N/A High Pressure Fear - Rant/Vent : )

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Bernie7

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Oct 19, 2022
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Manchester, NH
Anyone else still get freaked out dealing with the high pressure air in PCPs? Sometimes I wonder if I picked the wrong hobby or this is something that goes away over time. I just finished a barrel polish on my Rattler. Reassembled the whole thing, screwed the valve back in the CF 580cc tank, applied fresh silicone grease and then screwed the tank back onto the gun. Hooked up a 9L tank and turned on the gas, heart rate jumped a bit when I heard the “click” even though I knew it was coming 😅. Heard a hiss, knew it had a leak and noticed it looked like the silicone grease was blown out from one spot where the bottle valve connects with the gun. Tried hand tightening a bit more and it reduced the sound but it was definitely still there. Dropped from 200 bar to empty in an hour. Okay, used my saber tactical degassing kit to clamp around the tank so I could tighten it even more. Also tightened (with my hand), the second regulator gauge as there was a super slow leak from that prior to performing any work.

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While doing so, I can’t help but be concerned about-
  1. Damaging the tank by applying a ‘crushing’ force from clamping around the CF tank.
  2. Over tightening the tank to the gun and causing an issue from the torque.
  3. Damaging the threading on the gauge to the point it turns into a projectile.

In order of the points above, I know these tanks are designed to be really strong but is there any good documentation on what type of external compressing force, or torque they can safely take? #2 Similar thing, we always just say, “hand tight”. What is hand tight, I like having numbers, how many ft/lbs of torque is considered hand tight? #3 again, what are the numbers? I asked AoA a year ago when I had the original leak from the plenum gauge and they said that information wasn’t available.

How do I know I’m not damaging anything or reducing the structural integrity of the device(s)?

Part of my concerns include a second aspect, I live in the worst place imaginable to be able to enjoy this hobby. An apartment in the city, a poof too loud (not a negligent discharge, just standard PCP hissing, wooshing, and popping) and LEOs would rightfully be knocking on my door to see what’s going on. Or my worst fear which is something gets damaged and a part decides to become a projectile and harms someone.

The thing that balances this out though, is I think if these issues were as easy to trip as I sometimes imagine, we’d be hearing about it CONSTANTLY. Yet the reality seems to be that they’re extraordinarily rare.

Idk, just wondering if this sorta stuff ever bothers anyone else. Sometimes I think it’s like handling electronics. I used to be very gentle until I worked as a repair tech for over a decade and I feel like I know the exact line where something breaks so now I can be a lot rougher with stuff and not be concerned.

Thanks for listening to me vent : )

Hoping everyone has a beautiful Christmas and Happy Holidays!
 
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Just a note. The worst kind of lubricant you can put on metal to metal surfaces is silicone. You should never put silicone lubricant on bottle valve threads or the male threaded part of the gun. If you did you will probably find it really fun the next time you try to remove it. The HP air doesn’t really phase me. Probably 100000 x more likely to be maimed or killed driving as I do over 3k a week. I don’t think about the air much. Maybe I should.
 
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I related the fear to something from years ago.
As a young kid, I visited my Mother in a hospital. She was on a higher floor like 9th or 10th?
It scared the crap outta me to go near the window!! Had a fear of heights for years after that.
Fast forward to 1981 when I joined the Army and VOLUNTEERED to jump out of perfectly good Aereoplanes!
That cured my fear of heights! Why? Because I learned that if one takes the proper precautions things will most probably go well.
I'd fear a Gas line going bad and blowing my home into splintered fire wood then the compressor blowing up a tank I'm filling.
I watch my fills at all times. Can't say I baby sit the gas lines like that!
 
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Trucker3573 said:
Just a note. The worst kind of lubricant you can put on metal to metal surfaces is silicone. You should never put silicone lubricant on bottle valve threads or the male threaded part of the gun. If you did you will probably find it really fun the next time you try to remove it. The HP air doesn’t really phase me. Probably 100000 x more likely to be maimed or killed driving as I do over 3k a week. I don’t think about the air much. Maybe I should.
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It was on the oring and it was on the metal-metal contact as well. I genuinely don’t know the reason why not. Could you please educate me on the issue with doing this? Thank you!
 
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csdilligaf said:
I'll never get use to it. I made my own Titanium tubes for my guns and had them sent out for destructive testing. They popped at 17,350 psi and I still pucker up when filling them.

View attachment 416822
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Damn, that’s friggin sweet! Do you machine it yourself? Also thanks for the feedback, makes me feel better knowing I’m not alone.
 
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Bernie7 said:
It was on the oring and it was on the metal-metal contact as well. I genuinely don’t know the reason why not. Could you please educate me on the issue with doing this? Thank you!
Click to expand...
The reason is it can cause galling on the metal to metal surfaces. Tom from AAA made a point of this in some other threads where a user had two parts pretty much fuse together. Now Tom uses Very Fine threading and most others are more coarse. Galling is less likely on the coarse threads - but still a posibility.
 
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Bernie7 said:
It was on the oring and it was on the metal-metal contact as well. I genuinely don’t know the reason why not. Could you please educate me on the issue with doing this? Thank you!
Click to expand...
I don’t know why all I know from experience is that it acts more like glue on metal to metal surface. I used it once on a break open shotgun. After a bit I could hardly open it. Was crazy then someone told me never use silicone on metal to metal.
 
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Well, I used silicone grease for probably ten years on pcps and never had any galling issues, o rings stayed lubed better than silicone oil by itself and I’ve had zero corrosion issues internally on parts coated with silicone, even with extensive hand pumping with no filter. It does serve a purpose.
I did however buy the krytox lube after Tom recommended it for my Evol… only because he built it and that’s what he recommends for it.
 
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Anytime you are dealing with a pressure vessel, caution is due.
Getting freaked out? Not logical. Were air guns so dangerous the agencies charged with protecting us from ourselves would have nipped this project in the bud years ago.
I deal with high pressure hot water on a daily basis. 4200 psi with temps to 230 degrees F. Am I careful when working with this stuff? You betcha. Same goes for my air guns.
I saw these type of concerns on a couple firearms forums when discussing reloading cast lead bullets. A few folks were completely freaked out over working with lead. To the point of two pair of nitrile gloves and respirators being used when handling. If something bothers you that much, disengage from it.
I am not being critical or condemning your concerns. I just do not see how you could enjoy shooting a PCP if you are constantly concerned about the HPA.
 
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Chukar60 said:
Getting freaked out? Not logical. Were air guns so dangerous the agencies charged with protecting us from ourselves would have nipped this project in the bud years ago.
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This is the main thing that I think about, there’s no way the ‘safety’ agencies wouldn’t have stomped this out years ago if it were actually a problem.
 
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ctshooter said:
The reason is it can cause galling on the metal to metal surfaces. Tom from AAA made a point of this in some other threads where a user had two parts pretty much fuse together. Now Tom uses Very Fine threading and most others are more coarse. Galling is less likely on the coarse threads - but still a posibility.
Click to expand...
Thank you for providing this information
 
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I respect it. The time I think about it most is when I get a new full 6000-pound cylinder. When I put the regulator on it & opened it the first time & I feel that 6000 psi pushing up on the cylinder valve; I need to respect it. We all need to respect it. A little fear is good, the species that has no fear is extinct. :)
 
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