipment. We can provide useful hints and tips to help you with your welding on our blog, but we are most experienced when it comes to helping you understand the importance of the welding equipment and tools that we stock instore.
Here’s our guide to our welding accessories and how they can benefit you.
Welding Pliers
Welding pliers have a number of uses and are a must-have for any professional welder. If you need to adjust your welding nozzle while it’s hot, you’ll want to be using these welding pliers. Proper welding pliers are also simultaneously wire cutters – offering you two tools in one! Welding pliers can also be used to remove spatter from the inside of the nozzle, so you really shouldn’t have to go without this useful tool in the workplace.
Welding Chemicals
If you regularly struggle with splatter during your welding attempts, then you might be having an issue with setting the pressure of shielding gas correctly for the type of gas and environment that you’re in. It’s important to learn to regulate your shield gas properly, but you can also use welding chemicals to prevent against splatter. We offer a choice of anti-splatter spray or paste. Many welders use a form of anti-spatter chemicals on their workpieces, but they’re also incredibly important for your welding torches, too. Don’t let spatter build up in your welding nozzle, pre-empt it by using anti-spatter spray on your torch and weld with better results.
Welding Regulator
Our MIG Welding Regulator is used to moderate the flow of your shielding gas. We supply MIG welding gas and TIG welding gas for your welding torches, but without a fully functioning welding regulator, your weld might not come out the way you want it to and you may even be putting yourself in danger.
You need a regulator that can give you the appropriate amount of pressure for the gas you’re using and your workpiece. For example, Acetylene can be explosive if it’s compressed too much, therefore you’re going to need a regulator that allows a fairly loose flow of gas, that still allows you to have some control over the amount of shielding gas for use on different materials.
Welding Fume Extraction Equipment
For any welder worrying about breathing any noxious fumes from welding, we recommend our Parweld Safety Helmets, which purify the air as well as providing protection for the wearer’s eyesight. It is battery powered so you won’t have to worry about tripping over wires while you weld, and the filter is easily replaceable, ensuring that your purchase of this helmet is a secure and long-term investment.
Safety should always be at the forefront of any business, especially in high-risk situations. For other helmets and general safety equipment – such as clothes, gloves and googles – check out our welding safety equipment page.
Gas Trolly
You don’t want to ruin a day of work by putting your back out in the morning, trying to carry a canister of gas to your workstation. Don’t risk your work, use our gas cylinder handling equipment instead. We offer small and large sizes to accommodate your business’ needs.
Toolbox
Organisation of all your different pieces of equipment can be just as important as owning the tools in the first place. After all, there’s little point in owning the tools if you can’t keep track of them or find them when you need them! We sell Weldability Toolbox Cases to help you keep everything together and safe from weathering.
Ready to Go Welding Sets
Alternatively, if you’re tired of sifting through pages of products, you might be interested in one of these sets. They offer all the basic equipment that you might need, and we have two types at present:
There are multiple choices depending on your gas-mix of choice, and depending on how your workshop is already stocked, some options may be more useful to you than others. These sets are here to make your life easier when trying to choose the optimal accessories for your welding needs and are especially useful for start-ups and hobbyists.
We supply a range of welding gases and accessories that will help you to achieve your best welds. Whether you’re welding for a client or for a hobby, we’re here to support you. We offer gas bottle delivery, as well as refills and safe gas canister disposal.
Safety: How to Store BBQ Gas Bottles Safely
At this time of year, many people are thinking about getting the barbecue out of the garage or shed and setting it up on the few days of sunshine that we may be treated to during the spring and summer months!
So, as people start to bring their barbecue and equipment out of storage, they may be wondering how best to keep their equipment, and more specifically, the gas canisters, safe. This is incredibly important, so we have put together a few hints detailing how and where to store BBQ gas bottles safely and responsibly.
Store Gas Bottles Outdoors
It’s important that any gas cylinders you have are stored outdoors. If you don’t have an outdoor space, then ensure that they are stored in a place that is extremely well ventilated. If you don’t have a space that is suitable, you should think about other options for fuel or storage such as asking a relative or neighbour to store your gas bottles responsibly.
If you fail to store your gas bottles appropriately, then you risk incurring an accident or fatality as a result of a gas leak.
If a gas bottle leaks whilst it is stored outdoors, the gas will easily disperse into the atmosphere. If the bottle is kept indoors with poor ventilation, however, the gas will have nowhere to escape and will fill the room. This can cause suffocation, poisoning, or – in the event of a stray spark or fire – explosions.
Safety for Transporting Gas
If you are going camping and will be taking a gas bottle with you in your car or van, there are some steps that you can take to maximise the safety of you and your travelling companions:
- Keep your bottles upright
- Ensure that they are secure
- Keep the vehicle well ventilated
- A 2kg fire extinguisher is required on all vehicles carrying gas
- Ensure the cylinder valve is closed
- Remove any extraneous equipment attached to the cylinder
- No smoking in the vehicle
- No open sources of ignition near the gas
- Fit a blanking cap to the outlet connection
Camping should be fun – so you shouldn’t have to worry about your gas whilst you drive. Take the proper precautions and drive with confidence. If you are ever concerned about travelling with gas – stop and park if you’re already in the car, turn off the engine and get out – speak to us and we’ll try to answer any immediate worries you have about your current gas storage.
