BigBurban350
1/2 ton status
I saw a kit including bottles from nothern for about $250. Would it be cheaper to buy the guages and hoses seperate and buy bottles from a airgas place?
CK5
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Cheapest way to get Oxy/Ace Torches
- Thread starter BigBurban350
- Start date
look around at yard sales i picked mine up complete for $50 bottles, tips gagues, cart and hoses
Buy a Victor SuperRange II off the interweb then lease tanks from the local place. If you take care of them that kit will last you a lifetime. It seems no one fills tanks anymore, just exchange, so buying tanks is a waste of money because you'll never see them again. Unless, of course, you can get in to a 10 year lease with new tanks cheaper than you can buy a straight 10 year lease.
I converted to propane/oxygen because AirGas has the market cornered here and charges 2.5x more for a cylinder of acetylene than what my Dad pays. I was paying $37 for 80CF and my Dad was paying $26 for 125CF. Plus I had to pay $4 hazmat and my Dad doesn't. I really miss acetylene but for the price difference I'll suffer. Propane is definitely inferior.
I converted to propane/oxygen because AirGas has the market cornered here and charges 2.5x more for a cylinder of acetylene than what my Dad pays. I was paying $37 for 80CF and my Dad was paying $26 for 125CF. Plus I had to pay $4 hazmat and my Dad doesn't. I really miss acetylene but for the price difference I'll suffer. Propane is definitely inferior.
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i hate propane.
ive got a used kit from the local trader mag. i think we paid 75 bones for the bottles, torch, weld tips, cart etc.
one of my friends just spent over 700 on an oxy/ace. outfit. 350 for the industrial torch kit, almost 400 for large sized oxy and acetylene tanks.
i'd either by a new torch kit and lease the bottles, or if you can wait keep your eyes open and look thru the local papers and swap meets.
ive got a used kit from the local trader mag. i think we paid 75 bones for the bottles, torch, weld tips, cart etc.
one of my friends just spent over 700 on an oxy/ace. outfit. 350 for the industrial torch kit, almost 400 for large sized oxy and acetylene tanks.
i'd either by a new torch kit and lease the bottles, or if you can wait keep your eyes open and look thru the local papers and swap meets.
one way...
The absolute cheapest way is to borrow someone else's and never return them!
(a few guys I know lost their tanks and torches that way!)...but once the tanks are empty,good luck getting them refilled...they will be on the "hot sheet" at the welding stores!
I've seen good deals at swap meets on them--but dont buy any used tanks,IF they will refill them at all,they will first sock you with a "hydrotest" fee,and thats half of what leasing new ones are...
I also would ask around at welding supply stores that sell new setups--I passed on a like new set of torches and tanks(the largest ones you can own outright without leasing them) at the place I get my tanks filled and buy welding rods at for 275 bucks--an older guy who bought them new a year before only used them a few times,then retired and moved to florida--and gave the tanks and torches back to the store who sold them to him to try and sell--it was a complete setup,tanks,torches,cart,welding rods,goggles,everything you needed!..
-I still kick myself for not buying them--all I have are those dinky "porta-torches" in the plastic "kangaroo" pouch--they SUCK for cutting anything over 1/8 inch--only good for brazing!--they were designed for MAPP gas,but I use propane--CyberSniper is right--the propane takes much longer to heat up a bolt--and its frustrating when it seem like only 50 more degrees,and it would cut fine--but instead it seems the flame stays just "cold" enough to make cutting and/or gas welding anything nearly impossible,or at least difficult and frustrating.....I'll get genuine acetaleyne next time--and no more 20 cubic foot oxogen bottles either--too small! they run out quickly,and cost nearly as much to fill as the bigger tanks.....
The absolute cheapest way is to borrow someone else's and never return them!
(a few guys I know lost their tanks and torches that way!)...but once the tanks are empty,good luck getting them refilled...they will be on the "hot sheet" at the welding stores!I've seen good deals at swap meets on them--but dont buy any used tanks,IF they will refill them at all,they will first sock you with a "hydrotest" fee,and thats half of what leasing new ones are...
