I'm pissed!

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First time using my brand-spanking new Victor SuperRangeII cutting torch on Wednesday, and the O2 inlet is cracked on the torch body!   Cracked from where the gas valve screws in, all the way to the Flashback arrestor.  I hooked everything up, and tested all the joints for leaks with soapy water...but I didn't need the water to tell me where it was leaking.  The leak was loud enough, that I thought I left the O2 vavle open when I opened the regulator.    I bought the set from the Ebay Store: "Welding Supplies from IOC"  late last summer.  http://cgi.ebay.com/VICTOR-SUPERRANG...742.m153.l1262Has anyone ever dealt with a warranty claim through them?  Says it's backed by a 5 year factory warranty.  The thing is, I printed off the recipt, but ended up throwing it away a few months ago (stupid me!)If not...looks like I'll be in the market for a Harris Miller Syncrowave 200MillerMatic 180 AutoSetHobart Airforce 500iVictor O/A (80cf)
Reply:Contact them to see if they will honor the warranty by their records!City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Some gas equiptment has a manufactors numbers on it ,date and month when it was made ,i belive some are warranted for 1 year.
Reply:take it to your local warranty shop. its not warrantied threw the purchasing place but threw the Victor com. IOC may be able to get you a copy of your receipt but but the work can be done locally at any registered service center. IOC was very helpful when i needed help with my TA-185. it was a small thing with the foot control and it got replaced threw my local service center. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:Even if it they won't warranty it the repair won't cost anywhere close to what buying a Harris will. The Victor is a much better torch for 90% of what you use a torch for than a Harris. I've had both so I have some basis for this opinion. If you had purchased that torch at your local welding supply you could have just returned it and they would have taken care of your problem.
Reply:as disappointing as it is to hear, i have heard the new owners of Victor do not have the concern for quality the old did. as such it seems the quality is suffering in lue of profit over quality. i have only Victor torches myself but they are older ones and as such i cant make a personal opinion, only pass on what i have heard be it correct ????? Smith has continually improved there quality and customer service to the point a new purchase if i needed it would likely be a Smith. all the same the torch is already purchased, as such a repair will be less $$ than a replacement. if it was to fail again a 2nd time i would think a new replacement would be in order. a single repair dose not a bad torch make, but repeated problems make more trouble than worth. stop by your LWS with it and see what they can do for ya before making such a large decision.good luck, i hope it all works out for ya. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:I purchased a new Victor cutting torch for work about a month ago. Not sure what model, but it is about 24" long, cutting only. We have run about half a dozen,give or take, large O/A cylinders through it with no problems. At least no problems related to the equipment. Operator error is another story (Sometimes I wish I worked in a cave with no other people.) The torch is very light and comfortable to hold and use. One bummer is that the tip is a different style than our old Victor. I got another so that we would have compatability and it didn't work out.
Reply:I would look up the victor site on the net and send them an email, you may be surprised what they do for you. I have experienced trouble like this from buying on ebay and the manufacturer came good for the defects as they have a name to uphold.regardsGuy_48Welding is an art......Millermatic 252Lincoln SP175PlusLincoln 225 AC/DC
Reply:Your heading has a completely different connotation in Australia 700r A good guess is better than a bad measurement
Reply:Thanks for all the help.  I'll call 'IOC' tomorrow and see what they can do for me.  If nothing, then I'll call up Victor directly.  If not...well I guess Airgas gets my business.Miller Syncrowave 200MillerMatic 180 AutoSetHobart Airforce 500iVictor O/A (80cf)
Reply:daddy, I know what you mean about operator error. I learned years and years ago, NO ONE TOUCHES MY TORCH BUT ME! Saves lots of aggravation, anger, and money. Ever see and idiot melt a piece of steel trying to cut it and then hit it with the torch on the tip to knock it off?
Reply:Originally Posted by 700RThanks for all the help.  I'll call 'IOC' tomorrow and see what they can do for me.  If nothing, then I'll call up Victor directly.  If not...well I guess Airgas gets my business.
Reply:Hey daddy, that's why I dread the day I may have to hire employees, LOL. Oldtimer does let someone besides him use his torch, but then again I know where it's going if I mess it up.I have a Harris to go along with my two really old Victors. It's a good torch, but it's not the torch the Victor is. About all I use it for is welding. I really like the regulators though. I also have a Smith I have never used, but it feels like it would be very smooth to use. It was given to me, probably for the same reason I don't use it. I can't get tips for it here. I actually quit going to Airgas because they won't even look up parts for you. Went there looking for a Jackson 3-N-1 and all they wanted to do was sell me a Radnor, wouldn't even look to see if they could order one for me. Same thing with the inner cover lenses for my Jackson and a part for my Lincoln Mig gun (Magnum 400). No comparison between Airgas Gulf States (where I am now) and Airgas Southwest for customer service.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:been down that road too, for that reason I buy locally. They even have a sign, customers machines bought here have priority over the ones not sold here. g