Need Oxy-Acetylene Kit Help

[Iowa2210]

As you guys are probably as good at breaking things as I am, I need your help. I have found enough uses for a gas setup that I started looking into buying one. I plan to use it for a little cutting, a little brazing, and applying heat to stuck parts, etc.

I was browsing thorugh all the Victor brand product and I'm even more confused that when I started, medium duty, medium/heavy duty, heavy duty, extra heavy duty? Sheesh!

Can you all recommend a kit to me? I was looking at the Journeyman or Super Range II kits, but I just don't know. It will probably be used about 10-15 times per year. Also once you had a torch kit, did you go to the gas dealer and rent or buy tanks,

Thanks for any input or experience,

Iowa2210

 

[Highbeam]

I just recently bought a torch set for cutting plate steel to make implements, heating things to bend them, and heating things to break them loose. I bought, and I recommend you buy, the Lincoln brand set from Home depot for like 150$. It has a cutting tip and welding tip but no rosebud. You can buy a rosebud seperately. I then went to the local welding supply house, a chain named praxair, and bought the oxy and acetlyene tanks for about 300$. The tanks are full for that price and when I empty them I bring them in for exchange and only pay for the gas. I own the tanks so even if it takes me 2 years to use one up there is no cost for them sitting in my garage corner.

Something very manly about the oxy acetlyene torch. Hard to explain, but manly. Larger tips can be bought to cut up to 5" thick steel with this lincoln kit.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Just a sidebar: whatever you decide to get, try to get all the cutting tips you'll need to cut what you want. Torches get a bad reputation for crappy cuts mainly because people don't take the time to use the right size tip and adjust the gas pressures correctly for the thickness they're cutting. AND, it makes all the difference in the world to use the little tip cleaner set to smooth the tip face and ream the fuel and ox holes. Don't get me wrong, you can use a single tip for a lot of thicknesses and never clean the tip, but you may be doing a lot of grinding to clean off the slag ... Heck, I'm so lazy, I even use the cutting head to braze and gas weld (just turn the ox press down). There should be a tip size chart that comes with your set. I attached one as an example though.
Cheers!

 

[TOMDUALLY]

As stated before if your just going to use them occassionally and don't plan to make a living with them buy at a box store then when you go to the supply house for you oxygen tank ask for a propane tip that will fit your cutting torch, then go home and swipe the tank off the BBQ and your all set the acetlyene gauges will hook right up to the propane tank and you'll save a lot of $$$$.

 

[FL_Cracker]

We've been using Victor Super Range for years. We just purchased three new outfits. They were Super Range II's and they came in a nice case with gauge guards and lots of accessories. Paid $ 210.00 ea and they work fantastic.

You can't go wrong with a Victor.

Charles

 

[Michael_E_Tx]

I've had a Victor outfit for years, it's served me faithfully with no problems until a recent o-ring failure. I believe the main differences in the various levels of duty are in the regulators and the robustness and size of the torch handle.

Extended use and/or cutting thicker metals can result in a hot torch handle, which is not good. Having said that, my torch handle is what they call a 100CF handle, which is fairly small. My needs have been such that I don't feel I've ever really overheated the handle, and the size is sort of ideal for me. It's easy to manipulate and handle with some dexterity. A large journeyman torch, on the other hand, is quite a beast, although you'd be hard put to ever overheat it.

In addition to the uses you have mentioned, I would add Oxy-Acetylene welding. I love to weld 1/8" or 3/16" with gas. It's a very peaceful process, dare I say sort of a zen type of deal. Anyway good luck. I'm sure you'll find it a handy tool to have.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I've got 2 sets. One Victor about 15 years old. The other is an OLDER HArris set. Both do the job. The Victor seems to be easier to get "set" right when first fired up. We just got a NEW set at work. I picked it up at TSC. It is a Victor. So far, everyone that's used it likes it. My only suggestion.... Get LOTS of hose. It's easier to spool out hose than it is to move the tanks most times. Plus, I like to keep my tanks way far away from all the "action".

 

[Iowa2210]

Thanks for all the great responses. I didn't even know that Lincoln made a set, I wonder if it is a rebadged kit made by somebody else. I do have an account with Praxair, that's where I bought my shielding gas for the MIG welder. Any other input is more than welcome. If I was going to go with one of the Victor sets, is there a good place online to buy from?

Thanks again,

Iowa2210

 

[Mrwurm]

When I bought my rig, I purchased small acetylene and oxygen tanks. This seemed to make sense as I was only going to use the rig on occasion. Turns out the acetylene tanks have some rules as far as maximum discharge rates. The maximum safe discharge rate is 1/7 of the total volume per hour. So, you may be able to hookup a heavy duty set of regulators and large welding tips, but their proper operation would consume acetylene at a faster rate than is safe. Approved acetylene cylinders have two safety plugs in the bottom that will melt at 212 deg F. Drawing acetylene at a higher rate than 1/7 total volume per hour can produce enough heat (reaction) to melt these plugs. When you buy your tanks, have your supplier size your tanks based on the max flow for the biggest tips you plan to run.

 

[GabeTX]

If I was going to go with one of the Victor sets, is there a good place online to buy from?