Store Away from Lowered Areas
Propane and butane are heavier than air, so when released, the gas will sink. This can present a serious danger, especially if the gas bottles are kept near a lowered area. When the gas enters this area, the oxygen is displaced, effectively creating a chamber of air that has little to no oxygen. This creates a high possibility of suffocation.
Store Gas Bottles Away from Heat
It should go without saying that gas cannisters should not be stored near a source of heat or ignition. The type of gas used for barbecues is a propellant, and one aspect of propellant is that it is also highly flammable.
The flammable nature of BBQ gas is why it makes such a great tool for outdoor cooking, but owners of BBQs should also keep this quality in mind when they store their bottles. Keep your bottles in a place where they aren’t going to be in contact with a source of heat or ignition.
Store Gas Bottles in an Upright Position
Handling gas bottles with care is essential. You should ensure to always store them in an upright position. One reason for this is the positioning of the pressure relief valve which is there as a safety measure to let a little of the gas out if the pressure inside the bottle reaches a dangerous level. If the bottle is not kept in an upright position, this can affect the way this valve works.
When storing BBQ and patio gas, it is essential that you do so in a safe and responsible way. As bottled gas suppliers, we want to make sure that you stay safe when you are handling gas, whether it is for a barbecue, filling balloons with helium or to keep the beer flowing!
You can find out more about how to handle and store gas safely on our safety and storage page, and make sure to carry on checking our blog for more updates about our products and how to use them safely.
In the meantime, if you have any questions about any of our products, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team who will be more than happy to help.
Pipe Welding FAQ
If you’ve ever wondered how to weld a pipe, this is your ultimate guide and FAQ. Here you can find tips for exhaust pipes, pipeline, and what butt fusion welding really means.
How to: Exhaust Welding
As with any welding, it is paramount that you clean the workpieces before you begin. Neglecting to clean your workpieces can interfere with the quality of the weld, which means that you are risking your weld’s integrity from the beginning.
First, you will need to cut the exhaust pipe where you will be welding it. If you are welding your exhaust pipe because your vehicle has suffered issues with rust, you should grind away the corrosion as part of the cleaning process. Any remaining rust that is present at the end of your weld could spread to the new metal and cause you to have to repeat the job.
You should also grind down the edges where you have cut away the pipe to remove any imperfections.
It is also important that you thoroughly understand the metals that you are working with before you begin, as this will determine the type of welding rod you should be using, as well as temperature. Different welds require different shielding gases, too. We provide MIG welding gas and TIG welding gas for hobbyists and businesses.
You’ll need to clamp the tubing together because you’ll need both hands free for welding. Take care when you clamp them together because there’s no going back once you start welding.
Do some spot welds around the seam that you’re going to be welding. These spot welds will further help to keep the piping together during the weld. Without the spot welds, the pipe may warp under the intense heat of your welding torch, so this is a good precaution to take.
Finally, complete your weld. Take care not to leave any gaps as this could lead to leaks in the exhaust.
How to: Pipeline Welding
Pipeline welding is incredibly important – failure to properly weld the pipe could result in leaks and depending on what is leaking, there could be serious effects on the surrounding habitat.
Mistakes happen to everyone, but there are some common mistakes made by welders everywhere that can be avoided. One of the most common and easily fixable mistakes is the lack of care taken to prep the workpieces. The pipe edges must be clean, smooth and uniform before the welding begins. Without proper preparation, the weld may defect.
Cutting away any issues and grinding down the surface is a very important first step to take in pipeline welding. Next is the cleaning of the pipe to remove any and all contaminants which could interfere with the shielding gases, create hydrogen or cause spatter.
Care must also be taken to align the parts of the pipe. Rushing the process can cause defects later on, so it is very important to take your time and concentrate on the set-up, almost as much as the welding itself.
If you or a fellow welder is experiencing frequent porosity in their welds, don’t let the equipment become the scapegoat for these mistakes. Routine equipment checks should be carried out to ensure that every weld has the possibility of being your best weld yet.
How to: Butt Fusion Welding
Butt welding, fusion, or heat welding are all names given to the process that joins two pieces of thermoplastic. Unlike metal welding, no torches or gases are required. Similar to welding an exhaust pipe, a straight cut across the joint and the cleanliness of the surfaces being welded together are extremely important for ensuring a secure weld. Generally, machines are used to achieve heat fusion, so there is very little input from workers. You can watch the entire process in the video below:
‘Pipe welding’ means different things to different workers. Welding an exhaust pipe is far different to journeying miles to weld an underground pipeline in urgent need of repair, but these have more in common with each other than they do with HDPE plastic pipe fusion.
If your pipe welding requires shielding gas, we can supply you with it. Contact us for more information regarding our industrial welding supplies and gas.
