I purchased a Smith Little Torch (oxy/propane) about a year ago, and
I love it. However, I feel that in certain operations even the
multi-flame tip doesn’t provide enough heat. My question: is there a
way to split the torch below the regulator to allow for another head
to be placed on the same tanks, or do I need to purchase a whole new
setup?
What kind of torch do I need to purchase that will do everything I
need? (a pretty wide range, from the #5 Smith tip to casting gold)
My question: is there a way to split the torch below the regulator
to allow for another head to be placed on the same tanks,
Any welding supply shop can sell you Y connectors which will allow
you to run two or more torches from a single tank setup. You can get
plain Y connectors, or types that have a shutoff valve on each split
off side of the Y, so you can turn on only the torch you wish to use
if you like.
What kind of torch do I need to purchase that will do everything I
need? (a pretty wide range, from the #5 Smith tip to casting gold)
I like the Meco Midget. My setup has one of these on one connection
of the Y, and a little torch on the other. A second set of Y
connectors in line with the first two gives me three torch
capability, and I’ve got a larger casting torch on that one for large
melts, but the Meco midget with a large tip will do a whole lot, and
with tiny tips, can go almost as small as the little torch.
I like HOKE torches for a good all around torch. Acetylene /O2 over
propane if you need hotter capabilities. Hokes were the industry
standard before the “little Torches” became so popular. They are
solid and if you have very small hands take som getting used to.
Mecco midgets are the Hoke’s competitor (as gentec is to smith’s)-
it’s good competition, but the hoke’s to me are a great value for
the money since you have the oxy fuel tanks already and need a
melting set up… rer
Just a comment on the HOKE torches. As RER says, they’re a good
torch. Or they used to be. They used to be made in the U.S.A., and
featured quality manufacturing, with decently made valves that gave
the sort of gas/flame control you’d expect. At some point (I don’t
know exactly when), the brand, name or something got sold, or
something. Dunno. What I DO know is that after that, HOKE torches
were/still are a Grobet product, and they’re made in China. They look
about the same, though some exterior machining around the valves
isn’t as nice so a close inspection will identify the recent version
(as does the made in China stamp). But they don’t work the same.
Perhaps in the last year they’ve dramatically improved to an
acceptable level, but I’ve bought a few over the last five years or
so, in an apparently hopeless quest to find a decent new one to
replace the old increasingly worn out one I had on my bench at work.
Every one of these potential replacements was a piece of junk. Valves
leaked, or were so poorly machined as to not give adequate control
over the flame. Not even close. Several, when I disassembled the
valves to take a look, had brass machine shavings clogging the
valves. I finally gave up on the search, and put my Swiss torch on my
bench at work. I’d had it on the bench at home, where it’s a bit
missed, but at least now, I’ve got a properly working torch at work
again…
If you can find an old Hoke torch, made in America, and it’s in
decent shape, you’ll be happy with it. But I’ll bet that if you buy
one of the currently sold Grobet - labeled, made in China ones,
you’ll be doing as I did, returning it in disgust. Or, if they’ve
recently made dramatic improvements, please let me know, but I’ll be
surprised.