Help........Buying New Torches???

Date 10-27-2007 15:00

arrowside , i would stay with victor . you can get different tips and parts in most parts of the country . good luck . willie

By ctacker (****)

Date 10-27-2007 16:55

I would stick with the 2 piece Victor, you can add rosebuds and brazing tips to those!

By darren

Date 10-27-2007 21:59

ebay has awesome deals on old torches and i think that they seem to be the best, and way yes to victor
just my opinion
darren

By ibeweldingsum (***)

Date 10-31-2007 00:22

yea e-bay is the best way to go I got a good victor compatible set new for about $100 shipping and all

By rlitman (***)

Date 10-31-2007 15:00

Better deals can usually be found on eBay by piecing something together vs. a set, but still, very much agree with the Victor concensus.
I've saved on shipping by telling people not to include their old nasty hoses, and just throw them out.
If you're in an area served by craigslist, deals can sometimes be found on setups WITH tanks, but it sounds like you've got those already.

Just one thing to be aware of regarding Victor.
Newer Victor torch bodies (100FC, 315FC) come with flashback/check-valves built in (without adding significant size or weight to the torch), whereas old models (100C, 315C, and all Victor "Compatable" units I've seen) didn't. Its pretty easy to see the difference, by the protrusions above the valves.
I really don't know if there is a difference in quality between real and "compatable" Victor tips though.

By Pipeslayer (**)

Date 10-31-2007 19:01

VICTOR is the only way to go. We get false readings with some of our esab guages and with victor everything is allways good.

By arrowside (**)

Date 10-31-2007 20:05

Thanks for all of your help. Now comes the real stupid question: Are Airco torches Harris or Victor style?

By rlitman (***)

Date 10-31-2007 20:27

Goss makes tips for just about everybody, and from looking at pictures of Goss cutting torch tips at:
http://www.weilerwelding.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/goss.html
It appears that Airco is neither Victor, nor Harris, nor Smith, and from another page it looks like Purox/ESAB are yet another mutually incompatable style.

BTW, the Sears Craftsman oxy-fuel stuff on eBay is all made by Harris.

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 11-01-2007 03:25

Ther was really old Craftsman gear that isn't Harris,and is pretty well obsolete. but My 30+ year old Craftsman set is Harris. BOC brought back the Airco name briefly a few years ago, they said the stuff was made by Smith. The original Airco product line is presently made by Concoa. Esab owns all the Union Carbide brand names, Oxweld, Purox & Prestolite. Lincoln Electric owns Harris. Miller/Hobart is somehow connected with Smith, posibly all owned by the same corporation? Victor is owned by Thermadyne, who makes Thermal Dynamics & Thermal Arc products.