Looking to get an o2acetylene torch...

All,

I am getting seriously close to purchasing and oxy acetylene setup for my garage. Please fill me in with the do's and do not's.

I was looking in central Minnesota about tanks.

Is there a better, or worse brand? I am not doing production work, just heat and beat for getting stuck bolts, I already have a bandsaw and plasma for most of my cutting.

D.
 
A brand name that your bottle dealer sells. Smith is a brand everyone sells, and has tips for, also they are the highest price too. Victor,Harris are all good brands and will last a lifetime if you take care of them. I lean toward Victor,if you are going to use the torch for heating, buy a set with the Rose Bud included,you really do need one. You may not know you need, it but you do :)
 
504 has it pretty well nailed. I have 2 Smith's and a Victor. Those and Harris, anyplace has parts for them.
 
Look at farm sales and Flea mkts. Stick with the brands 504 mentioned. I used Victor at work and Harris at home, both great quality. Lots of places only lease you the bottles , so you may not want to buy any with the tools. Check with your local suppliers about bottle exchange /leasing. New hoses are cheap on the net ,about a dollar a foot, don't worry about their condition if you buy used. Oh and +1 on that rosebud !!
 
After you get one, make sure you talk to your insurance man and add it to your policy.
It just might make the difference between fire damages being paid by your insurance company or you.
 
I get my gas from Central McGowan in St. Cloud, they have been good to me for 30 years. When it comes to torches there is Smith, then there is everyone else as far as I'm concerned. Smith is the only one that uses a seal on the torch tip rather than brass on brass. That means that when you drop your tip and it hits the floor and you put it in the head without checking it you don't ruin the head too. Other than that I don't think there is much difference in the major brands.
 
When I was in business I was a dealer for MECO ( Modern Engineering Company, St.Louis Missouri) The company was part of Acetylene Gas Company destroyed by fire and explosion several years ago. I was also a Harris Dealer. I had rebuild tools for MECO and stocked supplies. I ran several sets and bought a lot of used torches, All brands work the same. the real difference is availability and price of parts.
My favorite brand is Victor, a bit more costly to buy but consomables are cheaper. Every store has parts; this is important if working out of town and need a tip or valve. Harris is almost as good as a victor and a lot cheaper but the best value is a Victor to keep for a lifetime. My home shop I am still using junk torches I have accumulated. If I had much work to do I would buy new Victor. I never got along with Smith although I used then in military and when teaching but I hate them. Too easy to get then to leak at the tip if some welder tampers with the adjustable seat of the tip.
I repaired trade-ins used then in the ship. Workers abused them all. Now OSHA would frown on in-house repairs. Taught welding 11 years operated welding shop 14 years
 
I have a Victor. First time I used the rosebud it started squealing and the whole tip and neck discolored in about ten seconds. I had the regulators set too low and it started burning up the neck. Read the manual BEFORE you light it up.
 
Look into tanks before you buy a torch set. Make sure you are sitting when you get quotes. Torch gas and tank leases are a total scam. I have torches for my shop, no way I could justify the fuel expense if I couldn't write it off on taxes. My tank leases are $135 each for 5 years, $35 per fill each in that 5 years. I would not recommend buying tanks, owned tanks can be near impossible to get filled. That's how they get by with the lease scam.
 
Central McGowan has multiple stores in central MN- I"ve dealt with the St. Cloud one for decades. Also bought my Smith wrench there after my first torch brand quit supplying parts. Make sure you get all the details on tank rent, inspection fees, etc. Yes, the rosebud is an excellent tool. A training course would be great too, if you"re new to torching. Used to be Vets Ag courses included that, sometimes the Vo Ag dept at high schools would have short courses.
 
Dad owns the tanks, and for us it's like a propane tank. You simply exchange them when empty, and you get a different tank that's certified. Never had any issues yet, dealing with both Prax-air and TSC.


Donovan from Wisconsin
 
Hard to go wrong if you stick with Smith, Harris or Victor. Smith is now owned by Miller and most of the Smith products are now sold under the Miller brand.
 
As others have said stick with the name brands so parts are available. I have had a medium sized Victor set up with 5 brazing tips, cutting head and rosebud for over 40 years. It has done everything I needed and never let me down. About 6 years ago I came across a larger used Harris cutting torch and rosebud setup and have used that with no problems either other than when I got it the hoses needed to be replaced but the torch itself was fine.
I leave the Victor torch set up for brazing and the Harris torch setup for cutting now.
 
I bought a Smith kit from one of the big box stores, can't remember which one. It was a little over $100.00 for regulators, hose, cutting torch and one welding tip. I have since bought a few different size welding tips and a rosebud. Does everything I have ever needed as your typical home mechanic/welder.

I would suggest just going ahead and buying your bottles from a local gas supply place. Keep the receipt in case you ever decide to sell them and if they ever question the bottles. When I first started I was renting and after several years discovered I had already spent enough to pay for the bottles in rent. That is when I decided to bite the bullet and buy the durn things.
 
Victor has a mixing chamber in the torch that others don't have that swirls the gases before exiting the torch. I was brainwashed by a Victor salesman during a demo years ago in the military. I am loyal to Victor. Others I have used at work like Smith are also excellent torches.
 
If you're not welding, just heat or cutting, I think you should consider an Ox/propane setup. I've had one since the mid 60's. A lot cheaper to operate than acetylene.

I have a Harris torch set with tips for both gases and a smaller Victor that is acetylene only. The Victor is used if/when I need to gas weld, the Harris does most of the heating and cutting.

I use a little BBQ bottle and it lasts a long time in my use. Just a $15 swap when needed. The acetylene cost 4-5 times as much and doesn't last nearly as long.
 
I bought a rosebud tip from American Welding last summer for a Victor, can't recall size, cost me about 200 bucks. Found the same one for 49 dollars at another place about a month later. Should of shopped around first I guess.

Dick ND
 
Be sure you get the check valves on the torches handles. This will prevent flashbacks going up the hoses toward the tanks. Some people even put flashback arresters (check valves) coming out of the regulators. just be safe with the equipment..Try to find a short course on the use of the equipment.. it can be very dangerous !
 
If you have never owned bottles before you need to study the safety. There are unsafe ways just to turn the bottles on. You also never stand in front of the gauges when turning on bottle pressure.
 
dr and agman, et al,

I have worked in an environment that required safety and training for each maintenance evolution.

Thanks for suggesting courses and some practical training.

I am working towards a decent set of torches and appropriate safety equipment. I do need advice on getting the right equipment to get to my goals. I want to heat up rusted parts, not necessarily braze, weld, or cut, but if the need arises...well I may need to.

I thank all.

D>
 

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