Casting torch for Smith Little torch setup

Can anyone recommend a good casting torch to use with a Smith Little Torch Propane/Oxygen setup. I bought the Paige rosebud & tips to go with my little torch but the Paige rosebud just doesn’t get hot enough, fast enough, to melt 1-2 oz. of gold. I’d like a casting torch I could use with the Smith Little Torch hoses and Propane/Oxygen regulators (B fittings) if possible. If I need to buy larger hoses to go with the current regulators that would be OK. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks.

Try melting tip. 20-30 grams of silver of gold should be fine.

I ordered this tip today. Hopefully it will work with 2-3 oz. If not I’ll have to look into a casting torch. Thx

I melted up to 200 gram of 14k with this tip. Sure it does take time but it is doable.

Yeah…I tried but I use disposable tanks and oxygen was gone before even my silver started to melt:)

Hello,

i have success melting down up to around 4 oz with the rosebud tips from both Smith and and Paige.

the super nice person at Paige Tools recommended having a separate propane tank (i use the disposable 16 oz camping size) dedicated to melting (something about avoiding low pressure…?..i forget the exact reason…)

i recall that some people on orchid suggested that around 2-3oz is about the maximum i want to melt with this setup, but i usually do 3-4 oz and it works out well.

julie

That’s good to know, It sounds like this will work fine.

We happened to notice this post and thought a few comments would be helpful.

#1. Our current M series, Multi-Port Tips & MA Rosebuds are Not designed for melting… or glass working, as we note on our www site and in Etsy listings. Paige Tips are built for soldering & annealing. We are coming out with a Tip series that can be used for melting precious metals (not Pt or Pd for the most part). Our Tips are also built only for use with propane / oxy. & natural gas / oxy.

The Rosebud Tip referenced (from Rio) is designed for acetylene & hydrogen… not propane. The person who suggested that Rosebud Tip may have missed the setup mentioned that was being used: propane & oxy.

#2. The Little Torch is much better employed as a soldering / annealing Torch than a ‘casting’ Torch especially with propane or natural gas. It was not designed to meter larger gas volume flows frequently used / needed for casting purposes. Acetylene / oxy is hotter than propane or natural gas although not as clean a flame. Hydrogen / oxy is clean & hot but hydrogen is not available in many locations plus other issues with tanked hydrogen come to play. It’s a wonderful fuel gas for some processes (and metals) but for the most part should only be used by very experienced Torch users in other than commercial HHO or water Torches which some jewelry makers use.

#3. Casting (melts) should also be done fairly quickly. Using the wrong Torch or Tip (very important) or too large a melting crucible or resting the crucible on an inappropriate surface which dissipates too much heat (e.g., heat sinking) all contribute to long, melt times and poor practice. Trying to push a small size Torch past its primary design functions is also poor practice.

Posts sometimes mention gold melting. Does the poster mean 14K yellow or white? Is the white nickel or palladium alloy? Different alloys, different heat requirements. Melting a couple ounces of 14K yellow is quite different from melting a couple ounces of 18K palladium alloy white gold.

We encourage you to call us at Page Tools. We’re glad to assist (206) 527-1515.
I’m sure we can help with sometimes confusing information re: Torches, fuel gasses & related details.

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This RG link here is clear that it’s for Oxy/Propane, and for melting and casting 2-3 oz. with the Little Torch. Also I should have stated I meant 14kyg. For more frequent and larger melts I would definitely be looking at a casting torch of some kind.

The RG link posted earlier did not indicate propane / oxy. Yours link does.

Our Tech person had been lost wax casting 47 years before working for Paige. A full time jewelry maker. Production casting and years doing single piece jobs in silver, gold, palladium & platinum using various Torches, fuel gasses & casting machines.

Please take notice about not using the M & MA series Tips for melting. This is an out of warranty operation and out of design criteria even using the Tips on one of the several, ‘larger’ Torches we support. There is not really a “casting” Torch ‘per sea’ rather some Torches / Tip combinations can be (properly) configured for melting in an efficient manner to produce a high enough (concentrated) flame & BTU output so it does not take a few minutes waiting for metal to melt. The Torch should also be able to safely transport and meter higher gas volumes via an improved needle valve design.

elektromelting furnace will save a lot of money and time. 1 kg will be suitable enough.

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Hello Paige Tools,

Thank you for your detailed clarification on use of your tips. Much appreciated!

So sorry for my erroneous statement!

julie

I agree. I think that a programable Electromelt coupled with vacuum casting
yields the best results for an individual or small shop.

This is a followup to my original posted question with the end results. The Smith Rosebud Tip (for Propane/Oxygen from RG as mentioned above) which fits on the Smith Little Torch, worked great on melting 2 oz. of 14kyg in a small pre-heated crucible sitting on top of a charcoal block. It melted it in less than 3 minutes. I believe it could do 3-4 oz. without much trouble. I will agree with some of the above comments that a programmable Electromelt would be easier, especially on larger pours, but this tip works great for smaller pours. I set Oxygen at 14 & propane at 10 and adjusted from there. Note: I have no affiliation with RG.