[Jewelry making - Article 00039] - Re: [Orchid] Modifying air acetylene to propane torch

[jake]

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    The down side of converted acetylene to air/propane equipment 

    On the list a few days ago was a letter about converting a Uniweld
    air/acetylene torch to burn propane. I would say unless there is a
    compelling reason (insurance or code etc.) not to do it. As for the
    alleged dirtiness of acetylene, I have never noticed a problem, but I
    work with silver mostly, and had used the club's equipment long
    before I began a search for a torch I could use at home. 

    The air/propane torch usually seen is actually acetylene equipment
    with different tips allowing it to burn propane. This comes at a
    price, although it would work, but not that well. Uniweld rates the
    temperature at 1750F for propane. Mapp will burn hotter (2400F), but
    this needs to be explained. If looking at a chart, mapp and propane
    burns in air (in laboratory conditions) at near the same temperature
    and Btu output is also nearly the same. In practice mapp burns much
    hotter, but the Btu dose not have the higher rating so the boost is
    far less than you would think looking only at the temperature. As for
    the usual sold not converted propane equipment, my honest opinion
    would not be printed here. 

    There is only one propane torch I know of that make a claim to be
    able to alloy gold and silver, is actually designed for professional
    jewelers, and not a few full time goldsmiths use, to make an honest
    living. It is not available through American dealers. Sadly most
    solutions to gas restrictions fall on there face in real practice,
    and are not any real solution at all. My nephew uses a mapp torch at
    work for brazing, list price is $178, he said that he could
    eventually melt copper if he held it on it long enough, although the
    torch is rated at 2400F. You can forget using it to alloy. That 's
    the way it is, i.e. reality, like it or not. 

    My advice on the torch in question is to just buy all the extra tips
    for it, as it seems you do not have restriction problems. That is a
    fine torch as is. Converting it to propane will degrade performance,
    to a point I do not think you will be happy with it. When inquiring
    into using such equipment Don Clark, president of the IGS said I
    should rethink that. Moreover I could not find one serious (real)
    jewelry maker that uses one. That said what I did find I like the LP
    gas torch a little better than the club's acetylene equipment,
    because I can do some things with it that I would not try with the
    other. Although to be honest I have done a few things that it would
    be easier to do with the other, although it certainly got it done.
    But again in the US you are not going to get a solution, although the
    Shark available on Ebay comes closest. For lighter weight work it
    will deliver, but has some limits, belt buckles forget it and such
    and some larger things you mat have to use two which defeats the
    purpose of a cheap torch. 

    As for the comments of using a Burnzomatic from their tiny 12-room
    apartment to become rich I will not even comment on, except perhaps
    that the money comes from selling something else, like some program
    or such. The very first thing I made using my club's torch was far to
    large for the likes of that. I have little use for spending money on
    a thing that cannot do what needs to be done with it. I am glad I did
    the work to find something that would. I also think it is a bit
    ridiculous to collect a number of propane torches to be able to do
    what you should be able to do with one torch with little ado. 

    As you have already bought a good torch and to avoid the cost of
    another one I would say go for it, you will be happy you did. The
    Uniweld should be a close match to a Prestolite, if not the extra
    fine tip will fit it, I say this because although rare there are
    jewelers who use a Prestolite, no doubt some things would be easier
    with a Hoke, Little Torch or what not. For silver work: there is a
    reason why air/acetylene is the usual choice. If you had gas
    restrictions I would say maybe to look at the LP gas torch, it has
    some advantage, but so dose the other, this I know have used
    air/acetylene. I would say that I do not know of any other propane
    only torch that should be given a consideration compared to
    air/acetylene equipment by, Goss, Smith, Prestolite and a few others.
    Without a restriction I would have looked no further than acetylene
    for my needs and Uniweld was one I considered. 

    Why is air acetylene the usual choice for silver? Silver soaks up
    heat and spreads it throughout, in order to solder the whole thing
    must be up to temperature. The softer flame (and lower temperature)
    avoids much of the tendency to warp and buckle with large pieces of
    metal that can occur so easily with a small very hot flame of
    oxygen/fuel torches. This is why you are not likely to see an
    air/acetylene torch on a jeweler's bench (requirements being
    different in repair work etc.) and why some silversmith so love the
    Smith acetylene, although that is not what you would want to use to
    re-prong a diamond ring with. The oxygen/fuel torch has a problem,
    as far as ease, with larger silver jewelry construction, although for
    fine gold work it is the thing to look at, for platinum it is a must. 


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