# some Qs on possible oxyac purchase



## SE18 (Mar 8, 2013)

I'm looking at this set:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_98353-1703-...rentURL=?Ns=p_product_avg_rating|1&facetInfo=

I believe HD carries identical set for identical price.

Been on Craigslist too but whenever I call, I find such and such a unit was already snapped up. Things go fast there if they're a bargain.

So my question is, the Lowes Lincoln set in the link doesn't list which tips you get and how easy it is to find tips that are compatible with their setup.

I know the bottles are smallish, but this would help with portability if I need to take it somewhere to cut up (safe) scraps.

Be interested to hear what you think. I've got my heart set on oxyacy after seeing the neat stuff you can do with these units (some guys have used theirs to make sculptures even)

DaveV


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## Tony Wells (Mar 8, 2013)

According to the Lowe's q&a, it uses Harris flat based tips. I have an old Sears torch that uses them, and I have converted some spare Victor tips to fit it, but I'm sure any LWS would have something to fit it. Or you could easily mod something to fit. I'd just be cautious about it's cutting capacity. 1" even with that gas bottle is asking a lot. My brother bought one of those a few years ago, and I've used it for plumbing/AC work a time or two and it seems to be OK. But for a shop unit, it might be a bit light.


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## Ray C (Mar 8, 2013)

My local Lowes carries that kit and I looked at it out of curiosity.  It appears to be a Harris torch (or one darn good knock-off).  The HF torches (which is what I have) are Harris knock-offs but not quite as good as this Lowes unit.  For the amount of torch work I do, it's fine.  As for the Lowes unit, I wasn't totally impressed with gauges and felt the HF were much better.  The gauges on this one were all plastic lenses with no metal border.

Still though, a good setup and the price was decent.  

Ray


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## SE18 (Mar 8, 2013)

OK, thanks for the info.


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## psychodelicdan (Mar 8, 2013)

As a welder I highly recommend the Victor Jr. Set. Have you checked with your local weld supply store. Ask them if they can set you up with some used or reconditioned stuff. I don't know if they would do it for a non tradesmen due to liability.Check out Amazon for torch sets also .  Most all torches will work for home use. What you will find is the little tiny cylinders don't last very long. Can't go wrong with Victor and try to get as big a cyl as you can. I have a little baby set up and love it. But I have extra cylinders for  both gasses. They will ALWAYS run out just after the store closes. I pick up most of my cylinders from garage sales.
Hope I have giving you something useful.
Dan


Master of unfinished projects


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## tripletap3 (Mar 8, 2013)

The torch set is the easy part,  tanks are the difficult part. I don't know of any place around south east VA that will fill your tanks unless you bought them from their company and all tanks must be hydro tested every 4-5 years. Lots of people buy tanks at HF just to find out that no one will fill them. We have a new Tractor supply in town and it looks like they offer a tank exchange so if you have one close it's worth a look.


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## mikey (Mar 8, 2013)

Dave, I am NOT a welder so I yield to Dan's advice. Just let me add a torch option to consider: http://www.tinmantech.com/html/meco_midget_torch.php

This little torch is the best I have found for gas welding projects. Small, light, very precise control and it doesn't get hot in the hand. Tin Man carries a light weight hose set that goes well with this torch; the torch is only about 1/2# in your hand with this hose set. It will weld thin sheet on up to 1/4" steel so it is suitable for most home shop stuff. The Meco Midget is highly regarded and would work well with that small set up you're looking at. 

Personally, I would forgo that set and look for tanks on CL and buy the Meco.


