[Jewelry making - Article 00146] - Re: [Orchid] Do small butane soldering torches work?

[Trevor F]

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>     ... I understand the limitations associated with this torch, but
>     what I'm wondering is if they really work? I would be using it for
>     silver and small jewelry pieces only.

Hello Tracy,

    I've used both the little rechargeable butane torch you named, the
    GB2001, and a propane Bernzomatic torch with the disposable tank for
    years to do the kind of work you describe.  For that kind of work
    they are both useful and practical despite their "bush league",
    non-professional appearance and reputation. 

    The little butane torch is fine for soldering jump-rings, attaching
    bails to small pendants, annealing small pieces, melting small bits
    of silver into balls, etc. A rough guide might be that as long as the
    mass of metal you're trying to heat to soldering point is less than a
    5 cent piece or so then it'll work nicely. You can even push it to the
    size of a 25 cent piece if you're careful about surrounding it with
    firebricks or whatever. Large rings, for example, are out of the
    question but many a small ring and earring can be done quite nicely
    with a wee torch like this. Melting is much more demanding and you'll
    find that you'll be hard pressed to melt even as much as a pea-sized
    lump of silver with this torch. 

    One suggestion I would make if you do decide to add the propane torch
    to your repertoire is to get one that comes with or allows
    replaceable torch tips. The one I used --and still use!-- has three
    tips: a big wide bushy one for annealing, a full-on blowtorch one for
    large jobs and a small "pencil" flame for smaller jobs. You can cover
    a lot of ground with a set-up like that. I've soldered heavy silver
    bracelets (50+ grams) and been able to melt as much as an ounce of
    silver. It ain't a pretty torch and it certainly ain't professional
    calibre but it will work and you will be able to make a good variety
    of small jewellery with it. 

    Once you start to get serious about your metalwork you'll quickly
    discover that neither of these torches is going to do the job right
    over the long term. They wear out --I've gone through three or four of
    the little butane jobbies-- the fuel is not cheap, the propane flame
    does not have a fine enough control and has a tendency to "whoosh"
    when you slosh the gas container around, you don't have enough heat to
    do a lot of things you're probably going to want to do, etc, etc,
    etc. But then you're probably already know all that. 

    In other words the limitations of these torches are are legion, as
    you would expect, but if you're willing to live with that for the
    time being one or both of those torches will get you well on your way.

Cheers,
Trevor F.

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