How to Weld Zinc
Before welding any metal that you’re a stranger to, you should always do lots of research to ensure that you’re not putting yourself or your workers at risk. Zinc-fumes can be extremely dangerous if inhaled, but as home and car designers alike are requesting more zinc in their services – the welder who can work with zinc becomes an important figure on the market.
How to Weld Zinc
Zinc has a relatively low boiling point for a metal, and this can cause trouble for welders. If your welding temperature is too high, you could vaporise the zinc – causing a release of dangerous and toxic gas that produces severe, flu-like symptoms when inhaled. This makes it extremely important to wear a respirator if you’re going to weld zinc, ensure the workshop is extremely well ventilated and that all workers are aware of the dangers and how to handle and minimise risks.
Once you’re aware of the dangers of zinc and its poisonous fumes, you’ll need a TIG machine, zinc filler rods and oxy-acetylene fuel. After this, welders online claim that the process is very similar to welding aluminium. Oxy-acetylene is recommended because it works at lower temperatures than other popular welding gases, and zinc requires lower temperatures than the metals that welders are typically used to.
We sell oxy acetylene welding sets that are perfect for your welding projects – zinc or otherwise. If you’re looking for something else, we recommend perusing our MIG welding gas and TIG welding gas pages.
How to Weld Zinc Coated Steel
Steel is a metal with a lot of very useful qualities, so it is also one of the most frequently welded metals, alongside aluminium. By coating steel with zinc, however, you add properties to the steel that enhance it further – such as higher resistance to corrosion – but when it comes to welding this strange fusion of metals, some welders can be left scratching their heads.
Understanding how to weld zinc-coated steel can be very important too, as the need for this fusion in modern appliances increases. For example, if you read our Car Chassis Welding Tips guide, this section will be important for you because there is an increasing conversion of automotive chassis components to galvanised steels (zinc-coated steels).
The Lincoln Electric Company have reported that the GMAW process typically used for welding chassis components has had inconsistent results for coated steels. To understand how to weld zinc, you need to understand how and why it behaves in particular ways in welding situations.
Zinc has a relatively low boiling temperature compared to steel, but to weld a coated steel your welding torch will need to meet the required higher temperature for steel welding. The effect of this in practice is that when welders start work on these materials, the zinc is vaporized and becomes trapped in the steels.
This vaporised steel creates bubbles along and inside the weld, known as porosity, and this compromises the strength of the weld – making it more brittle and fragile.
The vaporised zinc also causes disturbances to the welding environment, increasing the likelihood of spatter and disrupting the arc – and therefore, the flow of the welding bead. This can further affect the structural integrity of the weld.
- If you’re struggling with any of the terminologies in this guide, we recommend that you take a quick look at our Welding Terminology
This means that you should be looking towards common welding techniques for reducing porosity, such as reducing the welding speed. This is a good solution if you’re a hobby welder, but in a business where every minute counts towards profit – you might not be too keen on advising your workers to lower their weld speeds for galvanised steels.
If you’re worried about the dangers of vaporising the zinc coating, you could also grind the zinc away in the area surrounding the welding zone. This means that the coating will need to be reapplied afterwards if those anti-corrosion qualities are important for the end product.
If you are planning to grind off the coating and re-dip the part, you will need to be especially wary of spatter and plan methods for cleaning this off before the coating is reapplied. Spatter and slag can disrupt the coating, and if there’s a flaw in the coat corrosion could sneak in and spread below the surface.
For further tips and tricks on welding, come back to our blog. For more information on our products and services, contact us directly and our customer service team will handle your enquiry.
How to Do Thermite Welding
Thermite welding, sometimes written ‘thermit welding’, ‘the Goldschmidt process’ or ‘exothermic welding’, is the process of creating a welded joint by pouring molten metal between two or more workpieces. It was officially developed in 1895 and still has its uses on railroads today.
How to Do Thermite Welding
It is important that only qualified and supervised individuals attempt thermite welding as it can be very dangerous. Thermite welding is known for causing minor eruptions around the workpiece. Before you can even begin thermite welding, you’ll need to cast moulds to direct the metal mixture that you’ll be pouring into the gap. You’ll also need a special cauldron in which the metal will be melted, with side dishes for catching any excess flows. You will also need a blow torch for preparing the workpiece, as the workpiece needs to be hot before you start melting the mixture and applying it to the workpiece.
Thermite welding is a very specific manner of welding, but it is still used to fix railroad issues today. To fix an issue on a railroad, such as a dangerous imperfection caused by rust, you would first need to cut away the infected area.
The next step is to create the mould in which you will pour the heated metallic mixture. Next, you will secure the mould in place with high-heat-resistant clamps. Next, you will need to use a gas torch to heat the workpieces through the mould.
Now that the work area is prepared and ready, it is time to prepare the thermite itself. This may involve pouring a metallic mixture into a cauldron or it may involve using a pre-prepared bin of thermite that has the prescribed amounts of metals and metal oxides already balanced.
