Natural gas

To: neon-l@netcom.com
Subject: Natural gas
From: NeonDave@aol.com
Date: Sat, 7 Oct 1995 13:37:19 -0400
Reply-To: neon-l@netcom.com
Sender: owner-neon-l@netcom.com

I was taught to use natural gas for flushing old mercury repairs by Alex
Miller (Samuel C.'s Brother), he also wrote the chapter on glass bending in
Neon Techniques And Handling. Remember this was 16 years ago and many ideas
have changed since. Alex Miller had a  trade shop in the Bronx.  Back then
many shops had a flask of hydrogen for flushing. This is much better because
it is free of impuritys and pure active ingredient. An other way I have used
 natural gas is in the processing of uncoated colored glass filled with neon.
After first bombarding the unit and after it has cooled somewhat I close the
main stopcock and fill with 2mm of natural gas. I then re-bombard with the
gas and this enables me to get the glass very hot a second time with out
reheating the electrodes red. I am very wary of doing this with merc. units
because the smallest amount of natural gas causes a violent wiggle. Go ahead,
try it! As for safety? I have never blown my self up this way although I
heard a story of an Italian bender who blew up his manifold using this
technique. Mix natural gas with air and all bets are off.