On Sep 13, 4:10*pm, "
wrote:
Howdy,

Any comments or recommendations? *What rigs have you used for aircraft
welding, and were they worth the price compared to the others? Anyone
had safety issues with the cheap torch sets off Ebay?

Thanks in advance!


I've got the "deluxe" H-F rig. $199 on sale gets you a torch, regs, 3
tips, rosebud, and cutting torch. Its cheap, the hoses are stiff, and
the torch is like holding a brass boat anchor. That being said, I've
taught myself to run beads that make the MIG-guys jealous. Service and
replacement parts will convince you that they did indeed come all the
way from China (8 weeks for a regulator seal). Torch needs lots of
adjusting. But it does work. My biggest expense has been in gas and
rod. I work with 40cf "B" tanks and pay around $25-30 for Act and $20
for Ox. They last about an hour with the small tip. That adds up.

The main advantages to O-A are that its proven, its quiet (doesn't
upset neighbors at 3:00 AM), its dim (no arc to light up neighborhood
at 3:00 AM) and you can do it in the garage without burning the house
down in you're careful. COST is not an advantage to O-A anymore since
Act just keeps getting more expensive.

The more you spend on your regs and torch, the less you'll have to
adjust the settings, and the easier the torch will be to deal with.
But ultimately, O-A depends on practice and skill more than the
quality of the tool. Buy what feels good in your hands. Expect to pay
$500-700 for the full rig including decent sized tanks, gas, rod, good
goggles, etc. And most importantly, get a good-fitting pair of long
leather gloves. The first time you scorch them, you'll thank yourself.

Harry Frey