Cheap Pencil Torch

 Can you give an opinion on how these pencil torches work for
soldering?

G’day Dolores: I’ll poke my nose in here because I use what (I
think) you mean. It has a barrel about 5/8in diameter, and is
about 7 1/2ins long. It runs on butane and is filled from a can
of butane cigarette lighter fuel - takes about 20 seconds, but do
it in a well ventilated place. Mine cost $15NZ which is about
US$10, can be found in almost any DIY tool place. It gives a
nice little flame, very hot, about 1 1/2 ins long and about
3/8ins widest and with a pencil point tip, and a fill lasts about
ten minutes. Marvellous for small work, like filligree, (have to
be careful or 28 gauge S wire melts easily) Will even put headers
on (sterling) rings fairly easily. Anything bigger takes too long
to get to soldering temperature. I use it quite a lot, though my
ordinary torch has four tips and the smallest is about the same.
The internal jet seems to become poor after a bit and you can’t
clean them; too fine. But at the price you can afford to throw it
away. Cheers,

    /\
   / /    John Burgess, 
  / /
 / //\    @John_Burgess2
/ / \ \

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