Bernz-O-Matic welding kit?

Ken_CT · Jul 26, 2005

Does anyone have any experience with the Bernz-o-matic mapp/oxy welding kit. Bernz-o-matic kit .
What is the thickest steel it can weld, and is it any good for occasional use, or just a waste of money. I really don't want to spend $300+ for a portable gas welding setup or $500+ for a decent 115v mig unit.

slowrev · Jul 26, 2005

Ken, those kits are pretty much a waste. They will do thin stuff and hobby types of work. the little cylinders last only a little while and are expensive. One of the small OXY/ ACY portable kits would be better, but they don't last too long either.

If you are only going to be cutting you might go the route I did, OXY/Propane. Good for brasing and cutting, bot does not weld too good. The standard OXy/ACY torch hoses and stuff work on Propane and connect up to a 20LB propane tank. Just need a small torch/reg kit and an oxy bottle. And use your grill tank if you want /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif NOTE: You will need to get special OXY/Propane cutting tips, they do not come with the torches.

On the arc welder, watch for a used one. Take your time and you can get a good deal. An old AC Lincoln buzzbox (150.00 used ?) works ok for most things except real thin stuff, for that wire feed works ok. I use an old lincoln buzz box and a 1958 sears 185 amp buzz box that still works fine, ugly as all get out , but who cares it works /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Get you a cheap autodark helmet and you are in business. Oh gloves are pretty usefull too, but cheap.

Good luck and you might want to take some classes at the local community college if you are just starting into metalworking.
Happy sparking /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Ben

RedRocker · Jul 26, 2005

I've got one at work, good for light stuff, brazing etc.

boustany · Jul 26, 2005

I've got one. Relatively useless. The major problem is the oxygen tank carries very little gas and costs a lot of money.

I was able to braze the drop outs on a bicycle once and that was the end of the oxy tank. It would have been cheaper to me to go to a garage and say to the mechanic can you ... than to pay for another tank of O2.

In terms of cutting, just about anything you can cut with that thing you can cut with a hacksaw faster and with less mess. You don't get much cut time out of the tank.

If I knew somebody who wanted it (sans tank, which is empty anyway), I'd give it to them.

Ken_CT · Jul 26, 2005

Thanks guys. That's what I figured. I was thinking about the Victor portable oxy/acytelene tote torch unit, but I already have 2 "B" tanks for plumbing work. If I buy a 80 cu ft oxy tank, a torch kit & the B tank adaptor, it will cost about the same as the small portable tote setup. Although not as easy to move around, it will have a lot more burn time. I was hopeing to save a bit of money but I think if I buy the Bernz-o-matic I'll end up having to buy the better setup later. I've gone the buy it twice route before. Sometimes I learn from my mistakes /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif.

slowrev · Jul 26, 2005

Sounds like a good decision there Ken.

Ben

DTCOOPER · Jul 27, 2005

Ken,
I have a small oxy-acetylene set up with bottles I might be willing to sell. What's one worth now days ? It is in a plastic carrying case. I have the cutting wand and welding wand with it. I know you "can" buy the adapter for the oxygen to use it on larger bottles too. Let me know if you're interested,
Daniel
daniel_nospam_@texasoutdoorguide.com

Junkman · Jul 30, 2005

Ken..... do you have a particular project in mind? If you only need these for a short time, I have an oxy/acetylene set up that you can use if you are anywhere near the Northeast corner of CT. (Putnam area). I also have a wire feed welder if the project is small enough to bring here. Let me know and we can work out the details. The only cost to you will be the drive to my place. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif You can even get to play with my BX bucket grapple... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Ken_CT · Jul 31, 2005

Thanks Junkman. I have a KK XB series landscape rake which I bought from TSC last year. They said the wheel kit would be available shortly. It wasn't & still isn't. I bought the gage wheel kit for the KK regular rake at TSC for $200, took it home and figured out a way to adapt it to the XB with a bit of drilling and welding. In re-thinking this project, I'm not happy about spending $200, which I think is way overpriced, and then having to make modifications on it. KK says the gage wheels for the XB will be out when the '06 product line is released in Sept. so I'm going to return the wheels and wait til Sept. If they are not out by then, which wouldn't surprise me as KK has told me on a couple of different calls that they will be on the market in a couple of weeks, and that was months ago. Worst case, I'll have to re-purchase the regular wheel kit and start over, or make one myself. Thanks for the offer but I still want to get a welding set-up for myself. They are handy to have around, and now I have an excuse to get another tool. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Does the attached pic look like it should cost $200?

RodgerF · Jul 31, 2005

I picked up a set on ebay awhile back for $30. I needed to put tubes in the tires for $4.95 a piece. Other than that they were just fine.

You could also build them for a lot less than that. That was my plan until I came across the ones on ebay.

Rodger