Hi does anyone know where I could obtain a blow pipe?
ROBERT L. MARTIN
Gold Smith / Diamond Setter
Probably just about any place that sells geology supplies, such as
the dealers who sell such things to schools for gelogy classes.
margaret
Hi does anyone know where I could obtain a blow pipe?
Try an old mineralogist, at a college geology department or a state
museum. When I took Descriptive and Determinative Mineralogy at
UNH, we used to identify minerals with a blowpipe, an alcohol lamp,
a charcoal block, and a platinum wire with a loop in one end. Now
THAT’s going back.
Tas
Robert,
I have been using the air/propane blowpipe that is available from
Frei and Borel (114.010, pg 35, $89.95) for about 10 years now and I
really like using it for granulation. Once you get the hang of it,
it’s really quite simple. It will produce a broad, neutral or
reducing flame that is ideal for most soldering. Once the granules
have fused, just stop blowing and keep the torch on the work. You now
have a reducing atmosphere. Keeping the work inside the flame, just
slide it into water. No fire scale…
As a apprentice, I had to learn to solder with a blowpipe before I
was allowed to use a torch. It is amazing what you can learn about
soldering, flame characteristics, and oxidation from this simple
operation. Most goldsmiths use too much oxygen in their torch flame,
and too much pressure at the regulator. Soften your flame, and you
will be amazed at how much easier it is to get solder to flow. You
can even start fusing bezels without solder, like a pro, in no time.
Douglas Zaruba
AGF Burner Inc.
http://www.agfburner.com
P.O. Box 2018
Lakewood , NJ 08701
Phone: 732-730-8090
Fax: 732-730-8060
Hi does anyone know where I could obtain a blow pipe?
hi there Robert-- The Karl Fisher Company in Germany sells them in
the west. They are on the net and will send you a nice catalogue
although written in German. He sells a few styles. The fancy ones
are Y-shaped and hook up to a gas line and use your breath for the
oxygen. The simple ones are little more than a pipe or tube with a
small funnel-like nozzle at the end. In south east Asia any old
jewelery supply store will stock the simple ones. The jewelers there
use a simple kerosene lantern for heat. They are nice and slow with a
very regulated temperature. The problem is the amount of heat. It is
fine for earrings or small stuff but for a bracelet you need to have
a couple of brothers also with you to blow on their pipes. Good Luck.
Mark Kaplan
First…WHY? I had to use blowpipes to solder when working at
Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI to be authentic to the time.
What a pain.
C. R. Hill in Berkley MI 1-248-543-1555 has them in stock. Actualy
they are on the shelf over the bottles of flux. $2.50 each. Call
Renee, tell her Mick sent you.
Mick