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How useful are the little mapp gas with oxygen torch sets?

L

lastcowboy32

Well-known Member
I've seen them, and they're so tempting.

Right now, I have a few things that I need to do:

Braze a crack in a thin-walled cast iron casting (steering box on an old Ford 640 tractor)

Braze the exhaust manifold on the same tractor

Cut some holes in small thin (1/8" max) metal for welding fabrication. (By the way, I just bought a 109 dollar wire feed flux core welder from harbor freight...not bad)

Anyway, is there any hope of one of those little outfits doing the trick? I understand that the oxygen only lasts 20minutes and costs ten bucks. Even if I had to buy canister of oxygen for each of these jobs, it's still worth it.

Anybody use these? Any thoughts, limitations, utility?

Thanks
 
In order to do a good job you need something bigger. Those small sets really don't have the capacity that you need for heavier welding and brazing
 
(quoted from post at 13:50:12 06/29/15) In order to do a good job you need something bigger. Those small sets really don't have the capacity that you need for heavier welding and brazing
Click to expand...

That's obviously what I'm afraid of. In the back of my mind, when I bought a welder, I bought an inexpensive flux core wire feed; because it can weld basic metal. I figured that, with the money I saved on that, I should put it into a good torch setup; because you can braze anything exotic for less money than buying a TIG or MIG, etc.
 
I don't think those map rigs can cut. Since you are pleased with your HF welder try a $100 oxy/acet rig.
 
At maximum output,the oxygen bottles only last about 12 minutes. Most jobs will require maximum output. The instant you crack the valve, the oxygen time-clock is ticking and time spent getting things lit, adjusting the flame, checking and repositioning the work count as welding time lost. You'll probably get one job per bottle so don't try to use the same one again. You WILL run out of oxygen on the second job. The oxygen bottles are spendy. The kits do provide plenty of heat - it's just that they are a one-shot, small-job proposition.
 
da.bees;

You can cut with practically any flammable gas---MAPP, propane, hydrogen, various proprietary gases, probably natural gas, etc. It's welding you can do only with acetylene. I've cut with MAPP and with propane, and they're different than acetylene. I'm sure a person could easily get used to a different gas with a bit of practice, but acetylene is what I'm used to, so that's my preference.

Stan
 
Agreed. I mean, they have SOME uses, but you'd be MUCH MUCH happier if you saved your money and put it towards a real torch set. Yeah they're expensive, but it's a tool you'll rely on for the rest of your life.
 
I bought one and didn't like it. Those little bottles of oxygen are high and goes fast. Still I could see it helped that much over mapp gas alone.
 
had one many years ago.(gift)
braze, or cut?...naw
About the only thing it was good for was putting some very expensive heat to a frozen fastener.....as in...one :)

save up and buy a real torch.
no matter what it ends up costing...it's worth it.
sooner or later, you will run into a job that will defeat you without a real torch to help you....
(or worse than defeat...without big heat, you will have to deliberately break big $, big fasteners off and punch them out and buy new ones.....)

my torch sits over in the corner most of the time....but when I need it...I need it..
 
I see ox/ac rigs on CL a lot. $250.00 to $300.00 for the torch set with tanks. Just look around. There are big deals around, you just have to look, and have cash in hand when you find a deal. Or I can sell you new tanks for $480.00, and about the same for the torch set:>)
 
504;

It's risky to buy oxygen and acetylene tanks on CL (or from anyone other than whoever is going to refill them for you). There are so many leased units which have not been returned (in other words, stolen) that many companies will not refill tanks unless you can prove that they were purchased from a retailer. A few years ago, my boss at the community college bought a nice oxygen and acetylene setup at a sheriff's auction. He got a receipt for that purchase. When he tried to have them filled at Airgas, they wouldn't do it despite the fact that he was the person who ordered supplies from them at the college. It didn't matter to them that the sale was valid in the eyes of the law---that didn't prove that the tanks hadn't been stolen originally. When he asked what he was supposed to do, they told him that he could give the tanks to them. I believe he may have something about seeing them in he11 first. I think he eventually made bells out of them.

Stan
 
I have purchased several sets of tanks at various places - like auctions, flea markets, and the like. I have a nice set of shop size tanks that I have had exchanged a couple of times. The guy at the welding shop told me that as long as they are originally their tanks, there would be no problem. I was afraid I would need a title to the tanks or some sort of bill of sale or other proof of ownership. I was told that they do not bother with that any more. This was at an MG store. Airco or Air Products may have different policies. Apparently, it just became simpler to just exchange tanks than to fiddle with all of the necessary paperwork to maintain a chain of ownership of each tank.
 
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