Home shop torches

[69bronco]

Your gonna wonder how you ever got along without em!

[Kbeitz]

You can all guess where I got mine...

[garyfg]

I have tanks that size, $70.00 acx $30.00  oxygen exchange

[Jeff]

Well, if the gas is worth $100  that brings the price of the torches and cart and tank to $350.

[Dave Shepard]

That would be at least $140 and $40 to fill plus $180/year for tank leases here. 

[Al_Smith]

That size tanks are normally owned tanks ,at least in these parts .No lease payments and they are around 100 bucks to fill them .Next size up are leased tanks --at least in this locality .

[Al_Smith]

I might add I have two sets of that size in the picture and one set of the larger .I haven't filled the big ones in years so I have no idea what it would cost .
The smaller tanks will last a long time under normal conditions if you don't forget to shut off the bottle valves after you are done using them .I haven't on several occasions and there you are the gas leaks out .Never trust the torch to completely shut off the gas .A word to the wise no more no less .

[Magicman]

Congrats on the torch setup.  I was taught to always shut the tanks off and bleed the hoses.

[Jeff]

Yup. Me too.

[mike_belben]

Smith torches with "lifetime" embossed into the handle are truly lifetime warranty no matter if you got them new or used.  I have sent 2 in for a rebuild, only cost shipping.  

Beware, not all say lifetime on them. Be sure they do.  

[Jeff]

These are victor.

[mike_belben]

 just info for other members, not directed specifically at you jeff.

[scsmith42]

Good score Jeff!

[Jeff]

A little heat is magic!  I've struggled all week trying to get a through frame leaf spring bushing and shackle off. The first thing ever that bluecreeper could not help me with.  5 minutes of heat this morning and the impact finally reeled the long nut out of the frame and off the shackle.  YEA!

[Corley5]

I've got a set of Smith torches that belonged to my Grandpa Whittaker.  I while back I needed a tip and found out they were obsolete and no longer available from Smith.  I called Smith and told them what I had and they were going to replace them until I told them Grandpa had passed away.  The warranty is only lifetime to the original purchaser.  Even when I told them it was Grandma who actually purchased them and at that time she was still alive.   I've since found a place to buy those tips but haven't because they're $85.00.  I need to buy one just to have it.  My Smith gauges are now equipped with a Victor torch handle.

[Magicman]

A little heat is magic!

And I was not even there.  Musta been a strong Southerly air flow.

[coxy]

did you get a rose bud with them   i will never forget the time i blew my rose bud up didn't have the pressure set right wow what a bang   that was a good buy the gages are 200 a piece around here i just paid 90 for a gage for my mig  after a temper tantrum with a wrench 

[Al_Smith]

After they get so old it can sometimes becomes a challenge to find parts .Not to worry there's always flea bay .I'd say my old set of Airco torches are at least 70 years old ..I needed some larger welding tips .No problem,size 9-10 and 11, 20 bucks .Size 00 10 bucks .The double 00 was  what I used to gas weld two tin cans together  to show some big mouth in California I could  do it  8)There's a trick to every thing .No pressure showing on the gauges .Only a slight sound of the gas,tie wire for a filler .My dear old departed dad showed me that when I was about 15 years old .He could burn a rusty nut off a bolt and never hit the threads and could still do it at 80 years old .

[mike_belben]

I worked at a diesel shop for a bit and salt water exposed npt plugs were the worst.  Best torch trick i learned, that most people do wrong, is heat the bolt head direct until just shy of lava orange then quit.  Soon as the color fades, hit it with the impact.  This is the moment when the very expanded bolt has just given its heat to the metal surrounding it which makes the hole expand and bolt shrink for just a few seconds before they all equalize.  It amazed me what could be removed with a torch.  

I later worked at a junkyard and burned a whole lotta oxy/propane.   

[Dave Shepard]

Don't stop there, quench the bolt with a hose. It'll be finger loose.