FREQUENTLY asked Torch QUESTIONS
1. Is the LP
Gas Torch as
precise as the Micro welding Torch?
Yes, the flame is as precise
and steady as the micro welding torch, just not as hot.
2. Can I use the LP
Gas
Torch on very fine projects, like intricate wire work and small bezels?
Yes, it is designed to work
precisely on intricate pieces, as the flame can be adjusted to a very fine
point. (Soldering bezel settings works best when they are lying on a fire brick
and are heated from above).
3. Is the LP
Gas Torch hot
enough to solder without oxygen
/
air? Yes it is
hot enough to solder, you can even alloy and cast silver & gold & melt your
metal scraps.
4. Is the number 3 tip
included or is there an extra charge?
Is the #3 tip the one in picture that is brass colour?
The Rosebud tip No. 3 is an optional
accessory, if you want to alloy and cast metal or remelt scraps & filing (lemel).
It is the biggest tip on the photo with the yellow colour.
5. Can I melt large
amounts of silver with the LP
Gas Torch?
The manufacturer guaranties that everybody can melt 50-60g of Sterling
Silver, regardless of crucible used, technique, alloy, condition or skill. We
have successfully cast 96g of sterling silver for belt buckles with ease in a
short time. The maximum amount has yet to be proven. The extra air suction holes
in the tip assist in producing a hot flame quickly.
6. Is it easy to use for
students and beginners?
Plenty of colleges have been
supplied with the Precision LP
Gas Torch. We are holding jewellery
courses ourselves and our students commented on the ease of use. None of them
had any problems apart from vision problems with age or melting down their
setting because of lack of skill or concentration. We recommend to always use
plenty of flux before and during soldering, also flux the solder
bits.
Please check out our soldering hints:
Soldering Hints
7. I'm not sure what the 44a torch is. Can you explain it?
The German
Precision LP
Gas Torch comes
in two models, No. 44 & No. 44a. They are identical apart from a fast release
pressure knob on model No. 44a. You adjust the 'pilot flame' with the red
turning
valve to the size you want to have it.
Pressing the
fast release pressure
knob with your thumb produces instantly
the
biggest possible
flame. It comes handy for
quick
annealing
or several similar soldering
jobs one after another.
When you stop applying pressure, the flame goes back to the
originally adjusted size,
no resetting required!
You can use
this as a pilot flame, if you don't want to ignite the flame every time again.
We are using both torches in our
studio without a lot of difference
as we are not
working with a pilot flame. We
rather do ignite the gas with a lighter
each time again. We prefer to extinguish the flame, when releasing the knob, that there
will be no further gas flow or fire hazard. Some of our students find it easier
to learn handling torch No. 44 with only the red
twist
valve. Glass
bead makers love
the pilot flame. It all depends on personal preference
and requirement.
8. Can I order the torch
with a longer or shorter hose?
Yes certainly, we can order any
required length from the manufacturer, it just takes longer to be dispatched in
that case.
9.
Can I adjust the air intake?
It is possible to use an adjustable circular bracket to partly or completely
cover the air intake holes. That achieves a softer flame e.g.: for glass bead
making.
Photos
on webpage: Precision LP Gas Torch
10. Can I use MAPP Gas?
Yes, MAPP is a
specially formulated LP
Gas
with Acetylene. It burns a bit hotter. In Australia it is preferably
called Razor Gas.
11. Can I use Natural Gas?
The LP
Gas Torch will
not perform to its maximum capacity. The smallest tip works better with higher
pressure, but as the head
teachers of the gold & silversmithing department
of Melbourne University RMIT and Adelaide Institute of Tafe states (they
gave us permission to mention their reference): “In 1999 we purchased an LP
Gas
Soldering Torch from you, it has proved to be very good. We have moved to a new
building and the German torch seems to be the only one that will run on the
available pressure we now have…..”
12.
Any
information on safety using LP
Gas?
LP
gas is described as having a low
toxicity & low reactivity. There is an odour added to the gas to be able to
detect leaks quicker. As it is heavier than air, it sinks to the ground. If you
had a gas leak, remember to air the room well, preferably with window and door.
Gas Suppliers offer Material Safety Data Sheets and should be able to supply
legislation requirements.
