the right O/a setup for me

[wireburner]

I `am wanting a small o/a setup mainly to cut maybe a little welding . I want the whole setup though . I need a cheaper one but liked to have a brand name one ; smith,victor,harris
Any help would be good
Thanks Chris

[txfireguy2003]

My local Tractor Supply has a complete set with cutting and welding tips, bottles (the small ones) hoses, torch and a plastic caddy. I THINK it even has a set of goggles, striker, and Ace bottle wrech inside the caddy. I'm not sure what the price is, but if I remember right, it's somewhere in the 250-300 neighborhood. Not sure of the brand, but I do remember that it was a well known name brand, possibly Victor but not sure. You might also look at Weldmark, as they are made by Victor I beleive, or maybe it's Harris, but either way, both good companies. Once you have that setup, if you need or just want the bigger bottles, you can get them and keep the little ones incase you need it to be portable at some point, or possibly sell them to help with the price of the bigger bottles.

[wireburner]

I seen those Saturday. they are Victors $335. I want to get some other ideas to

[wireburner]

which is better ?
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=81597-1703-KH663&lpage=none

http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pcID=1&paID=1011&sonID=598&page=3&productID=29333&zz=37840

[Broccoli1]

which is better ?
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=81597-1703-KH663&lpage=none

http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pcID=1&paID=1011&sonID=598&page=3&productID=29333&zz=37840

neither one- Bottles are too small and you will be paying for something you'll most likely never use. ( read the thread on "Smallest O/A ...")

Just get a Torch Kit and get bottles local-be prepared to catch your chin when you see the prices for the jugs:)

http://www.brwelder.com/indextemplate.cfm?file=shop/detail.cfm&ID=947&SubCategory=144

[aametalmaster]

Watch buying those little tanks because you own them and are responsible for getting them checked in 10 years or so. You usually have to wait on getting them filled depending on where you take them. You may be better off getting a set of bottles from your LWS or Home Depot, your local farm store or somewhere where you can just trade them in for another one. Some dealers will take your new bottles and swap them out with filled ones they carry, some won't. I bought a tiny set in Ga for 100 bucks and hauled them back to Ohio and my dealer filled them with no problems but i need to get them tested in 6 years...Bob

[txfireguy2003]

Around here, you just take them into the LWS and they trade 'em out because the place I get my gas doesn't actually fill them. So even though you OWN them, doesn't really matter, they're just going into circulation, and a bottle's a bottle, unless it's damaged, right? The only problems I've had with the little bottles I use is that they don't last long if you're cutting very much, but just for heating, or cutting thin stuff that cuts easy, they're great. I really like the fact that I can carry them anywhere I need them, and if I'm going more than 50-100 feet, I can throw 'em in the wheelbarrow or my little lawn mower trailer and take 'em wherever I need them.

[mike6845]

Hobart has a couple of rebranded gas welding sets on the market also. In reality, they are Smith equipment. It turns out that Smith is a sister division to Miller and Hobart. I recently bought one of these sets at a local farm store for $179 less 10% off for seniors on the first Thursdays of each month.

Pick up a good set gas welding torches and gauges of one of the big three and by all means get a separate set of tanks from you local supply store.

Also, you might want to stay away from evil bay for this kind of equipment as there is a lot of worn out or trashed gear for sale on their site, buyer beware.

[Roger]

Can use regulators that come with small gas bottle set on larger bottles only after regulators´ inlet fitting is changed or you must buy and use regulator inlet adapter for each regulator. Welding supply store should have adapters in stock and instruct you how to use them.

Those little tanks are the most expensive way to buy gas. They should only be bought if you really need portability for a few small welds, braise or soldering. Air conditioning repairmen use them for silver solder braze joints to fix leaks and replace parts. Those small tanks are way too small for much cutting torch work. You might get 10 minutes of cutting torch time. Could be enough for an emergency.

