Micro brazing torch - any good?

[Janger]

Cost of entry to this area is pricey! https://www.kmstools.com/welders/gas-welding-equipment-welding-gas.html

By the time you buy some tanks, get a torch, regulators blah blah. Wow! Might as well buy a complete setup with tanks and everything.

Using the firebricks is great advice.

 

[Janger]

I was lookng at torches on kijiji and saw these pot style torches. When I was a kid my friends Dad had a guy come by to braze my friends bicycle forks back together and the welder used one of these. It was brazing as we were impressed by the gold colored braze. What fuel do these use? Maybe a mini liquid torch running on alcohol or something like those micro torch lighters would work. And avoid the gas and cylinders question completely.

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[Janger]

I was lookng at torches on kijiji and saw these pot style torches. When I was a kid my friends Dad had a guy come by to braze my friends bicycle forks back together and the welder used one of these. It was brazing as we were impressed by the gold colored braze. What fuel do these? Maybe a mini liquid torch running on alcohol or something like those micro torch lighters would work. And avoid the gas and cylinders question completely.

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Here is a nice one - very cool. made in 1921. @johnnielsen I'm sure this is of interest. There are a few more on Calgary kijiji.

 

[Rauce]

I have one of those smith mini knockoffs. I tried it out a couple times but I never really need it over my usual torch.

I have a Victor 100fc medium duty torch and an elbow with replaceable tips from torchtools. I started out with a uniweld 71 torch with the same tip set up, which was fairly inexpensive 7 or so years ago. I use a BBQ tank and an o2 cylinder. I really like oxy/propane for brazing, when I occasionally braze with o/a at work I find heat control more challenging.

I originally used a medical o2 concentrator as my o2 source. I got it off Craigslist for $100. Not enough to cut with but good enough for brazing. The only thing I hated about it was it took about 5-10 minutes to get consistent enough flow to keep the torch lit.

 

[Perry]

Whats do you guys think of this? Using McGyvers suggestion above about using propane. I could use one of my extra 20lb propane tanks. Purchase a 20L Oxygen tank. ( $239 at KMS from Jangers post).

Purchase this used regulator and hose set off market place? Hook up my Meco to it. Still not cheap but , but cheaper in the long run then using disposable tanks.

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[Janger]

Whats do you guys think of this? Using McGyvers suggestion above about using propane. I could use one of my extra 20lb propane tanks. Purchase a 20L Oxygen tank. ( $239 at KMS from Jangers post).

Purchase this used regulator and hose set off market place? Hook up my Meco to it. Still not cheap but , but cheaper in the long run then using disposable tanks.

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I grabbed a screenshot.

 

[phaxtris]

those little portable o/a set ups show up on marketplace/kijiji pretty often if thats what you wanted to do

brazing with oxy/propane is kinda tricky IMO, at least with o/a you can use a welding tip, more controllable

I cant seem to get a good enough flame with oxy-propane and a welding tip to braze with, always end up using the cutting tip, if someone know's if there is something close to a o/a welding tip for o/p brazing im all ears

 

[Janger]

I have one of those smith mini knockoffs. I tried it out a couple times but I never really need it over my usual torch.

I have a Victor 100fc medium duty torch and an elbow with replaceable tips from torchtools. I started out with a uniweld 71 torch with the same tip set up, which was fairly inexpensive 7 or so years ago. I use a BBQ tank and an o2 cylinder. I really like oxy/propane for brazing, when I occasionally braze with o/a at work I find heat control more challenging.

I originally used a medical o2 concentrator as my o2 source. I got it off Craigslist for $100. Not enough to cut with but good enough for brazing. The only thing I hated about it was it took about 5-10 minutes to get consistent enough flow to keep the torch lit.

Will the O2 concentrator support your Victor torch or only the little smith copy torch?
Does the O2 concentrator also create water? just curious.

 

[Rauce]

those little portable o/a set ups show up on marketplace/kijiji pretty often if thats what you wanted to do

brazing with oxy/propane is kinda tricky IMO, at least with o/a you can use a welding tip, more controllable

I cant seem to get a good enough flame with oxy-propane and a welding tip to braze with, always end up using the cutting tip, if someone know's if there is something close to a o/a welding tip for o/p brazing im all ears

For oxy propane you need to size up a bit on the tip size. Helps to get a propane/natural gas specific tip too, I think they have a little counter bore that helps keep the flame attached.

I typical use #2-4 and mostly a #3. Also have a rosebud.

Will the O2 concentrator support your Victor torch or only the little smith copy torch?
Does the O2 concentrator also create water? just curious.

I use pretty much the same size tips with the Victor as I did with the uniweld so the concentrator worked with both just fine. The regulator on the concentrator is in lpm I think, and goes up to 5. I only have had to max it out on the rosebud. Normally I had it set around 3lpm. The thing even has a standard B fitting on it. I think it has a little colllector tray for water like a de-humidifier. Never seemed to fill up with my use, I’m sure in its intended use of running nearly 24/7 it would collect more water.

