Cutting torch Recommendations?

I am shopping for a cutting torch set up and wonder if anyone has any recommendations as to what to buy. The equipment seems to be quite expensive and I don't want to spend more than necessary. Here is my situation:

• I have a Ford F350 with a utility body and want to put the torch and tanks inside a cabinet which has a door opening height of 36" and 42" height inside.
• I need to buy a cutting torch to scrap some farm equipment and a forklift.
• I would also like to have the flexibility to do different kinds of small jobs for myself such as welding and heating as the need arises but cutting is the primary concern today.

Here are my questions:

• How much should I plan to spend to get a decent setup?
• Is buying used equipment a bad idea or do the torches hold up well?
• Since I have nothing at this point, should I buy a starter kit?
• Is buying a well known name brand such as Victor important?
• Which fuel, acetylene or propane?
• If propane is the way to go, should I buy an acetylene starter kit and then swap out the regulator?
• What size cutting tips should I have in my tool box?
• Torches seem to come in light, medium and heavy duty. Do I need to buy the heavy duty equipment?
• I am concerned about starting fires in dry farm fields. Any thoughts?
• Any other recommendations?

Thanks so much for your help!

I know I always find decent setups at the flea market by my house. You can check Harbor Freight or Northern tool. They have fairly decent sets for resonable prices.( alot better price than you will find at a welding house.) Just remember if you are going to be doing alot of cutting, you will burn through oxygen very quickly and that can eat up your profits pretty fast. Hope this helps a little. Good luck.

I thought I would follow up on this. I bought a torch setup and wish I hadn't. It takes too long to setup, I spend way too much on gas and oxygen, I don't feel comfortable using it, it is slower than I envisioned, it takes a lot of time to go to the supply house for fresh tanks, the tanks take up valuable space on my truck, and there are not very many situations away from home where I feel I can use it safely. Also as I feared, I am constantly stamping out fires when I do use it.

I know a lot of the problems stem from my lack of experience but all in all I wish I had put the money into something else.

Thanks to Mick and Bigbuck for your earlier input. I appreciate it!

Man just use them you will get them down.I take it you didnt buy propane?

There is some bad ass torches on the internet i would love to buy but they are 1500+ They run off of gasoline.

I've seen the gasoline torch's on web videos they are fast but I don't have the stones to mix gas and fire.
Focker do you use propane and if you do is it enough of a saving to buy a $70 regulator?

propane will save you a ton.you can get a propane tank filled for 30 and ace would be 80 plus so propane is the way to go.

a harris torch and #6 tips bout the best way to go small light and cutting would be fast to make your money out of a tank that what i would use most people use a #4 but i know that only slows you down but it up to you if you want to play whit the metal or cut it to make money

I've been using my little Smith torch for 35+ years with no real problems for a few years I was cutting at least 50 tons of steel a year.
My regulators (brooklyn I think) are so old I had to buy an adapter for the gas one to adapt to modern female gas/propane/acetylene tanks.
They still have the original beveled glass lenses in them.
You do not need a special regulator for different gasses just the cutting tips are different.
Propane tips for my Smith are only about $15.oo I just picked up another complete Smith rig for twenty bucks from a friend who had 3 sets and it is like new guages and all.
I pay $50. to fill a 100 lb tank of propane and that will probably last through 10 to twenty full size tanks of oxygen at about $26 per tank......I own my tanks even though I just exchange them.
My paper work is worth the current cost of new tanks.

This is my newest friend $375. and 100 mile one way drive to pick it up just have to get my 3-phase plugin wired out and I'll be havin some fun with stainless aluminum and anything else I want to play with I have 2 tons of 1/4 in plates to play with.

Torches are great for heavy steel not for cars or light gauge. I use a demo saw or grinder for that stuff. Also I'm not so sure you can put the tanks in an enclosed space. I'm pretty sure they have to be secured in an open area.