Acetylene Torch On Craigslist

[apittmanii]

The attached acetylene torch is being sold on my local Craigslist. He will take $180 (posted for 200). I want to learn to use a torch for hobby welding and for metal cutting. The man selling said the torch was a Victor. Obviously this thing has not been inspected recently.

My questions are:

1. You can't tell much by the photo except that there is an oxygen bottle, torch, acetylene bottle, cart, and hoses. Does 180 seem like a good deal for this set up?

2. Do old acetylene / oxygen bottles typically have a lifespan? Assuming these are in rough shape, can they be refurbished and is that worth it over buying new?

I am very aware of how dangerous using a torch can be without the proper precautions. I plan on making sure I know what I am doing before using this.

 

[[email protected]]

Check the bottles and see if there's a dist name etched or stamped on them if so ask the seller has the paper work stating that he bought them. If there stamped or etched there rental bottles and most places will not fill them with out proof of ownership.

 

[Warrenator]

I just paid $150 for almost the same setup except mine was missing the acetylene regulator. Fair price. That oxygen regulator is a high end one, the acetylene reg. Is mid range. Both are fine if they work. Rebuild of regulators is about 65 bucks each if you send it away, more if you let the local welding supply have their guy do it with markup. The bottles may be out of hydro, look at the dates stamped on the bottle. If there is no company name on the bottle ring (where the valve screws into the bottle) it is an owner bottle, just exchange it at the local welding supply (LWS) If the hoses are rotten and cracked, new ones are 25 bucks or so. No big deal if the bottles are out of inspection/hydro date (10 years since last inspection I think) , when you exchange them you just pay an extra 25 bucks for the fill. That is a cutting torch in the pic, Victor torches are good, if you want to do brazing or welding you might want a welding torch too.

Everything in the pic may be perfectly usable as is, or things might need rebuilt. Either way you are ahead of new prices.....

 

[sberry]

I would take that.

 

[gdocktor3]

Definitely an old setup, but if those bottles are full or even half full, they'll last you a long time. As mentioned, ask him about the date stamping or look yourself, but he should know if they have been updated or when he purchased them. If they are outdated, you will have to pay a "test" fee when you go to exchange them. Basically you pay for the bottles to be tested so they can be filled for future sales, but you'll leave with a new, uptodate bottle.

 

[bad_idea]

A neighbor gave me a set of tanks. I ended up scraping them. Couldn't get anyone to fill them. Definitely verify with the owner and the LWS you can exchange them when they are empty.

 

[S4cruiser]

Would be a smoking good price in my area.

 

[sberry]

The ones above are owners and it would have been worth a better look before scrapping. Heck for an extra 20 could have exchanged them at a farm store. These are nice as the size is good and now stores don't want to seel this size anymore, worth a grab for the tanks and the regulator.
Looks like a new hose, my bet is it works.

 

[redmondjp]

That's a good deal so I'd jump on it. As-stated above, the tanks may be due for a re-cert, which you will have to pay when you go to refill or exchange them.