Landracing Forum
Misc Forums => NON LSR Posting => Topic started by: Milwaukee Midget on October 20, 2014, 09:20:09 PM
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Hey, gang -
I'm looking for advice when buying an oxy-acetylene welder and cutting torch.
I'm shopping both new and used.
Are there any brand names that are better than others?
Anything I should definitely avoid?
What kind of fuel and oxygen consumption is typical?
What should I be looking for - and looking out for - in the used market?
Thanks!
Chris
I appreciate any insights into this.
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Stay away from the imports. They are constructed as cheaply as possible and border on hazardous. The quality has dropped on the domestic brands in the last ten to fifteen years but they're still better than the imports and you can get parts and service for them. If you found a good used domestic set you might be much further ahead.
I have a friend whose business is sales and service of torches of all sorts. He overhauls all brands. He's shown me the differences between the various types. When the Asians build a torch it's amazing what they leave out and still get the thing to work. He also says if you try to use the HF tips, etc. that are supposed to work with the various domestic brands it usually results in having to get the seats redone so the real stuff doesn't leak.
Pete
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My suggestion would be a Harris cutting torch with three visible gas mixing tubes. They are indestructible, unlike the two tube Victors and foreign models.
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Victor Junior has been around for years & has always been a good product & they are world wide, I had one in Australia. A good used set will do everything a new set will, just road test it before you buy it.
Don't buy one with the big industrial torch unless you plan on cutting really big $hit.
I have a Victor Junior in the shop (bought used) & a Harbor Freight piece of fine-china on the service truck & both work well. The "fine china" is a copy of the Victor & the only thing that failed in 12yrs was the 'O' ring in the head & that took less than 30 seconds to change.
I'm in the heavy mobile repair business & I use my hot wrench a lot! :evil:
Sid.
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Chris...This thread proves the old saying that everything you need to know will be within the first 5 replies. Victor or Harris. End of discussion............OK Rego too. And buy new...Any torch set you find used will be a worn out P.O.S that will cost more in repairs than you would have spent. What else?? Dual stage regulators ..Spend the extra $$ and get them. Gas usage?? Not to be a smart a$$, ( OK , Yes I am ) depends on how much you weld/cut/braze or thaw out frozen pipes up there.
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Gas usage?? Not to be a smart a$$, ( OK , Yes I am ) depends on how much you weld/cut/braze or thaw out frozen pipes up there.
I was going to say - since when? :-D
Realistically, I see my usage being primarily panel replacement and body straightening - British cars seem to need a lot of that - and a little light duty fabrication and tack welding of heavier duty items that I can take to a real welder for a proper job.
A rosebud head looks like a good idea for shrinking and shaping panels.
I really don't see myself doing a lot of torch cutting, but sometimes Liquid Wrench, cheater bars and Sawzalls don't get the job done.
I've been perusing a few YouTube videos, and I'm seeing some units that don't require a restriking of the flame every time. Pilot light, I presume?
Thanks, folks. Any other thoughts are welcome.
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A rosebud head looks like a good idea for shrinking and shaping panels.
Thanks, folks. Any other thoughts are welcome.
Are you restoring a WWII tank or something? :mrgreen:
To shrink dents in automotive sheetmetal I suggest you use a 00 or even a 000 tip. :cheers:
Mike
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I have an old Victor dual stage set that I inherited from my Father... so it's probably 70 years old. The only problem I've ever had was the O rings need replaced every now and then. Hoses get bad after awhile so make sure there's no cracks in them. On older sheet metal you can't beat em, but the newer cars ( 70's - present. ) need a wire feed.
My Nephew swears Acetylene is the worlds best laxative... although I didn't press him for more information... I've never had that problem.
Smitty :cheers:
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A rosebud head looks like a good idea for shrinking and shaping panels.
Thanks, folks. Any other thoughts are welcome.
Are you restoring a WWII tank or something? :mrgreen:
To shrink dents in automotive sheetmetal I suggest you use a 00 or even a 000 tip. :cheers:
Mike
I wish - If Kate won't let me have a Farmall Super C, it's fair to assume a Vickers Matilda would be out of the question.