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## psychodelicdan (Mar 8, 2013)

I don't think that anywhere will fill your tanks. Unless you live next to a main fill plant. cylinders are just exchanged by the local weld store. It's up to the fill plant to do the certification,not the weld shops problem. I've had tanks go by with certification dates to 1939. Tripletap3 is correct with the certification, cylinders just don't wear out but the valves do. There are two kinds of cylinders(which are identical except for the stamp) owner bottles and rental bottles. Owner bottles are yours to buy sell trade whatever. Rental bottles are what you may have in a pro weld shop. Where they may just pay for the gasses. The cylinders are free to use if they use enough gas. All depends on the contract. Our fab shop owns our cylinders so that we can exchange them any place that does it. (Like owner cylinders ). Rental cylinders can only go to the company where you rented it unless there not paying attention then they will exchange it for a owner cylinder. But you didn't hear that from me. If its there cylinder, they will most likely confiscate it as stolen .
The HF cylinders my just not meet any codes I don't know .Owner cylinders usually won't say owner on it but most rental cylinders will have a company name stamped on it. Hope this helps. 
Dan


Master of unfinished projects


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## dickr (Mar 8, 2013)

I agree with Physcodan. Can't go wrong with Victor. More expensive but the best quality. I believe they furnish the safety tips or regulator that automatically shuts down in case of flashback (boom) If you try cutting 1" inch it better be very short cut. Yep they (gas depots) won't fill many tanks and definitely won't fill a out of date one. they are expensive to have pressure checked unless you are doing a lot of torch work, then you lease them.
dickr


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## November X-ray (Mar 8, 2013)

I've got Victors and have had them for over 30 years and used to make my living by using them daily. Having said all of that I would not discount Smith or Harris/Calorific Brands either, as these are good units too.

Here's a link to a Smith model - http://store.weldersource.com/p-360...tip-kit.aspx?gclid=CNbJyoKL7rUCFQk6nAodVA8Agw


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## n3480h (Mar 8, 2013)

A few years ago, I bought a tank on fleabay.  Wound up paying $50 more for a pressure test before they would exchange it for one of their full tanks.  Later I bought a Victor torch and gauge set and two good sized tanks for airframe welding from a _local_ welding supply company.  It was expensive, but they did not play games.  I have not regretted doing that.  You WILL run out of gas and/or rods on Saturday night when you have a full Sunday of welding planned.  Additional tips are also spendy, so plan accordingly.  The better name brand torches will have the anti-blowback feature built in, and its a good thing.  I'd suggest going to a welder with OA experience, or a local community college that teaches welding and tell them what you want to weld/cut, and ask for recomendations on gear. OA welding has its dangers, so please consider getting some safety training.  Also recommend starting with some thinner scrap - cleaned of paint and rust - before trying to weld a masterpiece in new steel.  You'll burn a few holes through the material, and you'll make welds that won't hold, until you have enough practice and have developed some skill.  After all that, OA welding is great fun.

Tom


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## Ray C (Mar 8, 2013)

For sure on this...  Seems the rules and prices are all over the place from one location to the next.  Things are locked-up pretty tight where I live.  Call all the local supply places and find-out their policies and prices.  Some places will only do exchanges, some will fill YOUR bottle and return it...  Some require you to rent their bottles...  Some are very strict about the periodic test and charge a lot of money while others just do it once in a while and charge 5 bucks extra if anything at all.  Right now, I'm renting 4 tanks around 300 and 330 cuft of various gasses (Argon, Co2, Helium) at 3 bucks per month.  Refill prices are very reasonable but, I need to drive about 45 mins one county over to get prices I can live with.

Whatever the case may be, having the biggest oxy tank (or multiple smaller ones) you can tote is the way to go.  The oxy always seemed to run out first.

Ray





tripletap3 said:


> The torch set is the easy part,  tanks are the difficult part. I don't know of any place around south east VA that will fill your tanks unless you bought them from their company and all tanks must be hydro tested every 4-5 years. Lots of people buy tanks at HF just to find out that no one will fill them. We have a new Tractor supply in town and it looks like they offer a tank exchange so if you have one close it's worth a look.


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## SE18 (Mar 9, 2013)

I was surprised to see all the info this morning when I opened my internet. A big thanks. I'm still reading every word, but just wanted to say that about 10 miles from me in Manassas VA there's an AirGas plant that I called yesterday and they said they'd fill both tanks (Home Depot small size) for around $55 bucks and a fellow down the street has those tanks already and he uses them.

The guy down the street who also owns a SB9A lathe, btw, said to be cautious about buying used tanks online b/c many are stolen. If yours are, the airgas will simply keep them and not return them to you (I guess they give them to the police).

