Thanks Ted. I have a good relationship with my head supplier. I was wondering if there were any “subtleties” needed with a Hoke torch. Rob tells me he has the rig in place I’m looking for so I’ll grab a look.
The problem will be just like a guitar, I have never seen a tool I didn’t want.
Okay guys, I had this exact same problem when I was servicing customers.
That gooey stuff smells pretty awful right? This substance is call mercaptan, and is what gives propane that terrible odour.
Why do some people get this and others don’t.
It is all to do with your supplier of propane, if they don’t service their tanks this gunk builds up and you can get a ton of it with your refill.
I found that people who were going to good BBQ suppliers were not experiencing this problem. They maintain their tanks and have them serviced regularly. It makes a big difference.
Methylated spirits will clean the gunk. A tip cleaner may help too.
Once clean follow these directions.
The torch can be used without a regulator (personally I like regulators as they supply gas at a controlled pressure).
Close the air intake ring. turn on your propane supply, 1/4 turn should do it. Slowly open the gas valve on the torch, only a little, light your torch, then allow more gas to flow, until you have a steady flame.
Slowly open the air ring a little at a time until you get a nice consistent blue tipped flame.
If you open the ring all the way without adjusting the gas flow you will simply blow the torch out.
Good luck.
As I indicated in a previous post, I include an EZ Torch among the three torches that are currently set up on my bench. The other two are a Meco and Little Torch both on propane and O2. I have only used the EZ Torch for annealing and never really thought a lot about how I was using it. This discussion has prompted me to go back and give it another chance as I too have experienced many of the problems described in this discussion. I have found that by first closing the air collar, opening the main gas valve and then just cracking the valve on the handle, the torch will light in a very undefined flame due to the lack of air. Then I slowly open the air collar about 1/4 - 1/2 a turn and get a very defined blue flame with a lighter cone around it. I have recently used this torch to do some of the work that I would have used the Meco for and found it to perform well. I doubt that it would give me the heat I need to solder some of my larger projects or melts and the flame is not defined enough for the fine work that I use the Little Torch for, but I suspect that it will see more service on my bench in the future. If the tip gets dirty, I just throw it in the ultrasonic for a while, rinse an blow it dry with compressed air. I now take back much of what I said in my previous post…Rob
Just an update…
Since I use disposable tanks, not refillable ones, a problem with the supplier seems unlikely. I’d prefer the refillable ones, but my husband nearly had a nervous breakdown over it (long story), so I have to use the disposable ones for the sake of domestic peace. I tried cleaning the tips with acetone, which someone suggested, and the problem persisted. I decided to try replacing one thing at a time to see if I could isolate the problem and, luckily, the first substitution did the trick. I ordered new torch tips & it has worked well since then. Sometimes it goes out or is a bit finicky about lighting, but I can live with that.
Thanks so much to everyone who helped troubleshoot this for me!
Mine is still running fine on refillable tanks. I clean the tips in an ultrasonic once in awhile. Otherwise, open the main valve, completely close the air collar, open the torch valve just enough to light the torch, light the torch (watch out for a very rich and undefined flame) and open the air collar 1/8 to 1/4 turn. Should be good to go. I have, in the past, completely torn the torch apart, blown out the hoses, cleaned the needle valve (watch out for small part) and reassembled it. I haven’t had to do this in a long time and I keep finding more things that it will do. Good luck…Rob
Thanks for sharing this information charlessian2000. Makes sense to me.
Great direction charlesian2000, thanks. Now I need to experiment to adjust the flame to a nice blue cone.
when I’m finished and turn the propane off at the tank and bleed the line. the flame continues in the line for quite some time.I’m surprised at how much fuel is in that line!
How large a propane tank can I use with the Orca?
Thanks again for the very precise directions.
You can buy an adapter for both a 1 lb. disposable tank and a 5 - 20 lb. BBQ grill type tank. I have used both…Rob
Well this thread has some miles on it. I just tore down and cleaned my EZ Torch. I did it just as Rob describes. I have a blow out valve that will work on my air nailer’s compressor and it does a good job clearing the hose.
I tear down the head of all its constituent pieces and et them oak in acetone for a half an hour. Reassemble everything and then blow it all out again. And yes it is called a needle valve for a reason. Take with it.
Don
Thanks Rob. Any suggestions on where to look for a 5-20 pound adapter?
Joanne
Most of the usual places. I bought mine from Otto Frei…Rob
So the hose can also accumulate gunk? That’s discouraging. I don’t have the equipment you described to clean a hose.