[Jewelry making - Article 00717] - [Orchid] Hot torch

[jake]

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    The Lapidary Digest has an article online named, "Hot enough for
    you?" This is about torches. To quote a piece of advice, "when buying
    a torch you should get the hottest torch you can afford." What if I
    told you that you could get a torch that will turn a piece of copper
    into a puddle lickety-split, in seconds? What if I told you that you
    could get this for $100 for the basic? (Well actually about $102 US,
    plus shipping.) The full works comes to about $118 US. This is quite
    capable of alloying silver or gold, and what I told you that you
    could do this off a disposable propane canister. The kind you buy at
    the hardware store. Or you can of course hook it up to whatever you
    like. As long as if it is LP (propane or any LP fuels). 

    There is a torch, The Precision LP Gas Torch, that is more than just
    a solution to zoning ordinances, landlords, and insurance companies.
    It solves a problem for those who have limits on them on what they
    can use in their home. As I do. I wrote to Don Clark of the
    International Gem Society about the possibility of pressing
    air/propane into service for silver work. These are basically brazing
    torches, they will work but there is a drawback. He replied that I
    needed to rethink that, that most jewelers use oxygen and propane or
    acetylene. That what you need in a torch is high heat and fine
    control. This way, you can do in seconds what will take minutes. I
    knew there had to be a solution out there somewhere, and I was right. 

    The very first thing that got my attention was that this torch is
    designed for the professional jeweler, and that it is hot enough to
    alloy gold or silver. Last night in the Golden Spike Gem and Mineral
    Society?s class/shop I was able to get a piece of copper off a
    member. I took that and a piece of silver and placed them on a
    firebrick. In a few seconds I had completely alloyed them. This will
    easily and quickly turn copper into a molten pool. In fact, you can
    if you want, alloy bronze or brass and cast them. 

    In spite of naysayers who think that a propane torch can not
    possibly get that hot, this is not really so surprising. The
    information I got from Bernzomatic lists the temperature of propane
    burned in air as 3450F. The only thing that keeps this from not being
    close to this in a torch, is design. The business end of this, the
    tip, is radically different than the swirl tip of acetylene torches
    that will burn propane by the addition of different tips. 

    This torch is small and fits the hand well; you can certainly do
    just about anything with this. Its range is from casting, and
    alloying, to fine detail work, and all this on propane. This is a
    well thought out package. These torches are widely sold to colleges
    and trade schools in Germany and Australia, and have proven
    themselves to be reliable and robust in the hands of inexperienced
    students. Let?s face it, many of these are not good on equipment, as
    they didn?t pay for it out of pocket. This torch is made by Rudhard;
    a respected name, and it of course has the well know quality German
    workmanship products like this are known for and expected of. The
    high-pressure hose is two meters; this is almost six and a half feet
    long. This torch will last you for years without a problem, with any
    kind of sane care of it. 

    I should also point out that I am operating this torch off of a
    throwaway propane can, the kind you buy at the hardware store. As
    long as you get a regulator that goes o-60 PSI you will have more
    than enough pressure to operate. In fact with the largest tip I have
    no reason to open this up full throttle. This was a concern. The
    instructions say to set the regulator between 400 KPa and 600KPa. At
    60 PSI this is about 414 KPa and this has proven to be far more than
    enough. I can think of no reason, or use, of needing to turn this on
    full throttle, despite earlier concerns. I, like many others, am
    limited to one pound of gas where I live. This means the throwaway
    propane can. Without going into detail this is far more widespread
    than many think. 

    An interesting note is that this comes with an "in-built regulator
    for possible use on small camping gas bottle without extra
    regulator." Many of you out there may consider hooking this up to a
    five-pound propane tank. In Australia they hook them up to the 2kg
    tank. I am not certain but I think they are actually the same. I am
    certain this is what the C fitting that shipped with it is for. If
    this is a plan, you can go down to a RV place and get an on and off
    valve, and away you go. That C fitting should work; I think that is
    standard on that. 

    As for contact information or for anyone who may be curious you can
    see this and get more information at
    http://www.apecs.com.au/guild/lpgas.htm or simply type precision LP
    gas torch into the google search engine. These are the people to
    contact if you want this torch. Moreover, as a point you should
    consider is, few manufactures are interested in dealing directly
    with the public. As this requires additional people, such as
    accountants to deal with the paper work etc. This fact may be of
    importance to you. Unless, that is you enjoy wasting your time. So
    you know now what to do, but please no nonsense. I need to thank the
    Martin and Dorte Planert for the help they have given me; this was
    unselfish and timely. Again, I can not say enough about this product.
    Only that if a sale is made it will not put as much as a penny in my
    pocket. Please read the following carefully. This should answer any
    questions you may have. 

    "Dear Eric, Thanks for your e-mails. We are worldwide agents and
    contact persons for any clients interested in the torches, as the
    German manufacturer does not speak English. We can arrange direct
    supply through the manufacturer for American dealers. <edit> quote
    personal information removed</edit>" 

    <edit> attachment removed</edit> 



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