What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Acetylene torches suggestions?

CyberSniper

CyberSniper

1/2 ton status
 Premium
Joined
Apr 21, 2003
Posts
3,031
Reaction score
736
Location
Chelsea, MI
I'm in the market for a set of acetylene torches. I have limited experience with them. I figure if I buy a decent set and take care of them they'll last me a lifetime. My Dad has a set from the 70s that he still uses today (newer hose, of course). But, alas, I'm pretty clueless outside of the fact that I want name-brand torches and will probably go with Victor since I can easily get parts for them.

I don't plan on making a living with these torches, they'd be for periodic use. I don't even know if they'd be used enough to be considered "hobbyist" type of use. Aside from cutting up vehicles to haul to the scrap yard it'd probably be used mainly for heating things up and maybe once in a while for cutting metal. I'm talking about maybe using a set of 80CF tanks once a year except when I cut up a vehicle (maybe once a year).

It'll also be used for periodic brazing. I've only used a cutting tip for brazing so I suspect a welding tip would be mighty nice.

Before you say to use MAPP for heating stuff up... I've got MAPP and it doesn't hold a candle to acetylene. When I want heat, I want a lot of heat fast enough to expand the metal before conduction heats up the other piece of metal. While MAPP beats the hell out of regular propane torches it doesn't quite hack it. Oxygen-propane doesn't hack it either and it definitely won't save me any money.




I'm thinking along the lines of a Victor Super Range or Super Range II. I'd then get a couple more cutting tips and maybe a welding tip for brazing purposes. I have no knowledge of the proper tips for brazing. My brazing is primarily for bodywork. Got any suggestions?
 
get a propane torch setup burns almsot as hot and way cheaper...

you use actelene torches with a different tip...

everyone around ehre is converting same purpose but half the cost.
 
[ QUOTE ]
get a propane torch setup burns almsot as hot and way cheaper...

you use actelene torches with a different tip...

everyone around ehre is converting same purpose but half the cost.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not interested in a propane setup unless you can give me a good reason for it. If I remember correctly it burns 500° or so cooler and uses around 50% more oxygen when you compare the two in actual use. Oxygen is the expensive part when I've gone with my Dad to fill the tanks... the oxygen bottle costs usually twice as much to fill as compared to the acetylene bottle.

I've never seen anyone use oxygen-propane setups... I've actually seen an oPetrol setup though.
 
i guy around the corner from me has a propane-oxygen setup. he says its takes forever to heat something up to bend it. he does like it for cutting though, cuts cleaner, but still takes longer, so your using more gas.
 
victor is the name in torches as far as i am conserned. (And all the guys i have worked for), it is much better than cheaper torches as it has compresion style tip as insted of ones that use a gaskit.
YOu can get a kit that will have every thing you need.
regulators
torch,
cutting tip
welding tip, ( small narrow tip with one hole)
and hose,
all you need is tanks

spend the cash now save later.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
get a propane torch setup burns almsot as hot and way cheaper...

you use actelene torches with a different tip...

everyone around ehre is converting same purpose but half the cost.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not interested in a propane setup unless you can give me a good reason for it. If I remember correctly it burns 500° or so cooler and uses around 50% more oxygen when you compare the two in actual use. Oxygen is the expensive part when I've gone with my Dad to fill the tanks... the oxygen bottle costs usually twice as much to fill as compared to the acetylene bottle.

I've never seen anyone use oxygen-propane setups... I've actually seen an oPetrol setup though.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's odd. Around here it costs me $25 to fill my acteylene tank and $15 to fill the O2 tank which is bigger than the acetylene. I actually use a bastardized setup I found in the garage of our old building. 1 regulator is victor, the other is airco, and the torch is a huge airco torch. I just got the regulators rebuilt, cost like $20 each, and I was in business. I have cut 2" thick stock with it but I know it can do thicker.
 
Several of our local junkyards use only propane and oxogen,they claim the propane lasts a lot longer than the acetelyne,about two bottles of oxogen to each propane.I converted my small torches to a 20lb.propane gas grill bottle instead of MAPP gas--It does take longer to heat things up,but not much.It brazes just as good as it would with the MAPP gas.Maybe the junkyards use it because they do mostly cutting--I'm not sure,but they all say the propane is the cheaper way to go.I like the fact I can get propane refills practically anywhere,even on sunday.Oxogen is a pain--welding stores around here close 5pm on friday and stay closed until monday morning--not very helpful to a weekend welder like me!. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
Buy VICTOR... dont bother with even the other name brands like Harris etc... and dont even waste your money on the chinese harbor freight junk... with victor you can get parts and tip anywhere... I have 3 sets... one dating back to the 1940's that still function like new... you pay for what you get here...
cam
 
i got a harris kit that had everything including hoses and all from the local Big R store here and i used it for at least two years i cut up alot of vehicles and scrap with it, tons, and never had any problem at all never even had to replace the tip or anything and the guages worked great too. it always cut nicely, worked alot better than my stepdads old mix and match setup he has, way more better by far,

when i get another torch setup im gonna go with propane, i used a propane setup last year a guy brought over here and it worked fine, its just a tiny hair slower heating up, but no biggie. oh and the O2 tanks are half the cost of acetylene here

good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom