Acetylene torch. Who has one?

[Pont406]

I need to melt a couple of pistons to fell an exhaust crossover in the cylinder heads. I preffer to do as much work as possible without depending on the machine shops. Anyway, I might buy a torch set up. Who has one and how often do you use it? I am trying to see what else I can use it for to justify a purchase.

[67_C-30]

I have one that I use regularly. I use it mainly to cut up scrap for salvage, and to cut off stuff on junkers that I'm parting out/scrapping. I've used to heat up gets out broken studs and bolts, to heat up parts that have to be pressed in, to braze, and if you change the tips you can weld with it. It also works well to do a poor man's drop kit! This is precisely how I lowered my beater!

[El Jay]

I don't use mine real often, but the ol' "blue tip wrench" sure comes in handy when you need it.
Once you make the initial outlay, it's not all that expensive. I'm using as "S" oxygen and a "WS" acetylene sized tanks. (I think. I'm too lazy to go out to the garage to check) They're a little bigger than what I've seen others use in their garages/home shops; but to me, it means fewer trips to the welding supply.

That's just my .02.

[chevy_mike]

I have an oxy/acy rig, plus two Migs and a plasma cutter. Each one has their own purpose and sometimes one won't work when the other will.

[TP from Cntl PA]

If you do buy one, get a good one, not a piece of junk. I personally like Smith, but a Victor of Purox are equally as good. I got both a good size Plasma and a Smith Torch outfit, unlike some say that the plasma will replace the torch for cutting, I still use it alot for that purpose, mainly because I cut alot of steel 1.5" thick and thicker. But for under that I use the Plasma.

[cdowns]

to block a heat crossover i've always just used jbweld in the manifold ports never had an issue in 40years of doing it that way never needed a torch to do it

but a good set of torches is a great tool to have i too have always prefered smiths and i have always used the minitorch 10X more than the big ones

[chevy72blu]

I spent a summer doing tear-downs at an engine shop.... lol that was fun

If not for the ole Acy torch I would STILL be trying to get oil galley plugs out of some of those 250k mile 30 years-since-last-rebuild motors.

One of the most useful tools I had. I've wanted to buy one ever since

[caminokid]

I use mine all the time. Heating and cutting. 3 favorite tools...torch, Sawzall and BFH.

[odog]

Personally if I could I would get one. We have a couple at work and it seems like I always have to run to the shop to use the thing. If you added up all the gas I use going to the shop to use the torch, I could have probably bought a good one a couple of times over. They are handy for more things than you can count.

Just my opinion