I also would ask around at welding supply stores that sell new setups--I passed on a like new set of torches and tanks(the largest ones you can own outright without leasing them) at the place I get my tanks filled and buy welding rods at for 275 bucks--an older guy who bought them new a year before only used them a few times,then retired and moved to florida--and gave the tanks and torches back to the store who sold them to him to try and sell--it was a complete setup,tanks,torches,cart,welding rods,goggles,everything you needed!..
-I still kick myself for not buying them--all I have are those dinky "porta-torches" in the plastic "kangaroo" pouch--they SUCK for cutting anything over 1/8 inch--only good for brazing!--they were designed for MAPP gas,but I use propane--CyberSniper is right--the propane takes much longer to heat up a bolt--and its frustrating when it seem like only 50 more degrees,and it would cut fine--but instead it seems the flame stays just "cold" enough to make cutting and/or gas welding anything nearly impossible,or at least difficult and frustrating.....I'll get genuine acetaleyne next time--and no more 20 cubic foot oxogen bottles either--too small! they run out quickly,and cost nearly as much to fill as the bigger tanks.....
BigBurban350
1/2 ton status
When I got my MIG welder, I picked up a small argon bottle for $60 and trade in for $21 (saying I am from the tire store I worked at) from BOC gases which is now AirGas. I guess I am going to stay in the area now that I found a real job in Detroit, so I am going to price out the bottles from there.
Would this be sufficient to cut some thick metal?
ebay torch kit
Would this be sufficient to cut some thick metal?
ebay torch kit
BigBurban350 said:
If you've never used a torch before and have low expectations they'll be fine. Otherwise, they're a pain in the butt and won't last long. You'll hate the regulators. You can usually find a Victor SuperRange II for under $200 to your door... that's the way I would go.
BigBurban350
1/2 ton status
I have used torches before like the ones at the autoshop I worked at, and I would be irritated if I had something that didnt cut a damn thing. Victor SuperRange II eh, thanks for the heads up 
HAHA THE HOT SHEET. NOT THERE IS NO #S ON THE TANKS THAY RECORD. and as for filling them i have a friend and he did me a big favor. had 2 empty 25year old date coded ace and 2 oxy old also and he gave me 1 ace and 2 oxy filled for 100 bucks. and the ace was 3foot bottle and oxy was 5 foot bottles. ha ha not a problem.
THE HOT SHEET. NOT THERE IS NO #S ON THE TANKS THAY RECORD. and as for filling them i have a friend and he did me a big favor. had 2 empty 25year old date coded ace and 2 oxy old also and he gave me 1 ace and 2 oxy filled for 100 bucks. and the ace was 3foot bottle and oxy was 5 foot bottles. ha ha not a problem.
big83chevy4x4
3/4 ton status
BigBurban350 said:
you can get a Victor kit with the same stuff for the same price on ebay. i looked at like 5 auctions this morning. i have always used victor and always will.
garlicbreath
1/2 ton status
sheoldeblaze said:
Thank god you don't live near me!!
metto
Registered Member
i have the kangaroo pouch kit from lowes. it has harris stuff in it which is fairly good quality IMO. i have cut up to 1" without trouble, just takes a long time to heat it
R72K5
Banned
when i bought a setup i leased bottles form ILLIMO and the oxy one was just 100 and something and the acetylene one was over 200, and i spent 100 on the new torch setup, gauges hoses cutting and welding wrenches, and the wrench for the acet tank was 10 bucks at napa, i had alot in the setup and its the only way to get them here, i had 5-600 in the setup, 3 foot tanks size Q
my brother was in welding class at local high school when i got mine and when i told him what i had to give for my tanks he said that i should have told him he knew of how to get them for a better deal but i dont remmber how he said, ill have to ask him today, cuz i need to get another set again now, i traded mine off for a motorcycle in which i traded off for a truck i parted, so hmm.. bad decisions,
good luck
my brother was in welding class at local high school when i got mine and when i told him what i had to give for my tanks he said that i should have told him he knew of how to get them for a better deal but i dont remmber how he said, ill have to ask him today, cuz i need to get another set again now, i traded mine off for a motorcycle in which i traded off for a truck i parted, so hmm.. bad decisions,
good luck
Buy new guages and regulators...Lease bottles from your local supplier...Leasing makes things easier all around...7-800 bucks and you are in business...never sell or swap your tools, you can always make a buck if you have tools!
you could try local steel yards... they sell new and used...
