Is This Kit Any Good For Gas Welding?

[TicklyT]

Has anyone got any experience or opinions of these little gas welding sets?

I'm looking for something that will handle the occasional welding job, usually on bits of thin gauge steel tube (<20mm dia, <1.5mm wall), and maybe the odd job on the car.

 

[breezer]

is that not mostly used for cutting?

isnt welding usually done with an arc welder?

 

[Bodgeit and scarper ltd]

this one is ok

 

[^neo^]

The one you listed looks more of a soldering kit for plumbers.
Why not save up for a cheapish MIG welder?

 

[Trazor]

Unless you are experienced in gas welding do not go their.
As neo said, a MIG welder will be better, much easier to use.

 

[Symptoms]

Tickly - gas welding can't be done well without a great deal experience & practice (and you do get 'rusty' if you leave it a while). I've no opinion on the set you've illustrated but would support the type of tackle Bodget illustrates - Portapak. You can pick these up from ebay & elsewhere, but they come without the gas cylinders, so they need to be factored in. You rent the cylinders from BOC (you have to open an account ... easy to do even for a private person/non-trade), the small sizes for a Portapak (K, M for acetylene, E, F, X for oxygen) can be rented for 3 to 5 years or shorted periods. If buying 2nd hand you must check the condition of the tackle - hoses for cracks/splits, gauges for knocks, etc. BOC and their Agents are all over the place. I also believe, because of the dangers involved when working with compressed gases and the skill-set required to produce decent work, that a course of tuition is advised.

For these reasons I support the view already expressed that maybe a cheapo (or more expensive if funds allow) MIG welder is the route to go for tackling the occasional job. You can get perfectly adequate gas or gasless tackle for under £100 new.

 

[chappers]

that looks like a leadworkers set to me

 

[fender]

Has anyone got any experience or opinions of these little gas welding sets?

I'm looking for something that will handle the occasional welding job, usually on bits of thin gauge steel tube (<20mm dia, <1.5mm wall), and maybe the odd job on the car.

Those sets are actually not bad and will cope with your needs. However, as others have stated, gas welding is not that easy and you would be better off with a small mig.

 

[rampump]

Agree with other posters - if its only occasional, go for MIG

OxyAcetylene welding isn't a skill, its an art ! It took me a good 3 years before I could get solid welds with gas in any combination of run / material, etc...

MIG welding is easier, but tuition wouldn't go amiss, or it'll look like a lot of MIG welds - like splattered chicken doo

MIG is fine for most welding work, but if the weld has got to be strong (ie structural) then unless the MIG is high powered, better to go for an MMA weld (stick) as you get more penetration than MIG for any given power setting.

 

[Bodgeit and scarper ltd]

I have just bought some Oxy Acetylene welding gear just to see if it is as hard as people on here say it is. I do a bit of mig welding, not that good at it but I can stick things together. This gas is something else! Its like magic! I should have bought this years ago.

 

[Symptoms]

Bod - excellent news. Have you tried aluminium yet, you'll certainly have some fun learning to do that, especially sheet?

I also consider Oxy-acetylene to be the 'daddy'.

 

[landlubber]

I was thinking of one of these also, unfortunately if you read the instructions you will find a set of gas cylinders only last about 20 minutes.

and at about £8 each per refill it is not cheap!!!!!!!!!!!

I went for mig in the end and am well pleased with it.

 

[Sylvan Tieger]

Has anyone got any experience or opinions of these little gas welding sets?

I'm looking for something that will handle the occasional welding job, usually on bits of thin gauge steel tube (<20mm dia, <1.5mm wall), and maybe the odd job on the car.

I like the oxyacetylene set up using 40 cu ft of acetylene and 10 CU ft of oxygen for portability otherwise I use electric stick welding