What to look for in a used oxy acetylene torch?

[woodlandfarms]

This has been posted here, right?

Bacon: the Other White Heat | Popular Science

I am a fan of used gear for my work. This is all purely hobby. I have a few all steel projects I would like to build,Headache rack for the farm truck (working on rear window #3) a post hole digger, and a stump grinder as both of those in hydraulic form seem very expensive to buy on the street. and like the idea of being able to cut and bend plate metal. But, when looking at these prices it may make more sense to just draw my cuts and have the local metal shop do them for me. 3K for gas, 3K for mig. Not sure if I could ever recoup that. Maybe 3rrl has it right with a small home depot set for cleanup and emergencies, and projects get cut up by the pros.

 

[jmfox]

If you are considering getting used tanks you should know they may need to be tested before they can be filled (which could add to the cost).

jmf

 

[RWolf]

I look at it this way, the right tool for the job. Does that mean I have deep pockets? By no means. I've spent the better part of the last 20 years finding deals on what I have needed for the job at hand. Over the years I've managed to pick up a few welders here and there. The last two that I got are the only two of good quality, a lincoln 140 and a miller econotig. I picked up a used portable O/A a few years ago. And I'm on my second plasma cutter. The first one worked fine for the first year and after sitting in the garage over the winter wouldn't fire up again. I was a very cheap one from Homier (about $400). With that one I was going through expendables very fast. The second one is a HF and I've been using it for about a year and haven't use up the first ependable tip yet. I think I paid about $700 or $800 or it. So far it's been very good. When dealing with welding/cutting there isn't one tool to fit all. Just isn't going to happen. My interests are very wide when dealing with metal. From art to farm to fabrication. If I had to buy it all at once it would break the bank. As a hobbiest you don't "need" the cadillac machines. It's nice but not necessary. It's the same with my other tools. I buy cheap but if I find I keep using the tool and it breaks then I buy better. Just as a quick list of what others (myself included) consider cheap; a bench drill press from HF (5years), chop saw HF (3 years), Plasma cutter (1year), wire feed welder HF (5 years retired but working), 4" grinder (5+ years) and the list goes on.

If you're still wanting O/A and buy used the item most to worry about is your hoses. If they are cracked (dry rotted) then pass. You can pick a new set of torches and hoses for less than $200. Depending on where you're at leasing a small to medium bottle(s) shouldn't cost that much. I have a lease on my welding gas (C25 and 100%argon) and these are the "M" bottles and it runs me about $40 - $60 per bottle per year. Refills run about $45 each time. My portable O/A cost me about $7 per bottle.

Bottom line is you need to identify what will be your major cutting / welding jobs and go with the tools for that. Later on you can get the bells and whistles that come with other types of tools.

just my 2cents worth, Good luck

 

[GIJOE]

Sure, a torch can do thing that a plasma can't, such as... gas weld, heat and bend steel. The same can also be said about plasma. With a plasma you can cut sheet metal without warping. You can also cut any electrically conductive metal such as stainless, aluminum, cast aluminum, cast iron, brass, copper, just to name a few. You can also arc gouge with a plasma. Like was mentioned before, there is no one rig that can do it all. Decide what your needs are and start off with that particular piece of equipment. IMO, I think the plasma is more versatile. I own both and 99% of the time I grab for my plasma (or band saw) before the OA torch.

Joe