Regulators for little Torches

[jfsmith]

I have my little Smith torch. I got the propane/oxygen version. I have a Harris propane regulator, should I buy a medium duty regulator? I don't want to tie up my regular O/A stuff as that I do use it a lot.

Jerry

[wrenchtech]

I'm thinking of getting a Meco Midget torch so I'd like to see what the experts think of the regulator question too.

[fun4now]

those lil torches are realy neat i almost got the smith one a wile back. i was told it runs on standerd regulators nothing special. so it might not be to bad of an idea to get 2 sets of quick disconects for your lines so you can just swop back and forth real fast and easy. that was my plan any way when i was considering getting one. no point in getting a 2nd set of tanks or gages when all you realy need to do is change the hoses.

[shorerider16]

Our school shop has a couple of mini jewelery torches that run on O/A and we just use regular regulators. We also have the problem of only one set of tanks so our teach simply put in a splitter valve with independent on off knobs.

[Aerometalworker]

I'm thinking of getting a Meco Midget torch so I'd like to see what the experts think of the regulator question too.

Well Im not an Expert....but I dont believe that title belongs to anyone anyway so here goes.

I weld daily with the aircraft style torches, meco midget, smith airline, etc. etc. The regulator makes a big difference on small tips...but only if you want to keep from pulling your hair out. Basicly small tips mean low gas flow, as well as low pressure. This means you want a regulator sensitive to small pressure changes, this means a BIGGER diaphram. The downside is that today, since the art of gas welding is going out of the mainstream, the big regulators are set up for cutting torches, and high flow rates. The regulator companies install a dampener on the control needle to prevent the regulator from humming at high flow rates with cutting torches. This dampener is also a culprit for "hunting" regulators with small torches. The absolute best regulators I have found are Smith medium duty, modified with the removal of the dampener and a spacer put in its place. Most competent regulator repair places can do this, its an easy task.

-Aaron