Unique gas welding torch

[malcolm X]

Totally inexperienced in welding but wanting to set myself up with a welding set-up for those odd repair jobs that keep cropping up.
What advice or info can you give me about those Clarke 13 piece gas torch kits as sold by Machine Mart?
My only experience with a gas welding set was years ago when I was in the plumbing trade brazing copper pipe, need to find out more before laying out the dosh, can you braze mild steel such as a broken bolt together and do you need a flux?
And can you get a half or perhaps quarter sized gas and oxy bottles instead of having the full size bottles that you see in a garage or welding shop.

made a mistake, it was not the Clarke 13 piece set it was the gas welding cutting set item no 7 page 210 of Machine Marts catalogue inc VAT £233. what do you think of that?

 

[Drains]

Why do you want to use gas Malcolm? For odd repair jobs there are much easier solutions - eg Mig.

 

[brightspark]

theres only 2 ways of having oxy acetylene bottles either full size or portapack . a rental agreement which is extorsionate ok if u have a buisness and can claim for them. if not an aquired set NOT that im sugesting it

 

[malcolm X]

Why do you want to use gas Malcolm? For odd repair jobs there are much easier solutions - eg Mig.

I need to find some friendly guy who can perhaps give me a bit of practical guidence and point me in the right direction, dont want to make a mistake and buy something that might not be right for me.

 

[Drains]

There's a forum full of friendly guys and gals here. It's not just a place to talk about the weather.
If you tell us what welding or metalwork you want to do, we can tell you the best/cheapest/most efficient and effective solution, between us. But if you don't say what you want to do we can't help!
Come on mate, get to the point.

 

[malcolm X]

There's a forum full of friendly guys and gals here. It's not just a place to talk about the weather.
If you tell us what welding or metalwork you want to do, we can tell you the best/cheapest/most efficient and effective solution, between us. But if you don't say what you want to do we can't help!
Come on mate, get to the point.

I am in the garden maintenance business and now and again something breaks on one of my machines and needs re-welding, the heaviest stuff I would be welding is perhaps 1" square tubing for fabricating something for my wood working machines in my wood shop and also for making up and welding ornamental brackets using perhaps 1" flat bar, nothing heavy duty.

 

[Drains]

I am in the garden maintenance business and now and again something breaks on one of my machines and needs re-welding, the heaviest stuff I would be welding is perhaps 1" square tubing for fabricating something for my wood working machines in my wood shop and also for making up and welding ornamental brackets using perhaps 1" flat bar, nothing heavy duty.

Good stuff. Right, what you need is a Mig welder! Don't mess about with gas welding rigs as they're not suitable and more hassle than they're worth, for you.

A smallish Clarke Mig will do most of what you need. If you look in the "buying a welder" section, or anywhere in "welders and equipment", there's lots of info on Clarke machines, gas prices and whether to use refillable or disposable bottles argon/co2 bottles. Even better if you want to save your pennies, get some co2, which will do, although it's not quite as good as argon/co2 mix. If you can get a bottle from the local boozer (but make sure it's pure co2), it'll be the best part of nearly free, and last you years if you only do occasional welding. Unlike a disposable bottle which will last 5 minutes, literally.

Hope that helps. This isn't the best part of the forum for asking about what you want though. If you want advice from people who have similar needs to you (I use industrial kit so I'm not the best person to talk to).