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Jelveh Designs - Glass Beads Torched One-by-One

Beads of Courage


 
  #1  
Old 2015-05-23, 11:29am
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woozles woozles is offline
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Default hothead dragon breath

UGGHHH!!

So I searched the forum and cannot find the threads i know are out there about this. I have a less than year old hothead torch, long hose connected to bulk propane. I have been using a hothead and bulk propane for 7 years. last two or three times i have attempted to torch I am getting 'dragon breath' fairly quickly after starting my torch session. I hung my torch with hose for longer than overnight.

I have noticed a lot lot of pressure builds up in the hose when i torch so I decided to disconnect the hose between each session.Today my first session, made two dot beads and decided to made a more difficult bead, but whoosh! dragons breath ruined the bead.

Any ideas?
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  #2  
Old 2015-05-23, 2:10pm
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If you were leaving your propane tank turned on, that's terrifying. Within seconds, propane at unregulated pressures can fill a room with enough gas to explode.

Common practice is to just turn off the propane at the tank, then bleed the lines by leaving the torch open and lit.
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  #3  
Old 2015-05-23, 2:28pm
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Do you have a regulator on the tank? If so, is it the low flow, like a BBQ grill? (I think that is what I read to use, but I could be wrong)
Is it the actual Hot Head, or a clone?
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  #4  
Old 2015-05-23, 2:44pm
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No i was not leaving the tank on. but i often make about 5 beads, turn the propane off and break for 30 minutes. i always bled the hose at the end of the day.

first time i got dragon breath i started bleeding the hose before taking my breaks. Today i decided maybe i just need to do the whole routine every time i stop for 30 minutes. however i did not even get that far. after connecting the hose and starting my torching i had dragon breath within about 30 minutes.

The tank is a bbq grill tank - same type i have been using for 7 years.

the hothead was purchased from howaco glass as a hothead. Fairly certain it is not a clone.
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  #5  
Old 2015-05-23, 4:12pm
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I think there were instructions on cleaning hot heads but I am not sure.

I do wonder if the hose is not going south on you.

Are you sure it a type "T"?

Even if it is the hose would be my first guess.

I think it is possible for the tanks to get a bunch of crap in them and if you are trading tanks instead of having them refilled that would be my next guess.

I guess you could get a one pound tank and see if it comes back, if so then it'll be the hothead.
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Old 2015-05-23, 4:24pm
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It is the appropriate hose, but much longer than I have had. It is less than a year old. I refill my tanks and go to the same place for propane?
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Old 2015-05-23, 4:34pm
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Good point Phil. Can you get a one pound MAPP type fuel just to see if the same thing happens?
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  #8  
Old 2015-05-23, 4:41pm
De Anza Art Glass Club De Anza Art Glass Club is offline
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The link for cleaning the Hot Head seems to be broken right now, but you might keep checking the Hot Head website.

Meanwhile, they have better pictures on the site now. Since you have an official Hot Head, the orifice plate is different (although there are respected members of LE that disagree). As you can see in the picture linked below, there is a screen that is not present in the cheaper brazing torches (MT245). You might try unscrewing the torch head and cleaning the screen. The instructions for cleaning the Hot Head usually just say to make sure the orifice is not partially blocked.

http://www.hotheadsource.com/HHreplacementparts.html
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  #9  
Old 2015-05-23, 4:59pm
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Ahhh thank you. Will try that. I do have to wonder about the hose.
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  #10  
Old 2015-05-23, 6:11pm
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Sometimes hoses just don't last.

If a one pounder works ok then I think it will have to be the hose.
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  #11  
Old 2015-05-26, 12:00pm
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possible that the "mercapan" or whatever the odorant used in propane has built up in the hose, sludgy smelly shit.
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