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  #1  
Old 2015-10-01, 10:51am
aidenblack aidenblack is offline
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Default flame changed color?

the flame from my hothead torch changes color after being on for about 15 minutes. when i first spark it, it is a nice blue flame surround by purple. after a little use it becomes a blue cone surrounded by orange. this is what i think is making my beads grey and misty/burnt. any suggestions? (i just started yesterday im a newbie) i keep the glass in the correct area of the flame and i do heat it very slowly. i am using the hothead like torch provided by devardi attached directly to the small propane canister . should i switch to mapp? any suggestions? is it possible the torch has gunk in it?
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Old 2015-10-02, 7:37am
ShazMcNasty ShazMcNasty is offline
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I vote gunk or defective. I use mine pretty nonstop for 4+ hours and don't have that issue. You might have a dirty tank of gas though too. Have you tried using a separate tank? Also, you can try cleaning out the head of the torch with some alcohol. That should help too.
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  #3  
Old 2015-10-02, 8:24am
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I might suggest making sure you don't shake up the contents of your gas canister.

If the tank has crud in it try storing it in the position you use it in .
That should let the gunk settle to the bottom and then moving it gently on to your torch bench.
That may reduce the crap getting to the flame.

But also remember that most of the uses for these canisters is camp cooking, space heating or melting metal so they don't filter the fuel much before filling the tank.
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Old 2015-10-02, 7:55pm
aidenblack aidenblack is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShazMcNasty View Post
I vote gunk or defective. I use mine pretty nonstop for 4+ hours and don't have that issue. You might have a dirty tank of gas though too. Have you tried using a separate tank? Also, you can try cleaning out the head of the torch with some alcohol. That should help too.

i put aside the coleman propane today and purchased a bernzomatic mapp tank. it burned clean for about 5 minutes and turned orange just like the propane. i am assuming it is the torch at this point. the company that sold me the torch is being very kind and sending out a free new one! im excited i think i can be real good at this if i can maintain patience
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  #5  
Old 2015-10-02, 7:59pm
aidenblack aidenblack is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Speedslug View Post
I might suggest making sure you don't shake up the contents of your gas canister.

If the tank has crud in it try storing it in the position you use it in .
That should let the gunk settle to the bottom and then moving it gently on to your torch bench.
That may reduce the crap getting to the flame.

But also remember that most of the uses for these canisters is camp cooking, space heating or melting metal so they don't filter the fuel much before filling the tank.
im real gentle and do not move around the tanks to much. i even built a sturdy stand to hold it to the table. i tried mapp and propane. but produce a dirty flame after 5 minutes of use. i am assuming bad torch

i am waiting on a replacement torch to arrive in the mail.

my sister will not allow me to have a large fuel tank in the house so i am restricted to the small ones...any suggestions as for as fuel set ups go for the my broke butt? lol

is there a best brand to buy for filtered fuel? are there shops that offer cleaner fuel to refill the tanks?
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Old 2015-10-02, 8:25pm
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It is illegal to have the larger tanks inside.
My tanks are outside, and just the hoses run inside. I know some people open a window a bit to put them in while in use. I use a storage building with a wooden floor as my studio, so we have them coming up through a hole drilled in the floor under my work bench.
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  #7  
Old 2015-10-02, 8:47pm
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Well I understand that fuel filters are available for use with RVs and tow behind trailers systems but I don't think this is a fuel problem.

The good burn for five minutes tells me that this is a torch fault that happens once it warms up.

If the second one they send you has similar symptoms pick up a Hot Head torch from a hardware store for the $40 they want for it.

Good luck with this and welcome to the addiction.
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Old 2015-10-03, 8:08am
aidenblack aidenblack is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Speedslug View Post
Well I understand that fuel filters are available for use with RVs and tow behind trailers systems but I don't think this is a fuel problem.

The good burn for five minutes tells me that this is a torch fault that happens once it warms up.

If the second one they send you has similar symptoms pick up a Hot Head torch from a hardware store for the $40 they want for it.

Good luck with this and welcome to the addiction.

I think you are absolutely right sir...i will wait for the new torch and practice my bead forming in the mean time with the colors that i do not like.

but no stores in my area sell the hot head torch, i call around and they're all clueless (im a bit obsessive and i have barely started i am making backup plans lol)

is this the torch i will be looking for? it looks exactly the same???


http://www.delphiglass.com/flamework...ead-torch-head


love the mad hatter name btw...my fiance is doing a mad hatter costume for the halloween ball down here in south florida

Last edited by aidenblack; 2015-10-03 at 8:10am.
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  #9  
Old 2015-10-03, 8:37am
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That is the brand name Hot Head torch.
It is available at other places too, but yes, that torch is a Hot Head.
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  #10  
Old 2015-10-03, 12:29pm
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Yup.

That's the one.

