Hello Orchids… Next week I am leaving on a 2 month camping trip to
Mexico (which will include the gem shows!) to escape the Wisconsin
winter. I’m bringing with me a very limited kit of tools. I want to
bring a disposable/portable torch that I can use to melt enamel
onto copper tube beads and to anneal small pieces of silver…I
don’t plan to do any soldering. The only kind of disposable torch
I’ve used are the kinds for sweat soldering copper water pipes.
I do have a 20lb propane cylinder for my Camp Chef stove, so I could
T off of the line and get fuel for a torch head…I just don’t know
what is out there.
Any suggestions on the best portable/disposable torch that is
economical and efficient for my needs?
Mardel - Try to find a “Flexi-fire” hose and handpiece. It is an
air-propane unit, and will connect to your 20 pound tank with an
adapter. With a large tip it can even be used for melting
sunbstantial quantities of silver.
Mardel - Try to find a "Flexi-fire" hose and handpiece. It is an
air-propane unit, and will connect to your 20 pound tank with an
adapter. With a large tip it can even be used for melting
sunbstantial quantities of silver.
So, can one connect some torches directly to a propane tank, without
a regulator? I recently bought a “Shark” torch to use with propane,
but have been unable to find info on whether I have to get a
regulator for it. Thanks-- I am eager to try it, but don’t know
which way to go.
Any suggestions on the best portable/disposable torch that is
economical and efficient for my needs?"
Hey Mardel, Would an under-$20 pricetag qualify? I’ve just found (and
purchased) a pair of economical, temporary solutions to my soldering
needs, and I’m willing to bet the same’ll do just fine for your
annealing ones, as well. Harbor Freight Tools
(www.harborfreight.com) has their Chinese-made “Blazer” torch
knock-offs on sale, this month, for $9.99 a pop; these run on canned
butane – a.k.a. Ronson lighter refills – available at most
hardware, 7-11’s, drugstore chains and tobacconists. From what
numerous others have told me, these’ll do, in a pinch, will last
between 45 minutes and twice that, depending on flame size, and are
certainly small enough (@5" tall x 2"wide) to meet your portability
needs. I’ve ordered a pair of 'em, so as to both circumvent my
previously posted basement workshop soldering challenges and to
prevent unnecessary frustrations, should one torch’s tank run dry,
in the middle of a soldering job. To find these, just head to their
site and click the word “torch” in the “search” window, in the
site’s LH side menu. (And no, I don’t have any affiliation, blah,
blah, blah.) Hope this helps you, too.
All my best,
Doug
Douglas Turet, GJ
Lapidary Artist, Designer & Goldsmith
Turet Design
P.O. Box 162
Arlington, MA 02476
Tel. (617) 325-5328
eFax (928) 222-0815 anotherbrightidea@hotmail.com
Noel - The Flexi-fire is basically a Bernzomatic torch; i.e. an
air/propane combination. For years I ran one from a 10 pound propane
tank, with only an adapter to make the fit correct. Like all fuel
gas/air torches, it is crude in operation, meaning that temperature
control is only done by flame position. You could not run a
Mini-torch setup that way. I don’t know about the “Shark” torch. I
hope that this helps.
Like all fuel gas/air torches, it is crude in operation,
meaning that temperature control is only done by flame position.
You could not run a Mini-torch setup that way. I don't know about
the "Shark" torch.
Not so , Jim. The PrestoLite has different size tips and the size of
the flame can be further controlled by a knob on the side of the
handle. I believe that the Smith torch would be similar but I have
never used one.
We use three setups at Metalwerx. We have a Mecco Mini, Smith
acyt/air and Smith acyt/oxy. One of our studiomates brought the
Smith acyt/oxy which he finds very twitchy. I like the Mecco as it
is very stable when working with gold. Most of our work is with the
Smith acyt/air which has five different tips. Either setup is quite
portable.
-k
Karen Christians
M E T A L W E R X
10 Walnut St.
Woburn, MA 01801
Phone:781/937-3532
Fax: 781/937-3955 http://www.metalwerx.com/
Accredited Jewelry Instruction
Not so , Jim. The PrestoLite has different size tips and the
size of the flame can be further controlled by a knob on the side
of the handle. I believe that the Smith torch would be similar but
I have never used one.
That’s true Marilyn! I should have been more specific about the
torch type. Even with the propane-air mix torches you can get
different torch tips and you do have some control over gas flow with
the hand piece control knob. They (Flexi-fire and Bernzomatic) still
lack the finesse in temperature control which you get with torches
crafted for jewelry work…
Hi all: The “Shark,” “Whale,” or “EZ Torch” (Frei & Borel) does have
three tips, and yes the valve greatly changes the flame size. Plus,
just behind the tip is an adjustment for the air/fuel mix, all the
way from yellow smoky flame to a hard (mildly hissy) oxidizing
flame, all one hand adjustable. And your choice of disposable or
refillable tanks propane or MAPP, some write ups say with the right
regulator hydrogen or acetylene or natural, versatile! Plus a good
feel in my hand. I’ve never tried casting with it, but have
annealed 8+ sq. in. 18 gauge copper handily.