hi I am new to silversmithing, and would like to set up a torch
system. what does everyone else use?
I have found some hand held pencil tip torches on the internet, but
they look quite difficult to handle.
Ones I have previously used were large bottle, with rubber piping
and quite large nozzle, which I worked quite comfortably with. I am
having difficulty locating them on the web, do you know where I
could purchase everything I need, or offer advice/ recommend a
system to me. Any help would be much appreciated. Nikky
If you are looking for a Whale torch that fits to a regular Barbeque
Propane Tank. It is availalbe now for $ 65.00. It comes with a
rubber hose and 3 tips.
If you are looking for a Little Torch kit with 5 tips (it use Oxygen
& Accetylene) it cost $92.00. Both of these are in stock
Fot the Tanks you need to conatct your local gas supplier.
Kenneth Singh in Tucson
Nikky, First go to the Orchid archives and you will find that there
is already a huge amount of info for you there. Then look up the
nearest “welding supply” business in your vicinity, assuming you are
in the USA. You will probably be buying the gas (see archives-
various choices) or gas and oxygen at the welding supply. Usually
you turn in an empty bottle (cylinder) and buy a full one. Sometimes
they deliver. This may involve a small rental fee for a year’s use
of the cylinders. They may have the torch and hoses that you need
for sale there also and you won’t need to deal with shipping
charges. Some people use the gas piped into their houses for the
water heater etc but you would need to get a professional in to set
up the pipes for your access to it. The welding supply business is
probably supplying the gas and oxygen cylinders to other nearby
jewelers and they will also offer advice to you based on what their
other jeweler customers are doing. My local welding supply people
are very helpful to me. I use hydrogen/oxygen but I’m probably the
only “orchidite” that does. More commonly used is acetylene/ox, or
propane … etc… Have fun!! Annette
If you didn’t use oxygen with your first system, it was probably a
Presto-Lite or Smith gas/air torch. This type of system is ideal for
silversmithing but may not be the best if you work with gold.