I got tired of how finicky it was to get going. It doesn’t really store any o2 under pressure, there’s an accumulator bladder in there that smooths out the output. If there’s no flow for like 10 seconds or more it starts beeping at you and I believe it will turn itself off. So the procedure is to turn it on with the o2 valve on the torch open and leave it be for 5 minutes or so to get accumulator to build some pressure. Then you very quickly shut the O2 valve, crack the fuel valve, light the torch, and open the o2 valve again. If you don’t do it fast enough the O2 line builds back pressure and when you crack the valve it blows out your flame. Tricky to get it right every time. 4 years ago when I bought a tig welder and no longer could escape going to a gas supplier I gave in and leased an o2 tank and regulator.

 

[phaxtris]

For oxy propane you need to size up a bit on the tip size. Helps to get a propane/natural gas specific tip too, I think they have a little counter bore that helps keep the flame attached.

I typical use #2-4 and mostly a #3. Also have a rosebud.

I thought that might be the case, the next time i have to braze something i may just drill out one of the cheap welding tips i have and see how that goes, i have nothing to loose really, i can always just do it with the cutting tip worst case

 

[Perry]

I was lookng at torches on kijiji and saw these pot style torches. When I was a kid my friends Dad had a guy come by to braze my friends bicycle forks back together and the welder used one of these. It was brazing as we were impressed by the gold colored braze. What fuel do these use? Maybe a mini liquid torch running on alcohol or something like those micro torch lighters would work. And avoid the gas and cylinders question completely.

I have something similar. Took a minute to find it. I believe it came in the same box of stuff as the Meco Midget. Not sure how to even use it. Nice snowy day, I'll read up and try to burn the

house down later. I'm not sure if the tubes go with it or if they are just a mouth type blow tube.

 

[Mcgyver]

Whats do you guys think of this? Using McGyvers suggestion above about using propane. I could use one of my extra 20lb propane tanks. Purchase a 20L Oxygen tank. ( $239 at KMS from Jangers post).

Make sure its compatible as most stuff was probably used with acetylene. There is a hose type that works with propane and one that degrades. That maybe with the regulator as well but I can' really remember, I looked into it all once upon a time....I've great memory, but its short.

 

[Rauce]

Grade T hoses for propane or acetylene. Grade R hoses (cheaper) for acetylene only.

 

[Arbutus]

So it looks like $400+ for a Smith or Meco torch, $220 for a 20cf O2 tank, another $120 for regulators and $50 for the hose, tank fittings, etc. $800 rounded up. Good grief.

Anyone have one lying around unused?.

 

[phaxtris]

if your looking new you can get a whole medium duty, name brand torch kit (gauges, hose etc) for less than 400$, then its just a matter of an oxygen bottle and a propane tip if you want to go that way, but whole torch sets come up often of Kijiji and marketplace

(victor owns firepower)

https://www.amazon.ca/Firepower-0384-2571-OxyFuel-Medium-Acetylene/dp/B00IT3RXJ6/ref=asc_df_B00IT3RXJ6/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=335241488547&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14341736138976883975&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001328&hvtargid=pla-569455756201&psc=1

or this isnt a horrible price

Oxygen/Acetylene Cutting Kit with Cart

Acetylene tank (40 cu-ft Empty) Oxygen tank (55 cu-ft Empty) Cylinder cart Hose, regulators, welding and cutting attachments Striker

www.kmstools.com

or there are always the various knock off's for even less wich would do just fine

 

[Susquatch]

So it looks like $400+ for a Smith or Meco torch, $220 for a 20cf O2 tank, another $120 for regulators and $50 for the hose, tank fittings, etc. $800 rounded up. Good grief.

Anyone have one lying around unused?.

Ya, you gotta watch this crowd. They will spend your last dollar before you even knew you had it.

Whatever you do, don't ever ask about a good vise......

 

[Janger]

Whatever you do, don't ever ask about a good vise......

 

[Tom O]

I was lookng at torches on kijiji and saw these pot style torches. When I was a kid my friends Dad had a guy come by to braze my friends bicycle forks back together and the welder used one of these. It was brazing as we were impressed by the gold colored braze. What fuel do these use? Maybe a mini liquid torch running on alcohol or something like those micro torch lighters would work. And avoid the gas and cylinders question completely.

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View attachment 30963

They use white gas the same as the campstoves. You put a little rag into the dished and crack the valve letting it leak a bit to soak the rag shutting it lit and as the flame heats up the torch to vaporizing temps the valve is reopened, to soon and it will pee out a good
4 foot flame.
You know like Ghost rider.

 

[johnnielsen]

Here is a nice one - very cool. made in 1921. @johnnielsen I'm sure this is of interest. There are a few more on Calgary kijiji.

View attachment 30966

Yes, I've been tempted by these numerous times, Apparently they put out a lot of heat but I was attracted by the look of them more.

 

[fixerup]

I got an old air gas apparatus National brand with 3 Type N tips N1, N2 and N3, for petroleum, city or natural gas and air. It is set up with my propane BBQ Tank and compressed air from my air compressor which I dial in at 5psi
I have only used the propane air torch for soft and hard silver soldering with good success. The manual says used for soldering, brazing, melting, casting etc.... I have not tried brazing with it yet, but l think it would braze no problem. The flame on the propane air torch is much wider and not has fine like my oxy acetylene Smithy which I think would give more control on very small stuff. The propane air torch is my go for most of my torch uses. It cost me about $20 to refill the BBQ tank and the oxy acetylene cost me about $140 to refill the both small portable tanks. Last time I went to use it I had forgotten to close my valve and 6 month later my oxygen tank was empty ; (

If you google propane compressed air torch you can find some.