Carbide Source

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Carbide Source

Postby brad81286 » Mar 13, 2008 6:59 pm

Does anyone know of a carbide supplier in the VA/WV/NC area? I have an Autolite lamp and love using it, but Karstsports.com sell 12 lbs for $80 and I am a broke VMI cadet. Inner Mountain Outfitters used to be just down the road from Lexington in Steele's Tavern, but they have since relocated to Georgia I believe.

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Re: Carbide Source

Postby Wayne Harrison » Mar 13, 2008 7:30 pm

Brad, it depends on how much you plan to use. I've had good luck finding 1 to 3 pound cans in Army/Navy surplus stores and the cost was no where near what you paid for 12 pounds. I started with carbide and used it for years but after switching to LEDs I would never go back.
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby fuzzy-hair-man » Mar 13, 2008 7:34 pm

The standard response seems to be to go around your local welding shops / workshops etc and see if any of them will sell you any.

As recommended in these threads:
http://forums.caves.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4590
http://forums.caves.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6093
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby brad81286 » Mar 13, 2008 7:56 pm

alright- there is a welding supply shop close by- I'll check it out tomorrow... thanks guys
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby Adam Craig » Mar 17, 2008 8:17 pm

I'll second the "check with the local welding shop" motion... There are fill stations that generate acetylene with carbide. Not all welding shops have this capability; in fact many do not. BUT they will know what shop fills tanks, so contact them. Most modern acetylene generators use nut grade, a.k.a. quarter carbide. If that's all they have, a few minutes with a hammer will produce miners grade carbide. Good luck!! Despite feable attempts at electric lighting, carbide still out-shines even the best LED's :nana: Long live the carbide lamp!!
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby NZcaver » Mar 17, 2008 11:11 pm

Adam Craig wrote:Despite feable attempts at electric lighting, carbide still out-shines even the best LED's :nana:

Carbide out-shining LEDs?? :laughing: What rock have you been hiding under for the last 5 years? :tonguecheek:

But seriously, I've always found that nut grade stuff runs better in both caplamps and generators.
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby Adam Craig » Mar 18, 2008 5:52 am

I thought I'd get a rise out of someone :laughing:
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby hoosiercaver1 » Mar 18, 2008 5:48 pm

I agree with the carbide lovers out there. The only downside is finding the carbide!!! I ve been having trouble getting some locally in Indy. The people that do have it wont sell it to "the public". I love the wide soft light the cap lamps give off.
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby brad81286 » Mar 24, 2008 10:26 pm

Well I went by Arcet Welding Supply in Richmond, VA and the guy gave me a number of the plant where their acetylene generator is. I called them up and they said something about national security something or another.... I don't know. Does anyone know of another acetylene plant nearby? I won't be able to go until the summer as we are not allowed to have cars here until we're seniors :down:
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby NZcaver » Mar 25, 2008 9:09 am

brad81286 wrote:I called them up and they said something about national security something or another....

Carbide - a threat to national security since 1888... :roll:

Perhaps some folks saw this on the wikipedia page and got scared: :omg:
[Carbide] is still used in the Netherlands and Belgium for a traditional custom called Carbidschieten (Shooting Carbide). To create an explosion, carbide and water are put in a milk churn with a lid. Ignition is usually done with a torch. Some villages in the Netherlands fire multiple milk churns in a row as a New Year's Eve tradition. The old tradition comes from the old pagan religion to chase off spirits.

:flammable: :banana_yay:
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby hoosiercaver1 » Mar 25, 2008 10:57 am

Yeah, It sucks that we get screwed because "Somebody might use it in the wrong way"!!!! I heard the same thing in my area. Now we have to jump throught hoops just to try and get some. It depresses me that the world has come to that :down: There are some people who might actually use it for what it was intened.
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby brad81286 » Mar 25, 2008 11:18 am

Well, after looking at the wikipedia page, I saw that carbide is made by smelting coke and lime... Next time I am at home I believe I will have to try a science experiment with my arc welder-hahaha
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby ek » Mar 25, 2008 11:20 am

hoosiercaver1 wrote:Yeah, It sucks that we get screwed because "Somebody might use it in the wrong way"!!!! I heard the same thing in my area. Now we have to jump throught hoops just to try and get some. It depresses me that the world has come to that :down: There are some people who might actually use it for what it was intened.

Carbidschieten is not a misuse any more than any other safe pyrotechnic display is a "misuse"!

Throwing "carbide bombs" into campfires, on the other hand....
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby NZcaver » Mar 25, 2008 2:14 pm

ek wrote:Throwing "carbide bombs" into campfires, on the other hand....

... is good clean caving entertainment. :clap:

In fact, I remember it was practically a right-of-passage for new cavers not that long ago. Seriously.

Now that's something you can't really do with LED's, eh? :big grin:
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Re: Carbide Source

Postby hoosiercaver1 » Mar 25, 2008 8:02 pm

Hey you sure cant beat the warmth coming off the lamp when you take a break. I know some of you cave in shorts and t-shirt, but the caves can get chilly and wet up here in Indiana. My mom always tries to steal my dads to warm up when we take breaks!!! I know leds dont do that!!!
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