Smith Little Torch - replacement tips?

Liquidsand · #1 2013-05-26, 6:21am

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone has any information on options for the Smith Little Torch? I bought one for soldering, but I'm using it primarily for glass now, and it is very handy, but the tips that came with it range from tiny to teensy-weensy.
The largest tip that I used for years is pretty beat up, so it needs to be replaced anyway, but it occurred to me that it would be really handy if there's actually a much larger tip out there, that could handle higher pressures as well as provide a less needle-like flame; bigger and bushier?
Could anyone advise me or provide any links?
Thanks so much!
Martha

Lorraine Chandler · #2 2013-05-26, 8:20am

Martha, why not just go out and buy a bench burner that is made for melting glass?. The little torches are made for other purposes entirely.

fionac · #3 2013-05-26, 4:43pm

Hi Martha, Size 7 is the biggest LS tip (it doesn't come in the kit) and it's a reasonable size flame (7").
Here's a flame pic on their site
http://www.littletorch.com/tips.html
Here's one on Ebay for $21.45, Amazon also carry them
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Smith-Little...ht_3499wt_1161

dusty · #4 2013-05-26, 6:35pm

Martha, many people like "Shelbo Whisper Tips" and "Hornet Tips" for their Little Torches. Artcoinc sells the whisper tips, and you can usually find them on Mike Shelbo's etsy page. I don't recall where I've seen the Hornet tips.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorraine Chandler

Martha, why not just go out and buy a bench burner that is made for melting glass?. The little torches are made for other purposes entirely.

Lots of people use Little Torches for glass. They're not typically used as a primary burner, but as a handheld torch for getting into small places, or sometimes bench-mounted for detailed work. They're also nice for fuming. It seems like more boro workers have them than don't.

Liquidsand · #5 2013-05-26, 7:52pm

Lorraine, my apologies - I wasn't clear - I'm not trying to melt glass with a soldering torch! I have a Minor, Lynx, Cheetah, and now a Sidewinder (love GTT), but Dusty is correct; I like the flexibility of a hand torch and the small flame, though I never tried it for fuming! It's nice to have the fuel Y'd to the bench burner and the hand torch, running both simultaneously for convenience while working on a sculptural piece. I know some people retrofit their Lynxes as a hand torch, but I'm not that much of an engineer.

Thank you very much for the links and the information Fionac and Dusty!
I had no idea the Shelbo Whisper tips were suitable for the Smith Little. I thought they were for the Nationals! Are they universal, or would I need to look for a tip specifically for the Smith?

I also came across this;
http://www.firemountaingems.com/itemdetails/H203438TL
I had my doubts that it would be suitable, and now that I know, I'm more likely to go with the Shelbo and the #7 replacement. Just curious about it though in case anyone has tried it.

Thanks for your responses.
-Martha

dusty · #6 2013-05-26, 8:07pm

You're welcome!

Here's a link to a hornet tip (I think they have others):
http://www.glasscraftinc.com/home/gl..._and_gent.html

Here are the whisper tips at ArtCo and on Mike Shelbo's etsy site:
http://www.artcoinc.com/shelbo_tips.php
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mikeshelbo

The whisper tips come with an attachment to hook them to the Little Torch. I think there are separate attachments for the Nationals and the Smiths, but don't know, and I don't know if the whisper tips would be interchangeable between them.

Liquidsand · #7 2013-05-27, 1:13pm

Thanks again Dusty.
Those whisper tips are now officially on my shopping list, along with JAWS, diamond shears, and a kevlar heat resistant pad.
Artco has all the cool stuff, don't they?

ArtcoInc · #8 2013-05-27, 1:41pm

Thanks everyone!

There are two different series of the Shelbo Whisper Tips ... the larger tips (sold individually) for the National torches, and the smaller tips for the Smith Little torch (sold as a set).

I have the small tip sets in stock, but am out of the 8" neck. I also have most of the larger tips in stock too.

Malcolm

Dragonharper · #9 2013-05-28, 11:57am

I love my Smith Little Torch for glass work. Especially when I need a small flame in a place where I can't get my bench burner, mostly for assembling sculptures.

elle · #10 2013-05-30, 10:27am

I'm not sure if this is what you have in mind, but it's definitely compatible with the Smith:

Melting tips:
http://www.contenti.com/products/soldering/114-396.html

If you click the torches link at the top of that page, you can get replacement tips and other accessories for the Smith.

Sarah

Lorraine Chandler · #11 2013-05-30, 11:34am

OOPS! My bad....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liquidsand

Lorraine, my apologies - I wasn't clear - I'm not trying to melt glass with a soldering torch! I have a Minor, Lynx, Cheetah, and now a Sidewinder (love GTT), but Dusty is correct; I like the flexibility of a hand torch and the small flame, though I never tried it for fuming! It's nice to have the fuel Y'd to the bench burner and the hand torch, running both simultaneously for convenience while working on a sculptural piece. I know some people retrofit their Lynxes as a hand torch, but I'm not that much of an engineer.

Thank you very much for the links and the information Fionac and Dusty!
I had no idea the Shelbo Whisper tips were suitable for the Smith Little. I thought they were for the Nationals! Are they universal, or would I need to look for a tip specifically for the Smith?

I also came across this;
http://www.firemountaingems.com/itemdetails/H203438TL
I had my doubts that it would be suitable, and now that I know, I'm more likely to go with the Shelbo and the #7 replacement. Just curious about it though in case anyone has tried it.

Thanks for your responses.
-Martha