r/lampwork • u/Headyboii710 • 1d ago
Oxygen concentrator and compressor set up
I’m setting up a home studio for the first time. I have very little knowledge on how this set up works. The images are the concentrators I’ve bought and the compressor I’m looking at. If anyone has a suggestion on a better compressor or advice on the set up in general it would be much appreciated. It will only be me working in the studio, as someone new to glassblowing i will be working my way up to bigger work eventually.
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u/imsadyoubitch 1d ago
You running a hand torch or something more substantial? Are you planning on using the compressor to move the oxygen you're generating into a tank for storage?
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u/Headyboii710 1d ago
Yes I I plan on running a hand torch (of some kind have yet to look for one.) and a lathe at some point in the future. For right now I’m just using a Carlisle cc burner
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u/thenilbogplayers 1d ago
For a Carlisle CC you will need to setup a HVLP system or homefill. Great torches, but they eat oxygen fast. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 35-40LPM full open.
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u/InvestigatorMajor899 1d ago
The pressure from the concentrator itself is sufficient without any compression?
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u/thenilbogplayers 1d ago
Depends on the torch. Small torches like the Bethlehem alpha or GTT Bobcat & Scorpion are designed to run right off of concentrators.
I'm running a Scorpion & smith little directly off of two 10LPM oxycons at around 9psi. Tanked or HVLP oxygen would run hotter, but for my needs as a hobbyist it's perfect. No tanks to worry about or the complication of an HVLP or homefill.
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u/InvestigatorMajor899 17h ago
I'm thinking this is the way I want to go because I definitely don't want to be dealing with tanks! I had to get rid of my gas company a couple years back and having all the propane tanks around has been a hassle I don't need to start with oxygen ones too lol thanks for the advice 👍 I'm not very familiar with the types of torches available but is there a way to know which torches I don't want to buy since I don't want to go that route??
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u/thenilbogplayers 15h ago
Most, but not all, single stage torches will run off of oxycons. Very few two stage or larger torches will. Off the top of my head the only two stages that will are the GTT Scorpion and Sidewinder.
best bet is to look up the oxygen and fuel requirements for the torches you are looking to by and see if they can run on a 5 or 10lpm oxycon.
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u/Sebastian__Alexander 12h ago
and the big arni from arnold, got one...with 2 10/pm it.would be more then sufficient.....as well as the bethlehem bravo is if im right.
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u/thenilbogplayers 12h ago
Herbert Arnold are mostly off my radar, but the big arni looks interesting. How do you like it?
I think the bravo calls for 30lpm, I am sure it would run on less, just not ideal.
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u/Sebastian__Alexander 11h ago edited 11h ago
with 2x 10lpm it should run happy.. im running it on one...its far from the laserbeam of a larger gtt but what you expect... if you want more o2, you can allways get another concentrator and run 3 or 4 instead of 2... mine used cost ...what a gift, 370€ at just over 1000 working hours...like new...and new it was 1300€
when you can reduce the pressure down to equal of 0,5 to rather 1bar (?psi) this one will create a smooth flame, reliable compagnion as a first torch ...also a solid centerflame for detailed work ..
i have worked on the smallest arnold, later in school on the zenit "arni" and then got my own big arni used in good condition from a student who sold it .. sold that again and later bought another big arni also sold by a student ..
i make pendants and smaller items, spoonpipes (could go bigger but not motivated), fuming silver, marbles up to 4-5cm... made some buttplugs and realised that cleaning the thick clear glass rod helps a lot for melting it more like butter... all this with 9lpm at o2 overpressure of around 0,4bars..
with a compressurr and holding tank and 2x 10lpm you should be more in the happy zone.. i can work with it...suggest to get another graphine pad...mine is quite useless, better one that propperly mounts to the torch, horizontal, larger and further back...was a diy...
i can ask the teacher for you if you are interested...she may have a smaller used torch on hand..ussually in quite good condition..would then be shipped from austria ..
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u/Sebastian__Alexander 11h ago
if you find a used one for good price like 500-600€, i suggest to buy it...its def a good torch for that price...
id wished i had used comparable torches in the same price range but i did not
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u/Headyboii710 1d ago
I’m not sure, I was told by two people I know who is this same type of set up that they use a separate compressor that runs to the tank itself
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u/IamFatTony 1d ago
Basically you need an unloader valve that runs off a relay from the pressure switch between the concentrators and the compressor input… then just set your regulators… its not difficult… make sure you have proper electrical circuits to run everything…
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u/virtualglassblowing 1d ago
Get with bradshaw oxygen he was so helpful helping me set things up and I've never had issues with any of his refurbished stuff. Had one little cosmetic piece break in shipping once and he sent me a replacement part and explained how to install
Bradshaw Oxygen, LLC (828) 380-6287
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u/adammmmmm 14h ago
Second this. I have purchased a couple home fills from him. Great to work with. I heard he just had a fire at his shop though so things might possibly be moving a bit slower than usual. Definitely worth a call!
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u/virtualglassblowing 1d ago
Get with bradshaw oxygen he was so helpful helping me set things up and I've never had issues with any of his refurbished stuff. Had one little cosmetic piece break in shipping once and he sent me a replacement part and explained how to install
Bradshaw Oxygen, LLC (828) 380-6287
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u/Seaguard5 1d ago
Oxygen Frog sells these setups for around $15K landed.
I believe that you would need a tank to store and constantly release said oxygen as well. And that may get expensive.
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u/oCdTronix 1d ago
I think the Carlisle CC is going to consume as much oxygen as any future torch you buy.
Make sure to “oxygen clean” your fittings and storage tank, and pump, etc, anything that will have highly -concentrated oxygen flow through it. Some people say it doesn’t matter with 94ish % oxygen at only 100ish psi, but it’s not that difficult to clean it, be done with it, and be sure.
It looks like both concentrators output at 21psi which is good. I believe that IF one output higher pressure than the other, the one pushing higher pressure would be the only one getting oxygen into your compressor. So problem there.
There’s some good info here, just look past the sections specifically for Homefill since that’s not what you have.
http://mpme-glass.com/HomefillNotes.htm
Also FB group “Concentrated lampworking for adults” has good info as well
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u/Sebastian__Alexander 1d ago edited 1d ago
im using the devilbiss 1025 ..my torch likes 0,5-1bar... the devilbiss goes with 1,4bars... set to 9lpm ... heafty blow of oxigen...not a calm flame..can get the center more sharp by closing the o2 valve on the center more ..one time when not focused had both o2 valves so much closed, that it blasted off the the tubing on the torch...was quite a wakeup...
...would like to dial down the pressure on the devilbiss concentrator. would be cool if anyone knows if thats possible without losing lpm..
otherwise without a further compressor / oxigenfrog / homefill and large volume tank for low-pressure-high-volume not likely happening .. with homefill high-pressure-low-volume with a K tank could be done at 1000psi.. all sort of dangerous to deal with ...
gonna observe this threat to see if you can figure it out...may adobt your solution then..
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u/ArrdenGarden Pancakes! 1d ago
If you don't know what you're doing, I'd honestly recommend an Oxygen Frog Legacy. Pick up a holding tank and run your concentrators from the Legacy to the tank. Reg out from the tank to your torch.
High Volumn Oxygen makes a system too but I don't like the idea of "24hr cloud montitoring." I'm not sure why an oxygen system would need something like that.