I'll second virtually everything Karl has said here. I
learned gas welding on sheet metal in a body shop in the
early 1970's (where I coincidently learned about BMWs...).
It's a great skill to have; actually welding is only a small
part of the utility to a car nut; removing rusty nuts is by
itself worth the cost of the setup and learning. Bending/
shaping/ re-shaping also a big plus for the hobbyist, esp
for older cars, track junkies. Fabrication of new stuff
also feasible, but here's where a MIG is faster, easier,
better if you're doing a frame/ trailer, dolly, etc. I own
3 gas set-ups...all over 30 yrs old, and going strong.
Rubber/ diaphragm rebuilds on the reg's is the only
long-term maint; hoses will also dry/ crack. Again, follow
Karl's advice..
PM
<<gas welding>>
Harris IS a big name in gas welding equipment - an old firm.
Most welding
supply shops will have parts.
That said, it's a much better deal if the regulators are
two-stage. If it
looks like there's another regulator (built in) in the back
- (the adjustment
handle side is the front) then they're probably two stage.
If the backs are
pretty flat, they're probably single-stage. Once you see
both, it'll be
obvious to you. If you have time, get a number off of them
and call a welding
supply shop to find out the availability of parts, whether
they're two-stage,
etc.
Single-stage regulators are fine, but you'll have to
readjust the pressure
every so often while welding. Not a terrible thing for
casual use, but a
bother. Two-stage is well worth a few bucks more,
especially for fine (i.e.
thin stuff) welding.
Also, if the regulators are the tiny type, like used with
MIG or TIG welders,
be aware that they may not flow enough to handle larger tips
- fine for a
small torch though. If they're the "regular" size, you'll
be fine. Hose is
cheap, so don't worry about that. Make sure to buy
anti-flowback check valves
too - they're not expensive if they're not included with the
set.
At $89 or $98 for the set, even with single-stage regulators
it's an OK deal
if it all looks nice and doesn't need many parts. But new
stuff isn't
exorbitant either - check with a welding supply and see what
deals they may
have. Buy a good brand like Victor or Harris and you will
never have to throw
them away. Regulators and torches last almost forever.
About tanks. It's generally the best deal to own your
tanks, and I recommend
you get the usual sizes, like a 125 cubic foot oxygen and (I
forget the
capacity) the matching acetylene tank. If you rent, it
winds up costing a ton
over a few years. Buying tanks in this case, by the way, is
essentially
buying into an exchange system. You own rights to a set of
tanks, but you
exchange them rather than getting your specific tanks
refilled and returned to
you. It's immediate and convenient, and hydrotesting
testing is included in
the exchange price. If you buy this way, KEEP THE RECEIPT.
The cute little portable tanks are fine if you need the
portability, but
you'll run through them quickly and they cost almost as much
to refill as the
regular size. With the portable tanks, you buy a specific
pair of tanks and
have them refilled (not immediate - it usually takes a day
or two and of
course two trips to the gas supplier), and you have to pay
for hydrotesting
every 5 years.
Karl
> wandered into a pawn shop next to a client yesterday.
they've got a
> new-ish looking set of harris gas gauges and a torch for
$98 (or$89).
> I've been wanting to practice gas welding and get
better/good at it. is
> harris good stuff, or should I stay with...oh, I forgot
the name but you
> know, the big name guys?
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