Best Torch to buy for a Newbie?

GlassaFrass*Studios · #1 2005-10-17, 4:06am

I just started bead making two days ago and have a Fireworks torch. But I read somewhere here on the board that this may only last about a month? So my question is: What torch/gas set up do you suggest that will last nicely and be fairly easy for me to use? Thanks for the help!

loco · #2 2005-10-17, 4:56am

I started on a minor and grew out of it in 18 months, I now have a mini cc. I think it depends on your budget, a minor will work well on one concentrator, mini cc needs 2. The only reason I grew out of the minor is because I needed a busher flame to keep the oddities I make warm.

Enjoy have fun and play. If you have the oppertunity to use different torch before buying, great! If not find your style and research what torch works well for it.

SpitFire · #3 2005-10-17, 5:02am

A Hot Head will be a faithful beadmaking friend for a long, long time. All torches need to be used and treated correctly. If a Hot Head is used according manufacturers recommendations, I think it would last as long as you wish to make beads. I have a friend who has had hers for 6 years. One place to get one: www.heritageglass.com . ***My favorite place to shop***

Cosmo · #4 2005-10-17, 5:31am

I guess it depends on what you want to make. Do you want to stick to soft glass beads? If so a hot head will work. A Minor will work a little better (and quicker). A Lynx will be a little better still. But for soft glass beads, you probably don't need to go any bigger. Now, do you want to do boro? You can do it on a Minor, but it takes patience, and you are limited as to how big of a piece you can do. You would probably want to get something larger if you want to do much boro work. But, naturally, the larger the torch, the more it costs (and the more it costs to run it).

LavenderCreek · #5 2005-10-17, 6:22am

Does a Mini CC really need two concentrators? I've never heard this. I'm curious because I am in the process of buying one and I hadn't planned on buying 2 concentrators. I don't do boro, just soft glass. will one concentrator work?

Cosmo · #6 2005-10-17, 6:40am

I know a couple people who run a Mini CC on one concentrator (6 psi) with no problem.

LavenderCreek · #7 2005-10-17, 9:35am

Thanks Chad,

I guess I can only give it a try and if it doesn't work well, buy another one :/

Cosmo · #8 2005-10-17, 10:05am

Yeah. A friend of mine runs hers on an AirSep NewLife and it runs fine. She even does some boro work on it. Of course, two would be better, but one is fine.

BayBeadz · #9 2005-10-17, 10:22am

All of the lampworking classes I took used a HotHead but finding the MAPP Gas can be a problem depending on your area. I bought a minor a couple of months ago and love it! I almost got the Mini CC but decided to wait until I mastered with the minor.
Good Luck.

jokersdesign · #10 2005-10-17, 11:11am

I've played with ever small torch with 1 concentrator and then 2 concentrators and they all worked with either 1 or 2 concentrators. However with only 1 concentrator the flame was very weak for me, but was still able to make things very slow and smaller.

Now woth 2 concentrators the torches worked great and I could hardly tell that I was on 2 concentrator or tanked oxygen.

I would say if you want the best small torch get the GTT LYNX @ $435. Now if price is an issue the just get a Nortel minor.

shawnette · #11 2005-10-17, 1:33pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LavenderCreek

Does a Mini CC really need two concentrators? I've never heard this. I'm curious because I am in the process of buying one and I hadn't planned on buying 2 concentrators. I don't do boro, just soft glass. will one concentrator work?

Hi Teresa,

I have a Mini CC that I run on 1 concentrator and it works just fine. I can even do boro. I do have a 2nd concentrator, but I only use it when I make really big beads and want to work faster.

One thing about running the Mini on 1 concentrator is the knobs can get really hot if you work for long periods, so make sure you have a folded paper towel or something nearby. That problem goes away if you add a 2nd concentrator or use tanked O2.

GlassaFrass*Studios · #12 2005-10-17, 2:16pm

Thanks so very much everyone you have all been helpful! I plan on just making small soft glass beads, a friend uses the Fireworks with Polypropolene gas so I may try that for now. My hubby is currently making me arm rests and such...LOL we are both really getting into this whole thingy! Now my major problem is trying to make a nice round bead! Aughhhhh....I am having a hard time...LOL Does anyone know if there is a good tutorial on round beads and how to get nice ones???

Heather/Ericaceae · #13 2005-10-19, 12:20pm

FYI, A Firewerks torch will last you more than a month. It's NOT the ideal torch but it's fine for learning. The only thing that is likely to break in the first few weeks is the igniter, so you'll have to use a flint sparker to light your torch instead of the black button. However, the torch will die much faster than any other torch, because you can't clean it. Eventually (6-18 months, depending on how much time you spend on it per week) it will lose power until it finally won't light at all. I started on a Firewerks because that's what we had available in Winnipeg. When it died I thought about moving to a HotHead (I was living in an apartment at the time so I couldn't upgrade to a larger system) but my local store replaced my Firewerks torch for free, so who was I to look a gift horse in the mouth? The advantages of this torch are the ease of flame adjustment and the handy air-intake window-sleeve that lets you set the flame to be more reducing. The Hothead doesn't have these features, but it does last longer and burn hotter.

BOTH of these torches need to be used with 1-lb tanks to be safe because of the unregulated gas pressure involved. A direct threaded metal connection to your torch is safe - rigging a camping-stove hose to a bulk tank of MAPP or propane is not safe because you have tank-pressure gas running through a flexible hose inside your house (even if the bulk tank itself is outside like it should be). This would only be safe if you were working completely outdoors. Lots of people do it indoors but it isn't recommended by safety experts because the risk of gas leakage is too high. Using the safer one-pound tanks does limit the power and economicalness of Hot-Heads and Firewerks QuietTorches... So if you know that you're committed to this hobby (or if you want to make a business of it) and if you have the freedom to install more powerful ventilation and plumb your gas system (either connecting a propane line to a larger outdoor tank or hooking into your natural gas system), I'd recommend upgrading to a bigger, hotter torch that runs on pressure-regulated gas and oxygen. There are lots of great reviews for Nortel Minors, Carlisle Mini-CCs, GTT Bobcats, Knight Little Dragons and Bethlehem Piranhas, and these will all run on natural gas and oxy cons, or on tanked gas and oxygen. I'm getting a Piranha and Bethlehem has been very helpful - I can hardly wait to set it up in my new house!! But I've been on a Firewerks for 2 years.

If you're in situation where you can't set up more than a basic ventilation system or even think about running pipes anywhere, I'd say stick with the Firewerks until it dies, then buy another Firewerks or a Hothead. You can do a lot with these torches if you're patient and they're very safe and easy to use if you stick with the 1-lb tanks.

Good luck and keep on asking questions when you need help!

Sincerely, Heather