Shop around though. No sense paying more that you have to.
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  #11  
Old 2015-10-03, 12:31pm
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You might have to describe the torch as a oversized plumbers torch to hardware store employees.
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Old 2015-10-03, 2:36pm
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but if it doesn't have the name Hothead, then it is not an actual hothead. I've only seen them online. I bought mine right from their website.
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  #13  
Old 2015-10-03, 4:02pm
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I pick one up at the local big box store Menards for $35 some years back.
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  #14  
Old 2015-10-03, 6:44pm
aidenblack aidenblack is offline
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HOPEFULLY i won't need to go out of my way to get a hothead. i'm super bummed right now because i can't do anything with my glass cuz i am waiting for the replacement from Devardi....it just sits there taunting me..."heheh can't use me you gotta wait" lol... thanks for the info every one. im'a wait for this replacement and see what happens
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  #15  
Old 2015-10-03, 6:52pm
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Good luck! I haven't used that torch so can't say much except good for them for their customer service!
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  #16  
Old 2015-10-03, 11:42pm
cindyj cindyj is offline
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Default Hot Head flame issue

If you are getting an orange halo around your flame after working for a short period of time it means your ventilation is not sufficient. This (orange halo) also sometimes happens when the air is very humid where you are working.
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  #17  
Old 2015-10-04, 11:50am
aidenblack aidenblack is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cindyj View Post
If you are getting an orange halo around your flame after working for a short period of time it means your ventilation is not sufficient. This (orange halo) also sometimes happens when the air is very humid where you are working.


i live in south florida...i can not avoid the humidity...and i am restricted to working in a one window room...should i add a fan to the window?
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  #18  
Old 2015-10-04, 12:54pm
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Absolutely you need more ventilation. Go to the safety section and read there for several ideas, but you need to do something to keep the fumes away from you.
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Old 2015-10-04, 1:57pm
aidenblack aidenblack is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eileen View Post
Absolutely you need more ventilation. Go to the safety section and read there for several ideas, but you need to do something to keep the fumes away from you.

i am not worried about me lol..im worried about my pretty beads...i may have to move my stuff to the living room or add the fan to the window...i will try today. the problem is my sister has asthma...and we live in an apartment with poor circulation . ill see what ideas i can come up with
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Old 2015-10-04, 2:03pm
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But you should be worried about you!
Is there anywhere you could move the torch outside? Or yes, at least a fan to blow the fumes away from you and out the window. Or better, if you can put a strong fan in the window, with a (metal) tube to gather the fumes by the torch, to pull the fumes outside.
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Old 2015-10-04, 5:22pm
aidenblack aidenblack is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eileen View Post
But you should be worried about you!
Is there anywhere you could move the torch outside? Or yes, at least a fan to blow the fumes away from you and out the window. Or better, if you can put a strong fan in the window, with a (metal) tube to gather the fumes by the torch, to pull the fumes outside.
unfortunately i live out in the hood...if i go outside with a torch the cops will be showing up...and even if it is not illegal, trust me, they will make it illegal to be outside with a torch...

could you explain the metal tubing and fan ventilation? the fan makes sense but you lost me at the metal tubing part. (this is all assuming it is not the torch being faulty too, im still waiting for the new one)
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  #22  
Old 2015-10-04, 6:33pm
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Like ductwork? You can get different sizes at Home Depot & Lowes, probably hardware stores.



My husband attached it to a piece of wood that I can sit in the open window to block the rest of the window. You also need another air source that it can pull air across you bench. Maybe crack a window somewhere else?
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Last edited by Eileen; 2015-10-04 at 6:35pm.
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  #23  
Old 2015-10-05, 1:21am
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Aidenblack it really really important that you get a firm understanding about the fumes from torches and how extremely important it is to get good ventilation while you melt glass.

If someone you live with has breathing issues you could very well make them very sick very quickly if you don't pay close attention to this.


Read everything in the safety threads and study the "My Studio" conversations to figure out what you need to do to keep your self and your sister safe from the fumes that torching creates.


I did safety stuff for the Navy for the last dozen years of my time in the service and the things you do not know can hurt you very badly before you realize it.


This is really really important so please understand that no bead is worth the health of anyone ever.

Even in the woods in the midst of high fire season there are safe ways to melt glass out side so don't let the local police brow beat you.
Arm your self with a thorough understanding of all the right ways to do this glass thing we are all so addicted to and they won't be able to give you any grief.

But you DO have to educated your self about it and there really is no other way around that.

Besides the fumes from the burning gas there are also heavy metals involved in some of the colors we use so you just cant melt glass at the kitchen table and not poison yourself and your family.

Second hand cigarette smoke is nothing compared to the torch fumes and some of the other chemicals used in making the colors we use with lampworking.



Edited To Add: I misread hood to read wood. Even so, it is possible to do this hobby in an apartment and the cops can't give you grief about if you are doing it safely and show them that you understand what you are doing.

I worry about you and your sister with asthma. It just is not safe for either of you if you are not taking the right precautions about ventilation. This isn't a small thing.
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Last edited by Speedslug; 2015-10-05 at 1:30am.
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  #24  
Old 2015-10-05, 10:34am
aidenblack aidenblack is offline
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so...after reading all of this i moved my little studio from the spare room into the living room that has two very large windows, added a window fan and i am still getting a blue cone with an dark orange halo after very short term of use...i get one clean bead before the flame goes orange. i am literally working a foot away from the window with the fan. the window is about 12 feet long and 5 fee high...i think that should be adequate ventilation

narrowed out the ventilation issue...nothing left to do but wait for the new torch.

@speedslug-understood. thank you
@eileen-thank you for the pic and ideas



thanks everyone for your input, much appreciated

Last edited by aidenblack; 2015-10-05 at 10:46am.
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