Setting up a Smiths Little Torch

[medusa]

OK, after much deliberation I got myself a Smiths Little Torch (or possibly a looky-likey). It was this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/High-Quali...#ht_1750wt_974

It came with the 3/8ths connectors but I'm stuck now. I went to just about every pumping, roofing welding and bottle gas suppliers in the area and all I could basically get from them was I needed to find a regulator to fit for the gas and oxygen and whilst the gas "might possibly" be done, for the oxygen I would have to hire a tank from BOC at a cost of £300-400 per year.

I'm so frustrated so can anyone tell me in really simple, basic (don't even worry about sounding patronising!) terms what I need to get, where I can get it and how to put it together? I really want to play with it but it's been sitting sad and unused in it's box since the new year.

Merci, mons amis.

[lilia]

OK, after much deliberation I got myself a Smiths Little Torch (or possibly a looky-likey). It was this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/High-Quali...#ht_1750wt_974

It came with the 3/8ths connectors but I'm stuck now. I went to just about every pumping, roofing welding and bottle gas suppliers in the area and all I could basically get from them was I needed to find a regulator to fit for the gas and oxygen and whilst the gas "might possibly" be done, for the oxygen I would have to hire a tank from BOC at a cost of £300-400 per year.

I'm so frustrated so can anyone tell me in really simple, basic (don't even worry about sounding patronising!) terms what I need to get, where I can get it and how to put it together? I really want to play with it but it's been sitting sad and unused in it's box since the new year.

Merci, mons amis.

I can't advise you on the connection, sorry, but try to stay away from BOC. Apart from being hediously expensive, the customer care is terrible. Get yourself an oxygen concentrator, you would need to spend another £250 (?), but it will work out much more economical in he long run. There is thread on another well known UK forum on how to connect little torch to the concentrator.
I'm getting mine in August, when my rental with BOC runs out. Can't wait.

[mizgeorge]

yep. Oxycon all the way. I've been using my little torch this way for quite some time now, and have recommended it to everyone I can think of. Much safer, more economical and not at all hard to set up. I already had my oxycon for lampworking, but a reconditioned one is only £235 delivered from Tuffnell Glass or Off Mandrel.

[Wallace]

yep. Oxycon all the way. I've been using my little torch this way for quite some time now, and have recommended it to everyone I can think of. Much safer, more economical and not at all hard to set up. I already had my oxycon for lampworking, but a reconditioned one is only £235 delivered from Tuffnell Glass or Off Mandrel.

totally agree with George - the recon oxycon is fab, I use mine for silver and gold and it has taken over as my favourite tool. It has been worth every penny. You can get barb tailed connectors through 'the bay of auctions' , or just visit your local car parts shop (but do take the torch with you so they can match up a connector) .

The 3/8 is a standard size for UK fittings so will fit onto a must have flashback arrestor. The Oxycon will be of different size and the barb tail connector will be required to fit onto the hose if you don't wan't to fiddle with changing over to the one that comes with the unit.

[medusa]

Ugh! suddenly my £50 bargain seems less of a bargain! I can't believe that you can't get disposable oxygen!

I'll have a look out for a second hand oxycon. Is that the search term I need or is there a brand name I should look out for?

[mizgeorge]

TBH you won't find that much cheaper than the recon ones mentioned above. They do occasionally pop up on ebay, but rarely go for any less than that (they're very expensive new) and you have no idea of the history. Compared to a BOC contract, they're an absolute bargain.

You can get disposable oxygen cannisters, but they're hugely expensive for the amount of use you get from them.

[ps_bond]

I'm still toying with the idea of going over to oxy/propane - but I still like my Sievert. The disposable O2 cylinders I've seen are a bit of a joke - they work out as an astronomical price for the runtime.
As a possible alternative to either the oxycon or the dreaded BOC contract, do you know any trimix or enthusiastic rebreather divers? A number of the ones I know rent their own J cylinders (I think that's the size) and decant into normal (O2 clean) dive cylinders...

[Kwant]

I use oxy gas and boy oh boy George you are not wrong in that the disposable oxy is expensive, and they are horribly not refillable and are consigned to the dump after use, which to me seems like a scandalous waste. I just cannot see why they could not be refilled, but there is a note on the side that says no, such a shame.

[ps_bond]

There's a note on the side of the propane ones saying much the same. In that case, it isn't true - although I'm a lot more cautious about oxygen than propane.

[caroleallen]

Steve got the connecting bits from Cornish Welding Supplies at St Day. He said they were very helpful. It was a bit of a fiddle to reconnect the plastic hoses to the gas and oxycon but everything's now sorted and working well. Tuffnells were really helpful when I thought it wasn't working. I've found you only need a tiny bit of gas and oxygen. I'm still getting used to how such a tiny flame can be so hot though.