[TheForge] switching torches

Thu Dec 5 23:19:00 2002

At 05:06 AM 12/5/02, you wrote:

Discouraging.
See if this link  for Nat. Torch Tips helps.
http://www.arcsmith.com/ntt/
The other thing to do is maintain a convenient set of sacrifice torches 
that is the easiest one to get to. There are a bunch of  cheap Victor 
knockoffs, I think HF sells one and the FirePower is a Victor owned 
equivalent..Mostly ( check first) the knock offs will interchange Victor 
tips which are cheaper.
There are aftermarket outfits that make replacement tips as well 
as  conversions from one Mfg to another but I lost my source for them..If 
anybody knows, would like to find them.
The Smith tips seem to last longer  than the others if cared for, 
but.....Sigh, My sympathys. I get wierd  and unpleasant when people mess 
with my tools......good luck.....Pete

>hello;
>
>i have e-mailed smith several times and i have telephoned smith several
>times. they give me telephone numbers for local distributors. when i
>call the 'local distributors' 90 percent of the time they no longer
>stock smith and have to order it.
>
>why do i go through cutting and welding tips so often? it is caused when
>one of my children or one of their friends uses the torch for something
>and either changes the tips and does not put the tips back in the
>welding draw of the tool box. i found my 000 propane welding tip in the
>driveway run over by a car. they do not bother to check the tips while
>in the shop they wait to try whatever is in the torch at the time they
>pick it up if that does not work they keep trying other tips.
>
>today, i have a ride to aurora, il so i am going by harbor freight to
>pick up a new set of tin snips ( again since someone borrowed my old
>tin snips and never returned them. ) and stop by the large welding
>supply house and see what they have.
>
>someone suggested a hoke jewelers torch. i talked with a jeweler
>yesterday about them and he said it would be too small for what i needed
>to do. he had not used the smith equipment little torch but from other
>jewelers he had talked with it would also be too small for what i needed
>to do.
>
>i did find out that airco torches are made by smith and the tips are
>interchangable.
>
>On Thu, 5 Dec 2002, Peter Fels and Phoebe Palmer wrote:
>
>peter> At 01:11 AM 12/4/02, you wrote:
>peter>
>peter>
>peter> Terry;
>peter> I use Smiths too..a great cutting torch..you can buy aftermarket 
>tips for
>peter> it which work just fine..one of the companies Lincon bought  makes 
>a wide
>peter> assortment..if you are going to order tips, just buy the copper 
>tip, not
>peter> the mixer that is screwed onto it.
>peter> Harris ( a company that Lincon...) is the master at propane. If you 
>use it
>peter> a lot buy a torch just for propane..( not hot enough to weld steel).
>peter> Victor is ubiquitous..(everywhere) and a good welding torch  with a 
>nice
>peter> flame shape.
>peter> Be aware that if you buy a new torch you will win the additional
>peter> weight  and length of mandated flashback valves.
>peter> Have you tried Emailing Smith? They used to be real 
>friendly..especially if
>peter> you can talk to the techs ( not the sales folks).
>peter> Why are you going through so many tips that they are a cost factor?
>peter> Spatter  dip helps and being real careful when you clean out the 
>little
>peter> holes. If you work the tip cleaner a little sideways  when using 
>it, it
>peter> makes the jets trumpet shaped and ruins the flame shape.  If you are
>peter> cutting  rough stuff or in corners or holes, it helps to dunk the 
>tip in
>peter> water  when it hots up.
>peter>
>
>--
>Terry L. Ridder ><>
>
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