I just ordered and am looking forward to receiving a KCL100 Centurian set - that P/N is less tanks and cart. I've been searching and researching welding sets for awhile now and your post - along with the fact that they are made in the USA - finally made my mind up. I also looked at the slightly more expensive Patriot set but could find no difference other than a shinier regulator - with the same flow rates and one extra welding tip. Uniweld's site is a little tedious to navigate and doesn't contain a whole lot of information to compare their products or explain why one is better than another for certain jobs.
I have a question about backflash arrestors. I grew up and still live in farming and ranching country and just about every other pickup has a set of tanks in the bed which are used by folks from 8 to 80 years old. I have never seen a backflash arrestor and never heard of an incident because of the lack of them. So, to the point.
- How important are they?
- I see that there are regulator end and torch end types. Is one better than the other, or do you need both?
- The price! I found it ranged from less than $20 to over $100! WTH - I wouldn't expect that much spread unless I compared SnapOn tools to Harbor Freight stuff. Uniweld's were among the most expensive. If one really should have them, what properties should one look for and expect to pay? I guess the first part of that question is not so important as no ad or even uniweld's site gives any performance data on them, some didn't even mention what size connection they had.
Thanks for any light you might be able to shed on this subject.
Steve
Don't know if I have any business thinking about building an airplane at my age but the small torch will sure knock out a lot of those artsy, craftsy things my spouse wants constructed.