Once the thermite is in place with the workpiece and mould, it is lit. The metal-oxides catch light and the temperature rises until the metal inside the cauldron begins to melt and pour down into the mould. Excess metal escapes into two trays carefully positioned on the side.
It can take around five minutes for this process to finish, and during this time eruptions and sparks are not unusual. This is one of the most dangerous parts of the process, and if the mould is improperly clamped, or if the cauldron falls, you could find yourself with a very difficult metal mess to clear up.
Once the metal has settled in the mould, the cauldron is removed, and the excess dishes are also removed. Care must be taken as these items will still be extremely hot. Next, the mould is removed, sometimes by a hammer that simultaneously removes some of the excess metal around the edges. Some of this metal is still burning white-hot, so it is important not to swing your hammer wildly at the mould as you will need to control your swings and where you knock the metal to – you don’t want to hurt yourself or a co-worker.
Once the majority of the excess is broken off, you will need to use a metal grinder to ensure that the workpiece is smooth and ready for use. If you don’t use a metal grinder, you risk injury to people or things caused by a rough surface.
After the grinding, the workpiece should be finished. All that’s left now is to carefully clear away any remaining materials left over from the welding. Below is a video where you can watch examples of thermite welding on railroads in real life.
Why Would I Use Thermite Welding Techniques?
Thermite welding doesn’t demand the same level of skill as an electric arc, so while it has its own dangers that workers need to be aware of, it can be used by those with less skill. Thermite welding is also very effective for welding cross-sections. If you’re securing equipment for some thermite welding, we can help to supply you with equipment and fuel for your gas cutting and heating of the workpiece. Typically, oxy-fuel welding and cutting equipment is used in the preparation stages before the thermite mixture is released into the mould.
You can read more about the science and history of this process at ScienceDirect. Alternatively, if you’re realising that thermite welding isn’t the correct process for completing your current project, then we recommend that you take a look at our welding equipment for hobbyists and businesses. We have plenty of TIG welding gas and MIG welding gas for all of your projects, whichever gas solution they require.
Get in contact with us for more information on any of our products.
How to Fill a Tyre with Gas
Filling a tyre with gas is easy when you know how and understanding how to do it properly will ensure that you make the most of your fuel and increase your safety on the roads. In this guide, we’ll teach you how to fill your tyre, and what you should be filling it with.
How to Fill a Tyre with Gas
To fill a tyre with gas, first, you will need to locate an air pump or a nitrogen gas bottle. Next, you will need to remove the cap from your tyre – usually found on the plating just inside the rubber of the wheel – and apply the hose to tyre.
You should be able to hear the gas passing through the hose into the tyre, but if you feel the air passing over your hands, then you have failed to make a secure connection. You will need to wiggle the hose around a little to get a better connection.
When Is My Tyre Ready?
You’ll need a pressure gauge to determine whether your tyres are ready for the road. A pressure gauge will show you the pressure of your tyre when you apply the gauge to the valve stem on your tyre. The air in the tyre will shoot into the gauge and push a small bar up that will tell you the pressure – the more of the bar you can see, the higher the pressure of your tyres.
You’ll need to check your vehicle’s specifications to know what kind of pressure is correct for you. You can often find this information in the manual, or on the inside of the door on the jamb.
What Can Happen if I Overinflate My Tyres?
If you overinflate your tyres, you will find that your tyres will wear out much faster – you could be cutting their life expectancy by as much as half. You will also be more susceptible to crashes too, as it can lead to a loss of traction. You will also find that cars with overinflated tyres feel harsher to drive.
This means that it is important to check your tyre pressure with a gauge so that you can be sure when you have the right amount – trying to guess it just by looking could be dangerous for you and your passengers.
What if My Tyres Are Underinflated?
Underinflation increases the risk of tyre failure. When the pressure is too low, more of the tyre touches the road as you drive which leads to more friction on the tyre as a whole. This increased friction leads to higher temperatures, and if a tyre gets too hot, it could blow out and cause an accident.
How Often Should I Check My Tyres?
You should check your tyres regularly, especially if you drive a lot. Checking them approximately once a month is good practice, or before an upcoming long drive. If you find that you aren’t regularly checking your tyre pressure, you might want to consider swapping from air-filled tyres to nitrogen tyres.
Why Is Nitrogen Better for My Tyres?
Nitrogen for motorsports can benefit the general public too. Michelin notes that 62% of cars on the road are running on incorrectly inflated tyres, and it is possible that using nitrogen-filled tyres can prevent you from joining this statistic.
When you pump normal air into your tyre, you are filling your tyre with nitrogen, oxygen, and approximately 1% of other compounds like CO2. Oxygen particles are smaller than nitrogen, and this means that they will slowly escape through the rubber of your tyre.
Nitrogen particles are bigger, which makes it harder for them to escape your tyre. This means that your tyres will deflate at a slower rate if you fill your tyre with nitrogen gas than they would have if you used regular air. In other words, your vehicle will stay safer for longer if you drive on wheels filled with nitrogen rather than air.
