$300 for an O/A setup with cart?

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http://knoxville.craigslist.org/tls/3667586330.htmlGiven the prices I've seen for empty cylinders alone, this seems like a heck of a deal. What do you think? But the ad has been up for several days at that price, so if it was really a steal, it'd probably have sold. I dunno... what am I missing?
Reply:look to be victor or victor style gauges no mention of what torch is included doesn't say lease bottle or owner bottle cant see the neck ring looks like 50 ft hoses condition unknown not stated looks to be a decent deal if everything works and there not lease bottlesMiller Xmt 350Lincoln Ln-25Ahp 200xSmith Gas Mixer AR/HTig is my Kung FuThrowing down dimes and weaving aboutInstagram http://instagram.com/[email protected]
Reply:I've never seen a Victor with gauges turned sideways like that.  Purox, or Oxweld perhaps?  Either way, an older setup.Yes, if the torch is a good one, and the bottles are not leases (they look too small to be anyway), then yeah, it is an ok deal.  I've done better, but it isn't easy.
Reply:I bought a similar setup and would like to offer my experience. It sounds like a good deal, but lots can go wrong.Be careful about the condition of the regulators and torch and cutting attachment and welding tip. If you don't know how to perform a leak test, read about this and check out both regulators before you buy.  A malfunctioning regulator is generally not worth fixing and can cost $100 each. Bring soapy water and a spray bottle-sometimes the leak can simply be at the connection between the regulator body and the individual gauges, which may only need tightening. I wonder if the odd position of the gauges is an indication someone tightened them for leaks. Dented up or pitted or scored torch handles may not seal and are dangerous. Inspect the O rings, but they are very cheap to replace. Dried or cracked O rings can result in flames coming out the torch below the tips, a scary experience. Make sure the valves turn easily and you don't have to tighten them hard to seal them.  The hoses may also need replacement.  Finally, make sure the tanks aren't really leased.Last edited by Weekend; 03-15-2013 at 01:51 AM.
Reply:I'd jump on that.  As long as your LWS will refill the cylinders.Plus he's "asking" $300.   He pretty much expects to be offered a bit less if he has any CL savvy.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Yes, check for leaks.  Bring a couple of clean rags for wiping off dirt and a magnifying glass for inspection.I recently picked up a nitrogen regulator on the cheap (free as part of the spoils for cleaning out a garage) and later found there were two cracks in the body and connection making it unservicable.- MondoMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749The regulators are Airco (Concoa)
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749The regulators are Airco (Concoa) & very high dollar two stage units.Yeah, as long as you can get the cylinders refilled, grab it. Great deal.IMHO of course
Reply:Regarding leased or owned: I look for the owner's name embossed on the neck ring, right? If the neck ring has no embossing, then they're clear. Is that right?
Reply:Originally Posted by joshuabardwellRegarding leased or owned: I look for the owner's name embossed on the neck ring, right? If the neck ring has no embossing, then they're clear. Is that right?
Reply:I have cylinders and Victor regulators and various torches already out the azz but I'd buy that combo to try those Airco/Concoa regulators since everyone who has them seems to love 'em. Then I'd sell the cylinders and get my money back.Walk up with 250 cash.Guages are so frequently replaced it's a fair bet someone did tighten them. No biggee if they don't leak. Replacements are cheep even at LWS prices.
Reply:Just the regulators and cart is worth the $300, I would still dicker with the seller, cash is king.This is what I am running now and they are solid, the oxy regulator weighs 10 pounds, makes my 2 stage Victors look like toys.Last edited by TozziWelding; 03-15-2013 at 07:38 PM.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Originally Posted by farmallGuages are so frequently replaced it's a fair bet someone did tighten them. No biggee if they don't leak. Replacements are cheep even at LWS prices.
Reply:Well, you folks sure have got me in a tizzy. When I made the original post, I mostly expected to hear that there was some gotcha, and go about my business. Seeing what a screaming deal this might be is really tempting me. The thing is, I'm trying to sell my current welder and step up to something a little more ... modern, shall we say. As part of that, I was ready to pop an extra $300 or so on a stick/TIG unit instead of just a stick unit. There's no way I can justify getting this O/A set and the upgraded welder... but then I got to thinking... what if I got the "modern" stick welder without TIG, and any welding that I would have run TIG, I'll just do O/A instead. TIG is a lovely, lovely process that I am excited to learn, but O/A is not dissimilar, and an O/A set can do so much more than a TIG (heating, brazing, cutting, etc...). Whadda ya think?Last edited by joshuabardwell; 03-15-2013 at 10:14 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by joshuabardwellRegarding leased or owned: I look for the owner's name embossed on the neck ring, right? If the neck ring has no embossing, then they're clear. Is that right?
Reply:As long as your LWS will fill those bottles, that is a decent deal (I got a similar setup for $225, I immediately threw away the hose and bought a new torch, but it had the same AIRCO gauges, which can easily be rebuilt if there are problems).The direction of gauges on the AIRCO is a safety feature...when you are able to see the gauges clearly, you are 'out of the line of fire' for the gauge blowing up if there is a problem when cracking the valve of the bottle open.  My only issue is that the AIRCO's are not marked for super-low flow and I use a very small torch, the Meco Midget (they are industrial gauges, designed for higher flow), but they are two-stage gauges and hold the flow rate extremely well.The other thing I would check is that the bottles are NOT out of date for pressure testing.  That would be an added fee at your LWS, when you swap them out.  Not a deal breaker, but a good bargaining point to get the price down.Also, how much gas in the bottes?  If they are full, take the bottles and run.  If they are empty, work on getting the price down a little.  That's a good $50 of acetylene, if full, and probably at least $30 of O2, if full.Have fun!  OA is such a versatile process...welding or brazing in just about any material, general heating, removing stubborn fasteners...lots you can do with OA...and most of the used rigs you buy will be set up for just cutting.  The set I got had this ridiculous Linde cutting torch, which could cut up to 12 inches of steel.KevKevin / Machine_Punk from The Aerodrome Studio - Lincoln PowerMIG 210 MP - Meco N Midget w/custom welding station - Vintage Victor 100Current Projects: The Aerodrome Studio
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Bet they are too. I really like them on my MIGRunner cart for my XMT. They fit so nicely. I built an inline torch cart too & they fit the cylinders really well & don't take up a lot of room.Regular styled regulators would not fit the way this cart below is set up as well as the Airco ones do.IMHO of course
Reply:Originally Posted by joshuabardwellThere's no way I can justify getting this O/A set and the upgraded welder...