He said those little tanks get about an hour of welding or 30 minutes of cutting. He said he'll add bigger bottles soon but the portability factor is good if you go on a scrap hunting expedition.

I am still mulling my options and still reading your replies.

Thank you all so much. Some of the victor stuff looks good but costs a lot more. I have to weigh that too.

Dave


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## Uglydog (Mar 9, 2013)

I'd encourage you to learn what your local LWS is able to service. 
I'm a Smith fan. But, that's likely because that's what I used while in welding classes.
I chose the medium duty because it fit my hands better for the type of work that I do. 
The Heavy duty is more cumbersome and more difficult to control. But, will put out more BTUs.
My first torch was an import. Awful thing. I'm not cursing all imports. Merely this set-up. Kept getting flash backs and burning out O-rings. I was terrified it was going to explode. Sold it cheap with a warning.  
That's when I purchased my used Medium duty Smith (I could get parts and service if needed). Worked well from the start.

The guys here are right about the bottle purchases. Size of bottle is another consideration.

Acetylene is expensive, if you are welding then it's your only option. If you are cutting consider propane. It's cheap and you can fill anywhere. 
However, it will require different cutting tips. So consider selecting the right tips from the start.


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## SE18 (Mar 9, 2013)

I've heard that propane is being used with oxy. Can you put propane in acy tank or do you need an even different tank for that?

I guess you're right about expense. By the time you weld an angleplate together (maybe 30 minutes), you could have purchased a ready made angle plate for the price of the gas you just used.

plus, you're at the mercy of the gas dealers. I've tried to factor all that in


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## Tony Wells (Mar 9, 2013)

Acetylene tanks are partially filled with liquid acetone, in which the acetylene is dissolved, so no, propane requires a different bottle/tank.


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## Uglydog (Mar 9, 2013)

Tony Wells said:


> Acetylene tanks are partially filled with liquid acetone, in which the acetylene is dissolved, so no, propane requires a different bottle/tank.



And, depending on who you ask, different a different fuel regulator, fuel hose and of course tips.

But, if you intend to do alot of cutting the additional parts will pay for themselves.


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## SE18 (Apr 16, 2013)

I've been on CL and eBay every day and it looks like my long journey is finally over. I pick up Victor Welding with extra tips and Roberts tanks this evening. I'll be paying $250.

Expect to eventually see pictures and hopefully some projects.

BTW, it was either this or a stick welder. I did buy some 7018 and 6013 for that (which never happened).

So quick question. I know I can fuse-weld with oxyacy, but can you use sticks from arc welders to gas weld with oxyacy? Sorry for the dumb question.

(Obviously, I'm going to read instructions and watch videos before I do any welding at all and observe all safety)

thx

Dave


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## Rbeckett (Apr 16, 2013)

Dave you need to use Brazing rods and a suitable flux.  The stick rods will not work and will make a horrendous mess also.  Gas welding is an art, so plan to practice a good bit before you have the muscle memory to lay down those pretty beads that you see around.  Gas welding is fun, and once you get good at it you can do some serious art with repairs and rebuilds.  Good luck and be safe.

Bob


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## DaveD (Apr 16, 2013)

You don't have to use brazing rod exclusively. Brazing rod is for brazing. I don't gas weld but I'd assume you use the same bare rods as you do when Tigging. You can also aluminum weld with the gas setup.

You will find the small tanks don't last long and may eventually want bigger tanks. My local place is National Welders and I bought bigger tanks from them. They just exchange them for me. No questions asked. They dont know/care if im bringing in 'owned' tanks. Just save receipts if you move or need them 20 years from now.

Buying saves me long term rental/leasing costs. You will find (hopefully) filling the larger bottles isn't proportionate cost wise to smaller bottles. Bigger is more cost efficient per cu ft of gas. At least it was when I was going through gas weekly/monthly.

Using the cutting torch will suck on the oxygen tank big time. Probably 4 times faster than welding/brazing. I bought a plasma cutter to solve that problem!


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## Ray C (Apr 16, 2013)

Dave,

I almost hate to admit this but I used coat hanger wire in my early days of learning to gas weld. -Just practice, nothing critical of course.  It actually worked pretty well.  I haven't used a torch to weld for more than 25 years and I was not very good at it but, I could stick metal together well enough.  I might actually give it a try again some day.

