I want to braze little bits of steel together (for example 3/8 round). Was looking at purchasing the rig bellow. $70.00 for the kit and it includes one of each bottle. The oxygen is $10.00 a bottle and lasts only 20 minutes. What are my other options? I don't have room or cash for large bottles.

Eric

If your parts are fairly small and you don't need high strength, just use sil-fos (http://www.silfos.com/index.html). It will flow with a decent propane torch, no oxy needed.
In my opinion it's worth it to spend the extra bucks on a little bigger sized cutting and welding outfit like this one (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/NTELargeImageView?storeId=6970&langId=-1&rfno=565). It will be so much more versatile than the smaller ones.

i agree get the oxy/ace outfit. you wont' be sorry. look for the one with the most tips, as those are sometimes hard to find

I bought a Bernzomatic Mapp gas only torch kit from Lowes for under $30.00. It uses standard 16 ounce Mapp gas cylinders, mixing the gas with air. Each cylinder lasts a long time. The temperature and volume of the resulting flame can braze most anything; much, much hotter than propane. Look for model JTH-7 which is the larger of the two kits they sold at the time.

I also have a full sized acetylene-oxygen outfit, and use OO and OOO tips to braze small objects, but the Mapp outfit works so well I usually don't bother to fire up the big rig.

If your parts are fairly small and you don't need high strength, just use sil-fos (http://www.silfos.com/index.html). It will flow with a decent propane torch, no oxy needed.
In my opinion it's worth it to spend the extra bucks on a little bigger sized cutting and welding outfit like this one (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/NTELargeImageView?storeId=6970&langId=-1&rfno=565). It will be so much more versatile than the smaller ones.

Yeah, I saw that larger setup above. I can't justify it for the amount of brazing and silver soldering I will be doing.

Eric

I have the Benz o Matic which you are looking at. My comments on it after using it would be start as normal with the map gas and with the smallest flame you need then add the oxygen. It is touchy at low settings as it wants to blow out. Use the 1/16" rods or smaller for the job. You do not need a lot for brazing or welding small parts. I paid around $40 on sale for it. Tanks are another problem as mentioned they are $10 and the Oxygen will go fast if not watched. After I had mine about a month I was in a store and they where clearing some items. I got 8 Oxygen and 5 MPS for a buck a piece. Thats all they had or I would have got more. Keep your eyes open and maybe you will get lucky also.
The other rig is nice but at the time was to much for what I needed also. I build RC and it comes in handy.
John

I have the Benz o Matic which you are looking at. My comments on it after using it would be start as normal with the map gas and with the smallest flame you need then add the oxygen. It is touchy at low settings as it wants to blow out. Use the 1/16" rods or smaller for the job. You do not need a lot for brazing or welding small parts. I paid around $40 on sale for it. Tanks are another problem as mentioned they are $10 and the Oxygen will go fast if not watched. After I had mine about a month I was in a store and they where clearing some items. I got 8 Oxygen and 5 MPS for a buck a piece. Thats all they had or I would have got more. Keep your eyes open and maybe you will get lucky also.
The other rig is nice but at the time was to much for what I needed also. I build RC and it comes in handy.
John

I was hoping I would find someone who actually uses it here, thanks. Would you say the 20 minutes is accurate for the oxygen even when you are being frugal with it?

Eric

Eric,
I have never checked the time but that would seem fairly close. I don't leave it on between jobs so it is only running for a couple of min. I found it lasts longer that way. Also I may be out to lunch but I think the tank cools and then it is shorter.
John

Personally I would opt for a plumber's torch with a B-size acetylene cylinder....it will cover your brazing, silver soldering and you'll never lack for heat.

I bought the little one I was looking at. Worked great for brazing. Yeah, the oxygen only lasts 20 minutes or so, but lots of heat while it lasts. I could melt the steel. Nw I need to find a cheaper source for the oxygen cylinders.

Eric

You can try to run it off an oxygen concentrator. You might find a cheap used one from a medical supplier, but it's not pure oxygen (about 5% argon, iirc), which limits the temperature of the flame. I've also heard of using a 20 cuf oxygen cylinder with that torch, I guess they made their own fitting by cutting off one of the stock fittings (http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/weldingdepot/N2x.html?id=D2r6MJpP and http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/weldingdepot/NPxx.html?id=D2r6MJpP , and use a hose clamp)

What kind of cutting can you do with it? I've been interested in one of those for brazing and cutting, but couldn't justify a full OA torch.

I don't think it's too handy for cutting, as it has a brazing type torch tip. For cutting you need a tip where you can shut off the fuel supply, since cutting is done with just about pure oxygen once the steel is heated enough.

Eric

I have one of those set ups and hate it. The valves keep creeping and I can't keep a steady flame. The flame is either oxidizing or carburizing. I like my big tanks best.