Questions on soldering/brazing rig

Don, when I heard what you said it did not register! I had to go pickup my Grand child a minute ago and while I was driving along I was re-running all this in my mind. When you described it again I had to Google and here is what came up!!

http://www.gesswein.com/p-7662-silv...EngOukgPufQGJoPcfOfGhi6Um8zu9nyuxUaArmk8P8HAQ


8300742.jpg


Now that is something I can work with I believe. It gives me the control at the tip and all I have to worry about is an acetylene bottle! I will have to check this out some more!!
 
OK Cliff, That looks like what Don referred to as acetylene only. Here is one I purchased to get a small flame for tiny work: https://goo.gl/IFWv2j it's a Smith "Little Torch", and looks like it might be actual Smith product. BUT - I only paid $30.59 shipped. This is link shows the actual box and all the stuff my torch came in: https://goo.gl/2JjvxY but look at the price - $145!!

I already have a big set of Oxygen 'n acetylene tanks I use with my regular torch set.

Ken H>
 
Ken I tried to look at these links earlier today but Mediacom sent a tech out to fix the problems next door. And if a few minutes he has mine knocked out. I walked out and told him there was a line man out yesterday and spent most of the day re-building all the cable on this street. When he got thru, my internet was better, my TV had one of the best pics it has had since we got Mediacom. And in the matter of thirty minutes you guy have messed all that up. (Go Figure)!

Any way the first link is from a jewelry company, Penson and Co., sold thru Walmart, for $35.99 but is out of stock!!

The second link is probably top quality the price is something else! Gotta to look into more of these options!!
 
Hey C Craft, Sorry if I didn't understand exactly how small you wanted to go. If you still wanted to stick with the disposable tanks, but don't want to deal with the fiddily valves, you could get a set of Smiths regulators, for oxy/propane disposable bottles. And there are a few little torch clones on amazon too, the Penson one is about 60, while others are less. Also, Here is the non-peizo version of the Turbo Torch you posted. Turbo Torch (A Esab Product), also sells other good stuff, like the acetylene/air - and small tank regulators. If the main focus of this torch is soldering, and brazing is now taking a back seat, there is nothing more compact and useful then one of the small butane torches.

Hope that helps!
 
You see I am not necessarily wanting to go small. When I approach a purchase such as this it is often motivated with a need! Does that need exceed the immediate is the next thing I have to ask myself.

Then I have to start looking at costs. Does the cost, justify the need of the purchase. Will what I have work, once I factor in the cost of upgrading!!

So this really has put me in qualms. What I have,---------- will work, I am just not happy with it but, it is paid for! To stay with the small disposable bottles I need to upgrade to better valves.

A set of better valves $120.00

Penson and Co. Jewelery Micro mini little gas torch welding and soldering brazing heating kit w/5 tips $60.00
still need quality valves because it works off of disposable tanks-$120.00
So total is about $200.00+ w/shipping

[FONT=&amp]SilverSmith Air-Acetylene Torch Kit W/3 tips and tank $430.00

[/FONT]Medium duty oxy acetylene kit --- http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...H5P25p-LzMiR5aw6swKHSaZomxmnIqsDuUaAl6U8P8HAQ
Best price- $180.00
Buy a set of tanks about $160.00
About $350.00 and some shipping

So here is the way I see it!
A new quality set of valves for $120.00 + shipping and I am still unable to do much more than I can now!

The next best option is to upgrade to a medium duty oxy/acetylene w/tanks for about $350.00. This option is going to allow me to do quite a bit than I could before. I can cut, braze and solder as well be able to accomplish other operations I have never been able to do with the rig I have!

So now I have to justify that extra $230.00 to pickup the last setup Vs the new valves. What will I do,.............?????:les:
 
I see what your saying, and it is a wise move to spend your money where you need it, and to spend it in a way to gain the most for the money. I was just throwing a bunch of options out there as food for thought. The Penson torch would work on a standard oxy/fuel regulators as well as the disposable bottle regulators if it is a real copy of the smith torch. Have you looked on CL? There's a few other torch related deals on there.
 
There you go Cliff - that ad on Craig's List is exactly what you need and only $225 and local to you. Got refillable bottles that are full and all. You can cut, braze, and solder to your heart's content. If I didn't already have a set I've had for 50 yrs I'd be jumping all over that set..... What, I just checked and not sure it's got the cutting head. If not, still a decent deal.

You're right to be looking at other things you can do with a torch rig rather than knife making - I use my torch more often for other things than knife making than I do in actual knife making work.
Ken H>
 
C Craft said:
Don, when I heard what you said it did not register! I had to go pickup my Grand child a minute ago and while I was driving along I was re-running all this in my mind. When you described it again I had to Google and here is what came up!!

http://www.gesswein.com/p-7662-silv...EngOukgPufQGJoPcfOfGhi6Um8zu9nyuxUaArmk8P8HAQ


8300742.jpg


Now that is something I can work with I believe. It gives me the control at the tip and all I have to worry about is an acetylene bottle! I will have to check this out some more!!
Click to expand...

That looks just like mine, but I think mine is a Smith's. It's a regular size, not small.
 
Thanks everyone I do appreciate the info. It gives me a chance to be informed and that is what I was asking about at the beginning of this thread, "is there something better out there than what I currently have!!!

Update:
So I decided to compromise somewhere in the middle. Ken H gave me a heads up on a Oxy/Acetylene rig on Craigslist and I called and got to look at the rig. It was the medium size. I was able to determine the bottles with it were stamped and were refillable! It was similar to the one below, and has a jewelers torch with it. I was able to talk him down from the posted price so feel I made a deal that puts me in the middle of all areas I was exploring! Thanks to all on this forum for the input! Being fully informed allows for the most bang for the buck!!!

s-l500.jpg
 
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The rig did not have a cutting torch with it, just the jewelers torch. The big rig he had advertised, was still there when I got there. I guess he was getting sellers remorse as he had decided to keep it!
 
C Craft said:
The rig did not have a cutting torch with it, just the jewelers torch. The big rig he had advertised, was still there when I got there. I guess he was getting sellers remorse as he had decided to keep it!
Click to expand...
Watch craigslist and garage sales, also there may be a Facebook buy n sell group local to you that a torch head can show up on.
With that small set of bottles a cutting or heating option will be a short lived operation.
Congrats on finding the set that will work for you.
 
I haven't been around in a long time, but I still lurk...:). For me, the best setup for soldering guards is a acetylene/air , one tank rig like a Pres-to-lite. It does not use bottled oxygen, only acetylene. The cylinder is refillable at any welding gas shop. A benefit of this system is that it is not as 'hot' as oxy/acet. allowing for easier and better heat control when using low temp solder. This system is also called a 'plumbers' torch and you can find them on craigslist for cheap. A ne setup is not that costly either. Hope this helps.
 
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