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The Gas Saver
For me the gas saver does three things: 1) saves acetylene, 2) time saver in that I am not always lighting and relighting the torch and 3) keeps my shop and work area cleaner. Meaning that I don't have the black acetylene soot floating around the shop. I worked full time ( 8 to 10 hours per day) for 20 years without a gas saver so it is definitely not a necessity. The video below shows how the gas saver works. In the photo below the hoses on the left are connecting to the gas saver from the oxygen acetylene tanks. The hoses on the right connect the gas saver to the torch.
This means that you need an extra section of hose to go from the oxygen and acetylene tanks to the gas saver. The gas saver speeds up the work considerably; for example when I am doing the Magic Wands. I may only be brazing for ten or fifteen seconds and then turning the torch off. It takes another ten or so seconds to position a new circle on the wand and then relight the torch. This continual lighting and relighting the torch takes time. It also wastes acetylene because of the initial lighting of the torch and the larger acetylene flame before adding the oxygen. In the photo below you can see the steps of lighting the torch with the sparker. If you are lighting your torch a hundred or more times a day then the amount of acetylene you're using just to light the torch begins to mount up.
These gas savers are not cheap. Do a Google search for " oxygen acetylene gas saver". Prices do seem to vary considerably. I wouldn't run out and buy one of these until it can pay for itself in saving acetylene and your time in lighting and relighting the torch with the sparker. When thinking about a new tool I like to consider priorities. Would the same money spent on another tool give me more value for my dollar?
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