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  #1  
Old 2016-03-30, 1:55pm
Marcia Seever Marcia Seever is offline
Marcia Seever
 
Join Date: Feb 21, 2016
Location: Chimacum, Washington
Posts: 2
Question Should I upgrade torch or add 10 lpm oxy con?

Hi all. I have several questions please. I currently am running a carlisle mini cc and a 5 lpm oxy con. I have a 10 lpm oxy I haven't used yet. I would like to be able to make larger beads. I usually make large focals up to 60mm in length and 15mm in diameter and/ or pressed free form shapes up to 40-50mm width and length.

1) The knobs on my mini cc get really hot is that normal?
2) Do you suggest upgrading my torch and running the 10 lpm or running the 10 lpm with my mini cc? Or running both oxy cons on my mini cc or both oxy cons on an upgraded torch?
3) The 10 lpm concentrator had only been used for medical purposes. I'm hearing that something needs to be done to it to make it usable for lampworking. What needs to be done and can it be done at a medical supply?
4) What would you suggest for an upgrade from the mini cc? I would like to be able to go from a delicate pin point flame to hot and bushy. I tend to develop cracks on the left side at the end. I don't know if it's my fault for not keeping the bead hot enough or if my torch is not hot enough.

I would appreciate any and all input to help me decide what direction to head.
TIA!

Last edited by Marcia Seever; 2016-03-30 at 1:57pm. Reason: modify question
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  #2  
Old 2016-03-30, 4:30pm
De Anza Art Glass Club De Anza Art Glass Club is offline
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Disclaimer: Not currently an active flameworker, but my current burners are a mini-CC and a Hellcat.

1) I have heard that the knobs on Carlisle burners get hot if you use too small of a flame or run the flame so it starts too close to the face of the burner.

2) I would recommend trying out your mini-CC with the higher capacity concentrator. First, you are used to using the mini-CC and second, the full capacity of the mini-CC is rated at about 7 lpm.

3) I have not heard of any modification that is necessary to use a concentrator previously rated for medical use in order to use it for lampworking. The only modification I can think of is how to connect your oxygen concentrator to your burner, and it is either removing the hose barb for tubing if you want to use a welding hose, or attaching an adapter to go from the barb to a threaded fitting.

4) From what I have heard, the mini-CC has more radiant heat than most other equivalently sized burners. Perhaps your problem will go away if you are using flames that are not limited by your nominal 5 lpm oxygen generator. Depending on the oxygen concentrator, you may have been operating with reduced oxygen concentration at your maximum flow rate.

Last edited by De Anza Art Glass Club; 2016-03-30 at 4:34pm.
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  #3  
Old 2016-03-30, 6:50pm
Marcia Seever Marcia Seever is offline
Marcia Seever
 
Join Date: Feb 21, 2016
Location: Chimacum, Washington
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Quote:
Originally Posted by De Anza Art Glass Club View Post
Disclaimer: Not currently an active flameworker, but my current burners are a mini-CC and a Hellcat. What do you use your Hellcat for?

1) I have heard that the knobs on Carlisle burners get hot if you use too small of a flame or run the flame so it starts too close to the face of the burner. I'm not sure I know what you mean by the flame starting too close to the face of the burner. I normally use a neutral flame with candles that run around 1/2" long.

2) I would recommend trying out your mini-CC with the higher capacity concentrator. First, you are used to using the mini-CC and second, the full capacity of the mini-CC is rated at about 7 lpm. Thank you for the response. I think I will try the 10 lpm oxy con with my mini cc first. I currently run propane at 7 lpm and my oxy con will only put out around 4. (going by the little ball gauge on the front of the oxy con) Should I have a gauge on the oxygen?

3) I have not heard of any modification that is necessary to use a concentrator previously rated for medical use in order to use it for lampworking. The only modification I can think of is how to connect your oxygen concentrator to your burner, and it is either removing the hose barb for tubing if you want to use a welding hose, or attaching an adapter to go from the barb to a threaded fitting.

4) From what I have heard, the mini-CC has more radiant heat than most other equivalently sized burners. Perhaps your problem will go away if you are using flames that are not limited by your nominal 5 lpm oxygen generator. Depending on the oxygen concentrator, you may have been operating with reduced oxygen concentration at your maximum flow rate.
That sounds right. What should my oxygen rate be with propane at 7?
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  #4  
Old 2016-03-30, 8:56pm
De Anza Art Glass Club De Anza Art Glass Club is offline
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I'm using the Hellcat for Soft and hard glass tubing.

I won't be near a burner for a couple of days, so I can't look at flames. I'm not talking about the quality of the flame, but where the colored part of the flame starts. But I shouldn't talk about that anymore, until I can find some written documentation or I can actually run a burner. So, let's disregard this for now.

According to the current Carlisle description, "standard usage" for the mini-CC is 1.5 lpm of propane at 2 psi and 7 lpm of oxygen at 5 psi.
http://carlislemachine.com/as_benchburners/minicc.php

I've been wanting to get a propane flow meter. But I have to ask, are you sure you are looking at psi, not lpm? A propane flow meter is unusual and would most likely look like the little ball gauge that you are mentioning for oxygen flow.

Here's what it looks like to me: Assuming you are using a flashback arrestor, you are using a propane pressure of 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 psi, which is a little higher than Carlisle's recommendation. You can continue with that since that is what you are used to, or maybe try a little lower pressure. You can't control the pressure output of the oxygen concentrator (unless you have an OSGI brand machine) and the little ball should be set at less than 10 when the oxygen concentrator is running but not connected to anything, but the flow will actually be determined by the position of the green knob on the burner.
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  #5  
Old 2016-03-30, 9:47pm
De Anza Art Glass Club De Anza Art Glass Club is offline
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Here's a post from Laura (flamedame) on Wet Canvas:

I posted this on my forum but will post it here too.
After much discussion with Smircich and another well known authority (who told me that it can do anything) I set up my studio with the the Mini CC. Until that time I had only used the minor at home first on concentrators and then on a generator. I LOVE the mini CC. It runs about 10 % hotter than the minor which means a nice busy flame for sculpture and I can also get a nice pinpoint that I couldn't get with the minor. I am running it with liquid oxygen which I can't do at home and it melts Bullseye and Urboros 96 like butter. I haven't tried it on Boro yet! I believe that if you back off your pressure on the propane the knob will cool off. I ran one the other day at 2 psi propane and 5 psi LOX and it ran like a dream and stayed cool! Oh and along the way I became a dealer...Carlisle has a forum here and I'm sure they can give you any information that you want. Just because the minor has been around forever doesn't mean that we should use it forever. Paula

If you don't want to read all that, try a lower propane pressure to avoid hot knobs. 2 psi without a flashback arrestor, 2-1/2 to 4-1/2 psi with a flashback arrestor

Last edited by De Anza Art Glass Club; 2016-03-30 at 9:52pm.
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  #6  
Old 2016-04-02, 4:24pm
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shawnette shawnette is offline
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Add the 10lpm. The MiniCC was my first oxy/fuel torch and the knobs get hot if you don't have enough oxygen.
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