If you live in a cold country, nitrogen-based tyres may benefit you in more ways than you think. Air-based tyres often contain some moisture, and this moisture can freeze in cold temperatures and cause corrosion issues in the tyre. A nitrogen-based tyre shouldn’t have any moisture lurking on the inside, so you would also avoid this problem.
While most agree that the cost and upkeep of nitrogen-based tyres for everyday domestic use is too costly for the average person, you might choose to use nitrogen fuelling on a show car that you don’t use too regularly, but want to keep in peak condition for those special occasions.
If you fancy feeling like a Formula 1 driver by filling your tyres with pure nitrogen, contact us for more information about how we can help you with our gas.
Popular Uses For Butane Gas
There are many uses for butane gas, including in fridges, lighters, and aerosols. Butane gas bottles are just one of many gaseous products stocked by us, so you can trust our expertise on the subject of butane and all things gas.
Understanding Butane Gas
The Different States of Butane
Butane Torch
Portable Grills
LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas)
Refrigerators
Lighters and Aerosols
Environmentally Friendly Gas
The Dangers
Understanding Butane Gas
Butane was discovered by the chemist Edward Frankland in 1849 and is an unbranched alkane with four carbon atoms in each molecule. It is highly flammable, colourless, heavier than air, and easily liquefied. Let’s take a closer look at how butane acts in different situations before we continue to its uses.
The Different States of Butane
Butane is a gas at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure. However, it can be easily liquified by decreasing the temperature to -1 degree Celsius or increasing the atmospheric pressure with the gas canister.
When there is oxygen present, butane can burn to form carbon dioxide and water vapour. However, if there isn’t enough oxygen available, burning butane can produce toxic and dangerous carbon monoxide as its waste product.
Now that we understand how butane is stored, we can understand how it is used in the following products better.
Butane Torch
This is an item that takes advantage of Butane’s flammable nature. The butane torch is regularly used in glass making, craft projects, and certain plumbing projects which require heat.
Portable Grills
Campers love to use butane in their portable grills because the fuel is easy to transport when it is compressed into a gas canister. Most portable grills use butane or propane as their main fuel source.
LPG
Butane can be combined with propane as well as other substances in order to form liquefied petroleum gas, also known as LPG. It is used in this form to manufacture petrochemicals, to calibrate gas detectors, and as a refrigerant.
Refrigerators
Methane used to be the primary gas used in refrigerators, but due to the stress that methane places on the ozone layer, this common household item has since switched to using very pure forms of butane instead. Often, gasoline is added to the butane when it is used in refrigerators, this is because adding gasoline enhances the performance of the butane.
Lighters and Aerosols
Butane is often used as the fuel in lighters as it can handle being pressurised. As the vapour pressure requirements for butane are relatively low, putting it in a small plastic pressure vessel such as a lighter is possible and not dangerous. When the pressure is released through the valve, the liquid quickly turns into gas, which is very easily ignited with the oxygen found in the Earth’s air.
Some gases can damage plastic on contact, but butane is part of a group of hydrocarbons – a group of gases which don’t attack plastics – which makes it perfect for use in plastic lighters.
Environmentally Friendly Gas
Unlike gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, butane is not a greenhouse gas and does not affect the ozone layer. Butane, therefore, has become a replacement material for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) acting as the propellant in aerosol deodorants, so the risk of solvents negatively impacting the environment is minimised. Extremely pure forms of butane, such as isobutanes, have also replaced the ozone-layer-depleting gases known as halomethanes in refrigerants.
The Dangers
Although in many household and commercial products, butane is one of the most misused volatile substances in the UK. If inhaled, butane can cause a range of mild to serious side effects including drowsiness, euphoria, fluctuations in blood pressure, and memory loss. If subject to butane from a highly pressurised container, in some serious cases, death can occur from asphyxiation due to irregular and rapid heart rhythms.
Contact with the liquid form of butane, or from the pressurised gas inside an aerosol spray, can cause frostbite or freeze burn due to its cold temperature. As butane is also extremely flammable and explosive it is easily ignited, and with prolonged exposure to heat or fire, it could cause containers or gas bottles to explode.
Here at Adams Gas, our butane gas bottles are available in a variety of sizes allowing us to cater to your needs, whether you require a lot or a little. Our Calor gases are regularly checked and maintained for the safety of our consumers. So, if you’re going camping, to a festival, or having a barbeque in the midst of summer, get in touch with a member of our friendly team to find out more about our case bottles.
Storing Your Gases Safely in Winter
Gas is important in the cold months; it can keep you warm and a well-timed winter barbecue can raise morale if you’re feeling especially bleak. To ensure that you get the most out of your gas, you’ll want to be sure that you’ve stored gas safely to protect your safety as well as your investment against leaks.
At Adams Gas, we know how important it is to ensure that you stay as safe as possible, which is why we have listed a few tips that you can adopt to stay safe with gas during the winter.
