Small OXY-Acet Kit

   / Small OXY-Acet Kit #1  

bill18163

Silver Member
Joined
May 2, 2000
Messages
137
Location
NW Pennsylvania
Tractor
Kubota B2710,BX1860,LA3940
Does anyone here have one of the small portable oxy-acet kits that you can buy at welders supply stores and I have also seen them at Lowes and Home Depot? I'm thinking of buying one of them but the tanks are very small and I was wondering how long the gas would last under different conditions such as brazing,cutting,heating,etc. Any comments would be helpful in making up my mind.
 
   / Small OXY-Acet Kit #2  
I have a bunch of them. We have them in our service vans for repairing of air conditioners/refrigeration equipment. For casual soldering and brazing they are fine. But when it gets to cutting the oxygen isn't much and they will run down pretty fast. I have one and I do have a larger Oxygen tank I set to the side when I am cutting.

murph
 
   / Small OXY-Acet Kit #3  
Bill,
one of the companies I worked for had purchased one of those small set-up's. I still can't figure out why because we had the larger S & WS (I think that's right) sizes also, and that wasn't the type of place that did things just for the employee's, if you catch my drift. What actually happened was just that. Whenever any body needed the blue wrench for home use they would borrow it. This resulted in the darn cylinders always coming back empty so pretty soon the whole thing disappeared, I think the boss hid it in his desk to avoid the hassle.
The point is they were always put back empty and therefore useless when needed.
No doubt they are very handy when you need to cut the lock of the neighbors shed to get your wheelbarrow back
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif.
When I went looking for a set for myself this is what I learned:
Acetone absorbs many times it's own weight of acetylene, a usefull factoid for the Cliffy Clavins of the world.
The largest cylinders I can own, rather than lease, is the B size, about 40 cuft of acy and about 75 cuft of oxy (Praxair).
Since I bought them this is what I learned:
Different size cylinders need different size regulator connectors.
The cuft cost for refills goes up as the cylinder size goes down.
It seems for the average homeowner this size is a decent choice. You can weld for a long time (hours) without running out.
Cutting 1/4" steel will eat up the oxy in about 45 minutes, plus or minus a little.
The B size is the largest I would consider easily portable.
They sell magnifiers for inside the goggles, they are a good thing, I use them, my eyes suck.
Sometimes a respirator would be nice too.
You can fill the garage with smoke in no time at all.
Molten steel takes no prisoners, gloves are not enough, think of your feet too.
Keeping the tip out of the puddle is important if you like your hair, hair burns away a lot faster than it grows back.
It is good practice to have someone keep watch over you when working inside a building. Did I mention that wood burns almost as easily as hair and you can fill the garage with smoke faster than you can say nine one one?
Leaves will burn just as easily as wood and hair.
Body panel sound deadener is a close second to wood.
Don't pick your nose with blackened fingers and then go to the store for supplies. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
There's much more but it just becomes too shameful.
I have learned that to truely appreciate any tool you must use it, the torches are one of the most appreciated items I own.

Bottom line, I'd be surprised if you could cut for five minutes with the little guys, (I never found out because they were always empty when I needed 'em), but if that's all you will ever need then go for it.

Today it would be nice to occasionally remember those who sacrificed so we could openly discuss such trivia.

Best of luck,
Martin
 
   / Small OXY-Acet Kit #4  
The small tank sets will work fine for ocasional braising or silver soldering or to heat a bolt to get it out. They will not last any time at all for cutting. I recommend a larger tank set if you are going to be doing cutting with your torch.
Ben
 
   / Small OXY-Acet Kit #5  
I have one of the small sets here at work for HVAC repairs. (We have 38 water-source heat pumps to deal with...) I have bigger tanks at the farm. The little ones are handy as a shirt pocket for cutting a single bolt, or burning a quick hole out in the field, but they just don't last when cutting "big stuff".

There is absolutely no substitute for a cutting torch....
 
   / Small OXY-Acet Kit #6  
I checked out the small oxy-acetylene kits and they were subpar, if you get serious, go to Praxair to get what you need.

I did just purchase a new Miller 210AMP MIG unit and am clearing out a place in the barn for it, already got 220 volt line ready to go! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / Small OXY-Acet Kit #7  
Sky,
I am currently soliciting donations of Millermatic 210's for the AntrimMan Home for the Less Fortunate, if you find yourself to be so minded. We pay for shipping. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Martin
 
   / Small OXY-Acet Kit #8  
LOL /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

It's a great deal on a great machine simply because it pays for itself, all I have to do is operate it! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 

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