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Red Max burner

Jewelry Discussion
#1

Hi

My name is penny and I have posted before, and was very pleased at
the response I got. It was very helpful, I have another problem and
was hoping someone may be able to help me out, I took a class in
Boroscillicate glass and we used a red Max burner, I was in the class
for two days and kind of got used to the way the burner looked, how
big the flame was the sound ,etc, when I was finished with the class
I was really interested in practicing on my own but didnt want the
expense of the red max burner, so I bought a minor burner and having
a hard time trying to figure out exactly where the flame is suppossed
to be, (how big) etc. this flame doesnt quite seem like the other one
how will I know it is adjusted right, any help would be greatly
appreciated.

Penny

#2

To get a neutral flame on a Minor burner, you want to look for nice
sharp blue “candles” at the base of the torch flame. It shouldn’t be
hissy-sounding and shouldn’t have soft orange flames at the base. A
hissy flame is oxidizing (very useful with some borosilicate
colors), a bushy orange flame is reducing (which will muddy or bring
up the metals in some colors).

Be warned, a Minor is much cooler than a Red Max, so you’re going to
be working a LOT slower than you have in the past. Working boro on a
Minor isn’t impossible, but it’s not speedy either.

I nice “compromise” torch, IMO, is the Midrange Plus with a
topmounted pre-mix (similar in function to a National 3A). The
premix is quite hot for basic melting and shaping, and the Midrange
gives you a nice-sized but softer flame. I have a Midrange and find
it to be very versatile. I can work anything from taffy-soft Kinari
and Satake all the way through 1" solid boro rod.

Feel free to email me at desertdreameraz at cox dot net if you have
more questions.

KarenS

#3

Penny,

The minor torch is a much smaller flame working torch for
lampworking than a Red Max - the difference in price is a clue to
this. You will want to work with a neutral flame for borosilicate (at
least to know where the neutral is) and that is the place where there
is no hissing and where there is a

minimum of yellow candle ends to the flame. I haven’t worked much in
Boro as it’s a slow process on a minor - the lampworking torch I own.

The ISGB site (www.isgb.org) would be well worth your visit if you
are lampworking and I suggest you ask your question there for more
than you will need. Orchid is a great place too - it just
has a slightly

different slant to it’s expertise.

Sadie

#4

Usually with a Minor burner it helps if you can just hear the oxy
"hiss". I hope a Minor is big enough for boro, I’ve only just
started playing with

boro, so not an expert there. I have a Major (which is a Minor
with a bigger torch attached to the bottom.) Aside from it being an
oxygen hog, I’ve really liked it. Good luck! I can also direct you
to some other forums to help with this is my suggestions don’t work.

Kerry
http://www.celtcraftjewelry.com
http://www.beadcoop.com