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  #31  
Old 2012-08-11, 5:37am
glassartist glassartist is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryC View Post
Let me know if you decide to sell it. A friend wants one.
I am going to sell my Lynx and buy something that provides what I need for my style of work.
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  #32  
Old 2012-08-11, 7:50am
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glassactcc glassactcc is offline
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Yes, this is what I was trying to say. The Wildcat does take longer to heat but it heats all of the way through without melting the surface too fast. You don't have to worry about loosing surface decor. I'm glad your having some luck with it. It does take a bit getting used to. I know when I switch between my Herbie and the Wildcat, it is two different worlds and I have to adjust myself to that. I'm glad you figured out the silver glass too. I don't use it but if I do, now I know.

Larry, nawww....ain't never parting with my Herbie LOL!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenne View Post
I got a Wildcat used from someone here. It's drastically different from the Lynx. It can get as hot, it's just a bushy, less pinpointed flame. And the heat feels completely different. With the Lynx I could get something hot in no time, but it was hard to get the whole piece (larger pieces) nicely balanced without feeling a little stressed about cracks and insurance heat. The Wildcat takes a little longer to heat the whole piece up, but for some reason, it seems to keep it's heat longer. It's difficult to explain.

It's almost like comparing apples to oranges. They may be fruit, but not off the same tree.

One thing about the Wildcat. I find that I need to work much farther out in the flame when using silver glass. Otherwise it auto-strikes/reduces when I don't want it to.
So far though, I'm able to have it do what I was trying to force the Lynx to do...be a soft, bushy flame with more ambient heat.
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  #33  
Old 2012-08-11, 8:35am
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chrisann chrisann is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Polgarra View Post
How many oxy-cons do you run it on?
It will run pretty good with 2 but 3 is better or 1 M20. Brent ran his on oxycons, I have mine on tanks now because I have a manifold system set up and have 4-5 torches always set-up to play with.
chrisann
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  #34  
Old 2013-02-17, 5:39am
robh740 robh740 is offline
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I suggest going to GTT web sight and open the Lynx info,downlowd the instructions. I just purchased a Lynx and M20, still waiting for there arrival. Back to the instructions, I just read thru these a few minutes ago and to my suprise came across your post here, They say to run just the RED and BLUE Valves for soft glass,then if you want to do detail add a little BLUE valve, This valve adds your fine tight flame and if you boost this valve with more propane and oxygen it gives you the punch you need to work boro. very important to run your side oxy high enough to help keep the torch cool. Hope this Helps
Rob
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  #35  
Old 2013-02-17, 4:15pm
dusty dusty is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenne View Post
Ok, so I upgraded from a Nortel Minor to a GTT Lynx shortly before this past Christmas. I was looking for more heat to do larger soft glass work and delve into boro.

The amount of heat a Lynx can produce is amazing, and it melts through boro like butter. I'm just not liking it for my larger soft glass stuff. I guess I'm looking for something bushier, with more ambient heat.

I was looking at a CC Wildcat, and thought that would be a parallel move? Not sure how it handles boro? Hubby said to keep the Lynx, but I don't think he realizes the cost to have both torches.

Oxygen-wise, I have an M20 oxycon, so I need to stay within the oxygen output it can handle. I do have a tank for backup, but tanked O2 isn't ideal because of the distance I have to drive for refills. Sounds like the M20 would handle a Wildcat easy, especially since it runs the Lynx.

Is there another option I'm not considering? I looked at Nortels, but not sure...I loved (still love) my Minor, but not sure how the bigger ones perform.

Thanks for any input/opinions.
Jenne

I use a Hellcat with the inner fire on 2 5lpm concentrators and outer on tanked (with a foot pedal), and I think the set-up would be perfect for your needs.
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  #36  
Old 2013-02-18, 9:08am
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kbinkster kbinkster is offline
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When you use the red and green valve only (or with the blue just barely cracked open a hair), the Lynx is effectively a 7-jet standard mix surface mix torch just like a Bobcat, a Minor, a Mini CC, etc., and you would run it the same as you would run (or should run) any of those. The difference is that the Lynx has the triple mix feature available to it, where the other torches I mentioned do not.

The triple mix feature expands the range of flame characteristics (size, shape, atmosphere) available. The limited range of a standard surface mix torch is there and can be accessed simply by not using the triple mix. If you want to run a Lynx like you would a Minor, you certainly could just by keeping the blue valve just barely cracked ever-so-slightly or off (more on that follows). It’s that easy. For some applications, that may be what is called for. For other applications, employing the triple mix feature makes the job much easier.

If you want to do stringer work using a pinpoint flame instead of the heat envelop around the torch, use the red and blue valves only, with the green valve oxygen off. This is an example of where having the triple mix feature is very helpful when working with soft glass. When you use the red and blue valve only, you can dial in a needle flame that is not only tight and precise, it has just about no radiant heat to wipe out the detail of the glass next to where you’re using it and you can have your fingers right up next to the flame.

