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 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.
Christmas Opening times
We would like to wish all ours customers are very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Please note our opening times over the festive period are as follows:
23rd December Open 8.00am to 5.00pm
24th December Open 8.00am to 5.00pm
25th December Closed
26th December Closed
27th December Closed
30th December Open 8.00am to 5.00pm
31st December Open 8.00am to 5.00pm
1st January Closed
2nd January Closed
3rd January Closed
6th January Normal Hours Resume
Delivery runs will change over this period, so please call us for more info
What is Additive Manufacturing?
What is additive manufacturing, and how is it similar to the processes which use MIG welding gas and TIG welding gas for shielding? This article will explain what additive manufacturing is, how it works, and why gas is integral to its functioning.
What is Additive Manufacturing?
The term additive manufacturing is a fancy way of referring to 3D printing, and it is rightly dubbed as the future for manufacturing. 3D printing will be reducing costs and production times for parts in all sorts of industries, from oil to gas – additive manufacturing is the way forward.
Currently, those who are enthusiastic but still a little unsure about the future of additive manufacturing have implemented these printing machines as aids to help with prototyping, but in some industries, 3D printing machines are used for mass production too.
How Does Additive Manufacturing Work?
The term ‘additive manufacturing’ came from the process involved. There are two contrasting types of manufacturing; the first and most popular of the two we’re mentioning here is subtractive manufacturing. In subtractive manufacturing, the individual begins with a block of material and chips away at the block until only the final product remains.
Additive manufacturing works by building a product one layer at a time, and it began in the 1980s as a means of creating prototypes extremely quickly. These prototypes were not created to be functional, but to offer crucial insight towards the dimensions of the final product.
In contrast to when additive manufacturing was used exclusively for prototypes, it is also used for high volume production in some modern industries. Some key moments in the history of additive manufacturing include the world’s first 3D printed organ (a bladder in 1999) and a splint that saved a baby’s life in 2013. In recent news, the aeroplane company, Boeing, began using 3D printed titanium parts in some of their planes.
The main advantage of additive manufacturing is the speed at which products can be created. From the conception of an idea, the product only has to be input into a digital design software program before you can test it by printing it. This saves companies a lot of money and time, making it crucial for the future of manufacturing.
Industries Benefiting from 3D Printing
The precision afforded by 3D printing has been of great benefit to the medical sector. As previously mentioned, 3D printing has made organs and saved lives, and we can only imagine where the future will take it. It’s also more cost-effective for producing smaller volumes of products. Traditional manufacturing usually requires adding new parts to a machine to get it to make the required product, which is an added expense that needs to be paid off. 3D Printing, on the other hand, doesn’t need special new parts and can get to work straight away.
Issues with Additive Manufacturing
Unfortunately, 3D printing machines are very expensive, as is the way with all new technology, but it can also be expected that as more companies and people invest in 3D printing machines, the more available and efficient they will become.
Some people believe that additive manufacture won’t be overtaking traditional large volume production scales anytime soon, but instead, the two methods will work in tandem. For small volumes, additive manufacturing is more cost-effective. If the product reaches higher demands, then it may make sense to switch to traditional manufacturing until demand dries up again.
How Is Gas Used in Additive Manufacturing?
Gas plays an important role in 3D printing metal shapes, too. When 3D printing metal, the printer starts with a metal powder that is fused into the required shape during the printing process, but before the powder even reaches the machine, it is important that it remains in good condition. This is to ensure that no faults enter the final product as a result of mishandling the metal powder. For this reason, the transport of the metal powder used in 3D printing uses gas to maintain the powder metallurgy during transport and storage.
In the printing process itself, it is also important that the metal fusing is carried out in an enclosed space with a constant and measured environment. This will ensure consistency between prints. We offer argon gas bottles that can be used to adjust the environment of 3D printing machines. Argon is used because it is an inert gas that reduces oxidation and renders combustible dust inert.
Additive manufacturing is the future, and we’re certainly looking forward to seeing the creations that are made through this process in the future. How will you use argon gas to achieve greater production?
Best Beer Festivals and Award-Winning Drinks of 2019
The UK is home to many things, beautiful scenery, stunning wildlife, magnificent castles, and a love of beer that can’t be matched. Beer is one of the oldest drinks in the world and is the third most popular drink after water and tea. Here in the UK, we celebrate our love for this beverage with a host of fantastic beer festivals that take place all across the country all year long.