No, but now that I've done a bit more research, yes, I expect a rosebud might be an overkill accessory at the moment.
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The Oring is why I went to a Harris. That said I got along fine with the Victor myself, It was the help that would cause the oring to burn out, not keeping the tip clean and the correct distance from the work. However I've never had any trouble with the large Victors, but it's not out on the job site like the others.
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Chris, what ever you get be sure to install anti reversion (check) valves between the hose and acy. regulator. they can blow should a flame travel up the hose. It has happend.
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Chris--I gave up torch welding sheetmetal a long time ago. Yes, It is still a great method to do real Metal Body repair, but for the last 20 years or so I TIG weld and hammer exclusively. I really miss my little Marquette set, though. I have, still, my small Purox for Aluminum work, and a really neat little Victor YJ 40 set that I have never used, but don`t even do much Ally any more. There is a young fellow in Portland that I send all my Aluminum customers to. He learnt in the Bay area working on expensive aluminium European cars....I use my old Victor (medium sized) for all cutting, heating/shrinking with a 000 tip, mostly, and I have a Rosette that I have used about half a dozen times in the past 10 years....And Frank is right. Ideally if you take care of your equipment and use it properly, you can get by without check valves. But I would put them in, that`s for sure...
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Or, you could be like some of us tightwads (who, me?)- just buy a cutting torch and use it for all of your cutting/welding.
If you're tempted to buy any used tank(s), check with your local gas supply regarding required tank inspection certificates.
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Having used regular (read large wand style) oxy-fuel torches for welding and brazing in the past, when it came to buying my own, I wanted something with a little more control and flexibility for close-in work. After quite a bit of research and perusing the intarweb, I opted for the Cobra DHC 2000 (Dillon/Henrob/Cobra I believe). It is a pistol grip style torch capable of finesse work and I can cut steel with plasma cutter quality without having a plasma cutter. It has plenty of heat available for non-sheet metal work and is great for precision rusty bolt removal making it a solid starter tool.
More information can be found here: http://www.cobratorches.com/ (http://www.cobratorches.com/)
I'm sure it isn't for everyone but it works for me.
Regards,
Jim
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Thanks, everyone.
I just closed a deal on a really decent Blue Point set-up.
After talking to my Snap-On guy, it's a rebranded Victor that Snap-On dealers have in their catalogue, and if I need parts, Kurt's a phone call away.
Moving on to tanks, I'll be making that purchase at Northern Tool. They're not the cheapest on the refill, and I could probably get less expensive tanks by shopping a little harder, but being a retail store, there's the huge advantage to them being open on Saturdays and Sundays. That has value to me - I can't always sneak out of work during the week.
Curious - is there any reason one couldn't use wire for a MIG machine as filler? I've got both a roll of flux core and solid core in the basement.
Let's see if I can avoid burning down the garage. :wink:
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Chris
The solid wire will work fine for filler wire but it might be a little small depending on what you're welding. If you have safety wire pliers, clamp one end of the wire in the vise and pull and spin the wire, will straighten it right out.
For bottles check with your local suppliers. Some will exchange a bottle as long as it's the same size regardless of whose tag is on it. If you can find used bottles, like on craigs list, don't be afraid of them as long as they look undamaged. I bought a "T" (= large), full, oxygen bottle on craigs list for $100. My "T" nitrogen out-right, was $315. If the bottle is out of date when you exchange it they will charge you a nominal fee for re-certification, no problem. If you buy a new bottle, the first time you exchange, you won't get your "new" bottle back anyway. Buy the largest bottle you can afford and have room for. The cost to fill the little bottles is astronomical compared to the larger ones.
As was quoted on another site. " If while welding, you smell smoke, stop and put yourself out." :-D :-D
YMMV
Ron
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Mig wire will be too small especially if you're new to gas welding, get some 1/16th. 1/8th is really too big for most jobs unless you need to weld up the grand canyon, a good weld is all about quality not quantity. I bet there's all kinds of vids on youtube to help the novice.
Sid.