I just bought a Victor set (Super Range II) from www.cyberweld.com and was pleased with the transaction. Good customer service (there was a problem with the order, not their fault), fast shipping and a nice price.

As for the bottles, it depends on what you want to do. You can either buy small bottles, or rent/lease a larger set. Unless you're only going to be brazing and doing very light cutting, I'd strongly recommend leasing a full-size set. If you're going to be doing any welding, lease a full-size set: you're not supposed to use more then 1/7 of the capacity of the acetylene tank per hour, and you won't be able to run the larger tips safely on the small tanks.

Shop around, there's a pretty big price spread on gas and cylinder leases. Be sure to ask about the cylinder rental fee, the cost of the gas, AND the cylinder deposit. Just as a comparison point, I'm paying $40/year each for a 240 cu. ft. oxygen bottle and a ~140 cu. ft. acetylene tank with no deposit (best price I found).

 

[GabeTX]

Drawing acetylene at a higher rate than 1/7 total volume per hour can produce enough heat (reaction) to melt these plugs.

Just so you don't get alarmed, that would be an extreme worst case scenario.

The reason you're only supposed to draw 1/7 per hour is because the acetylene tanks aren't hollow cylinders like oxygen cylinders. They're filled with a porous substance that's saturated with acetone and the acetylene is dissolved into the acetone. If you exceed the draw rate for too long, the acetone can't give up the acetylene fast enough and you start drawing acetone from the tank (you'll notice this, as it will change the color of the flame and make it irregular.

If you draw off a ton of acetone, then there might be enough dead space in the cylinder for compressed acetylene to collect, and compressed acetylene (over roughly 15psi--that's why acetylene regulators have a red bar above 15 psi) has a chance of deflagrating (kinda like burning, but no oxygen is required).

I found this book helpful: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/00...4399/ref=pd_bbs_7/103-5809891-2480616?ie=UTF8

It's almost entirely about oxy-acetylene welding and cutting, and goes over just about everything you'd want to know.

 

[Mrwurm]

Good comments Gabe, its improbable, but I thought the guys should know. Next time I'll tone it down a bit.

 

[Bedlam]

Some more details about replacing the acetylene with propane? please

 

[RonR]

I'd heard the propane doesn't burn as hot at acetylene, but I have no proof.

ron

 

[GabeTX]

I'd heard the propane doesn't burn as hot at acetylene, but I have no proof.

It doesn't, which is why it's not recommended for welding steel.

However, cutting doesn't require as hot a flame as welding, because when you use a cutting torch you're not using the flame to make a puddle; instead, you're using the flame to heat the metal up enough so that it will burn when the oxygen stream hits it. So propane works fine for cutting, although you'll need a tip designed for it.

 

[HomeBrew2]

While it's always best to have the right equipment, an acetylene tip will work for most purposes with propane.
I have no idea how much a propane-to-acetylene/Prestolite adapter is or if they make one to fit the new safety tanks or if you have to cobble your own adapter.

 

[TOMDUALLY]

I use mine mainly for cutting and heating sure can see a big savings over accetylene. The gauges will hook right up using the inside threads on the new propane tanks The only thing you have to change is the tip on your cutting torch I think for a Victor it cost around $12 which you'll save on the first refill.

 

[KYErik]

I also once checked into using propane, but you may also need to buy new hoses- if I remember correctly there is "t" type fuel hose and an "r" type fuel hose- the standard type hoses sold with most kits is the "acetylene only" type of hose and supposedly using propane with it will cause it to crack and degrade over time (from the inside out). The other type is safe for both propane and acetylene. I was going to use propane also, but buying new hose and a new cutting tip for my little generic victor kit (hose, 2 rosebuds, both regulators, striker, handle and cutting tip were on sale for $99 at tractor supply 2 yrs ago after christmas) but by the time I bought a propane tank, propane tip and new hose, the cost savings would have been greatly reduced for me.

I too read that propane flame isn't quite as hot as acetylene and also something about it burning so clean that it made welding with it more difficult than with acetylene.

 

[RobJ]

If you are just getting started then look at Ebay. I bought my BIL a $75 kit there with the works and it;s still holding up after abuse after 2 years. the only problem was a leak at the hose, we repaired that (but the hoses are cheap, he keeps his outside in a covered barn, in a closed garage they would probably last longer). My Sis bought the tanks but look on Ebay for those as well. I remember seeing some sweet deals from a seller last year. I wouldn't go with anything less than a B acet and an 80 o2 combo. Plenty of gas and can be moved around pretty easy. Stay away from the small AC types, once you start cutting you'll run out of 02 before you know it.

 

[Jarrett]

I just recently bought a torch set for cutting plate steel to make implements, heating things to bend them, and heating things to break them loose. I bought, and I recommend you buy, the Lincoln brand set from Home depot for like 150$. It has a cutting tip and welding tip but no rosebud. You can buy a rosebud seperately.....

Thanks for all the great responses. I didn't even know that Lincoln made a set, I wonder if it is a rebadged kit made by somebody else.....

Thanks again,

Iowa2210

I just looked at the Lincoln set at Home Depot yesterday. The box said it's made by Harris Calorific, Inc. which is a Lincoln Electric Company. It's priced at $169.