If you would like the widest neutral flame on a Lynx, which is a soft flame with a lot of radiant heat, all you have to do is use the green and red valve with the blue valve just barely cracked open and use the torch as a standard surface mix. If you are running candles 3/8" long or longer, or, if you are changing your flame types quickly and not sitting on one flame type for long (like 10 minutes), you could close the blue valve if you just had to (still, it’s better to be in the habit of having it at least cracked open. If you notice carboning, flick it off and crack open the blue valve or bump up your oxygen just a little).

A solid neutral flame suitable for working soft glass will generally have candles that are about 1/4" to 3/8" long with yellow/white tips on them that are 1-2mm long. The more fuel you add, or the more oxygen you take away, the longer those tips will be. The more oxygen you add, or the more fuel you take away, the shorter the tips will be. You can tell when a flame is about to go into reduction when the yellow tips of the candles start forming little points (feathering or streaking). Otherwise, they are nice and rounded.

The sweet spot for working soft glass is going to be 3-4 inches from the face of the torch. If you want to work cooler, move out further, turn your flame down, or do both. Just remember that if you run candles that are any shorter than 1/4", you will want to run more oxygen through the torch. The candles should be all blue, with no yellow/white tips. If you don’t run all blue candles for a flame shorter than 1/4”, you could have carbon issues (on any torch).

The injector oxygen does not cool the torch and not using it is not going to cause your torch face to melt.

The reason for having the center valve open, if only the tiniest little bit, is to create some flow of oxygen through the tiny injector tubes so that the ends of those tubes don't become dead spots at the face of the torch. Dead spots load up heat more easily and attract carbon build-up. Occasional carbon is not a problem, as you can flick it off, adjust your flame, and move on. If you let it collect/cake on and bake on, however, it can overheat the ends of the tubes and eventually, you could have some erosion, just like on any torch. I will repeat: baked on carbon and tube erosion can happen on any torch. It's easy to spot any problems on a Lynx long before tube erosion occurs because the injector jets are so small. You will notice the carbon build-up sooner on the small injector tubes of a Lynx (and can take corrective action sooner) than on the larger tubes the standard surface mix torches have.
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Last edited by kbinkster; 2013-02-18 at 9:20am.
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  #37  
Old 2013-02-18, 9:12am
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kbinkster kbinkster is offline
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With all of that said, there is a point where you just want a wider flame. I have seen people make bigger work more quickly on a Lynx than on a standard surface mix torch, and even so, there's a point where a wider flame is necessary.
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  #38  
Old 2021-07-16, 2:42pm
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lunesse lunesse is offline
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Wider flame is RIGHT where I am at, all these years later. I have a Lynx and love it, and rarely use it to full potential. I cant decide between a scorpion with a Lynx center, since I know it will work on my 2 5's and I can throw my new 2 10's at the outer flame... and sell the Lynx, or if I should go for a Bravo, which also these days can handle concentrators, from what I have read, and have a different experience, and what seems to be a wider, bushier flame to keep things warm and melting evenly.... and keeping the old Lynx at least for awhile and seeing how it goes. Urgh.
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  #39  
Old 2021-07-18, 8:08am
kansassky kansassky is offline
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I sold my new Lynx within six weeks.
I had the same issue…the Lynx flame was too focused and narrow.

I bought a Bravo three years ago and couldn’t be happier with it.
It’s an amazing burner/torch in my opinion.
Furthermore, it is the perfect match for my needs and the way I work glass.

P.S. When I sold the Lynx, I recovered much of my investment in the Bravo.
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  #40  
Old 2021-07-18, 12:53pm
LarryC LarryC is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kansassky View Post
I sold my new Lynx within six weeks.
I had the same issue…the Lynx flame was too focused and narrow.

I bought a Bravo three years ago and couldn’t be happier with it.
It’s an amazing burner/torch in my opinion.
Furthermore, it is the perfect match for my needs and the way I work glass.

P.S. When I sold the Lynx, I recovered much of my investment in the Bravo.
The Lynx is not for everyone. The GTT triple mix requires a shift in how you adjust and run the torch and make no mistake if you can get through the adjustment and learning curve it is certainly a much MORE versatile and capable torch than the Bravo. All you have to do is to look toward the glass community and see how much theese torches hold their value versus any of the Beths.
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  #41  
Old 2021-07-18, 4:09pm
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echeveria echeveria is offline
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I think torches are a very personal decision. I always look for one to try if I am considering one, hopefully on the same fuel and oxygen source that I have. I have friends that love love love their Carlisles. I hate them. Others love their minors, and I feel like I am going to lapse into a coma trying to melt anything on one. I really like my Bobcat, my Alpha and my Midrange. I have a Lynx but have not taken time to master it. Anyway, trying them out is very helpful.
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