Butane torch for soldering?

Jewelry Discussion
1

I am moving and am temporarily spending three weeks at my sisters, I
want to bring my torch but is way too much of a hassel. Does anyone
know anything about using a butane torch for light soldering and
balling up silver wire? One of the small hand held butane
torches. Any help would be great! Thank you, Bari

2

Bari, I believe you will get a ton of replies. I have a Blazer hand
held butane torch. I even fuse fine silver links with it.

There are similar torches around the least expensive one via Harbor
Freight for under $10. I recently saw a similar one at Home Depot.

Take one along confidently. I place a fire brick on end and hold the
silver wire in front of the brick and direct the flame towards the
brick to create the ball at the end. The brick reflects the heat
toward the wire and it balls quickly. HTH Teresa

3

Bari, The hand held butane torches are just fine for ‘simple and
light’ work. I have a ‘travel’ kit of files, tweezers, all the stuff
needed for simple sizings, pronging, etc, and always have a butune
torch and spare tank in it. Over the years, I found that everytime I
went somewhere, my friends or their friends, etc., always needed a
repair here and there. The butanes are great for that sort of thing.

Don’t expect to make bezels or repair class rings with them though.
They just don’t give those temps for the time required. Cheers from
Don at The Charles Belle Studio in SOFL where simple elegance IS fine
jewelry! @coralnut2

4

HI Bari,

I am moving and am temporarily spending three weeks at my sisters,
I want to bring my torch but is way too much of a hassle. Does
anyone know anything about using a butane torch for light soldering
and balling up silver wire? One of the small hand held butane
torches.

A hand held butane torch will work well for forming balls on the
ends of silver wire> I like the Proxxon Micro Flam.

Dave

5 
    I am moving and am temporarily spending three weeks at my
sisters, I want to bring my torch but is way too much of a hassel.
Does anyone know anything about using a butane torch for light
soldering and balling up silver wire? One of the small hand held
butane torches.  Any help would be great! Thank you, Bari

I use a similar butane torch for light soldering all the time,and
like it very much. Can’t do anything really big, but for small
pieces it’s just fine.

Janet Kofoed

6

Bari I used nothing but for over a year, it isn’t very hot and not
really adjustable, but totally portable and I’ll still use one if I
can’t be bothered to turn on the tanks for my little torch or if I’ve
got half way thru a job with the little torch but picked the wrong
tip - much easier to grab the butane for a quick heat boost rather
than cool, reflux, set up etc after changing tips. Just don’r expect
to do anything big with it.

Andy Parker, Agate House Lapidary
Ulverston, Cumbria, England
@Andy_Parker

Tel: 01229 584023

7

Hi Bari The Blazer butane torch works well on very small items. Its
hard to get enough heat if you are planning to make even small
brooches. You also have to refill it quite often if you do a lot of
soldering A better bet, and in the same price range would be a
Bernzomatic pencil torch. It works of a plumbers type 1 pound
disposable propane torch. The hand piece has a 3 or four foot long
flexible hose on it. The propane tank lasts for a very long time.

I prefer the bernzomatic pencil torch, but I have used both for
various tasks for quite a few years now and they will both work well
for the tasks that you mentioned ie balling up silver wire and light
soldering.

Regards
Milt Fischbein
Calgary Alberta Canada

8 
Does anyone know anything about using a butane torch for light
soldering and balling up silver wire? One of the small hand held
butane torches.  Any help would be great! Thank you, Bari

I used to use one of those exclusively for several years and
successfully soldered wire, findings, and many other small items that
don’t require a whole lot of heat. I still grab it occasionally. Very
convenient.

Alan

9

Dave, where do you get the Proxxon Micro Flam? Thanks,

Bari

10

Hi Bari,

where do you get the Proxxon Micro Flam?

The 3 places that I know of that sell the Micro Flam are:
@David_D_Arens2 46 Jewelry Supply in NYC (ringtools.com (I
think)) Rio Grande (riogrande.com)

Dave

11

Bari, Butane torches work for me very well for chain making,
soldering earring backs on, etc. They do not do well heating very
large pieces more than an inch or so or large pins, pendants, etc.
Eve Welts Certified PMC instructor and hobbyist silversmith…