Don’t Store Your Bottles Indoors
You might think that storing your gas outside would be a bad idea, perhaps because you are afraid that the natural elements will cause the deterioration of your gas canister, however, storing your gas outside is one of the most important precautions that you can take against fatal accidents with gas.
Even when your gas is stored outside, you may want to check on it occasionally to ensure that all is as you expect. It is possible that moisture freezing around the canister could cause issues with the regulator or valves, and you will want to avoid losing your gas to the atmosphere in a leak. To protect your gas, you should make sure that the valve is turned off completely and the connector hose is removed.
On the other hand, if you’re storing camping gaz or Calor gas, you’ll be glad to know that the gas itself won’t freeze and rupture the container. Propane’s freezing point is around -180 degrees Celsius – temperatures which don’t occur naturally on earth. Butane is easier to freeze, but is still extremely unlikely to freeze in your back garden over winter.
Store Gas Bottles Correctly
When storing gas bottles in an outhouse or a shed, you need to make sure that the correct procedures are followed. For example, always ensure that the tap is completely covered; this makes sure that no dust or anything of a similar size doesn’t block the gas tap. You can do this by strapping a rag around the tap, which will also provide some insulation to prevent against issues with moisture freezing around it and damaging the integrity of your equipment.
You should also make sure that it stands upright. This will reduce the potential of leaks occurring. Also, when thinking about where to store it, a shelf or a raised surface is generally better, as you are then less likely to knock it over accidentally. Alternatively, you could place bricks on either side of your bottle to help to keep it upright.
There are a couple of other things that you can do to ensure the safety of you, your family, and your friends, such as keeping your gas bottles in a secure environment and making sure that they are away from children.
If you are worried that storing your gas bottles outside in the open could encourage theft on your property, you could build or order a wire cage to store your bottles in. This will ensure that any gas leaks will dissipate into the atmosphere, rather than hang around in a confined space where a single spark could become very dangerous.
At Adams Gas, we always ensure that the gas bottles we provide are rigorously tested to make sure that they are as safe as possible before delivery, whether you’ll be using them for part-time hobbies, household items, or a business project. Despite our close regulations and tests, however, it’s up to you to practice good safety around gas to ensure that you achieve the best experience with your purchase.
If you want to know more information about our safety policies, then please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Raising a New Generation of Welders
Like many careers, welding has been affected by automation, but unlike other careers the world is suffering from a shortage of talented welders despite encroaching automation. This means that wages remain high for welders around the world. In this blog we’re asking how welding is currently being taught and if enough is being done to encourage young people to take up welding as a career.
Growth in the Industry
The arc welding industry is growing at a rate of approximately 6% per year. In the US, job growth was predicted at 5% between 2016 and 2026. We can assume that the UK is comparable, as Europe’s statistics closely follow north America for welding equipment markets, and where people are buying equipment, there must surely be people welding and expanding the industry. Unfortunately, K-TIG predicts that opposed to the growth experienced elsewhere across the world, Europe will experience a decline because we do not have enough skilled welding labour to capitalise on the growth.
Due to the anticipated growth, we should be looking to encourage young people to take up skills in welding at all levels – from practical application to understanding the future of automation in the welding world and helping to carve it.
Welding Teachers
Investing in welding programs could pave the way towards profit and development in the European welding market. An American example shows how a dedicated and well-funded welding school that offers its students a thorough two-year course receives multiple calls from companies looking to source welding talent.
This report emphasises the high-quality of the equipment that the students will be handling, enabling them to develop good skill sets without struggling with poor equipment. Working with great equipment encourages the students to take greater pride in their work, and this shows in the fantastic reputation of the school.
Hands-on courses that can lead to lucrative wages also offer those students who might struggle in an academic environment a way towards financial success. For many would-be welders, apprenticeships mark the beginning of their journey, but more dedicated courses and respect for the welding industry might encourage more young people to take up welding as a serious career opportunity.
Like many first world countries, the UK is struggling with the impression that university is a must for younger generations. This places undue stress on those who are not academically inclined, as well as causing skills shortages in hands-on careers such as welding.
Perhaps due to the lucrative nature of welding careers, it may also be true that there is some difficulty in convincing established and earning welders to drop their successful careers to teach the next generation. In order to capitalise on the projected growth in the welding industry, an investment to encourage teachers and students to pick up the welding gun is going to be necessary.
Teach Yourself to Weld
Outside of those who are welding in the hopes of securing a career, there are multiple individuals who are passionate enough to teach themselves to weld. The variety of individuals learning to weld as a hobby in the UK should tell us that there would be sufficient interest for a few welding schools in the UK.
It may be that in order to replenish the skills gap in welding, we will have to rely on passionate individuals to inspire the younger generations before we can expect to see dedicated funding. This will mean the establishment of afterschool welding clubs, followed by high-profile welding clubs to which pupils can progress when they leave school or college, more conventions where welders can test themselves, network and connect (such as the annual SkillWeld UK). All of this will depend on the goodwill of our nation’s current welding community, however.