To test for escaping gas you can prepare very soapy water with dishwashing
liquid and apply it around every connection with an old toothbrush and watch for
bubbles to develop. This can happen, if the nuts are not tightened properly.
Always close the gas bottle valve in the evening, as the small valves in the
torch are more sensitive than the bottle valve. They would react like a water
tap, which can start to drip, if they are constantly forced too tightly.
Please read as well our Gas Cylinder Safety advice under: Soldering Hints
13. Can I use the LP
Gas
Torch without regulator? To comply with safety
regulations and as a gas savings device we recommend the use of an LP Gas
Regulator.
We also supply Australian regulators:
REGULATORS
for LP Gas Torch
14. What is the difference between no.2, no.3 and no.4 regulators?
Will
the regulator fit
a standard
gas bottle in
Melbourne,
which
type of gas bottle do I need &
where do
I purchase
it?
The
No. 2 ngp regulator
is specifically adapted by an Australian company for this torch to support the
maximum
setting of 600KPa. Especially the smallest tip offers a longer, more stable and
precise flame, because the extra
pressure forces the gas through that tiny opening hole and avoids blocked tips.
The regulator No
2 has a gauge, which shows the chosen pressure setting.
Regulators No. 3&4
from BOC without gauge are cheaper and allow up to
400KPA.
They
differ in their inlet fittings for different sizes of gas bottles.
The German torch manufacturer
recommends the optimum working pressure between 400 - 600 KPa = 58 -87 PSI,
which is quite high. A lot of US-regulators don't offer such high pressure
settings.
We have successfully
used the torch at
a low pressure of
200 KPA = 24 PSI and some schools regulated to very low
pressure of natural gas are always using the Tip No. 2 only.
The conversion rate for
KPa:
1 KPa =
0.145 PSI
200 KPa : 6.895 = 29 PSI
4 – 6 Bar = 400-600 KPa = 58 – 87 PSI
The inlet valve of the
ngp regulator No. 2 fits large gas cylinders with a POL outlet valve. The
Melbourne company ngp fitted the regulators for us with a 3/8" (A-fitting)
outlet valve, corresponding to the normal fitting on the German LPGas
Torch. We also can supply the torch and
the regulator
with the 9/16" (B-fitting), which is more common in USA,
in case you ever want to attach another torch to the regulator.h
We
strongly recommend the swap system for large gas bottles in
Australia, as you
get a fully serviced cylinder each
time you need a refill. The large
LP
Gas
cylinders, e.g. 9kg always have a POL outlet in Australia. The small 2kg BBQ
camping gas bottles have 3/8" outlet, the 4kg bottles vary.
The BBQ regulators
are adjusted too low.
The service stations
are stocked by Elgas, Gogas or other
gas suppliers. They are all ok.
15. I
will use the torch in a home studio in USA with a 1 lb propane disposable tank.
( I am very happy to finally discover a torch I can use safely at home without
violating state or insurance regulations!) I am still confused as to which
regulator I'd need.
for disposable
LP Gas or MAPP gas cylinders
we offer:
No.
2A
Australian ngp LP Gas regulator
3/8” BSP LH outlet,
adjustable up to 400 KPa = 58psi,
CGA600
inlet, wire cage cylinder stand included800.545.6566 within USA.
16. Does the LP
Gas Torch
fit to a Comet Regulator?
Yes with the correct fitting.
Cigweld
/
Thermadyne told us their Comet regulators have an outlet connection 5/8
-18 UNF LH EXT. To make sure please specify nut diameter, when ordering or take
the torch along, when you get a gas-bottle & regulator to make sure it fits. In
the worst case you can get adapters to connect different threads or cut off the
existing nut from the end of the torch hose and get a correct nut fitted. It has
to be done by a professional gas supplier to be sure it is gas tight.
17. I just ordered a Smith
Regulator, can I use it with the German LP
Gas Torch?
The torch manufacturer
recommends to set the regulator between 400 and 600 KPa. This is 58.01 and 87.02
PSI. The output of the Smith regulator sounds very low. The German
torches are designed for high pressure, especially for use with the smallest tip
( fine soldering). We know some schools are working with natural gas only, which
has a very low pressure, but they can only use tip No. 2or3. That means you
would limit your range of application. Gentec and Uniweld have a regulator
that offers 0-60 PSI. The Goss EP-70G is set to 0-60 PSI. This gives you about
414 KPa or get one of our
regulators.