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Bet they are too. I really like them on my MIGRunner cart for my XMT. They fit so nicely. I built an inline torch cart too & they fit the cylinders really well & don't take up a lot of room.Regular styled regulators would not fit the way this cart below is set up as well as the Airco ones do.IMHO of course
Reply:Originally Posted by RodJI really hate to be the d-bag that says this, but the acetylene bottle looks to be 75 cu feet which limits the amount of gas you can pull, which limits the tip size you can use, which limits the thickness of material you can reasonably weld.  Like 1/8" is going to be the practical limit.
Reply:Originally Posted by RodJI really hate to be the d-bag that says this, but the acetylene bottle looks to be 75 cu feet which limits the amount of gas you can pull, which limits the tip size you can use, which limits the thickness of material you can reasonably weld.  Like 1/8" is going to be the practical limit.
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Thanks!It's 1" X 3" X 1/8" thick.I got a deal on the reel. It arrived damaged, so they knocked like $100 off it. Buy one now, you had better be sitting down when they quote the price to you. The tires came from TSC. I cut the outside part of the hubs down & reinstalled the bearings. They are pneumatic. If I were still working on site for weeks at a time, I would switch to solid no flat tires. It has a good center of balance & is very maneuverable.To date, it is the most versatile, useful piece of equipment I have ever fabricated. One guy tried to tell me it wouldn't roll well over obstructions, etc. started telling me it wasn't high enough off the ground, etc. funny how those armchair fabricators can be. I think he was jealous of it.... I've had that cart in steel processing plants, on several job sites, on or over just about every terrain imaginable. Never got it stuck, never couldn't roll it around. Can't say that for a lot of other torch carts I have used. That pic is real old. It's got some wear to it now, but still works just as good as the day I finished it.IMHO of course
Reply:No argument from me on mig. Its nice and fast and produces a nice looking weld under the right conditions but if you find welding itself fascinating, to me stick and OA are just fun to watch and work with.  it was my JOB and production is what matters, then wire welding might be the right choice.You can cut up to about 3/8 withe that size cylinder, or you can get a propane cylinder and go to town cutting with oxy propane using different tips or torch depending on what you got there. I've never done it, but it doesn't have the withdraw limitations of acetylene.Rosebud?  No way Jose.  Not only will it suck acetone (the liquid) as it tries to keep up out of that little bottle, but you run a serious risk of flashback. That is really bad juju.  REALLY bad, even with FB arrestors.  I can't find a chart, but I don't recall there being a rosebud small enough, you're best bet is to just heat with a welding tip.  Alternative- maybe oxy-propane or oxy-propylene but I don't know anything about those options if they make any sense. If I'm you, I'd do what you planned with a stick / tig.  Don't forget to price in the argon cylinder. Deals on cylinders and regs come and go and that goes for OA too.  If you really need to heat something on occasion you can empty your propane tank using air/propane (takes a while and cost a few bucks but wont break the bankmif you only need it occassionally)  You're getting along ok without a cutting torch.  Lots of cutting can and is done without it especially if it's not a lot of inches. A grinder with cutoff wheel and even a good metal cutting blade in a hi amp jigsaw will do a fair amount. OA cutting is great if you're demolishing or rough cutting, but it takes some skill to do it well.Bueno suerte (good luck) with your decision.Last edited by RodJ; 03-17-2013 at 11:08 AM.
Reply:3/16" steel will be easily covered with that acetylene cylinder. For heating, cutting, and some brazing/welding I use propane for cost reasons, saving the acetylene for where its needed ( I have #4 cylinders ). My rig uses a selector valve to change between fuel gasses and I always use a "T" hose, so changing from acetylene welding to propane cutting is a simple as putting the cutting attachment on the handle, and flipping a valve. Money invested in a GOOD O/F rig will be better spent over the long haul than ANY electric machine. More versatility (by far), Much longer lifespan (some of my equipment is over 100 year old) and dependability that cant be beat.
Reply:Thanks to everybody for the feedback. On Friday evening, I emailed the seller to see if I could get any more info about the set, and haven't heard back yet, so the discussion may turn out to be moot. I've really enjoyed it, either way.Originally Posted by Machine_PunkAs long as your LWS will fill those bottles, that is a decent deal Kev
Reply:Second email sent two days ago, and still no response from the seller, so it looks like it's all moot. Still, very educational and I appreciate all the input.
Reply:I can appreciate your frustration getting no response.  There was a guy selling some O/A tips locally.  Emailed, called and spoke nicely to his wife and gave a callback number.  No response. It wasn't like the ad just came out and the price was super low either."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:Keep looking for the O/A stuff, good deals are out there. I picked up tanks cart unused torch and regulators, hose... for $300. O/A is a lost art and under appreciated, and most of all undervalued.