I got a hothead torch for Christmas, used it with Mapp gas and have inevitably found it is too expensive. So today I have been out and bought the kit necessary for converting to bulk propane. Having just tried to set it up, I find I need a hothead torch connector to attach to the rubber hosing. My hothead torch didn't come with a connector, yet my friend's did! Should I have queried this when I got it at Xmas? Am I missing a part?! I'm gutted. Was going to play all day tomorrow! And now I can't! >:( any ideas where I could get a connector from? Thanks
Yes, you will have to get a connector but they are not the easiest parts to get hold of. What you want is a "hothead connector" which you can find on Tuffnell Glass website - go to the Home page and then Home > Bead Making Equipment > Propane & Oxygen Equipment. It is the third item down.
I see on Tuffnells it is quite a pricey bit of kit - £29! I know you can get these from some plumbing/building suppliers. They used to be quite a lot cheaper than that so it may be worth asking around your local building/plumbing suppliers to see if they have one in. The wide end is a 1inch male right hand thread (20threads to the inch) and the other end is a standard propane 1/4 inch (inside diameter of hose) spigot. If you come across a plumbers merchant which is selling the 1kg canisters of gas it is possible that they have these in stock.
Hotheads tend not to come with this attachment as they were designed to just run on Mapp - which is considerably cheaper in the USA where the torch was designed, than here in the UK. So, yours wouldn't have had a connector as standard. Sorry you may end up having to splash out a bit more :(. Make sure your gas cylinder end has a flashback arrestor and 2 bar adjustable regulator so that you can control the gas pressure.
Even though it's a bit of outlay up front it is definitely worth switching over to bulk as you will save a lot more in the long run. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. :(
I'm sure you should have got one in the kit, to might just be a mistake.
Meantime, places that sell blow torches for roofing work do them, if you have one nearby that's o[pen on a Sunday. They are often called Rothenberger connectors.
http://www.gasproducts.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_Rothenberger_Super_Fire_Blow_Torch_Hose_Adaptor.html
I know when I bought mine, a few years back now, I had the choice of either for Mapp gas OR for bulk and I bought the bulk kit so got the bulk connector but a friend bought one soon after, didn't grasp the difference and was sold the one for Mapp gas - and then had to buy the connector (wasn't Martin selling or she'd have gone back and queried).
I've a used (but not for long) Hothead with the bulk connector and the bench clamp for sale if anyone is interested. Best PM me, have internet problems at the moment).
Really appreciate your help and advice! I am a new girl on here but I am so amazed by how helpful everyone is. It is a great website/ forum and I hope that one day I may be able to share a photo or two of my beads. Got a lot to learn! Thanks again for advice :)
Ive been looking at the price of Mapp gas and wondered if I could connect my hot head torch to a small canister of propane gas, you know the small ones the same size as the mapp gas that the torch screws into, its about £3 cheaper at Toolstation. I know I can get the adaptor kit but at the moment I don't want to spend too much until I decide if Im going to go into the beadmaking seriously.
That's exactly what I did. After 2 cans of Mapp gas I tried a can of propane and it seemed fine to me. But I am now on bulk propane, having got a connector from Moira's fab link to Gasproducts, saving about half on the Tuffnells price. I must admit, it's a good feeling now having torch time and not thinking about when the gas will run out cos I'm now on bulk! Hope you stick with it - I'm no good at it yet but I'm trying my best! And it seems addictive to me! Loving it :D
They also do the connectors on ebay,they are very cheap,you should have a look,Parin.
thanks, I will go and have a look, yes Im leaning more towards the bulk gas kit now.