18.
Isn't the pressure setting for the German LP
Gas Torch quite high?
On a Hoaks torch my friend uses 7-10
psi? Yes,
the German LP
Gas torch is designed for high pressure.
That ensures the accurate small, pointy flame and the efficiency (fastness of
reaching high temperatures quickly).
19. What is the Hose End Fitting
(tank end) on the Precision LP Torch?
We can supply 3 different fittings:
German 3/8" =A or B =9/16", which is the more common one in America. Australia
has a 5/8" fitting on some of their gas bottles or regulators. Your gas
suppliers should be able to tell you which outlet the regulator has.
20. Is the regulator one that I could find at a gas supplier here in Canada?
The
Comet or
Victor
Thermadyne
regulator is available in America/Canada
or via Internet. The Australian manufacturer produced especially for us a
regulator fully adjustable to 600kPa, which suits the maximum recommendation for
the German LP
Gas
torch. We can supply
it with US standard fittings.
21.
I have not really mastered the control mechanism of the adjustor of the BOC
fitting and it seems sometimes as if gas is escaping.
The regulator needs to be attached to the gas bottle using a spanner. Fuel gas
hoses have left-hand thread and will be tightened anti-clockwise.
If you are
using the largest nozzle, you can turn the screw of the regulator further in
clockwise, to increase the pressure.
22. Is the LP Gas torch available in Canada or the USA or do I have to order from
Germany? We are the
agents for all English speaking countries. You can order directly from us. The
manufacturer sells only wholesale to retailers, not directly to the public.
23. Do you offer
troubleshooting/ support/ warranty/ upgrades or repairs here in Canada?
We offer a
one-year-full warranty (never needed so far) and include spare o-rings, which is
the only serviceable part you might need to exchange, if it gets squashed from
frequent tip changes. There is no agent in USA or Canada, but you are welcome to
contact us with any question that might come up.
24. I’m interested in
replacing my ORCA Gas torch, the nozzles tend to get blocked quickly these days
and it drives me crazy when it starts to splutter in the middle of soldering.
Have you had any feedback from customers as I’d be keen to know. How small is
the smallest tip? We
ourselves are using this torch for 30 years for jewellery manufacture and have
no problems with blocked nozzles. The size of the tip does not matter that much
in that respect. The nozzles have been designed to produce a clean steady flame,
working with high pressure. We even got an Australian regulator manufacturer to
produce a regulator for us, which is adjustable up to 600KPa, allowing to use
the torch to its maximum capacity.
REGULATORS for LP
Gas Torch Tip blockage can occur from impurities in the
gas or too low pressure.
One
of only two clients, who contacted us about that problem over all these years we have sold
this torch (already hundreds of torches)
stated, that
there
seems to be a profound difference in the cleanliness of bottled LP
Gas between gas suppliers and BBQ
stores or Service stations. She had problems with blocked tips until she got her
gas
bottles refilled or swapped at the
suppliers. The other one was from a local high
school, where they don't have high gas pressure and lots of beginners using the
torch, probably afraid of a large flame. The problem is easily solved
for the German Precision LP Gas Torch, as the
tip can be dismantled with a spanner and the valve turned around to be blown
clean by the gas pressure or if that does not help
it can be soaked in Methylated Spirit or
can be taken to an outlet, where compressed air can be used to blow it through.
25. Can we use existing
hoses of an American
Jeweler's
Torch?
No,
sorry.
The German torches are equipped with
high-pressure hoses of long-lasting quality, which are crimped to the torch
for gas tightness and are quite stiff. The hose inside or outside diameters
differ in each country. They are not standard-sized. We are supplying correct
fittings for different countries to suit the regulators.
Insurances would not offer cover either.
26. Would the LP torch offer more control then the Bernzomatic pencil torch over
the size and persistence of the flame? Does it stay lit easily?
Yes, it is designed to offer a
steady precise flame with German craftmanship, which stands for quality.
It is easy to ignite and adjust by turning the valve half a turn between your
thumb and forefinger. You decide when you want to turn it off.
27.
Which metals will the LP gas torch melt? Will it weld steel rods of 6-8 mm that
you buy in hardware shops?
