Problem with my propane regulator

[HelenV]

I recently converted my HH to bulk and I bought the kit from Martin. I`m running it off a 6kg tank and I`m quite surprised at the difference in the flame between MAPP and the propane. It feels as though it takes ages to melt and some glass (CIM Hades especially) barely melts and you are dragging it onto the mandrell. Is this normal?

The regulator doesn`t seem to make much of a difference, when you open it fully the flame goes out (i thought it would be the other way round) and when you tighten or nearly close it you get the "best" flame which to be honest isn`t great. I also notice that the pressure does drop (not as much as MAPP) after I`ve been working for around 10 minutes.

Am I doing something wrong or is it something I will have to get used to until I buy a minor and oxyxon?

Helen x

[grandmabead]

Hi HelenV,
i only set up my HH on bulk propane last week and to be honest i have never used anything else so can't compare it to others but my pressure does'nt drop after 10 mins, in fact i think it takes about that long for it to  get nice and hot. I don't turn the regulator wide open, i was told that you only need to do a 1/4 or 1/2 turn and it seems to work fine for me.
Slow is just how it is on a HH i'm afraid, i nearly doze off trying to melt clear glass! Encasing is a nightmare. You need to get the mandrel hot and the glass really hot which takes time.
Sorry, i'm not a lot of use am i?

[julieHB]

Hi Helen, I started lampworking last April, and thought it was total bliss when moving from MAPP to propane (I also have a 6kg cylinder).  The regulator is fully open when it is screwed down (i.e. what we normally experience as "closed"), and I was told to keep it 3/4 part open (which means 3/4 down).  After setting the regulator the first time it should not be necessary to adjust it.

If you still get a drop of pressure, do you think your propane tank could be close to empty?? They last +/- 60 hrs.

Good luck!

[Bluebottle]

With Propane regulators turning outwards reduces pressure and tuning inwards increases pressure exactly the opposite to a water tap HTH

Mike   

[glassworks]

propane is quite a bit "cooler" than mapp gas.. ask sarah hornik what she thinks of propane and then DUCK!!!!.... 

[Ian R Pearson]

Used propane for 27 years and no probs with heating boro and even silica. Of course pressure would be fairly high and with 20lbs oxy. Light burner and then adjust flame and intro oxy slowy go back and turn up pressure on reg until balance is right. Propane on its own is dirty though. We used propane at Flame off with no probs and look what we did there! Search for Ian Pearson or glass thistle on Youtube to see, 9 minutes, I should really thank the person who filmed me. So thanks.

Ian

[glassworks]

hi ian, i think that propane with oxy is plenty hot enough - the difficulty with the bulk kits on a HH is that there just not enough oxy in the air to get the maximum heat out of the gas... the mapp gas has additives to get around this, and that is why it is slower when working with the bulk propane.. we used bulk on hotheads for our first class with sarah hornik running 10 torches - and she had to adjust her working pace a little to take into account the lower temps.. still MUCH cheaper than mapp though, and the bonus is you have more time to make detailed work!!!

when you try to use a minor or such with dual fuel the first complaint we get is how HOT it is and how much faster everything happens!! 

[Shirley]

Bulk propane on a hothead makes you very patient. Not a bad thing at all.