Oxy-Acet Setup Safety Advice...

[quietlikeachurch]

I live in Richmond, VA and I've been looking into getting my own O/A setup for fun. I love brazing, and am fairly good at torch welding too. The big problem is that I feel guilty renting massive gas bottles and storing them in my not-too-fireproof shed. I envision building a cart and portable work table so I can take things out into the open for serious fab...but is there any sort of code that I need to meet? Do I need to tell the city that I have O/A equipment? If, for some reason, I light the whole neighborhood on fire will I face steeper criminal charges because I had unauthorized gas bottles on my property? Or does nobody care? I have a pretty good handle on O/A safety, just curious, and I don't know any lawyers...

Thanks,
-Ian Smith

[Rojodiablo]

For hobby use, you are fine. If you make it into a business, then there are about a hundred rules to follow. If you are concerned about the time when you're welding or cutting, then common sense is the way to go. You don't want wood studs exposed on the ground where you will be working with torches. Drywall the walls to cover the combustibles. Keep a garden hose at the ready, close by outside. Inside, where you are welding, keep a good fire extinguisher at the ready, immediately near where you are welding. Secure your bottles with a strap or chain to a wall so they can not fall over. That about covers it for recreational use.