Greetings,
Well, that is certainly a longwinded Title for this thread.
I travel out of state quite often for visits to family and to do three shows each year. I do this often enough that it has become handy to have a dedicated shop at my daughter’s house. I have pretty much the same tools at two locations. The only hitch has been taking a torch with me. I don’t want the expense of a second O2 separator/generator to power up my Smith Little Torches. In all honesty I am looking at price here. The EZ Torch is between $175.00 to $250.00. The Firepoint is $49.99 at Lowes to just under $100.00. I work mainly in Sterling and some brass and copper. I am happy to use an EZ Torch for just about anything but silver scrap melts for casting. But I am no in a hurry for that expense either. A little research tells me that an EZ Torch gets up to 2400f. That would handle most of my soldering and annealing needs. Perhaps not as quick as I might like. According to further research the Firepoint generates about the same amount of heat or a shade more as the Orca EZ Torch. And considering I am looking at Propane that makes sense.
Is anyone using this torch? What are the negatives besides learning a new piece of equipment and the short(41") hose.
Don Meixner
Don…I have seen these torches being used in FB posts and they seem to be taking a long time to get to where they want to go. Temperature alone is not the complete description of a torch’s performance. I have a large butane torch that puts out a lot of heat. It isn’t a very well controlled flame, but many people have gotten used to them. I use it for auxillary work, torch enameling, heating up small amounts of pickle in a metal cup and more. I think that you might find working on heavy (10 - 8) gauge wire bracelets frustrating with either the EZ or Bernz-O torch. You could go back to a plumbers torch on acetylene. That is how we both learned and, at least I, got along with them for thirty years. You might also look at propane and compressed air torches. I have no experience with them other than to try out my old Hoke torch on street pressure NG and compressed air once. You would need a compressor. Others may be able to comment on propane/NG and compressed air torches. Last I knew, you had an auxillary O2 concentrator. You are welcome to try out my butane torch and even my old Hoke torch if I can find the fittings…Rob
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Rob,
I have torches. And I have two O2 concentrators, an Oxygen/Acetylene torch set, and Butane Blazers. I just don’t want to have to drag tools back and forth to Indiana. I want to take something there and leave it on site. I have every thing I need at Secondary Secret Base but a Rolling Mill and a torch. I have resolved the Rolling Mill but my interest in the Firepoint torch is only one of convenience and economics.
D.
I guess that the only way to know is to buy one and try it out…Rob