Where was the oxycon stored? If it was somewhere humid, that could have messed up the sieve beds. I am no expert, but that is my first thought, because I was told that if I was not regularly (or semi-regularly anyway) using it, to store it in an air conditioned space.
Keep an eye out on Craigslist, yard sales, Nextdoor, etc. for a used one. Just be cautious, as the first one I bought ran fine I thought, even though it had a lot of hours on it. Then I took it to someone to check it because it wasn't running my torch right for long, then would quit, and it needed a lot of work to fix it. I ended up buying a reconditioned one from them for the same price so I could take it home that day.
Good luck! Some people have been known to find real bargains when they kept looking.
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My current "hot" fantasy involves a senior discount on glass & tools!
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