Who made regulators/torches for Montgomery Ward?

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Hello to all,First post and I am already trying to suck knowledge from from the forum. I finally got a chance to get a much needed oxy/acetylene set-up for CHEAP!. The regulators are clearly marked Montgomery Wards Power Kraft, the set came with an instruction manual from them so I will assume one of the torch bodies is from the same. The hoses look a bit puny but that is an easy one, but if the regulators or torches ever crap out it would be nice to know if I can get rebuild parts for them. I did a search and came up with squat, maybe I used the wrong search words. If anyone has a lead I would greatly appreciate it. I will take a closer look at everything tomorrow and hook everything up and check operation if all looks good. This will be a much needed  addition to my capabilities. It has been a while since I ran a torch set up, so hopefully I keep my eyebrows. Any warnings that anyone has regarding older units that I should be aware of? ThanksMark
Reply:Regulators don't matter, any brand will doAs far as the torch............take the torch to your LWS, and have them look at it.  It could be made by any number of manufacturers.  Probably Harris, Victor, or Smith.  The mainstay companies made a lot of welding equipment which was rebadged as Sears or Powerkraft."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:OAdoctor here, can probably help you out with parts and a rebuild if you need it. He may be able to tell you who made then with out picts, but posting up picts of the units can't hurt. Give him a couple of days, and if he doesn't chime in, PM him and he'll probably be glad to help you out..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:OK here is some more info, while I was visiting with a friend of mine in the garage I got some more to go on. The regulators are model# HB-5894A with nothing to identify any manufacturer other than Montgomery Wards.  One torch is a Harris model 19 and the other is an NGC Bantam model 44. Maybe this will help narrow the field.Thanks for the repliesMark
Reply:In the mid-sixties, Wards had a really good sale on an OA torch setup, which I bought. I either forgot, or never learned the (manufacturers) model number of the two stage regulators but both are labeled 'Monkey Wards'. The torch was/is a Harris 18-3 with a # 73 cutting attachment and has only the Harris markings; I later found this was a standard, normally cataloged Harris set.I'm sure that both Wards and Sears would sell from whatever manufacturer would give them a good deal, usually but not always rebranding the items. Do both your torches have the same size hose fittings, and do both match the regulator fitting size?
Reply:And while we expend bandwidth, all the OP has to do is march down to his LWS on Monday morning.  End of story.Somebody made the torch, and if it isn't obsolete, there's parts available"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:No, one of the torch bodies uses a smaller fitting (the Bantam), I will likely try to follow farmersamm"s recommendation of presenting what I have to those that know, but I was trying to use the forum for any details.Thanks Mark
Reply:You've got better counter guys than I usually have to deal with Samm. I'm lucky at one branch if the guy I'm talking to can tell if the torch is for tig or O/A. If he's there that day, I just walk back out the door and drive to another shop. Luckily he's not there all the time or if he is, the other guys there and I deal with him. Still breaking in the new guy at my local place. The guy that was there for years left and the new guys not all that familiar with some of the odball stuff I've picked up over the years. We'll train him yet though..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 have seen Mongomery Ward Equipment and all of it has been obsolete.  The parts for both the NGCand Harris 19 are no longer available.Wish I had better news for you.OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
Reply:Thanks for the heads up, even if it isn't the best news. Hopefully they will give good service for a while. If there is a way to make or modify parts I am not afraid to try. Thanks to everyone for the input.Mark