Santa was good

[Gary Fowler]

I wouldnt mess with used cutting torches if you arent very familiar with them. They may have bad diaphrams in the gauges or need to be rebuilt which would cost more than new. All the pressue gauges on my old Victor torch set were either not working or not accurate. The replacement Victor gauges were over $20 each (x4) so I just bought a new rig complete with heating tips for less than $200 at my LWS. It isnt a Victor brand but is good quality Harris and all the Victor tips interchange with it. My LWS said he quit handling Victor brand because no one wanted to pay the premium price for them especially when the Harris is just as good at half the price. I think you can maybe get a Victor starter set at the box stores for around $200 but I dont know if it is same quality rig as those sold at the welding supply places.
Lots of folks list the bottle for sale also but they may or may not own them. You could be buying someones leased bottles and as soon as you try to fill them, they will confiscate them or make you pay the lease up on them. Go to your LWS and either lease or buy your own. When you own your bottle, there is no monthly charge so minimal use is not an issue. I have 2 oxygen and 1 acetylene tank, so I never have an issue with running out of gas. I could also use propane as replacement gas IF I would just buy a propane cutting tip. Cant braze with it but I seldom do that anyway and could always get by with propane in an emergency till I could get the tanks filled.
Folks talk like plasma rigs only cost electricity, but in truth,there are tips & tungsten electrodes to buy in addition to either having a compressor to buy+ air driers etc. I know some plasma rigs come with onboard compressors, but they do wear out also. Unless you are working with alloy metals, a home use plasma rig is just a luxury only worthy of bragging rights. Fabrication shops use the high power plasma rigs or even lasers to speed up production which should not be an issue of concern for the average homeowner /user.
When you get a oxy/fuel gas rig, I think you will find that a plasma rig is a luxury that you can well afford to do without.

 

[Shield Arc]

One thing nice about plasma cutters, if you get one that can scarf! In most cases I'd rather use my plasma than my carbon arc torch. But then again you can buy a scarfing tip for your oxygen & acetylene outfit too.

 

[muddstopper]

X2 on that, just my opinion tho. I almost never use my plasma at home, and very rare at work, although I did use it yesterday lol. For the most part tho its bandsaw, chopsaw, die grinder with abrasive wheel or torch with a straight edge. Everyone has there own likes tho, thats just me

Now that you mentioned it, I probably use my chops saw as much as I use the plasma. I really need a good bandsaw. The abrasive chopsaw just isnt the best tool for large solid round stock. Or large sq tubing either for that matter.

 

[Shield Arc]

I really need a good bandsaw. The abrasive chopsaw just isnt the best tool for large solid round stock. Or large sq tubing either for that matter.

I've been really happy with my Ellis! :thumbsup:

Mitre Band Saw Comparison :: Band Saws :: Ellis Mfg

 

[woodlandfarms]

Who wouldn't be ;-)

I've been really happy with my Ellis! :thumbsup:

Mitre Band Saw Comparison :: Band Saws :: Ellis Mfg

 

[muddstopper]

Just a little more saw than I really need. Nice to have, but hard to justify for hobby work.

 

[Shield Arc]

hard to justify for hobby work.

I'm just a hobbyist myself.

 

[rankrank1]

I'm just a hobbyist myself.

Well you would certainly be on the on the high budget hobbyist allotment with very nice expensive toys where somebody like me would be on the ultra low budget end of the hobbyist spectrum in regards to metal working.

Of course skill factor (you on high end) and me on (low end) as well - LOL.

I am pretty sure your Ellis saw cost more than my entire metal arsenal

My metal arsenal
-Miller Thunderbolt AC 225/DC150 ($100 used. Have less than $40 in it though after selling my previous Lincoln AC225 only for a small profit).
-Twin Carbon arc torch ($35 I have a Pwr-Kraft torch and a Lincoln torch that I power from the Thunderbolt). My free way to heat all my metal for bending, brazing, freeing rusted nuts. Crude yes but free - certainly hard to beat. (note: A Twin Carbon arc torch is a totally different torch and totally different process than a carbon gouge or an ArcAcair gouge process for cutting so do not confuse the two processes).
-Couple $13 dollar 4.5" hand grinders (one has a cut-off disc and other a grinding disc. I got tired of switching back and forth so splurged for 2 grinders instead of only one. Indispensable for all my repair based work).
-12" harbor freight chop saw $99. (I could get buy without this as it is useless for repair work but nice for the from scratch build projects).
- Milwaukee Sawz-all $99. Handy for both metal and wood carpentry remodeling projects.
- electric die grinder $25 also have a few air ones. handy for reshaping worn oblonged shaped holes to round again after weld build-up.
- Lincoln SP-135P mig welder $600. Nice welder and my one expensive luxury item but it is a one trick pony that excels on welding thin metal. Mostly use flux core for improved portability so my bottle was not being used so I splurged for a...
- Scratch start tig torch $45 brand new off ebay. Have enjoyed playing with this toy a bit while power is supplied from the Thunderbolt. I already had the bottle from my mig and simply had it argon filled. Fun to play with but can not say I truly need this but cost was low so what the heck and figured in a pinch I could use it as a "poor man's" plasma cutter alternative if the need were to ever arise.

 

[Shield Arc]

HEY! I never said I didn't have a problem.

 

[muddstopper]

My tool list would be pretty long and expensive to. Of course I have been collecting for quite a few years. I get fustrated having to depend on somebody else all the time. I bought my tablesaw and router because I could buy them cheaper than I could pay someone to build the cabinets in my house. I bought the big Monarch lathe because I got fed up with the machinist that used to make my pins and bushings. My welders I bought because I seemed to always break things. Air compressor because air tools are faster than wrenches an of course air tools because I had the compressor. Drill presses because I am always drilling holes. My chop saw because It makes cutting metal more like cutting wood. Buying hand tools used to be an obsession, but I now have so many, I can walk right by tool sections at most stores. I still cant find a 9/16 or 1/2 in wrench when I need one, but I have several of each.

Of course owning all these tools makes me work on more projects, simply because I have the stuff to do it with. It also means my buddies like to come to my house when they need something worked on. I usually barter my welding, mechanicing, and machining for other stuff I need. Garden plowed, a load of firewood, parts for my projects and sometimes even more projects. Its a hobby, if I start charging it would be more like work.