Cutting Torches
Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:19 pm
I purchased a Purox master torch kit back in the late 80's. Using it for all these many years at home off and on and the torch was acting up. I noticed when i turned on the acetylene and lit it, then i would open up the oxygen valve and before i could adjust the top oxy valve the flame got oxygen already. As time when on it got worse. I have the cutting torch with three adjustment knobs. I been asking my welding vendor about getting me a torch rebuild kit and he said they no longer sell them to the public they would rather sell you a new torch or send yours out to be rebuilt. There have been many accidents with people rebuilding there own torches.
Now it got me thinking like most of us would, we can rebuild carbuerators and work on hydraulics so why can't we replace worn "O" rings in a torch? It can't be that hard to do. Then i had another thought why not just buy a new torch. The exact same torch kit i had is $490 now with the rosebud and welding tips. I then found a torch rebuild kit on ebay for $30 total with shipping. I changed the o rings and adjusted the nuts under the valve knobs so there snug with no leaks. I found the o rings shot in the mixer too. As i pulled the o rings out i matched them up with the new o rings so i got nothing mixed up. Then i wiped everything clean and reassembled the torch.
My cutting torch is now rebuilt and running great.
I will never hesitate to repair my torch again. Its just o rings. I was in more danger using it unrepaired than fixing it. Its like driving a car every day you don't notice something going little by little until it stops working. Like having the steering getting worse a little at a time and you don't really notice it while its still working. Thats how i was with the torch until i had no fine oxy adjustment then i knew something was wrong.
What started all this was that i went thru a tank of oxygen in a week and that is very unusual for me to do. The flag went up something was wrong.
Becareful with your cutting torches when there acting up, get them repaired right away. I keep a stock of new cutting tips on hand anyway and now i will have an extra torch rebuild kit too.
The bottomline is all our equipment needs maintenace sooner or later. We get to learn how to repair more stuff right?
One more safety thing about cutting torches. I installed two one way flow valve flame/spark arresters on my torch handle so if the tip backfires the flame can't hit the tanks. For a few $$ its a great safety investment.
Now it got me thinking like most of us would, we can rebuild carbuerators and work on hydraulics so why can't we replace worn "O" rings in a torch? It can't be that hard to do. Then i had another thought why not just buy a new torch. The exact same torch kit i had is $490 now with the rosebud and welding tips. I then found a torch rebuild kit on ebay for $30 total with shipping. I changed the o rings and adjusted the nuts under the valve knobs so there snug with no leaks. I found the o rings shot in the mixer too. As i pulled the o rings out i matched them up with the new o rings so i got nothing mixed up. Then i wiped everything clean and reassembled the torch.
My cutting torch is now rebuilt and running great.
I will never hesitate to repair my torch again. Its just o rings. I was in more danger using it unrepaired than fixing it. Its like driving a car every day you don't notice something going little by little until it stops working. Like having the steering getting worse a little at a time and you don't really notice it while its still working. Thats how i was with the torch until i had no fine oxy adjustment then i knew something was wrong.
What started all this was that i went thru a tank of oxygen in a week and that is very unusual for me to do. The flag went up something was wrong.
Becareful with your cutting torches when there acting up, get them repaired right away. I keep a stock of new cutting tips on hand anyway and now i will have an extra torch rebuild kit too.
The bottomline is all our equipment needs maintenace sooner or later. We get to learn how to repair more stuff right?
One more safety thing about cutting torches. I installed two one way flow valve flame/spark arresters on my torch handle so if the tip backfires the flame can't hit the tanks. For a few $$ its a great safety investment.
