Subject: Jewelers' torches revisited

From: [email-masked] (Neil R. Marsh)
Date: 25 Dec 1993 20:33:50 -0800

Hi all,

        I took the plunge and got a used "Little Torch" and just 
picked up regulators and an O2 tank (already had a 20# propane 
bottle).

        What a difference from the Bernz-O-Matic-on-a-hose I was
using!  Looks like I'm back almost to square one as far as my hard-
soldering skills go.  I'm used to having plenty of time while the work
heats up.  Gee, what am I going to do without having firescale to get
rid of?

        With the new toys comes a question:  What are other "Little
Torch" (and other small torch) users setting for line pressure?  The 
guy at the welding supply shop suggested 15#; that's 'way too much.
In "Jewelry - Concepts and Technology," Untracht implies 6# for fuel 
and 8# for O2.  Anyone use anything else?

        (Might this not make good FAQ-fodder, both for mini and 
standard torches?  Or is it already in there and I just missed it?)

Cheers!
Neil

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Neil Marsh  [email-masked] -or- [email-masked]  Chehalis, WA USA
My account                        My PC                       My opinion

---

From: [email-masked] (James Foster x2912)
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1993 16:48:45 GMT

In article <znr756780145k@quark>, [email-masked] (Neil R. Marsh) writes:
|> Hi all,
|> 
|>         I took the plunge and got a used "Little Torch" and just 
|> picked up regulators and an O2 tank (already had a 20# propane 
|> bottle).
|> 
|>         What a difference from the Bernz-O-Matic-on-a-hose I was
|> using!  Looks like I'm back almost to square one as far as my hard-
|> soldering skills go.  I'm used to having plenty of time while the work
|> heats up.  Gee, what am I going to do without having firescale to get
|> rid of?
|> 
|>         With the new toys comes a question:  What are other "Little
|> Torch" (and other small torch) users setting for line pressure?  The 
|> guy at the welding supply shop suggested 15#; that's 'way too much.
|> In "Jewelry - Concepts and Technology," Untracht implies 6# for fuel 
|> and 8# for O2.  Anyone use anything else?
|> 
|>         (Might this not make good FAQ-fodder, both for mini and 
|> standard torches?  Or is it already in there and I just missed it?)
|> 
|> Cheers!
|> Neil
|> 

I'm thinking of getting one of these myself.  I'd guess that both the
numbers are still high.  If I recall correctly (and that's not real
likely) the 00 tip pressures for my rig (Harris, as sold by Sears)
were about 6# O2, 3# acetylene.  I'd think the Little Torch would be
less.  BTW, anyone have the list price and some mail order prices for
the Little Torch?  I'd like to buy locally to support my local 
merchants, but don't want to go a lot higher than I have to.

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 30 DEC 93 23:07:18 EST

Hi my name is Chris Fuhr Iv'e owned a Jewelers little torch for about 5years
only mine runs on ox-celine@ ox
the first trick of a Jewelers Torch is to see how little fluid you can run
through it.
I know that mine gets dirty and that can change the pressure needs, but don't
get the idea that I use it as an excuse to disregard the gauges.
Instead I clean the tips in an ultrasounic cleaner.  Also I preform the trick
of running a larger torch in my other hand set low with it heating the
underside of the piece.  Usually Im working large base pieces with small
oriments being sweat soddered to i
t.
So I'm moreinterested in minimumizing the amount of time that the small piece
is exposed to the flame.  In closing the best general rule is start at about
3lbs.