Showerthought: my old oxy setup vs my new one is night and day

I used to run this beat up old Victor setup from the 80s that my dad gave me. The torch handle would get hot after 15 minutes of cutting and the regulators would drift like crazy. Finally dropped $400 on a new Smith setup last year and I can't believe I waited so long. The flame stays perfect the whole job and my hands don't feel like they're holding a hot potato. Anybody else stick with old gear too long before upgrading?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sarah24d ago

Nah, I actually prefer the old stuff. That hot handle meant I could feel exactly what the torch was doing and those drifting regulators forced me to stay engaged with the cut instead of zoning out.

mary83615d ago

Honestly, that hot handle thing is REAL. You get so dialed into the heat that you almost forget about the burn until you stop, and the focus keeps you from making dumb mistakes. Newer stuff feels TOO easy, like you're just pointing and clicking instead of actually welding.