I'm going to purchase a cutting/welding kit and was wondering if those port-a-torch kits are worth it in terms of the size bottles they offer. They include two 20 cu. ft. "bottles" and of course the accessories. I am a weekend welder and wouldn't find myself building a freakin' car frame so should I stick with the small bottles they include or buy the kit without the bottle and purchase some 50 cu. ft. ones instead. Does anyone have the smaller kit? Does it do the trick or are you constantly filling the bottles? I already own a MIG but can only weld up to 3/16. Figured I can cut thick guage as well as weld it.

 

Watch where you buy your kit. Some welding gas dealers aren't filling other places tanks now due to liability concerns. Example= If you buy a cutting torch kit from Sears, your local welding gas dealer may not want to fill the bottles that came with the kit. So they may make you buy/lease their bottles. Just extra cost involved. I ran into this problem twice now. I will have to say they do look like the small bottles would come in handy in the shop or on the trail. Good luck on your purchase!

 

Go ahead and get the full size bottles . Those little bottles don't last very long. and like porkchop says not everbody will fill it. And if they would, you would have to drop it off and wait till they get around to filling it.

Better to start a realtionship with a welding supply store that you only go into once every year or so to switch out your tanks.

Also with the small kit, who makes it and who will cover any issues? are they compatable with tips in any welding store or is it a catalog only. And if you want too put larger tanks on, can you?

If you looking at the home depot one? its already $300. A Victor Medalist Linky runs under $200 and just hunt for the best deal on the bottles.

I picked up my medalist about 10 years ago for about $350 with both bottles, rosebud tip (for bending) and a #2 welding tip (it came with a 0 tip) and haven't had any problems or regrets.

I wouldn't recomend welding over 1/8" thick with a torch... heat warp is not your friend...

 

Just my .02 save some more cash and go with a plasma cutter. You'll be much happier in the end, no huge tanks taking up room, no tanks to move, no tanks to break you back getting in a truck, no tanks to refill......NO TANKS I hate my cutting torch, and can't wait to get a plasma.

Rant off

 

Thanks for the reply boys. Still am debating what to do. The medium sized bottles are going to run me $250-280, and that's filled. The kit is a Harris kit and will be adaptable to the Lincoln tips, that's running $190. I was originally thinking about the small kit for $330 because I only have $300 to spend. With the added cost I'm leaning towards what I call a variety purchase. 1" lift shackles, a rear bumper hinge for my yet to be built armor, a clamp for the hinge, and some metal. Damn, then there's that 33 gall. air compressor for $280 at Sears. What to do . . .

 

I coulnd't live without my torch.... you can weld with it, bend, heat, shrink, and stretch metal with it.. Burn out bushings, lite cigs, grills, warm your coffee. kill insects. goes on and on


I have used the same harbor frieght torch kit for a few years now, and it use the same tips that are at my local welding shop.....

about $50 gas welding kit use this coupon

and around the large tanks filled from the local welding shop are in the $250 range.

 

ya but lets see you heat up that rusty bolt to break it loose, or weld sheet metal or 1/4" plate, or anneal a peice of sheetmetal your working or cut through that crusty rusty frame with out having to spend 5 min trying to find/make a ground....

plasma's have there cool factor, but if your not fabing stuff out of nice clean metal.....there are better ways to spend your money.

 

THanks for the heads up. I'm in total agreement on all points. I was actually going to purchase at least the kit for now. Tomorrow's my lucky day. The coupon is killer.

 

.....there are better ways to spend your money.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, the next time I find myself with $800 bucks for a plasma I'll have already gotten comfortable enought with the cut/weld setup and an ARB is way better than a plasma.

 

plasmas are nice, but they do prefer clean steel, they prefer thinner stuff, and the tips get expensive, fast.

dont forget you also need a clean, dry air source too.