your dad is a smart fella andy, Im the same way.
That said, acetylene is its own special animal, Acetylene is VERY unstable - if you were to cut open a acetylene bottle the inside would be stuffed with balsa wood, and acetone in which the acetylene is dissolved, all this just to make it stable enough for use!
never lay an acet. bottle on it's side if you can help it! if you absolutly have to Keep the bottle up right at least twice as long as it was on its side before use! (if it was on its side for an hour, wait 2 before you use it)