You can melt gold, silver, bronze, copper, brass and
all the other lower melting metals like lead, tin...... The LP
gas Torch
will braze steel rods together using the large No. 3 tip and solder, but it will
not weld them. Oxygen in combination with a fuel gas is required for gas
welding.
28. How wide is the flame of the LP
Gas Torch at its hottest point (presumably
just past the tip of blue cone) using rosebud tip 3?
We measured the diameter of tip No. 3 to be 25mm, the
flame is 34 – 36 mm wide at about 200mm distance from the tip.
29. My intended use is to
manufacture decorative scroll work in steel for doll houses that is 1/12th
scale. Do you have any advice on types of materials that would be suitable and
suppliers details.
A&E Metal Merchants ph
02-8568 4200
are offering round wires, square, half round, twisted, sheet in different
materials: Silver, Gold, Base Metals, Brass, Copper, Nickel Silver=Brass-Nickel,
Stainless Steel & Titanium. They also stock a specific copper solder, which is
used for copper and brass. If you are using stainless steel, we can recommend
BOC Pro Silver Brazing Alloy, but for small joints you need to roll it down to
approximately 0.5mm or alternatively
if you don't have a rolling mill flatten it with a hammer and cut it with tin snips into small pieces or long strips,
depending on your soldering technique. flux
you can use: Easyflo flux paste from AGR
Matthey, available from BOC ph 131262
www.boc.com.au. A well-priced Asian
jewellers supplier in Sydney is: Jewellery Tools & Boxes ph 9599 4270 or 9567
6827
www.jewtb.com.au
email:
support@jewtb.com.au An American Supplier:
www.riogrande.com Otherwise you can try
http://www.yellowpages.com.au searching for steel rod suppliers.
30. Do you offer ‘High
melt soft solder ‘ (Plumbers is it called)?
- In the jewellery trade there is hard solder
used for higher temperature, graded into hard solder for highest melting point,
medium and easy solder. They all are lead free. Soft solder usually describes
lead containing solders, like the electrician solder, melting at very low
temperatures and not offering such a strong bond. We are not sure, if hard
jewellery solders would solder steel. You can buy a small quantity and try it.
You can order solder from A&E Metals ph 02-8568 4200 and talk to them about your
solder requirements.
31. Torch needed for model
engineering....small steel silver solder - say cylinders 1" dia by 1" long up to
copper boilers 6" dia x 15" long (the last in sections). Which should I get ?
Our recommendation is the German Micro Welding Torch, as it gives you more
options: extremely small flames to large flames, especially when you are
combining too different materials with different heat conductivity. For
this
you need
Oxygen and a fuel gas, e.g.
LP Gas plus the required regulators for both and
flashback arrestors for both. But if you
are on a budget the German Precision LP
Gas Torch
with all three tips should do the job sufficiently once you acquire the
technique of soldering large items.
32. I believe I got
a gas leak or can’t get the micro welding torch gas tight by hand, what can I
do?
The connection nut at the end of the hose
definitely needs
to be
tightened with a spanner
to the regulator.
Only the small tips can be pushed onto the end of
the gooseneck without spanner. The
knob on the regulator is fully opened, when you have turned it clockwise to its
limit, allowing you to use 400KPa, which this torch can handle with ease. You
only need to close the bottle valve in the evening or after
finishing work for the day. If you still
think you cannot get the connection between the torch and the regulator any
tighter, please return both well packaged. We will test them and replace them, if necessary.
Please let us know how
and where
you determined
a gas leak and which gas
you are using?
In case there is a leak in one of the
valves, which are very sensitive to too much force in tightening, we might need
to replace the valves. Soapy water with dishwashing liquid can show the spot of
the leak: Shut down the main valve on the LP
Gas Cylinder, open the main valve of
the Oxygen and check with the soapy water
all connections,
the handpiece (Oxygen valve) and
the torch tip. Check using LP
Gas only. Do not use any
grease on connecting parts! - Danger of explosion!
When you undo the screw that holds
the large goose neck, you can pull it off and you will see the small and the
large black o-ring, which can be replaced, if worn out or squashed.
33. Could I use the micro
welding torch just with lpg ? Sorry the micro welding torch
cannot be used just with lpg, but the German
Precision LP Gas Torch has been designed to suck in surrounding air through
holes in the tip and mix it with LP
Gas. It therefore heats the
metal quicker than other torches and
also supports very fine
soldering jobs with precision.
