minor flame questions

[mindy23]

Hi,
I just got Corrina's video on stringer control, I'd never seen anybody's torch before so I was really curious as I have always suspected that I might have a problem.  In the video she is using a minor but the flame looks nothing like mine. The main problem is that I do not have a defined cone like shape with mine. I also cannot make the small cones at the very head of the torch any larger than 5 mm or my flame is quite reducing and wide.  I know everybody's set up is different but is this too different? I have found that I always have to adapt tutorials and techniques quite a lot but again, maybe thats just down to me. I'm using one oxycon set to 4.5, it operates mostly with the below normal light on.  When I turn down the lighting a bit in the workroom my flame looks like a wide bushy flame with yellowish bits at the top. There is definatley no defined area like on this video. Can anybody tell me if this sounds right or not? I asked lots of questions before about this but really started to feel like a pest but this dvd has got me wondering again.  Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

cheers for now,
Mindy

[Mary]

Corina will be working on more oxy than you. Here is a pic of my torch, if that helps any (no, that's not me, it's my daughter!) The little candles at the torch face will be pretty small, and should be white tipped, if there is yellow it's reducing so turn it down a bit. Is that any help?

[glassworks]

on one oxy with a relatively low output you will always have a bushy flame - how old is your oxy?... the below warning light should be mostly off when running at 4,5lpm... although the warning light is only an indication of the quality and flow rate of the air - if it is below 4,5 and still yellow/orange than it may be delivering low levels of oxygen as well as flow rate.. try tweaking it down ever so slightly until you get the orange light to go out...

having said all of the above, each set-up is different - and we only get a eat sharp flame when we run our torches on two oxycons together - or on bottled oxy.. as mary said, corina would definitely be running on tanked oxy or a custom modified high flow rate oxycon.. is there anyone nearby who youmay be able to visit to compare your flame set-up with?.. meeting up with someone with similar kit is always the best way to get new ideas and compare your settings?..

[Caroline]

when i first got my minor i had problems getting the flame right, i was told to ge the 'candles' at about 1cm

[Billie]

From her book, Corina uses an oxygen generator and at a cost of $3000 I think it's a bit different to an oxycon... Might explain the difference in flame 

[mindy23]

Hi again,
Thanks for your thoughts and for the photographs in particular Mary.  I stupidly hadn't considered that Corrina would be on tanked oxy so I'm not concerned anymore about such a defined flame.  My Oxycon is probably about 7 months old but it has always ran on the warning light. I just thought it was normal. Does anyone run a minor on 2 oxycons?  I've got torch envy now that I've seen that damn dvd!  The candles I can never get larger than 5 or 6 mm without it being a really reducing flame with bushy tips on the candles.  Therefore my flame is quite small and things take a while but I think that's maybe just normal.  Does anyone elses oxycon always run on the warning light?  I've been away from bead making for a couple of weeks, maybe that's why it seems so different. WE've been trying to make a website and it's just been going on and on and on...
thanks all!

[Caroline]

i know Mary's just got a second oxycon

i run mine on one oxycon and it runs at 4.5 and my oxycon only ever has a little green light on, mines never had a warning light on

sorry thats not much help

[Mary]

Yes, I got my second oxy-con last week and it's great! My old one has always run on the amber light and it has been fine, but having a second one is like having a new torch!
Good luck with the website!

[mindy23]

Hey,
Back again, just walked the dogs.  Another oxycon is sounding very tempting, need to get my website up and running and start saving up again! Dont think I've even paid for the kiln yet!
Mary what other equipment do you need to hook up a second oxycon? Just so I can get a figure in my head to aim for. I seen one on ebay from glassworks that I will investigate further I think. It seemed to be really reasonably priced.  I'll definatley have to be getting out to make some more beads for now though.
Cheers for now,
Mindy

[Mary]

Mindy, just a cheapie Y fitting. Mine each have a short tube leading to the Y, then the hose to the torch comes off that.