Empty O2 cylinders

[chuckster]

I have an opportunity to do some work for a company that rents oxygen cylinders. They would like their company name engraved on all 810 of them! Any ideas? I believe most are aluminum.

[steve_g]

Wow… I can’t imagine that you can engrave on a bottle without destroying their integrity… I welded my way through college, if we got splatter on a bottle of gas, the supplier made the company buy the bottle! Said it was no longer safe.
SG

[chuckster]

Steve, that sounds like maybe it would be a better idea to just make stencils and paint the name on the cylinder.

[dlcw]

Our O2 bottles, on the fire department, are charged to around 2400psi. I would think that doing anything to the exterior of the bottle would make that charge pressure VERY dangerous.

I agree, stencil them. Our department O2 and SCBA bottles are all stenciled.

[steve_g]

I would think that the purpose of the name is to deter theft… a stenciled name is easily painted over! Seems like I remember some kind of embossed plate that was put on with some kind of adhesive…
SG

[ssflyer]

Don's absolutely right - some of my bottles were charged to 3200psi. While an engraving probably won't damage the integrity, it will have to be pressure tested again, and I wouldn't certify it...

Just sayin'

[pappybaynes]

most cylinders have the mfg date stamped in them...hydrostatic testing is done generally every 12 years on most fire extinguishers (K class is every 5 years) and I would imagine the same would be true for any pressurized tank, such as SCUBA or Scott airpacks

[chuckster]

Thanks for the input fellow Shopbotters! The O2 tank manufacturer offers laser engraving for their tanks for a big up charge. A laser engraver friend of mine says using etching chemicals then laser engraving will work just fine with no issues.......well, with the exception that I will not be doing the actual job!

[SomeSailor]

I also have a laser and you can't mark aluminum like that so he may come back to you. Whatever you do, DON'T engrave into the tanks. They can be stamped, but should not be engraved. It will render them useless from a hydrostatic perspective. You're not even allowed to sand or grind on a compressed gas tank.

[chuckster]

Mike-
Thanks for the info. I think the right thing to do is be honest with the new customer and tell him he should just get the tanks marked by the manufacturer.

[dubliner]

Engrave some plates and epoxy them. Would that be safe?