[robsd]

I started the "smallest" post yesterday. I'm passing on the MC and 20 size....because of the size. I like the portability, but hate to get into something and run out of gas. The free shipping no tax Victor(real, didn't look like the cheaper victor set) set was $296 on Ebay. I'm checking on local prices now. I'm looking at a B(40) acet and 80 oxy. I'm still looking at Ebay to. I can get a new B there for about $80, free shipping. The 80 is $144 new with free shipping. I would still have to get them filled but that's probaby a hard to beat price. Since I won't be using this a lot I'll look at a cheaper set of guages and tools. Several folks I know use these and they work...OK. But I still have my old Uniweld set so I can hold off on those.

Ok just got off the phone with the local guy, B tank is $83.92 (empty). Oxy 80 tank is 183.27. Both plus tax. ($289.23 tax and all). So that $65 more to pick them up today at my local place and not wait for Ebay. I might check into a 40 oxy for the size only. The 80 is a 51# tank, a litle harder to move around.

Good Luck,
Rob

[robsd]

It pays to shop around to. Just call another place a little close to home.

B (40) acet, $82 - FILLED
80 oxy $150 - FILLED

Both probably plus tax...and this place is open longer and Saturday late!

I will not be buying on Ebay.

[wireburner]

I won`t be using them alot . My LWS said if i bought them from like tsc the would just exchange them (not fill them)

[robsd]

Well technically I don't use mine a lot either. But when I use them I use them a lot...if that makes sense. :D

FYI here is what I ended up with, I paid for the 80 and the B, come to find out they did not have an 80, but had a 125. After some discussion I got the 80 for $25 more. It isn't that bad considering for $25 more I have 50% more oxy. The 125 will stay in Spring with me all the time. I'll take the 80 and b up to the camp. They were both full to, a $12 value for the 125 if I recall, I didn't see it posted for the acet. Even though the ocy tank is not new, the date on it is 2016.

So left to right,
80 oxy
125 oxy
B acet (40) you can sort of make out the brass fitting to convert the B to standard gauges. Second pic shows a better shot.
75 acet, I think that's a 75

[Zoombah]

ROBSD,

I'm also in Spring and looking for bottles. Please let me know where you found the best deal locally.

Thanks

[prowess]

There is an HVAC guy in my neighborhood that has that set of small Victor bottles/torches on his truck. For him, it works. He uses it to hoss around on a job site silver soldering copper pipe here and there.
For most else, I'd go with larger bottles for sure.
1/7th rule and all, not much you can use the tiny bottles for other than a quick spritz here or there.

I've been down the Tractor Supply road with bottles, and personally, I'd stick with a LWS and get at least S and SO (145 cube Ace and matching Oxy) or better for my shop.

Had a welding instructor tell me to forge good relationships with two suppliers.
Your LWS, and your local Tractor supply, becuase, when you need welding supplies on Sunday afternoon, there's only one place that can help you! ;)

[hankj]

The setup in the first picture is a Victor 100J (small) torch with a "B" acetylene tank and a 40 CF O² tank. Bought used for $150.

I went through so much oxygen when cutting that I went out and bought the rig in the second picture. Homemade cart, Victor SuperRange II (100FC -medium duty) with a 125 CF (#4) C²H² and a 150 CF O² tank. Total cost: $199 for Victor rig and $400 for gas.

Hank

[prowess]

That's the same tank setup I use Hank (your 2nd pic that is).

IMHO, perfect for the home shop. My LWS designates the size as S and SO, but the cubes are the same.

-prowess

[robsd]

ROBSD,

I'm also in Spring and looking for bottles. Please let me know where you found the best deal locally.

Thanks

I think they go by Technical Welding or something now, but this location is still in yahoo yp.

Tech Weld Web Site
Address: 14833 Tomball Pkwy, Houston, TX 77086
Phone: (281) 893-9353

Basically on 149/249, just south of the Beltway, on the south bound side.

This is where I got my O2 tank.

Good Luck,
Rob

[wireburner]

Well I got a set of Harris port-a-torches but don`t get them till` Christmas:):(