Gas

[shaz]

I bought a starter kit last week, and a bottle of map gas from b&q @ nearly £15, now I was told I would probably get about 12 hours from the gas, is this correct? as I have probably only spent about 2-3 hours on it and it seemed to be spluttering but dont know if that was the breeze because the doors were open, and if i wanted to upgrade from these small map gas bottles what is the next and best step. I really cant afford to keep getting these @£15 would rather fork out for something now that would work out cheaper in the long run, thanks

[SilverGems89]

Im afraid to say you will get 4-5 hours MAX out of a bottle of MAPP, i found this out when i first bought my torch and then ended up saving to go straight on to bulk propane, you can get the bulk connector kit from tuffnells (http://www.tuffnellglass.com/contents/en-uk/d28.html) and then all you need is a bottle of propane, one of these will last you a lot longer, i have a fairly big bottle and im still on my first one, its been going for 4 months now!
HTH

[helbels]

No, you were misinformed.

Mapp Gas will only last 2-3 hours as you have discovered.  In the USA they sell much larger canisters of Mapp, which you would probably get 12 hours from, but here they only sell the small ones.

The best route to go is to upgrade to bulk propane as soon as you can.  You will need to buy the converter kit from Tuffnells (includes attachment, regulator and hosing), but then you can use the standard Calor Gas Propane canisters which last ages (even a little baby one used to last me a month doing a couple of hours a day).

I hope that helps
Helen

[shaz]

Oh thats not what I wanted to hear       but thanks going to look at tuffnells now but will have to wait as I go on hols on Saturday

[flaming beads]

Blimey..you lot were lucky!!...i started out on a HH and mapp gas and found i only managed about an hour or two!!...i was hooked from very early on though!
Good luck

[Trudi]

by the way - the bulk kit can also be used if you upgrade to something like a minor (possibly other torches too, but Martin would be able to advise you on that!)

[Krysia@No98]

The pressure also dies on the mapp canisters because it is getting cold.  Sometimes having it in hot water or I did a hot water bottle will help it sustain it's pressure for longer.  But over all upgrade to bulk as quickly as possible!  I have been on bulk now for a year and in that time I have used one 6.9kg, one full 13kg and I am now on a third 13kg but that wasn't completely full when I got it.  In total spending less then £70 on gas.  Bulk makes the whole melting glass experience that much less fraught.

[shaz]

Thanks for your answersassoon as Ive had my holsim going to upgrade, no more small cans at £15 

[flaming beads]

Yay ...have great hols

[princess pink]

if it helps, i use a dual fuel torch but been using the same tank for a year (11kg tank) and its still not run out (thats on average doing 4-5 hours/week)

[shaz]

All sounds good thanks for advice much appreciated.

[Blue Box Studio]

I couldn't get Mapp gas in my B&Q, said they no longer stocked it so went straight onto a bulk kit from Tuffnells as part of my kit.  I've a little 3.9 (? the tiddly cannister) and it's been going for several weeks without any probs - doesn't feel empty yet.  I was told the tiny cannisters give about 20 hours and don't think I paid more than £12 for a refill last time.

[Shirley]

I used to get 30-40 hours from a 3.9kg calor on my hothead. That's around 10x as much as from a MAPP can that cost about the same. Well worth the initial expense.