Working 104 on a CC Burner

[aisacha]

Using a CC Burner to work 104, but cannot get the flame set right. We are using the inner port only to keep the flame small, but the glass is sooty. Adjusting the gas mix has helped, but there is still soot. Could it be the gas pressures? O2 and propane are both set at 30psi? Any suggestions?

[earlbacher]

turn the propane down to 5-6 psi

[shawnette]

Originally Posted by earlbacher

turn the propane down to 5-6 psi

Agreed. Also, though you can work soft glass with a CC, the colors will never be as nice as what you'll get with a surface mix torch. I worked at a job that provided the torch (a CC) but wanted me to work soft glass and boro. I ended up bringing in my own torch for the days I worked soft glass (GTT Lynx) and just used the CC for the larger boro projects.

[ArtcoInc]

If you must use the CC for doing small soft glass work ...

It sounds like you're running a reduction flame (ie: too much gas, not enough oxygen). As you probably know, the center fire on a CC is a pre-mix flame. Many find it harder to gauge the mixture on a pre-mix flame than a surface mix torch. I might suggest that you find some (hopefully inexpensive) glass that you can use to 'test' the mixture of your flame setting. Find some glass that reacts to a reduction flame easily, and some that reacts to an oxidizing flame, and use these to adjust your gas/oxygen mixture.

For example, some white glass turns brown or 'sooty' in a reduction flame. Keep adding more oxygen until the white glass doesn't turn sooty any more.

Malcolm

[Cosmo]

You don't need to change the pressure on the regulators for working different types of glass. I work 104 glass quite a bit on my CC and don't change any of my regulator settings. But, 30 psi on the propane is probably a little too high for any type of glass. 15 psi is all you need. Just work a smaller flame and crack the outer oxygen a little bit.

[aisacha]

Thank you for the excellant responses. I will be turning the propane down tonight to see how that helps. Using the Carlisle to work the soft glass is temporary, I hope. I'm wishing for a Lynx in the near(?) future. My business partner is playing the 'violin sonata' on his thumb as we speak. Grrr ! !

[Cosmo]

No need for a Lynx, unless you just have money to burn. I can make anything on my CC that I can make on a Minor, Lynx, or any other torch...

[aisacha]

Turned the O2 down to 15-18 psi, and the LP down to 4-8 psi. This is a good combo on the CC. Beads are coming out much better. Now if I could only keep my studio-mate from using up all the O2.....hmmmmm.