Portable oxy-acetylene tote outfits? Worth having?

[handirifle]

Also, the mc size tank is actually technicaly too small for using any cutting tip, but it might work.

Well I guess one would have to say, that depends, on what you're cutting. If, like the OP said, it's a small part to cut, and you are not near something larger, they are perfect. I have an MC set, I have owned and used for over 30 years, and it has cut, welded, soldered and brazed for me quite well.

If you're building something they're not the best to use, but for small jobs, they are VERY hard to beat.

As for Canadian rules, I cannot comment.

 

[5030]

weird... mine have caps for both bottles. i do believe it is illegal to transport those things uncapped...little missals.

Actually, all the smaller bottles have no caps. I own 20 cu ft emergency bottles, one 75-25 and one o2 and neither have caps and never did.

You have to go to 40's for caps, unless acetylene

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I'd say those little portatorch thingies are designed for soldering, brazing and welding sheet metal. It is rediculous that they include a cutting tip as the 10cf acetylene tank cannot safely run even a zero cutting tip. Recall that the rule of thumb on maximum use of acetylene is 1/7th of the tank size per hour as a consumption rate (not 1/7 of the tank per hour but rather the rate). 1.4 cubic feet per hour of acetylene is not enough to run a #2welding tip much less a cutting torch. If you ask Lincoln or the other manufacturers what they recommend these things for they immediately talk about thin sheetmetal as in HVAC. It would be nuts to think you could weld or cut even 1/8 inch steel and meet the safety requirements on acetylene consumption. Again, because of the risk of allowing acetone to reach the regulator, the maximum draw on acetylene at any time is 1.4 cubic feet per hour. You cannot run it faster than that for part of an hour and consider it safe. Check out the welding sites where this is frequently discussed.

Even the acetylene B tanks, the ones that are about two and a half feet tall and 8 inches or so in diameter, are not recommended for use with even the smallest rosebud tip and they max out with a #1 welding tip and zero cutting tip.

Bottom line is that the little portatorch set ups are meant for HVAC and plumbers. Definitely not intended for even hobby welding and certainly not for cutting steel plate.

Good specifics on the down side to very small tanks when trying to cut but they do travel well for a portable heat source when needed.

 

[5030]

Good specifics on the down side to very small tanks when trying to cut but they do travel well for a portable heat source when needed.

So does a charcoal grill.....

 

[IslandTractor]

Good specifics on the down side to very small tanks when trying to cut but they do travel well for a portable heat source when needed.

They have their place but that place is sheetmetal. Too many folks think they are just limited because you have to refill the tanks frequently but the real issue is acetylene safety. I don't understand how the manufacturers insurance companies allow them to include cutting tips that would clearly exceed the hourly allowable acetylene use.

 

[DanD78]

I used a small Victor set on small tanks. Cut some rebar and it did just fine.

I have a 18Volt Dewalt angle grinder that handles a 4 1/2" waffer wheel just fine for remote cuts or up a ladder.

Dan

 

[ultrarunner]

I've have a med gas room with 30 E size O2 tanks... none have safety caps or any provision for one. Medical Oxygen is very highly regulated so my guess is there is a small size exemption.

The MC acetylene was originally sized for acetylene motorcycle gas lamps... MC is Motor Cycle and the next size was the standard for automobiles and the prestolite were most often bolted to a running board... I still see them with the gauges built in the tank bottoms.

My car is a little older and has an Acetylene Generator on the running board... it used to be very easy to buy carbide... no so anymore.

I used my small set to torch, using a welding tip, an entire quarter panel I bought at a wrecking yard...

The only times I have used the cutting tip is for cutting a padlock or a link in a chain.... total time less than a minute including preheat.

The local jeweler in town has the same set I have with even smaller tips... I have seen him use it to repair jewelry... he has owned the shop longer than I've been living...

As others have said, it all depends on the application.

 

[Fixemall]

**** I wish I had a picture of the farmer up the streets setup, he has a full size tank setup that is semi-caged in and mounted to a three point quick hitch for field use, I have only seen it once but it looks pretty slick.

 

[k0ua]

I have a set, and they are ok for light things.. as said wont run any rosebud, and only small welding tips, and might not be safe to run a cutting tip, but it comes with one, and I have used it to cut 1/4 inch steel. It doesn't have much cutting ability, as I found out in trying to cut the ears off my pin on bucket in my bucket conversion to SSQA project. The rig is mostly for lightweight sheetmetal. You can use it to heat rebar to bend, and other things. But after I bought it I found myself wanting a lot more. I use wheels or sawzall for most cutoff tasks.

James K0UA

 

[deereman75]

Well I am actually glad we couldnt use it here, we ended up with a blueshield industrial torch kit, and a b acct tank, and 44ish cf o2 tank. A lot more useful. We have cut rr track with it. It is still light enough to carry up stairs with 2 people, and it mounted on a cart for normal transport. I would recomend something with those size tanks, before I would a porta torch.