For those individuals currently looking to connect with other welders in the UK, we recommend the Association of Welding Distribution, and there are various other circles available through social media on Facebook and Reddit. Alternatively, you may want to reach out to the productive community who showcase their work on Instructables.
If you’re a teacher (or an aspiring club leader) looking to supply MIG welding gas or TIG welding gas to your students, then you should get in contact with us with any questions regarding our supplies. We also offer gas bottle refills and TIG and MIG Welding Supplies for purchase.
Easy Welding Projects for Beginners
Welding can be quite an intimidating skill to acquire – from the blasting hot welding guns to the expenses of gas and materials. We’ve created a list of easy welding projects to start off beginners looking to get into the hobby, so share this with anyone who might be interested in picking up welding.
Of course, we recommend learning a bit about MIG and TIG as well as safety practices before getting into a project, but these ideas are great to test and refine your new skills on.
Wine Bottle Holder
This project is cheap, easy, and can solve any fear you have towards stocking presents for friends and family this year. All that is needed is a simple but thick steel chain and an empty wine bottle. Ensure that your chain is not galvanised before you start and begin to drape and organise your chain into a structure that will hold a wine bottle.
Begin with the base of the structure, perhaps a circle, and weld the links of your chain together. Next, you’ll need to hang the stem of the holder so you can weld the links to remain upright. Next, you’ll need to lay the structure on its side and weld the hold that the wine bottle’s neck will rest through – you’ll need to ensure the hole is big enough for the bottle to fit. Once organised correctly, weld the links together to ensure that they’ll stick.
Welding the links together will mark the chain, so you’ll want to have some paint on hand to go make your wine holder worthy of being a birthday or Christmas gift. Match the colour of your chain to the receiver’s home if you’re willing to invest in lots of paints.
This is a very simple and cost-effective way to show your neighbours and family the creative side of welding. You don’t have to stick to the wine bottle holder theme either; why not twist the chain into a heart shape and send it to a loved one?
Spoon Flower
If you’re feeling artsy, then it’s time to take out the metal cutter and deplete your kitchen of its spoons. If you’re feeling especially inventive, you can use the handles that you cut off the spoons as leaves so you don’t end up with any waste.
If you prefer a more colourful arrangement, then you may want to consider saving your bottle tops for future creative welding projects. You can further personalise your spoon flower by flattening the petals (spoons) or using forks instead.
Steel Washer Bowl
If you have steel washers going spare, then why not make your own beautiful steel washer bowl to test out your skills? In concept, this bowl is quite easy to make, but the level of finish quality you’ll want for displaying in your home will test you in other areas. This is a good exercise for those who are looking to refine their finished products. You may also be able to replicate the steel washer bowl with items such as flattened bottle caps, chains, or shaped cutlery. Watch the video below to understand how you can make a bowl of your own through welding.
Barbecue Pit
The best projects are ones that provide you with a usable result at the end because they will help to keep you motivated throughout any struggles you have to endure in the process. You’ll need to construct a frame for the grill, an ash catcher, a mesh tray to hold charcoal and some sturdy legs.
During this project, you’ll need to ensure that you take some careful measurements to ensure that your result isn’t lop-sided.
Outdoor Table
If you have an excess of steel bits and bobs – tools, washers, nails, or chains – then why not weld them all together to create a truly unique table. Start by creating a metal frame and add steel components until you are happy with the final product. You may want to do a couple of test runs before you weld them together to be sure that you’re going to like the overall composition.
Hot Dog Holder
If your aim is to make people smile, then you might like the idea of these simple hot dog holders. They aren’t incredibly functional, but they’re definitely fun to look at and will test a welder’s precision for working on smaller projects where an exacting eye makes all the difference.
If you’re teaching welding or a student yourself, you’re going to need gas to make your dream projects come true. We can supply you with all the MIG welding gas and TIG welding gas that you need to become a welding expert. Contact us soon for more information regarding our welding gas supplies and TIG or MIG welding equipment.
Christmas Fun: Balloons, Heating, and More!
It’s that time of year again – the decorations are going up and so is the dial on your central heating. We want your Christmas to be the best ever, so we’ve created this handy blog full of design tips to celebrate this Christmas.
Festive Balloons
Festive balloons can bring joy to the home or office! Raise morale and get everyone into the Christmas spirit by purchasing a balloon kit for Christmas and going wild on the decorations.
Free Yourself from Self-Inflation…
Christmas is a time to have fun, and the decorations should never be a chore. Don’t tire yourself out or give yourself a headache by attempting to inflate all your balloons with your own breath manually; use one of our helium canisters for balloons kits instead.
Festive Balloon Signs
Perhaps your home or venue is a little out of the way, but you can make sure that your guests know exactly where you are by marking your home with a few Christmassy balloons.
Balloon Games for Christmas
If you’re celebrating Christmas, you’re likely going to be enjoying a Christmas party or three, and there is nothing like a few balloons to liven up the party a little.
Here are some great balloon games for you to try out with any deflating balloons over Christmas:
- Protect Your Balloon
Tie a balloon to a piece of string and tie the other end to a person. Repeat this for multiple guests then set them the task of popping other people’s balloons without losing their own.
