Best week I've had in the forge turned into the worst day in five minutes flat

Last Tuesday I was on a roll. I'd just finished a set of three matching fireplace pokers for a customer in Albany, and the twists on the handles came out cleaner than anything I'd done in months. I was feeling good, maybe too good. Then I went to heat up a billet for a knife blank and my propane regulator started acting up. Flame kept surging and dying, surging and dying. I figured it was a clog and tried to clean it, but I must have jostled something because the whole thing started leaking gas. Had to shut everything down and air out the shop for an hour. Lost the temper on two pieces I had in the quench oil too. So my question is, has anyone found a regulator brand that actually holds up to daily use without acting weird after six months?

3 comments

3 Comments

joseph_green138d ago

Hate that feeling when everything's clicking and then it all goes sideways. I've had good luck with Harris regulators, they cost a bit more but I've got two years on mine without any issues yet.

knight.uma8d ago

Remember the units that came from the factory with those cheap rubber hoses that'd get hard as a rock in six months? I replaced my whole setup with a Harris after a hose blew on me mid-bead, sent slag flying everywhere. The real difference I noticed wasn't just the regulator build quality, it was the rebuild kits they sell. Been using the same body for almost four years now, just replace the diaphragm and seat every so often. Costs way less than buying a whole new unit and the parts are always in stock at my local supply house. Makes you wonder why more companies don't offer something similar.

casey2688d ago

Two years ain't bad but you're still in the honeymoon phase with that Harris. Wait till you hit the four year mark like knight.uma mentioned, that's where the real test is. Those cheap rubber hoses are a nightmare, I had one split on me at the worst possible time too. What really sold me on Harris was finding out you can rebuild them yourself instead of tossing the whole thing. Most guys don't realize the rebuild kits are like fifteen bucks and take ten minutes to swap out. Saves a ton of money in the long run compared to buying a new regulator every couple years.