advice on propane torch set up needed

[zoemdez]

Hi I have just bought a Sievert torch (Sievert 9GS-KIT General Purpose Kit) that it comes with a 340 propane cylinder, a neck tube with connecting valve and a medium size burner. When I have tried to use it I found that the flame is very ‘strong’ in my setup. I would like to be able to control the intensity of the flame and make it softer at times (more like a flame that a jet). Will the pressure regulator help with this? If so which pressure range would you go for? Also I would like to connect a hose from the bottle to the neck tube because the bottle is a bit too big to hold comfortably. Do you think the neck tube will get really hot or be unsafe to hold? Any advice on any accessories that can make my torch more versatile and easier would be really appreciated.
Thanks a lot!
Eva

[Dennis]

This appears to be a complete hand held torch with a disposable canister Eva. Whether it can be adapted I don't know, but the Sievert with hose and refillable cylinder comes with a cool pistol grip.

There is no doubt that the neck will quickly get too hot to touch.The flame could be reduced in size by not opening the valve more than you need. It can also be made softer (more bushy) and adjustable with an unauthorised modification using a strip of brass or copper to clip onto the burner and partially close the air hole. My picture shows the sort of thing.

The flame would also be cooler if they offer a butane/propane mix.

There is a wealth of information about torches here, but you need to search using the box, top right. Dennis.

[Aurarius]

Hi I have just bought a Sievert torch (Sievert 9GS-KIT General Purpose Kit) that it comes with a 340 propane cylinder, a neck tube with connecting valve and a medium size burner. When I have tried to use it I found that the flame is very ‘strong’ in my setup. I would like to be able to control the intensity of the flame and make it softer at times (more like a flame that a jet). Will the pressure regulator help with this? If so which pressure range would you go for? Also I would like to connect a hose from the bottle to the neck tube because the bottle is a bit too big to hold comfortably. Do you think the neck tube will get really hot or be unsafe to hold? Any advice on any accessories that can make my torch more versatile and easier would be really appreciated.
Thanks a lot!
Eva
The torch you've bought there, Eva, is really for plumbing, and not ideally suited to jewelry work. On plumbing torches the gas valve is integral to the torch head so that the canister can be connected directly to it without the need for vulnerable hoses running between the two. Really you need a different torch head like the one Dennis suggests if you don't want to have to wave that canister around every time you do some soldering.

On the question of the flame's adjustability, you can turn the gas up or down on those kinds of torches but you can't do anything to regulate the air supply, so you won't really be able to get the bushy flame (i.e. one with reduced oxygen) that jewellers often want to work with.

[EmmaC]

I use something similar, I call it "the beast" since it has the capacity to blow solder clean off the piece you're working on, never to be seen again! It was free so I wasn't about to say no to it, I'd recommend getting some kind of fireproof back board for your soldering area though as a precaution.
They do have their uses, I use it for annealing big bits of copper, when I'm soldering large copper pieces, and for tempering and hardening steel chasing punches. When I want something more controllable for finer work I have a small butane torch. At the moment I seem to be doing okay with just the two torches with the stuff I do :)

[Dennis]

on the question of the flame's adjustability, you can turn the gas up or down on those kinds of torches but you can't do anything to regulate the air supply, so you won't really be able to get the bushy flame (i.e. one with reduced oxygen) that jewellers often want to work with.

Well I think you can Mark, see above. Regards, Dennis.

[Aurarius]

Well I think you can Mark, see above. Regards, Dennis.

Sorry, Dennis. I see your comment about improvising a clip. I should have taken account of it in my answer.
In any case I've used a plumber's torch myself - for plumbing, no less - and though it's a bit unwieldy compared with a torch head attached only to a hose I'm sure it's perfectly useable for many soldering tasks in jewelry.

[zoemdez]

Hi all, thanks a lot for you advice. I though that this kit was going to me more versatile with a few additions but it seems that is not that straight forward to modify the system. I was advised this kit by Sievert since you can add to the tube their pin point and needle point burners for smaller work but I guess that the flame will still be too powerfull.

[mizgeorge]

If you want to use a Sievert, the jeweller's kit is usually the best bet: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SIEVERT-PROPANE-GAS-JEWELLERS-BLOW-TORCH-KIT-BLOWLAMP-/141338232944?pt=UK_DIY_Materials_Plumbing_MJ&hash=item20e86a4870 (these guys are the best value I've ever found)

For a propane only torch, I much prefer the balance of an orca (and it comes with a good choice of nozzles for different styles of flame) - http://www.suttontools.co.uk/ez-torch-kit.html

[Dennis]

And Sutton tools call it the EZ torch. Not everybody knows th:-"t. Dennis.

[zoemdez]

Thanks a lot again. I am thinking to buy the sievert jewellers kit so I can use it with the sievert bottle. I have seen that this come with a 0-2bar regulator. However, I have read somewhere that a 0-4bar regulator works better. Any ideas on this? Eva

[mizgeorge]

0-2 bar is fine for such a small torch. 0-4 is useful if you want to be able to use the same setup for something else, like a lampwork torch, as well.