Welding gas advice needed

[cropwell]

I have a little Walkover set for light brazing/welding, but it costs a lot to run. The disposable Oxygen canisters cost £30 and last about 20 minutes. The fuel gas costs the same but lasts 2 to 4 times longer. For the price of 6 cans of Oxy, I can get an oxygen concentrator and refillable 2L cylinders of propylene are £26 a fill. So that seems a good way to go. One Google group making bike frames, report success with an oxycon and propane for brazing. As I have a cylinder of propane already, that may be the way I go. I have discounted acetylene for safety reasons.

Oxy/acetylene gives a flame of (up to) 3500C and Oxy/propylene 2900C, Oxy/propane 1900C. I can't find any figures for MAPP gas or equivalents like MAP-X or Turbogas. (MAPP is now not available anyway).

I would welcome advice, before I spend on an oxycon http://tuffnellglass.com/contents/en...centrator.html

Cheers,

Rob-T

[magicniner]

What are your primary applications?
I MIG braze some things, if it's decent weather I sometimes use a Carbon Arc Torch out doors.
I've had excellent results with Resistance Brazing using a single phase spot welder and modified electrodes.

[cropwell]

What are your primary applications?

That is a difficult one to answer. I do all sorts of little jobs, the last one was for a glassblower, who wanted stands for sculptures. It looked a bit like a laboratory stand (https://www.stuartakroydglass.com/intention/). The stands had to be chrome plated, so they were brazed and fettled. They were supposed to be ready for the BCTF in Harrogate, but the platers let us down.

Really I want something hot but delicate (?) for soldering, brazing and small welding. I have the MIG for the more brutal work.
I retired early, in 1999, and now only take on jobs to keep me active and interested. I am a bit of a Grandpa-fix-it to the family.

So, I can't really justify a big spend on kit that I will only use occasionally.

Cheers,

Rob-T

[magicniner]

A good MIG is delicate and adaptable, I braze 0.5mm sheet steel and thinner with mine.