Summary: 2 of the 3 were fixed simply by putting in new tips, the other one
needed both a new tip and to have the head reamed. If a cutting torch lights up
fine but when you pull the trigger it pops and goes out, a good place to look is
at the place where the cutting tip seats into the torch. Look closely at the
seating end of the tip. Look for nicks or out-of-roundness. If you find them,
replace the tip. If the tip looks perfect or if the problem persists with a new
tip, then look closely at the seat in the torch head. If it's scored, the head
needs to be reamed by a pro with a factory reamer.

On a side note, I wonder if the torch had been one of the el cheapo sets sold by
HF if the torch repair place I use would have had a reamer for it. I think
cutting/welding torches, like taps and dies, are tools to not cheap out on. I've
owned a bunch, but brands I like are Airco, Victor, Harris and even Marquette.

GWE

Grant Erwin wrote:
I've been keeping my eye on surplus oxygen/acetylene gear locally and
picking it up when it's cheap, with an eye on reselling. I now have 3
cutting torch attachments all of which are high quality and all of which
seem to have the same problem. They pop and go out a lot. I haven't
replaced the tips, but I have cleaned the tips including the seating
tapers until they are really as clean as they'll get, by soaking in
vinegar and salt and gently rubbing with 3M pads. I have also used tip
cleaners to try to gently get as much junk out of the preheat holes as
possible. I don't know of a good method to clean the seats themselves,
though. This is the hole in the actual torch head. It would seem to
require some special tool to clean the seating tapers.

I believe the popping is simply from improper seating of the torch tips.
Is there another common cause?

Any of you guys have a good method for doing this job?

By the way, Seattle is blessed with a great torch repair place, Hansen &
Miller in Ballard, but they are expensive and so are new cutting torch
tips. That's why I'm trying to do this by myself.

These are all real nice torches or will be once they are fixed.

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington