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Meco Midget question?

I recently purchased the meco midget torch as depicted at the following website.

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I researched this torch on the internet and learned that I could loosen the valve nuts a bit to adjust the tension on the valves, so that they are easier to turn. I noticed that one of the valves had a grinding feel to it, while the other appeared to be relatively smooth. So, I took the valves apart to find out where the problem was.

I discovered that the valve was nothing more than a metal pin with a brass knob at one end and a tapered point at the other end. The metal pin is threaded so that it may open and close the valve as you turn it. The grinding noise was coming from a brass spring that fits over the tapered end of the pin and seats against the brass valve seat. The brass spring had been filed flat on either end and had a rough finish that was also making the outside area of the valve seat very rough.

I removed the springs and put the torch back together. I am not really sure why they put these brass springs in there in the first place? The valve seat appears to be part of the torch body and doesn't appear to be removeable, so I don't see any benefit for these springs to be in there. With the rough filed finish on the ends of the springs, they are more of a hazard than a help as they slowly chew away the brass on the outer area of the valve seat. I am wondering if anyone else has seen this sort of design or knows why they would put them in there in the first place?

Reply to
Buy_Sell
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Reply to
s_mouse

I have a Meco Midget and the valves are very smooth. Thats what I like about it. The valves can be adjusted with one hand. I'd return it for a new one. Its a personal pet peeve of mine...not having something work correctly right out of the box. YMMV

-Mike

Reply to
mlcorson

I know what you are saying. Its just like the springs that they put on the idle screws on a carburator but in this case the adjustable nuts on the knob end of the valve provide a sufficient means of adjusting the friction. The only way that I could find these springs useful would be if the brass valve seat was removeable. Then the spring would keep the valve seat pushed in place but that doesn't appear to be the case.

and the valves appear to work much smoother with them removed.

PS: Normally I would just return the torch and get a new one but I had to special order it, to get it and I don't like playing the waiting game. I'll either just leave the springs out. or resurface the ends of the springs to make them smoother. I can't believe that they did this in the first place.

--------------------------------------- s_mouse Jan 27, 7:27 am

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Reply to
Buy_Sell

Perhaps the springs keep tension on the threads. As they loosen up with use it may be useful if the male thread seats on the back of the female thread. I have used torches where the flame jumps if you touch the knob because of slop in the threads. With the spring indexing to the rear of the thread your adjustment will remain consistent. Does that make any sense? Just a guess.... You could always use it and if a problem with flame-mixture-stability rears its ugly head pop the springs back in and see if that solves the problem.

Buy_Sell wrote:

Reply to
s_mouse

Buy_Sell wrote: ... I'll either just leave the springs out. or resurface the ends

Or put washers at the ends of the springs. When the spring grabs it, it will turn with the spring. Even if the springs grinds on it, it's sacrificial. Bob

Reply to
Bob Engelhardt

Now, that makes sense to me. You could be right. As the threads start to wear a spring would keep a positive tension on the valve pin all the time. I'm going to try leaving them out for a while but I'll refinish the rough filed ends of the springs and keep them handy just in case I need them in the future. They sure are smooth with the springs removed...

--------------------------------------- s_mouse Jan 27, 4:05 pm

Perhaps the springs keep tension on the threads. As they loosen up with use it may be useful if the male thread seats on the back of the female thread. I have used torches where the flame jumps if you touch the knob because of slop in the threads. With the spring indexing to the rear of the thread your adjustment will remain consistent. Does that make any sense? Just a guess.... You could always use it and if a problem with flame-mixture-stability rears its ugly head pop the springs back in and see if that solves the problem.

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Reply to
Buy_Sell

I'd ask the tinman to send a new one, for which he might want a Visa number , old one to be returned and credited when new one arrives.

Meco torches should not do that. Mine is very smooth. Kent and Meco might want to know that they had a QC problem with their springs.

Reply to
Don Foreman

I didn't purchase it thru the tinman. I special ordered it thru my local welding supplier. It is pretty obvious that someone tried to square off the ends of the brass spring with a file but failed to finish the job with some 600 grit sand paper.

For the moment, I'm going to leave the springs out and see how the torch performs. There is definitely less tension without springs. The nut on the knob end has two O-rings inside that provide a seal and sufficient tension control so that the knobs are not easily moved. I just adjust these with my fingers to provide the friction that I want.

----------------------------------------------- Don Foreman Jan 27, 11:42 pm

I'd ask the tinman to send a new one, for which he might want a Visa number , old one to be returned and credited when new one arrives.

Meco torches should not do that. Mine is very smooth. Kent and Meco might want to know that they had a QC problem with their springs.

Reply to
Buy_Sell

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