Boro Rod&Tubing

[John Terry]

What is the thickest rod& and heavy wall tubing can I melt with a minor running with 2 5 LPM concentrators? Thanks John....

[Jamn!]

I don't know about the tubing but I would think 8mm is a good size, but it really depends on what you want to make. You could probably melt 10 mm but it would be slower.
It really depends on if you are wanting to get the haze off of silver colors or if you are working crayon colors.

[murf]

I used a minor briefly on two concentrators and used 16mm rod. it might have been slow going I dont really recall, but worked well or at least the items came out as I wanted. I'd think you could use 24mm tube and have plenty of success. Pulling points might be difficult but you could use blow tubes.

[Jamn!]

On a minor??? Wow!
I guess the question would be HOW slow did you want to melt it?

[John Terry]

If this helps any I was wanting to pull points,marbles and pendants if this helps ......John

[murf]

Originally Posted by John Terry

What is the thickest rod& and heavy wall tubing can I melt with a minor running with 2 5 LPM concentrators? Thanks John....

well the question was what was the thickest. if your intent is for profit certainly a minor is not the way to go. but if your just having fun and exploring boro then does speed really matter? I had a minor and it was not my choice for a torch, but I have seen a lot of truly amazing work on this site by those that do own them. though I have a Phantom, I run the lynx center fire more than the outer fire. I could rage and get the job done in far less time, yet I dont often. odds are you could go to larger dia material than I have stated, but at a crawl. as long as you keep the heat base you should be able to do quite a bit with that torch.

Now as far as what you have added John about marbles and pulling points you should consider a bigger torch. certainly everyone one has their preference as far as that goes and you need to scourer all the threads to come up with your own conclusion and what best suits your pocket book. Using two concentrators does set limits on your choices and you may decide to purchase a torch that you may not run at 100% do to the oxygen needs, but that doesnt mean that you couldnt make marbles, pull points and fill your home with pendants.
Murf

[John Terry]

Thanks for the help everyone,I wish I could afford a bigger torch,but i'll just stick with what I have now.....Thanks .....John

[Cosmo]

I have melted plenty of 26x4 tubing on a Minor with two concentrators. The exact same torch setup you used at my shop when you came by. You would be surprised at how large of a tube you can melt. Even though the tube is 26mm around, the glass you are melting is only 4mm thick, so it doesn't require that much heat. You do need to pay more attention to getting the area heated evenly though because of the narrow flame.

I have also melted 18mm rod, but it took longer and was probably more than I should have been trying to accomplish.

1" marbles are not a problem on a Minor with two concentrators. I can do 1.25" pretty easy on a minor with tanked oxygen.

[John Terry]

Chad,What is the largest size rod can I easly melt?Would I have any problem melting 12 mm with what set up I have? John

[Ashmo]

I do alot of my pendants on a minor using usually 13-16mm rods. I don't have any trouble with it and it doesn't take that long. I have done a few smaller marbles(3/4") on the minor, but I like to use my bigger torch for marbles. Also with tubing, I usually am using 25-31mm heavy wall, you need a bigger flame to cover the whole tube. So I always use my bigger torch for tube work.

[John Terry]

Ashmo I am using 2 concentrators,can I melt 13-16mm rods without any problems using my minor.John

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by John Terry

Chad,What is the largest size rod can I easly melt?Would I have any problem melting 12 mm with what set up I have? John

You shouldn't have any problem.