- Balloon and Spoon Race
It’s like an egg and spoon race but better because you’re using Christmas themed balloons.
- Balloon Race
Split your guests into groups, get the groups to stand in a line and place a balloon between each person. Then, direct the teams to waddle towards a starting line. The teams must race to the end without losing the balloons between them, but they’re not allowed to use their hands to correct the balloons’ positions.
Endless Fun
Even without proper balloon games, balloons can be pretty fun and put a smile on the faces of your guests.
Make-shift Santa Costume
We reckon you can even make a budget Santa costume with a big enough balloon.
Or, you can entertain the kids by inflating some normal-sized red balloons and decorating them as Santa’s with some arts and crafts materials.
Christmas Balloons are Fashionable and Historical
Lighting a lantern to release on Christmas or New Year’s Day was the height of fashion a few years ago, but since fears of these lanterns going on to spread fires and damaging ecological habitats have risen, inflating a Christmas balloon that stays in your house is seen as a much better alternative.
Balloons are a symbol of hope; free from gravity, and these joyous decorations will lighten your Christmas this year.
Christmas Heating
Gas fuels the heating in many homes across the UK, it’s an important resource for many, and sometimes an extra bit of heat can go a long way. Perhaps you might consider gifting an indoor portable gas heater and some gas to a family member who will be struggling with the cold this winter?
Stay Cosy this Christmas
We have plenty of Calor gas to heat up your home, and we also have helium balloon kits to help you decorate for Christmas this year. With so much to do, see, and enjoy, let us take care of any questions you have relating to portable gas cylinders. We’re experts who can offer refills and cylinder collection, so speak to us today about your gas, and we’ll speak to one of our trained technicians.
Uses for Calor Gas in Caravans & Calor Gas Heaters
There are plenty of uses for Calor gas, especially in caravans. Here, we explain the benefits of stocking up on some Calor gas before you head out on your next camping trip.
Using Calor Gas for Caravans
Gas has plenty of uses during camping trips; it’s the source of many a barbecue, lamp, and heater. It’s important to practice good gas safety at all times, however. Your gas installations should be regularly checked for safety by qualified, Gas Safe Registered technicians – this isn’t a necessity for motorhomes, camper vans, or caravans but, in the interests of your personal wellbeing, it is recommended.
Always err on the side of caution; check for leaks and ensure all connections are secure before turning your appliance on. Keep the gas in your vehicle near floor vents to lower the risk of explosions, and make sure that those vents are clear of debris or snow.
Getting a Gas Regulator
In order to use your appliances, you will need to be able to control the flow of gas into them, and this is managed by a regulator. You will want to be sure that your regulator fits your cylinder to prevent against expensive and dangerous leaks.
Choosing the Best Camping Stove
Once you’ve got your gas sorted, you’ll want to be able to use it with camping appliances, but how do you know which camping stove to buy and bring with you? We’ve collected some advice to help you make your camping trip a great success.
Your choice of camping stove should depend on how you are going to use it. For example, if you are journeying out on a romantic weekend camp with your partner, then buying a huge stove with all the bells and whistles might prove a bit of a chore to get out and put away during mealtimes. In this case, your journey would be better suited by a small, light stove.
On the other hand, if you’re venturing out with a huge group and you know that the cooking is going to be your responsibility, then you might want to think again about buying a big super stove.
When choosing a stove, you’ll want to look out for the burn time and the boil time. Knowing these will enable you to choose a stove that makes efficient use of your gas supplies. A stove with a long burn time and a quick boil time is an efficient stove; the burn time is the length of time it takes to get through an amount of fuel, and the boil time is how long it takes to heat up and start cooking. The less fuel it uses to cook and reach boil time, the better.
You should also make sure that the stove you purchase runs on the type of gas that you’ll be taking with you. Stoves may run on propane, butane, kerosene or paraffin, and you’ll want to avoid taking up room in your van by filling it with a different gas for each appliance. We sell plenty of BBQ gas, so speak to us about your requirements and we’ll help you find what you need.
A Great Camping Kettle
Much like the stove, there is a lot of variation on what makes a great camping kettle, although the question of choosing the perfect kettle for your trip is more important when you’re backpacking since weight is less of a worry in a caravan.
The best kettles are typically made from aluminium because it is light, cheap, and the rate of heat transfer allows for reasonably quick boils (important for being efficient with your gas).
Heaters for Caravans
A winter camping trip can be very successful; there are fewer people about, more space and more privacy, but it all comes at a cost – it’s cold. Taking a portable gas heater with you can make those evenings cooking up a quick meal under the stars that little bit warmer.
Affordable Caravan Calor Gas Bottles
If you are new to caravanning and need to install some gas, then you will have to buy your first bottle(s), regulators, and accompanying equipment, but following this first purchase, you should aim to refill your bottles with gas from a trusted supplier as this will be cheaper for you.
We supply refillable gas bottles and camping gas, so speak to us about gas before you head out on your next camping trip.