Welding Tips and Tricks

About 40 years ago, I worked for a large technical company, and found myself studying how to perform complex signal processing work to help materials people solve problems on large machines which made technically complex products. That materials lab had a bunch of expert welders in a couple of back rooms who did their thing, and were consultants for the company. When I expressed interest in welding, and after showing me a few things, they sent me to the local vendor to buy a oxy-acetylene torch. I have used it since then. It is a light weight aircraft torch, and has been a very good fit for all the work that I have had to do over the years.

The problem is that the regulators have started to leak. If the torch is off, and generally on a hot day, the O2 regulator will creep from 8 PSI to perhaps 20 PSI over 30 minutes. The acetylene does similar, but I have managed to always catch it before it exceeds 15 PSI.

A big pitch when I got this torch was that the regulators were rebuildable. Yet I cannot find the parts. In fact, when I look for the parts, people laugh at me.

So I need the skinny on whether parts can be found, and perhaps where.

Oh, yes, I am familiar with clean procedures so that I don't get my greasy fingerprints on the O2 parts, etc.

Thanks in advance for any pointers.

I rebuilt a regulator after I googled for parts, using the search string "{make} {model} regulator rebuild kit". What's your make and model?

It *can* be fairly intuitive, to some extent just a matter of replacing new parts for old. It can be a little tricky getting the regulator apart: mine's a Victor, and the front cover is threaded onto the back half. I built a jig to hold the regulator so I could get it apart.

I personally wouldn't repair it myself. I mean that's A LOT of pressure even an acetylene tank makes a big boom. I get that if your decided your gonna do it then good luck. But if it's for a company I'd be fearful! Cuz regulator repair is only supposed to be done by qualified people. If something did happen at work I have a feeling if it failed an something happened it might come back on you. An that's beyond the worst case scenario...Someone gets hurt or killed. I'm sure your competent at such things...I know I feel that since I know how they work I should be able to fix one. Especially a stressed out/warped disc that's creeping. But those are the times I have to ask if it's ok for me to put others in danger or even danger to myself as far as my family is concerned. Good luck buddy what ever you decide.

Thanks for both the comments. I have experience with instruments and mechanisms similar to a regulator, and feel comfortable doing parts replacements.

The regulators are stamped with R-2279 and R-2278. The torch was sold as a Linde torch, but ESAB now sells these.

They are not high capacity regulators, and I believe they are single stage.

I got a hit here: it specifically mentions your r-2278
http://www.regulatortorchrepair.com/sto ... repair-kit

I got a hit when I searched on the r-2279 but this link doesn't mention the r-2279 specifically.
http://www.regulatortorchrepair.com/sto ... repair-kit

DEFINITELY worth checking out to make sure you get parts consistent with your regs! Good luck with it- and do let us know how it goes!

You might replace the regulators... cheap insurance for working with acetylene. I had a similar situation with an old Prest-O-Lite outfit. I took everything to AirGas to be tested. I replaced the hoses, swapped out the cylinders, cleaned the torch and replaced the o-rings. If the regulators had been at all questionable, I would have replaced those.

--and, because a regulator is a valve, you may have an uncontrolled leak.