Mini CC & Oxy Con users, PLEASE HELP ME!

lynn's lampwork · #1 2006-02-04, 10:34pm

I am SOOOO confused!!! I've received 10 DIFFERENT answers to my question (for 10 different people at 10 different sites!)

I have a (yet to be set up) Mini CC and want to buy an oxygen concentrator. Some people tell me I need 10 psi, then some say I need only 5 psi BUT I need more lpm than psi (like 8-9 lpm).....

For those of you who have a Mini CC and use an oxygen concentrator, what are the specs on yours???? Are they sufficent for you? If so, where did you get it? I would prefer refurbished (because of price...) What do I REALLY NEED?????? LPM vs. PSI.....

Everyone that I have talked to have been VERY helpful and I'm very appreciative, but I feel like I'm more confused now then when I started my research....PLEASE HELP!

Thank you for ANY help and definative information!!! Help make it all CLEAR for me!!!

jaylee78 · #2 2006-02-04, 10:49pm

I think SueH-K runs hers with 2 5L oxy concentrators . . . maybe she'll chime in here or someone else that has one will . . .

DarleenMB · #3 2006-02-05, 9:29am

I run mine with a 5LPM and a 6LPM (that's liters per minute, not psi, btw).

I'm sure it would run fine with just one, but I'm the queen of overkill.

xiola blue · #4 2006-02-05, 9:54am

I run my mini cc on one concentrator. I sometimes feel I am at the limit of the torch with just one, and haven't used boro with it, but I am very happy with my torch at this level of O2. I have a second concentrator but not a lot of electricity where my studio is so I haven't hooked it up.
You should be very happy with one concentrator. I know you will love your torch! I couldn't believe how much more I could do and how quickly until I moved from a hothead to the mini cc. Good luck! xiola

Doolollies · #5 2006-02-05, 9:58am

I run my mini cc on one concentrator... I have 2 but I get a really nice hot flame with one. I run the concentrator around 4 to 4.5 and my propane a tad below 5. If my torch knobs start getting hot I back off the propane. I also have a minor that I run on one concentrator and the mini CC in comparison to the minor is hotter and the flame is wider and I can find that sweet spot for stringer on the mini. Start with one concentrator and see how you like it. You can always add one later. Have fun. It's a great little torch.
Linda

Doolollies · #6 2006-02-05, 11:10am

I forgot to add... I bought my concentrators several years ago from Paulette at Suncoast beads. Great service good price and lovely lady. Not sure if she is still selling the 5L concentrators. She was selling some larger units awhile back. Now there are suppliers for (hobby) concentrators all over. I would be more inclined to buy one from a known vendor than buy one on ebay unless they had a good track record with concentrators on ebay. I know a lot have had good experience on ebay with buying used concentrators and some have not. If I had to buy another one there are suppliers here on the board that I would check out first as they will stand behind their sales. Start there and check around Good luck.
Linda

Kalera · #7 2006-02-05, 11:11am

I think the Mini runs beautifully for soft beads on just one concentrator, and if you ever decide you need more oomph it really hauls booty on two.

PaulaD · #8 2006-02-05, 12:28pm

I would get the biggest one that you can. More oxy+ more flame power and you will want a bigger flame quickly. Paula

Tanya · #9 2006-02-05, 1:16pm

Paulette sold the oxycon part of her business to Margi at:

www.oxyunlimited.com

I purchased one very recently and it should be arriving soon! Margi is super helpful and responds quickly to email inquiries. You can actually specify which brand you want, which you would only want to do if you already have one and are getting another. Apparently, it is advisable to match the units when hooking up 2. I'm not sure why this would be, but it was easy enough to get match so I did.
I have been running one with a minor. I was ecstatic after I switched to this from my HH. I actually liked my HH just fine until I worked on a minor. Couldn't use the HH anymore! The minor is ok, but certainly better with tanked O2 (to be fair to the torch.) Then I took a class at Carlisle (highly recommend btw) and I realized how much I like the mini cc. The radiant heat is much better, which means less cracking problems. Also, it's hard to get a true pinpoint flame with a minor - you can get it short, but not narrow. Also, the torch mounted marver rocks! You can adjust its position all over the place. Anyway, when at my second class a Carlisle, I bought a mini cc. I haven't hooked it up yet, since I'm waiting for my second oxycon.
I opted to buy another $350 concentrator because I wasn't prepared to spend at least $1500 for a generator, no matter how good it might be (just don't have the money!)
As people have mentioned above, start with one and see how you like it. If you haven't been working with tanked O2, my guess is you'll love it. You can always get another one. Of course, if you buy 2 upfront, you get a discount. Not that much of a discount, though. Even buying 2 of them, I paid less than half of what I would have spent on a generator.
Sundance has one for sale but it's more like $450 or something. Since I planned on getting mine from Paulette (and then Margi) I didn't bother to look into whether what they're selling is actually any better or if they're just charging more for it.

Have fun!

loco · #10 2006-02-05, 2:15pm

Remember, you asked! I have a mini cc, 2 concentrators (5 lpm each) and tanked o2.

When I ran the mini cc on 2 concentrators I hated it!!! Not hot enough for me. I would run the torch on concentrators at the start of each session until I was ready to scream. Then I would switch to the tank. When one of my concentrators started to have fluctation, I stoped using them and I am now on tank all the time.

I have used a mini cc on liquid O2 and find that even hotter, but no one will deliver to residential.

I LOVE my mini cc, I hate the concentrators.

Yours, mine and their results will alway vary. Just as personalities do.

PaulaD · #11 2006-02-05, 9:01pm

Oh Boy. I LOVE the Mini CC on liquid oxygen!! Paula

Nanette Marie · #12 2006-02-06, 12:44pm

I run my Mini CC with two concentrators, but you can run it with one; I just wanted more. I set my propane at 5 and run both concentrators at 3.5 lpm. It works perfectly and I love it. I worked with a Minor before but love the Mini CC for the same reasons everyone else does. The only drawback is the Mini's knobs can get hot, but I found that after a certain amount of break-in time they no longer get as hot. The advantages over a minor, better radient heat, more adjustable flame and the fact that you can angle it any way you want because of the ball joint. Just love that.

Sue H-K · #13 2006-02-07, 8:54pm

I ran mine with one 5 lpm and did fine...it was certainly a step up from my old HH , but I added a second concentrator and it just KICKS now! I set both of my concentrators at 3.5-4 and it rocks!!!