Henrob 2000 Torch

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Hey guys, I have been thinking of getting the Henrob 2000 torch and would like to hear from some people who actually use one, rather than listening to the manufacturers hype.  It looks really cool, and they claim 60% savings on gas!  It also cuts 1/2" stock as clean and sharp as a plasma, which would save me even more money!So how 'bout it, anyone here using one?(I guess they call it the DHC2000 now, formally the Henrob, and Dillon Mark IV)Last edited by JC'sWelding; 04-18-2009 at 01:55 AM.
Reply:I got one (Dillon Mark III) at a garage sale earlier this year for $50. I haven't tried cutting 1/2" steel yet, but it cut 1/4" with no problems. I can't say my cut was as pretty as the guys in the commercial, but that is more my inexperience with O/A and the torch than a problem with the torch. I have done some welding on 1/8" mild steel both fusion welding and using RG45 filler rod. The unit works mostly as advertised even in the hands of a newbie. It does take some practice to get as good as the guys in the videos. My other torches take practice too.  I still have problems trying to get my left hand to dip the rod while the right hand moves the torch in little circles. It reminds me of trying to learn the piano where the left hand and right hand are doing different things. It takes practice, just like a TIG would. The torch itself is heavy and somewhat cumbersome. I don't find that a problem, since I don't weld much at one time, but my little Smith AW1 would be a lot less fatiguing if I was welding all day, or building a homebuilt airplane with lots of tubing clusters.  Here is a picture of the Henrob Handle with the sides removed and my Smith AW1 handle sitting between them for comparison. The comparison isn't completely fair, since the Henrob has its mixing chamber and a tip on it, while the AW1 doesn't have a tip and mixer attached. In addition the AW1 requires a rather large cutting attachment  when you get to that. http://www.atlantamusclecars.com/Handle.JPGI have also done some brazing with the Henrob. I am not very good at brazing with it yet, since I tend to get the metal too hot (old welding habits?). I haven't tried Aluminum yet, since I don't have the special lens needed to cut down the flare. I didn't need any special regulators, even though I have a set of Cobra regulators made especially for the Henrob. I didn't quite trust my Cobras since the Acetylene gauge never read below 5 psi, and one of the oxygen fittings leaked. Maybe that is why I picked them so cheap up off eBay last year. My Astro large regulators work just as well, if you follow the directions for setting the regulators up. I eventually got my hands on a new Smith H1940G-540 regulator for a good price in a deal for a Smith quickbraze torch kit on eBay. I just bought it for the regulators. It is made for the Little Torch and has a 30 psi low pressure gauge. It seems to be spot on when set to the 4-5 psi the torch requires, and you can set it with the gauge. So far, I have not noticed any drift or hunting with this regulator. I like the fact that I have all the tips and cutting attachments in a nice little plastic case and the Henrob torch is versatile. The Henrob is very well made. The video supplied with the torch is basically worthless. Its more of a promotional video than a how-to. Nice shots of the factory in Switzerland where mine was made though. I don't know if the video supplied by the US dealers is better or not. I haven't seen that the Henrob is much different in flame characteristics than my Smith AW1, or the Little Torch  Quickbraze torch that came with my regulators. Maybe when I get mre experience with it, I will feel differently. They all use about the same amount of gas (I think), since you set them all to about the same low 4-5 psi oxygen and acetylene pressures to get a nice neutral flame. I think the 50% gas saving claim by the Henrob folks is a comparison to a big torch using big tips, rather than comparing it to any other small torch, such as an airline low pressure torch. In other words apples and oranges comparison.Last edited by smyrna5; 04-18-2009 at 08:24 AM.Lincoln 175HD Miller AC/DC ThunderboltSmith AW1, Dillion (Henrob) Mark III, & Smith LittleTorch