The achilles heel of Victor torches is the fact that they are "body
mixed" torches.
With a "body mixed" torch, like a Victor torch, you have 2 tubes going
to the head.
One large tube of mixed fuel and oxygen, and a smaller tube for the
oxygen cutting blast.
If you backfire the torch by stubbing out the tip while cutting, you
will cause the mixed gasses to ignite inside the torch.
This causes the hot gasses to burn back to the valve seats, which makes
them leak, hence the popping.
"Tip mixed" torches such as Airco can't do this since there is no mixed
gas tube to backfire to the valves.
"Tip mixed" torches have 3 tubes going to the head, so the gasses never
mix before they get to the tip.
In theory you can burn out a head of a "tip mixed" torch, but it is
rare.
I love Victor valves on their larger torches, but I prefer Airco style
torches.
"Ernie Leimkuhler" wrote
Victor is all I have ever seen or used. My last set was a Journeyman Set,
$45 at a yard sale, and came with big regulators, lots of hose, and lots of
tips. So, I jumped on it. I have always been shy of any other name because
of availability of consumables and cost of repairs. But now, I shall look
at Airco products differently. I do doubt I will be in the market for a new
set in my lifetime, but would definitely jump on a set at a yard sale if I
could make a buck.
I got a full set of Generac or Generic, or something like that, when I
bought my SA 200. They look like a good Victor knockoff. I am hesitant,
though, of putting any money into them, and they do have a couple of
problems.
I think the only purchase in the event horizon for me is a small cutting
torch. I bought two sheets of 24 ga. paintlock today, and am going to play
around with cutting with a 000 tip for a fancy gate.
A plasma cutter is getting closer, too, but after spending around $2,000
today for steel for several projects, it may be a little longer............
Honey wants a lot of things only a plasma cutter can do, so maybe there's
wiggle room in the budget..........
Steve
The only way to get real Airco stuff is used.
Airco ceased to be about 20 years ago.
The company was chopped up.
The rights to their torches ended up with Concoa, and Koike.
The patents have since expired so anybody can make Airco style torches.
Uniweld and Harris both make Airco, and Victor style torches.
Uniweld also makes Harris style torches
The torch I have been curious about is the Uniweld Airco style torch
since Uniweld uses Victor style valves on all of their torches.
So you get Victor valves and an Airco head.
PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.