First torch?

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Ok so the ol lady hooked me up with a 100 dollar gift card to harbor frieght (shwing!)At the same time I got a refund check from a bank that charged me for a service I never recieved (I looked into it, its legit). Both totalling out to be about 275 total.Harbor frieght has their torch kit, comes with - ■20 cubic ft. oxygen and 10 cubic ft. acetylene tanks included■Comes with welding tip, and cutting torch with 0-3-101 tip■Includes flint spark lighter, goggles, poly carrier tote■RegulatorsIt's either that or Im getting their 15 amp, 3 1/2 horsepower cut-off sawOr hell, could just brake the bank if I can afford it and get both.Just wondering if the torch kit is worth the money with the small tanks, how long they may last and such. They do sell everything but the tanks for half the price, then I could always rent tanks fron National Welding supply. Any opinions? The goal is to have my first two projects (bench and cart) done here within the month.Thanks in advance!Smitty
Reply:Those small cylinders are worthless for cutting. You can do light welding with them, but I'd still go up to at least a "B" sized Acet to weld, and a 75cf one if you want to do any decent amount of heating and cutting. Take a look at this chart.http://www.hoopersupply.com/tipchart.htmlIt lists the SCFH that you need for various size tips. You want to say with in the 1/7th rule with acet. That means You want to use a tip that consumes no more than about 1.4 SCFH with a 10cf MC cylinder. That means all the cutting tips are out, and only the smallest of the welding tips might work.Also keep this in mind. I've seen several of those import kits that won't take standard Victor parts. The QC and variations are just out enough that the "original" Victor style tips will not work. That will limit you to what you buy, don't expect to be able to get new tips and guarantee they will work. Sucks if you end up with one of those and find out 2 or 3 years from now like a buddy of mine did. These kits are disposable. When they go bad expect to got spend money again to get a new one. I'd vote for picking up a real Victor, Harris, or Smith kit. The quality is much better, you know you can get parts and get the unit repaired if something should go wrong down the road.I also have never been impressed with any of the electric power tools I've seen guy get from HF. The motors are weak, the fit of parts is poor, and the accuracy usually sucks. To me they are usually a waste of money. I've had my Milwaukee chop saw going on 16 years now and never had one issue with it in all that time even with all the abuse I put tools thru..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I own the Harboor Freight Item # 68104 14" abrasive cut off saw, it has worked well for me. They are currently right at $100. The HF Russian made replacement 14" cutoff wheels work OK too.I am a hobby welder, my saw has not seen a lot of heavy use.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:give the old lady a kiss and use the 100 bucks for a cheap grinder and some wheels, maybe a portabandget a smith  torch .....dsw is right on, a 10 cf tank is a waste ...
Reply:Thanks  guys, and she definately got her kisses, well deserved eh?"The credit goes to the man who's actually in the arena..."
Reply:We have eleven of these Smith sets at the vo-tech where I work:http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CCgQ8wIwAw#They are excellent torches and made in the USA. Very reliable, and even with student abuse we don't use very many tips.  They are not only a good starter set, they are good enough that I would keep them and only get a larger set if the job demanded it. Throw the included goggles in the trash and pick up a tinted Jackson face shield. Dunno if Harbor freight has any good shields, but that would be another option.Last edited by farmall; 02-16-2011 at 02:49 PM.
Reply:For $200.00 I would get the Smith setup that farmall linked to. But then again, I am partial to Smith."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Thanks guys, but what about this leasing tanks thing, how does that work, Im a tad bit more of a hobby welder at the moment"The credit goes to the man who's actually in the arena..."
Reply:That's for the really big cylinders. You can purchase smaller tanks from a supplier or on CL."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:I chatted with National Weldering Supply... said they can get me 90/60 tanks for 200 to 250 a piece. Just cant really afford that at the moment."The credit goes to the man who's actually in the arena..."
Reply:What I would do is find a gas supplier who will exchange/fill ANY cylinders. Then find a deal on cylinders from Craigs List, Ebay ect. I have an account at Praxair which is 10 min. from me and I drive 35 min. to a different family operated gas supplier. I don't lease cylinders. I have been dealing with the same shop for so long, he will give me as many as I need for a job with no deposit or anything. Then I bring them back when I'm done. I normally only keep 3 oxy, 1 argon, 1 C25 in the big ones."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"