[Jewelry making - Article 00103] - Re: [Orchid] Small, simple torch for 18k god wire?

[Richard Davies]

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Barbara

>     I want to be able to ball up 18k wire and do some *simple*
>     soldering. I also want a small, hand-held torch that isn't
>     complicated to use, preferably with a SMALL tank (8" or less);
>     possibly disposable. I'd be happy with one from the hardware store
>     if it will get hot enough to work with 18k.

    One of those butane torches readily available from your local
    hardware store will do it. You buy a disposable tank of fuel and fill
    the torch from it. You can find the fuel where you buy the torch, or
    wherever tobacco products are sold. 

    As an aside: when as a college student I started doing silver and
    gold work as a hobby, but I was restricted to an alcohol lamp and a
    brass blowpipe (used in chemical analysis), later a miniature alcohol
    blowtorch that I discovered in a hardware store. I was able to melt
    14K gold a couple of dwt at a time. So while BTU output was very
    limited, the temperature was ample. That was 55 years ago. A butane
    torch is much simpler! Later on I bought a plumber's propane torch,
    which was much larger, but still convenient and quite inexpensive. 

Good luck.
Dick Davies
Sometime metal melter in Virginia
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