Ray


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## jocat54 (Apr 16, 2013)

Ray C said:


> Dave,
> 
> I almost hate to admit this but I used coat hanger wire in my early days of learning to gas weld. -Just practice, nothing critical of course.  It actually worked pretty well.  I haven't used a torch to weld for more than 25 years and I was not very good at it but, I could stick metal together well enough.  I might actually give it a try again some day.
> 
> Ray




Welded many exhaust pipes with coat hanger (along with other things) and they worked well.


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## SE18 (Apr 17, 2013)

thanks, all. Got it last night. All Victor parts, all the extra tips including the rosebud, all for $250. He was getting calls about it when I got there. CL didn't require sniping like eBay so I was the fastest on the phone. He's an aircraft mechanic who weighed 350lb and started running and P90xing, interesting character.

I'm actually not going to use the system until I read up a lot and watch more videos. Maybe coat hangers for practicing. Then using the vise/hammer test and so on. 

Anyway, I've wanted one of these for a few years now and finally got it so very stoked. Thanks all for tips (no pun intended)

Dave


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## Tom Griffin (Apr 17, 2013)

There's nothing wrong with using coat hangers. They are the same mild steel as expensive welding rods and they are free.

Hopefully you got some larger tanks than the ones in that Lowes set. Small tanks are handy but they are expensive to fill and are empty all the time.

Tom


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## SE18 (Apr 17, 2013)

Hi, unfortunately, I have the very commonly sold small tanks :-( I know I eventually will want bigger ones. Too bad they charge more per volume to fill small tanks. Otherwise, I'd just get 2 more small tanks.

As to coat hangers, do you need a flux? I'm guessing they're not used for critical structures like towing hitches (I don't have any plans to weld "critical" structures except for some broken steel chairs I have. I suppose if I weld them poorly and someone sits in them and falls on their you know what, they could actually get hurt.


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## Tom Griffin (Apr 17, 2013)

Flux is mostly used for brazing. It shields the base metal, removing and preventing further oxidation so the brazing alloy can adhere to the base metal. Brazing is a low temperature operation where only the brazing alloy is melted, not the base metal. The only welding application I can think of that uses flux is when welding aluminum with oxy-acetylene. Welding, unlike brazing melts the base metal and filler metals, fusing them together. You would use welding to fabricate an exhaust system for your car and brazing to attach a carbide tip to a steel shank as a cutting tool for your lathe.

Tom


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## Uglydog (Apr 20, 2013)

Sounds like you purchased a good torch from the beginning! 
Consider checking manufacture recommendations for "check valves" and "flash back arrestors". If your torch already has them, make sure they work and are placed in the appropriate locations. If they should be used and where they should be located is controversial, please consider going with manufacture recommendations.
Same applies with adjusting pressure gauges and the sequence of lighting your torch, and shutting down, be careful moving tanks!

You will have a lot of fun and do great things with her. 
Be safe and watch the puddle.
Let us know if there is anything we can help with. 

Daryl
MN


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## "Mike" (Apr 20, 2013)

I've used a boatload of coat hangers in the past.   The ONE thing you need to do though is take sandpaper to the rod and get the clear lacquer coating off.  They will pop like a 'stard if you don't.  Any contaminents wil cause popping.  Of course,   some of the new coathangers are getting to be pretty cheap steel.  Some of them get porous.


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## SE18 (Apr 20, 2013)

I read the victor instructions that came with it. THey are very confusing for a first timer and really lack clear diagrams/instruction. Supplementing them with this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxRMTxf8W9Q

As well, my next door neighbor popped in the got the set welding and cutting some steel. But I'll need loads more of practice and doing a lot of those safety tests for the check valves, hoses and so on and so forth. The o rings, fittings and all the other stuff look to be in really good shape.

I'm trying not to get too attached to the beautiful tanks, knowing that I'll have to trade them in for some ugly ones. Neighbor advised to refuse them if there's rust, unless it's superficial on the tank body away from fittings

cheers and there will be questions guaranteed. Thx for all your support (tips, advice, moral support and so on)

Dave


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