Gas Welding

[Krylon32]

Anyone on here ever used or heard of a Meco N-Midget welding torch? I'm looking for something small and light weight so I can continue tacking my Hot Rod chassis together since I can no longer use a Tig or Mig. Spotted this on a site called Tin Man Tech. Thanks for all the response to my thread about a defibrillator and using a Tig. Gary at Cornhusker

[G.M.]

If you have oxy/acy now jusy get a smaller tip. G.M.

[Krylon32]

The size of my current torch makes it very unhandy to get into some of the tight areas when I'm building a chassis. Sometimes you need to get on top of your work and the size of a regular torch is very unhandy. The Meco is designed for up close work and weighs only 6 ounces and when combined with their ultra flexible and light weight hose your only working with about 8-9 ounces in your hand. I just thought it would make things easier?

[Heard]

Gary,
I have one of those torches and it works really well. The Tin Man site is owned by Kent White. He is well known for his metal work. He uses these small torches to weld thin aluminum.

Heard

[skidmarks]

Consider getting one of the valves with a pilot of you need a third hand. Saves on gas and setting things on fire.
Acetalyne is exspensive.

[JSeery]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Not sure about currently, but when I worked for Cessna, the engine cradles and a lot of other components were welded with gas. There were a lot of tight spaces involved, but I'm not sure what equipment was used.

[Willit Stop]

I have a Dillon that I've been using for years.It runs on 4 psi of gas and oxygen and came with 3 or 4 tips. A cutting attachment was included as well.

[rotorwrench]

There should still be some aircraft type torches out there if that's what you might be looking for. I looked some up last year but you never know now days. The Victor J-28 and the Harris model 15 should still be around. The Harris tips are in MM and that is hard to translate for us old American wire gauge dogs. The Victor tips are in AWG last I checked and they go pretty small. Both of these are small and not really set up to do much thick stuff but they are comfortable to use. I used the Victor J-28 when I went to A&P school but haven't used one since. I use a Smiths WH100 for thicker metals but it has some pretty small tips too and is comfortable to use.

I use two stage gauges since I have a little Victor torch I use. It is smaller than the J28 but they don't make it any more. Its about as big as a magic marker. I use it for the real thin stuff.

[cas3]

i am currently gas welding my dual exhaust, just like i did when i was a kid. sure is slow, and i used to think i was pretty good...now, not so much !

[42merc]

I was raised on gas welding, still use it for light work & exhaust work.
Small Purox "aircraft size" for most work & Victor large equipment for heavy cutting & rosebud needs.
I bought a "Henrob" kit several years ago. Worked well, but I just never was comfortable with it. Still have it.
Also in my arsenal are, stick, mig, tig & plasma cutting.
After I kick off, my auction will be a good one to attend.

[Heard]

Gary,
Not sure what pics are on that site, but this should give you an idea of the size of the Meco torch.

Heard

[Krylon32]

I normally get a tight fit of the components as I'm building a chassis and have just been sweating the pieces together with my tig, rarely using any filler rod. I don't know if that's possible with the Meco or Henrob torch?

[rotorwrench]

Most frame parts are relatively thick metal. I've welded 1/8" without filler with my Smiths WH100 but anything thicker than that would likely need some filler rod. The only thing that's funky with my Smiths is that it uses o-rings so I keep a bag of them around to fit all the tips. Victor was tapered fit at one time but I'm not sure now days. Some have a rubber seal for the tip holder but the tips can all be screwed into the one tip holder fitting. I welded up a cracked front bolster on a Ford 850 tractor but it was thick enough that I had to weld it from both sides. I could have V'd the pieces but I would've had to used a lot more filler rod for the 1/4 inch thickness. I could have stick welded it but my gas welds look a lot better than my stick welds.

Another thing that can be funky about gas welding is if you have significantly different thicknesses your trying to weld together. You have to hold the torch just right to keep from melting the thin side. I have to weld a bit & stop. To keep it from getting too hot, I have to move around with the weld beads until the whole weld is completed. A person has to do the same with a TIG at times, especially in the thin stuff but the expanding gas from a gas torch is more forceful than TIG for sure. The expanding gas is a good shield but it can blow a hole in the metal real quick.

This is nothing new for an old hand at welding but it may help folks that are new to gas welding.

[Bob C]

You might look at a Victor J-28. I have a J-27 which I think is the old version, got it used over 50 years ago. It's a little bigger than the Meco and you can get up to
#7 tips.


Bob

[barnfind]

I have had a Henrob/Dillon for 30 plus years.
I think the new name is "Detroit Torch Cobra DHC2000".
Not cheap......

[Tinker]

Gas welding to my understanding is the best way for thin metal... Less brittle. Migs are most brittle and tigs are better. it's a art. I like tig for the most part as I never learned gas welding and works well on 1/8 up. slow


Not that we do lead that much since bondo. But its always cool to watch Bill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OA0Ox2RhoY


If you guys are welding gas, make a vid for them young ones.

[Ian NZ]

I would not be advisable to gas weld 1/8" plate chassis it would be best to use mig, tig, or electrodes. Here in N.Z. we have a certification process and gas welding a chassis would not pass, just think if you had a accident and the chassis broke in a accident you would be liable for all sorts of damages. Do it properly I have done a lot of work on truck chassis with Electrode welding.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by Ian NZ

I would not be advisable to gas weld 1/8" plate chassis it would be best to use mig, tig, or electrodes. Here in N.Z. we have a certification process and gas welding a chassis would not pass, just think if you had a accident and the chassis broke in a accident you would be liable for all sorts of damages. Do it properly I have done a lot of work on truck chassis with Electrode welding.

Electrode = arc? Ian?


very easy to tack with a tig. but not what the op is asking. Tacking with a gas setup will work to my knowledge.

[rotorwrench]

The small aircraft torches vary somewhat in the larger tip sizes. On the Harris model 15, the -5 tip is listed as the largest one and it will only weld 1/8" thickness but would struggle to do more. On the Victor model J-28, the #3 tip is listed to do up to 3/16" thickness steel. I've not tried one at that size so I can't say for certain how well it will do to weld. For tacking, a gas torch should work OK since the weld will be quick and less heat will build up in the parts. If parts are touching, no filler rod should be needed. I've been thinking about purchasing one to try it out but I'll have to get fittings to use the double hose with the A size 3/8" fittings unless the hose has larger fittings fitted to one end.

My little Victor uses the tiny twin hose that is smaller than A size and I have special fittings for it but it's too short for getting around a larger project. It's only good for the real thin body sheet metal but it is very easy to use and works well. The Victor J-28 with a #000 size tip should do as well but it will be larger and not as easy to handle.

I would likely not do as well with a Henrob type torch. I'm no where near used to using a pistol grip type. I would have a hard time controlling it compared to my little Victor torch. The older I get the less stable I am. I'm a lot less shaky after the morning coffee wears off a bit.

[Bob C]

If you want small check out this Victor J-40.