Oxy/acetylene rig

Keep the great suggestions coming!

I have also found a "flashback arrestor" torch for $80. Looks to be a Victor but not sure.
So I'd have to add regs and hoses. But maybe for safety's sake new hoses are a given on a complete used rig?
 
ericc said:
The Victor set looks old. There doesn't seem to be flashback arrestors on the torch. That does not mean avoid. It just means that they are not current, and you'll have to be more careful. I am paranoid. If there is a tiny flicker of side flame, I will clean or replace my tips. If there is any popping, I will increase the flame size, back off the metal, or quit. You just have to be super careful without the PPE. Those are Prostar regulators, which our LWS says are private label (for Praxair) Victor. The second set looks like Craftsman. They are rebranded Smith, which was well regarded with a lifetime warranty. Times have changed, and fellow blacksmiths tell me that not only do they not honor the warranty anymore, there are no longer replacement parts. Victor torches have replacement parts. My OA torch is an import clone. It is flimsy, only came with one tip (no replacements available) and when it dies (soon), I expect to replace it with something decent. In my defense, an estate sale dealer came and twisted my arm to buy it. Offering it to me for $25 helped (tanks included). Listen to the other guys: watch out for printed or ground neck ring. Clean ring on an owner tank is good news.

Most of my work is done with oxy-propane. Hey, I can't help it, I'm a blacksmith. I know, I know, welding store salesmen always tell you that oxy-propane wastes oxygen, but so do a lot of salesmen :D. Just having to worry about an oxygen tank saves a lot of hassle. People always say you cannot weld without acetylene. Technically, that is correct, but the more precise statement is that you cannot gas weld steel without oxy-acetylene. I recall you have an arc welder, which is arguably a superior process. Also, you can weld brass, copper (although it is very hot short), and cast iron with oxy-propane. Also, you can forge weld either with a forge or with oxy-propane.
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Yes, I have MIG, TIG and arc available to glue metal together. The oxy setup is really for heating and bending and maybe cutting.
Perhaps a dumb question: for propane do you just use 'regular' propane tanks?
 
I guess I'm okay, since some of my tank collars say "Union Carbide" on them, and they stopped calling a long time ago.

I have two Victor super range sets, one old with discrete flash preventers and the newer one with them built in. IIRC, the flash preventers were $15 apiece 20 years ago. They should still be cheap enough, but will add to the cost of your torch set.

ProStar regulators are decent. I have a couple, maybe three. Your Praxair dealer can get rebuild and replacement parts for these. I would not hesitate to pick up more ProStar regulators. Commercial grade beats China golden dragon brass any day, IMHO.

And Stu makes a great point about swapping COCs (customer owned containers) size-for-size for other gases. This has always been possible for me, and I have done it several times. Yes, you can trade your empty Crush bottles for a Coke!

Edit: @DavidR8 YES get new hoses! Old hoses get stiff and eventually can crack. The oxygen side of an old hose might be contaminated with hydrocarbons. Not worth it! Of course, the other side of the coin is sticker shock when you buy a new one... If you find a deal, let me know- I need a new hose set or two myself!
 
If it were me, I would buy the largest cylinders that I could afford directly from the LWS where I plan to refill them.

Considering the worst case scenario of what can happen with faulty parts, I would only buy Victor and only buy new. Harris and Smith are also fine, but I always buy the most common quality brand because I am looking ahead to easily finding replacement parts.

My LWS charges an arm and a leg for Victor equipment; I can find them online for less than half of what the LWS charges.

Even if you buy a quality new, complete Victor set online, you will still have to go to your LWS to buy one bushing to connect all of your goodies.

O/A is so fun. Gas welding makes welding thin steel pretty darned easy, and brazing is the easiest process that I have ever learned.

Sometimes I prefer brazing because you don’t melt the base material (which has always been steel for me). This makes it very easy to fill a crack or hole without worrying about damaging your weldment.

I have never messed with propane or propylene. I understand that acetylene provides the most heat.
 
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If you want to weld (or braze) in shorts and a T-shirt, you can get away with this with O/A If you don’t mind a few burns on your arms (and holes in your clothing).

I would not have thought to ever do (or say) this, but when I took a brazing class, the instructor wore short sleeves and shorts every single day. The same instructor had long pants and a welding coat on for the TIG class.

Also, with O/A, you can just wear shade 3 or shade 5 glasses or goggles. No welding helmet required.

A 40 cu. ft. acetylene cylinder is not going to last you very long. I have a 120 cu. ft., and I am still annoyed how often I need to refill it.
 
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You will probably get a combination torch for your welding and brazing. The cutting attachment (on the combination torch) could last you the rest of your life. If, however, you were going to do a lot of torch cutting then you would want to get a dedicated cutting torch. Dedicated cutting torches leave nothing to be desired.

If you are going to be doing a lot of torch cutting then you will probably want to get a larger oxygen cylinder.

If you can become adept at torch cutting, then you will never need to buy a plasma cutter.
 
I started off with a HD (i.e. large) combination torch. I enjoyed the process so much that I bought a medium torch later.

The medium torch obviously weighs less, so that is less fatigue on your back while you are holding it for hours.
 
erikmannie said:
My LWS charges an arm and a leg for Victor equipment; I can find them online for less than half of what the LWS charges.
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Thanks for the additional insight Erik.
Who are you buying from online?


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