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Boro Room -- For Boro-related tips, techniques, and questions.

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  #1  
Old 2007-04-30, 2:09am
Leanne's Avatar
Leanne Leanne is offline
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Join Date: Feb 18, 2006
Location: Canberra, the capital of Australia!
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Default upgrade from a midrange? Answer from boro people please!?!?!

Meadowsky reminded me of something about a torch question I have. I thought it was better here in the boro room than in the torch thread because I want boro people to answer.
In the next 12 months or so I wanna buy a new torch. I currently have a mid range with a minor top.
I was thinking of getting a Gtt phantom because it's a 4 stud. Can I run a concentrator for the centre fire and bottled oxy for the outerfire? Would this torch be a big enough power difference to make it worthwhile moving up from a midrange?

See the thing is when I get this concentrator I don't think it will have the power to run the midrange flat out but I do know the concentrator I want can run 2 minors at once or a barracuda centrefire reallyl well and the outer fire ok. The concentrator is called a high intensity airsep. Do you have those in the states?

Would it be better for me to save my penny's and just by a barracuda? I think someone had some sort of add on so you could turn it into a four stud.


I must have a centrefire because at the moment most of my work is soft glass beads.

What sort of torch would you recommend? I like the idea of the lynx's and barracudas because they can go right down to a needle flame where as my minor cannot do that.
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  #2  
Old 2007-04-30, 2:18am
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Leanne Leanne is offline
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also what is the centrefire of a barracuda like in comparison to a minor? And is the barracuda outer fire much hotter than a midrange?
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  #3  
Old 2007-04-30, 4:57am
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Mr. Smiley Mr. Smiley is offline
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The Cuda can be made into a 4 stud. Between the Cuda and the Phantom, it's a tough call. Since you do soft glass as well, my suggestion is the Cuda. The Phantom is an awesome torch, don't get me wrong. You just need to know how to run it right or you'll clog the ports. They will do a deep cleaning for free, but you'll have to send it in. The Cuda has a different port configuration and is more easily cleaned out by the user. Both torches will rock the house. This is just one opinion, I'm sure there will be many more. I'd research everything you can, because you live on the other side of the world from either service department.
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  #4  
Old 2007-04-30, 7:48am
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i dont know about the cuda but you will love the phantom!!!!! can run concentrator for centerfire, lynx is fab for soda lime and boro!!!!!!!!!!!! only thing you cant do is run SHORT candles with low oxy, so if reducing flame just make sure candles are a distance from the torchface, and always at least crack blue oxy. there is a short video on maintenance and proper flame adjustment, came with my torch, very simple, had my mirage a few years, never had issues with this. such a tough thing to decide torches, best if you can work on both and see what you like better!
ro
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Gtt Mirage torch with tanked oxygen.
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  #5  
Old 2007-04-30, 8:50am
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ShepherdCreations ShepherdCreations is offline
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Yes, a barracuda will run on an oxy generator like the UO Hurricane from ABR or Generations Glass, and it runs Fantastic on it. Plus it's half the price of the phantom, so it also depends on what you can afford right now. I love my barracuda and am lookin to get a mirage next year, but a barracuda is a very nice torch, especially for soft glass. When making boro beads, you really only need the centerfire for small and medium ones. Don't know how much oxy costs in AU, but a hurricane can pay for itself in a year around here if used 2 days a week. Cheers!
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Patrice & Paul, Running a Mirage and Barracuda on a Pro-8.
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  #6  
Old 2007-04-30, 9:14am
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ooh! I vote GTT!
You will love it! And if you can afford it, go with a Mirage. It's awesome. It has the Lynx centerfire for super detail and a burning hot outerfire that melts glass so easily! And the torch stays cool to the touch
I have not gotten the clogged ports problem but the torch does need regular care--it comes with a DVD that shows you what flames you can run and how to clean it.
Whatever you end up choosing, you will have made the right choice--there are so many awesome torches out there!
Also, any larger torch you get, do go with the footpedal option--wow--makes life easy!
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  #7  
Old 2007-04-30, 9:58am
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GTTs so much better than any sort of two mix torch, it will pay for the price difference in time if you are producing.You might consider a Lynx ; I do small to midsize boro work on a Lynx all the time and they are excellent for solid or blown pieces. A phantom is starting to be pretty large, yeah, you could use the bottled + oxygen set up you mention.

Quote:
Originally Posted by leanne
I was thinking of getting a Gtt phantom because it's a 4 stud. Can I run a concentrator for the centre fire and bottled oxy for the outerfire? Would this torch be a big enough power difference to make it worthwhile moving up from a midrange?
This is like comparing a 4 cylinder mustang to a 5.0, not even that... it's like comparing a minivan to a Corvette (sorry I don't know any Australian sportscars!) . Just a lynx, the center fire from a Phantom, has 3 times the heat of a midrange. As I mentioned in the major burner thread, I upgraded from a Major/Minor to a Phantom. I found that just with ONLY the center fire (Lynx) I could make a 1 inch marble in half the time it took on the Minor/Major - like 15 minutes instead of 30. Then, with the outer fire, it took like um, 5 to get a good marble body. GTTs just melt boro like crazy compared to non triple mix torches.

Lynxes are not a problem., but the larger torches do have to be run properly. I have never caused an issue with a GTT. With a 2 stage torch you HAVE to take very seriously the fact that the green (Main) oxy for the outer fire cools the torch. When you have the outer fire on, there absolutely must be enough oxygen and candle length to cool the torch. Remember that, and theres no problem messing them up. If you do, W&W will fix it for free anyway.. shipping would be a sniddle, though.
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