34. Is the Micro
Welding Torch able to do brazing jobs for steel parts......for moulds?
According to the manufacturer a mould out of sheet metal should be easily
repairable.
If the steel you are using does not require shield gas, there should be
no
problem to weld on it,
of course
up to a certain size and thickness of the mould.
35. We would need to automate the gas flow, using valves that can be controlled
by computer; is such a setup feasible with the micro welding torch?
A computerised pressure
regulating device could bypass the valves of the torch.
In that case the valves need to
be fully open (about 1 full turn). We will contact our regulator supplier about
the computer contol.
36. I am interested in a
small brazing / welding torch with an oxygen assisted flame that I could use for
a craft and home mechanics type role. I want the ability to cut metal as well as
welding / brazing. I have had a full oxygen and acetylene system before but want
to get away from the high cost of renting bottles. I thought the MAPP gas type
bottles with one oxygen and one propane bottle would be most cost effective. The
micro welding torch seems as though it would suffice. What do you think? Do you
also supply small flashback arrestors and regulators? I guess the regulators
used for small argon bottles for MIG welding would suffice.
We ourselves have not
yet tried to use the German Micro Welder for cutting metal. As far as we heard
the cutting torches are really heavy built and operate on very high pressure.
Our micro welding torch works already on a higher pressure than the American
Smith Torch and offers a much more accurate and stable flame. You can use it
with one Oxygen and one LP
Gas bottle, each with its own regulator and flashback
arrestor. For LP
Gas most suppliers offer a swap system nowadays, which means you
pay for the first bottle with content and get a fully tested exchange bottle
each time. That offers higher safety and efficiency.
The micro welding torch is suitable
to be used for brazing/soldering stainless steel and of course gold alloys. To
weld stainless steel you need to use a tig-welder (tungston inert gas welder)
using Argon as a shield gas.
37. Could you e-mail me with payment suggestions?
Please find payment options explained on our website:
order& payment.htm
38. It seems I would need a special regulator for
high pressure for your LP Gas Torch. Will I need an additional regulator for my
LP gas? For the German LP Gas Torch you need only one regulator,
which you will fit with an inlet valve to the LP gas cylinder and an outlet
valve to the connection nut at the hose end of the torch. Please refer to
question 14&15 in regards to which
regulator to choose.
39. I do a lot of Platinum work. When I am soldering
Platinum I like to be able to bump up the heat to bring the solder to 'final
flow'. Would the LP gas torch 44a be able to add flame intensity and then return
to the earlier plat temp I was working with? Some fellow jewelers here are
having a hard time believing that with the added pressure of Oxygen the flame
temp. would increase. They seem to think that Propane with oxygen will burn at a
said temp regardless of Oxygen pressure. Could you help clarify this for us? Are
you using this torch for your Platinum work?
The Precision LP Gas
Jewelers Torch can achieve 1225°C = 2237°F with Propane-Butane Gas, which is
sufficient for an 'easy-melt' Platinum solder. 'Medium' Platinum solder needs
already 1250°C and would not melt with the LP Gas Torch. This torch is using LP
Gas only. It is designed to suck in surrounding air through air intake holes in
the tip and mixes the gases to an optimum. Therefore it is able to heat up the
metal quickly and is ideal for metals with a high conductivity of heat, like
Silver and Gold alloys. As Platinum and Palladium metals have a lower
conductivity and a higher melting point we ourselves are using the German Micro
Welding Torch. It offers a hotter localized flame. you can also use its large
gooseneck and tips for silver work. As you are working a lot with Platinum we
would recommend the hotter oxy/Lpg solution: The German Micro Welding Torch
offering you all options.
The Micro Welding Torch could reach following temperatures:
2200°C for Oxygen in combination with Propane / LP Gas = 3992°F
(5300°F for Oxygen with MAPP Gas)
2700°C for Oxygen with Acetylene = 4892°F
3200°C for Oxygen with Hydrogen = 5792°F
You can regulate the oxygen and LP Gas flow via the red and blue valves
adjusting the flame to hotter or 'cooler', which we tried to show in the photos
on our webpage: micro_welding_torch.htm
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