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Mig wire will be too small especially if you're new to gas welding, get some 1/16th. 1/8th is really too big for most jobs unless you need to weld up the grand canyon, a good weld is all about quality not quantity. I bet there's all kinds of vids on youtube to help the novice.
Sid.
That's what caused me to ask - a YouTube video. Wish I could find it again, but the guy was doing a butt joint on a panel, and he was using what looked like MIG wire.
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If the fit is really good. you need very little if any rod. Takes lots of practice.
Look up David Gardiner metal shaping on Youtube. His video is super.
Ron
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1/16th look like mig wire on videos. I've seen folks use twisted mig wire with mixed results. Clean clean clean the joints before you weld....
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Using anything other than coat hangers is heresy.... :roll:
Chris- I just noticed that we're in the Non-LSR forum. Which of your [non-LSR] activities requires a set of torches? Welding broken guitar strings will be a challenge!
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National Steel
(http://www.nationalguitars.com/instruments/national_nrpsteel14/images/fullsize/1.jpg)
:?
Mike
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National Steel
(http://www.nationalguitars.com/instruments/national_nrpsteel14/images/fullsize/1.jpg)
:?
Mike
Using anything other than coat hangers is heresy.... :roll:
Chris- I just noticed that we're in the Non-LSR forum. Which of your [non-LSR] activities requires a set of torches? Welding broken guitar strings will be a challenge!
I don't have the dough, bro, but I know where to get guitar strings for cheap.
Jack, it's my new acquisition, a '61 Sprite. There is some panel work that needs to be touched up, a trunk floor that needs to be replaced, a shift lever that will need to be heated and bent, some radiator brackets to fab up, and an exhaust system that will need to be created.
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo58/milwaukeemidget/Pom%20Rod/DSCN5529_zps797b0612.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/milwaukeemidget/media/Pom%20Rod/DSCN5529_zps797b0612.jpg.html)
I'll be in need of some British Thermal Units in the next few months, and while I'm working on the new Midget engine, I intend to have this thing on the street in March.
And then drive it out to Boulder, pick up my nephew, Nick, who is almost as tall as I am, and drive it out to Utah.
The car came completely disassembled.
It's currently set up for a 215 Buick, which is freshly rebuilt and ready to install. I acquired a few other 215s as well, along with an extra set of the Oldsmobile turbo heads.
The end game is to rebuild one of the other Buicks, bolt it up to a TH350, drop it in my MGB and let Kate drive it. She ripped up the four speed in my first MGB, and I haven't been able to find her an affordable MGC automatic, so I've decided I'll just make an MG for her.
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If your decision is the V6 & auto for Kate, then, respectfully, put the supercharged B into the Sprite, NOT another V6.
Mike
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If your decision is the V6 & auto for Kate, then, respectfully, put the supercharged B into the Sprite, NOT another V6.
Mike
Too much weight and not enough spark plugs, Mike. They're 215 aluminum Buick V-8s -
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo58/milwaukeemidget/Pom%20Rod/DSCN5536_zps595d76fc.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/milwaukeemidget/media/Pom%20Rod/DSCN5536_zps595d76fc.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo58/milwaukeemidget/Pom%20Rod/DSCN5537_zps8d3965d7.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/milwaukeemidget/media/Pom%20Rod/DSCN5537_zps8d3965d7.jpg.html)
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Cool project!
One of the few problems I had with a '62 Skylark (215 4-bbl) was a fuel-starvation issue that drove me crazy for awhile. One of your pictures seems to show the same factory sediment-bowl-style filter that mine had. I eventually learned that the filter element (porous ceramic?) could "pretend" to clean up fine, but when put back into use would gradually shut off fuel flow! NAPA had a little paper filter element that fit right into the sediment bowl- end of problem.
It's sort of bittersweet to see pictures of things I no longer have. Buick 215 engine (surrounded by mint-body/mint-interior Skylark hardtop). National guitar, which was the first "good" guitar I owned (1957)- a nice, used, full-body archtop electric that my dad helped me buy (I built a one-tube pre-amp and wired it into our console radio, to use an amp).