# Those little O-rings! (oxy-fuel welding tips)



## Joel_BC (Nov 10, 2009)

Yesterday, I was using my acetylene rig and had a heat pop that went so far as to become a backfire - and I could tell it had then burned out an O-ring where the tip seats in the torch handle, 'cause it blew some smoke out one side of the handle at the base of the tip.

I shut off the acetylene, and then the oxygen. Waited for the handle and tip to cool down, then took the tip off. Yep, another fried O-ring. Well, I've had a very few of this sort of mishap. _Usually_, when the O-rings go it's just old age and apparently the annual temperature and humidity ranges in my work area - which can go from well below freezing in winter to 90 degrees F in summer.

The welding-supply shops in my little rural area sell Victor-brand equipment, which is what mine is. They sell complete torch/regulator/gas-line kits. They's also have some extra tips in stock, at $25 - $80 each. But they're mighty slack in stocking the needed O-rings for replacement of same. I guess they'd much rather sell you a new tip for $40! Anybody else noticed this?


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## Ray (Dec 5, 2002)

I guess all of mine are older style, no o rings, I've used a torch all my life, many different brands and never had one with o rings in or on the tip. Even my newer Henrob 2000 dosent have o rings, in any of the tips,they are a machine finish seat, must be some special o rings to hold up to the heat? Actually some do have o rings where the body screws together to the base, if thats what you are referring too now that I think of it, but you ought to be able to pick up some at Lowes that would work for that. just take the base with you and go to their o ring section, with an attendant. or an auto parts store. tractor supply warehouse, Road tractor repair garage. all should be able to give you what you need, the torch should never be hot where those o ring go unless the tip isn't seated correctly. which happens some times. If you get them plugged and take them apart to clean them they can get a piece of carbon under the tip seat which will allow them to blow back inside and they can actually explode, i've seen it happen to inexperienced welders. Even older ones in a hurry. just be careful and make sure the tip seats nice and clean and tight, so it can't heat back into the body. good luck


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## Joel_BC (Nov 10, 2009)

Ray said:


> I guess all of mine are older style, no o rings, I've used a torch all my life, many different brands and never had one with o rings in or on the tip. Even my newer Henrob 2000 dosent have o rings, in any of the tips,they are a machine finish seat, must be some special o rings to hold up to the heat? Actually some do have o rings where the body screws together to the base, if thats what you are referring too now that I think of it, but you ought to be able to pick up some at Lowes that would work for that. just take the base with you and go to their o ring section, with an attendant. or an auto parts store. tractor supply warehouse, Road tractor repair garage. all should be able to give you what you need, the torch should never be hot where those o ring go unless the tip isn't seated correctly. which happens some times. If you get them plugged and take them apart to clean them they can get a piece of carbon under the tip seat which will allow them to blow back inside and they can actually explode, i've seen it happen to inexperienced welders. Even older ones in a hurry. just be careful and make sure the tip seats nice and clean and tight, so it can't heat back into the body. good luck


Yeah, the Victor set-ups that I've seen have two O-rings, one pretty tiny, one larger in diameter. They're situated where the tip seats down into the torch handle. One ring for the oxygen supply, the other for the fuel. My basic oxy-acetylene rig was manufactured about 30 years ago (I bought it at an estate sale). And all the replacement tips for Victor that I've seen are like this, so I just assume they've been making them (and still are) this way for many years.

Lowes would be a good source, I'm sure. I don't know if there is a Lowe's within 400 miles of where I live (western Canada), but I'll see if some of the ordinary auto-supply outlets (like Acklands, NAPA, or whatever) do sell them. It's the tiny ones (about 3/16-inch in diameter) that I believe will be the least readily found.


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

http://www.google.com/search?q=vict...&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=


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## Joel_BC (Nov 10, 2009)

farminghandyman said:


> http://www.google.com/search?q=vict...&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=


Thanks for that. Buying on-line is something we can do these days. Personally, I don't have a PayPal account, though many people do.

Maybe what I've got to say here is just the venting of a pet peeve (though there is a lot of this on internet forums - seems well accepted and participated in  ). But there are three auto-parts or "industrial supply" stores in the town (hour's drive away) that we shop in once a week or so. None of them had more than a few (like, literally, four or five) of the O-rings needed for Victor welding tips - even though all of them stock Victor equipment. But each of these establishments either stock or can order you a welding tip ranging in cost from $25-75.

Am I longing for "the good old days"?


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

Under stand where your coming from,

but things have changed, 
we at one time had one of the best hardware stores in the state (big or small town), they had nearly any thing one could want or dream of (yes one payed a premium price for it at times but they had it), 

and when it changed hands it went down considerably, and now is shut down, 

most stores only carry what is a quick sale now days, 

and if you want any thing out of the ordinary or semi special or not the fast sale category, in most areas now your on your own. in most cases.

at least we have the Internet now to let our fingers do the walking,


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## Blu3duk (Jun 2, 2002)

farminghandyman said:


> Under stand where your coming from, but things have changed, we at one time had one of the best hardware stores in the state (big or small town), they had nearly any thing one could want or dream of (yes one payed a premium price for it at times but they had it),
> 
> and when it changed hands it went down considerably, and now is shut down,
> 
> .....


We had a hardware store like that here 25 years ago, if they didnt have it you really didnt need it..... but though they are still in business they dont have the neat stuff any longer... but they can order it it in.... i dont see folks like that in business much longer though in a small town with a larger population living outside of town like we have, they can get away with it most of the time cause they make up for it on the other things they peddle and its 70 miles to the closest big box store one way...... which dont always have it either.

William
North Central Idaho


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## Ray (Dec 5, 2002)

seems some things have changed, The co. I worked at had to start payingt tax on inventory instead of just sales. SOOOO?? Looks like the gov. is forcing low inventories. Used too hardware stores carried absolutely everything now they order it for you.


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