Here’s a look at some of the best beer festivals the UK has to offer, as well as the winning beers of the 2019 World’s Best Beers award.
Best Beer Festivals
We Are Lager
The UK’s biggest lager festival is a four-day event in Manchester’s Deansgate and aims to showcase the best lagers you can get, all to demonstrate the power of this often overlooked style of beer. It all takes place under one roof for a weekend in April and is coming back around once again for 2020 at Upper Campfield Market.
Brighton Craft Beer Festival
For fans of craft beer, this Brighton festival brings a line-up of UK and European breweries to the shores of Brighton; 2019 included the likes of Cloudwater, Burning Sky and Unbarred. Next year’s line-up has yet to be announced, but tickets to the festival are all-beers-included and it is expected to take place at the Clarendon Centre in June 2020.
The Great British Beer Festival
Under the iconic roof of Olympia, this beer festival is a must-visit for anyone who loves the delights of British cask ale. The event brings together hundreds of breweries from all over the UK, plus a selection of international beers. There’s live music, street food, pub games and you can even learn more about the craft of beer brewing, with the Champion Beer of Britain competition being judged right there. Look out for this one in August 2020.
Indy Man Beer Con
In the crumbling network of grade-II listed Turkish Baths in Manchester, you can drink some of the world’s best beer. At Indy Man Beer Con, they celebrate the finest independently brewed beer in the UK and beyond, with more than 50 breweries to choose from. This festival takes place from the 1st to 4th October 2020.
World’s Best Beers 2019 – Taste Category
From the World Drinks Awards, here are all the winners from the World’s Best Beer 2019 in the taste category.
Best Dark Beer
Mira, Brune N˚6
From French company, Mira, this drink was given the title of the world’s best dark beer in 2019. It is described as having a rich, dark colour with a pleasing balance of toffee malt and slightly citric bitterness, with well-displayed hop flavours that are not too overpowering.
Best Flavoured Beer
Tazman Brewing Company, Maple Vanilla Evasion
Best flavour for 2019 goes to this US company for their Maple Vanilla Evasion. The beer is described as being an appealing colour, with a complex flavour of vanilla and treacle, chocolate and malts. It is a wonderfully balanced beer that is lingering and warming with a sweet finish.
Best IPA
Votus, 001
It’s Brazil that takes the crown for best IPA with the 001. Dark copper in colour with a beige, creamy head, this beer has herbal notes with earthy tones and hints of toffee. Its well-balanced, medium bitterness is offset by sweet biscuit notes.
Best Lager
Zubr, Gold
For best lager, Czech Republic takes the crown with their Gold by Zubr. This pale golden beer has moderate carbonation, is light in aroma and flavour and makes for very easy drinking.
Best Pale Beer
Camba, Pale Ale
You couldn’t have a best beer list without an addition from Germany. German company Camba takes the top spot for best pale ale with their nice hoppy drink infused with red fruit and citrus. It is light with yellow stone fruit flavours, hops and balanced bitterness.
Best Sour
Microbrasserie La Souche, Franc-Bois d’hiver
This French beer wins best sour; it is hazy pink in colour with musky honey and a deep raspberry aroma. It is well-balanced with mustard seeds and pepper to create spicy and complex beer that has a carefully balanced acidity in body.
Best Speciality Beer
Sharp’s, Camel Valley Pilsner
From our own country, it’s the UK that takes the gold for best speciality beer 2019. Pale yellow with a haze, its yeasty aromas and medium-bodied bready flavours work in tandem with its carbonation to create a subtle, clean and pleasant taste, akin to white wine.
Best Stout & Porter
Cassels Brewing Co., Milk Stout
From New Zealand, Milk Stout has a smooth milk chocolate on the nose, a slight pear drop, vanilla aroma and a smooth and rich dark malt body that is firm and well-rounded.
Best Wheat Beer
NBeer, Lindongjiangzhi Weizenbock
Finally, the best wheat beer goes to Chinese company NBeer, for their beer with a banana and esters taste, hints of cloves and a smooth, satisfying finish.
Making such high-quality, exquisite beers takes time and skill, as well as patience. At Adams Gas, we can provide you with beer and cellar gas so you can improve the taste of your beer, improve its presentation or extend the life of your customers’ favourite beverages.