Bobcat - this thread includes Sean's useful setup instructions for all torches

[AnnaSpanna]

Have just set up my bobcat and made a bead. gonna make a load more after lunch though! So my torch is christaned Beeblebrox the Bobcat and he works very well with Zaphod the oxycon (and yes I was allowed to name my oxy when I picked him from the line-up in the barn). Now going to go and have a very quick lunch so I can play properly!

[turnedlight]

I always light my barbeque lighter first before letting any gas out, hold it a bit above the head of the torch and carefully open the valve. The flame should just 'grow' out of the end of the torch. That way there's no sudden whoosh, which I hate!

If that's not a good idea for some reason, ie more of a risk, do please tell guys, only I've been doing it that way for years now and it seems to work fine.

[JaySpangles]

Sean - does this information hold good for torches other than Bobcats?  I have a minor and I know my regulator has been fiddled with by someone who shall remain nameless but who lives with me in our house.

[Krysia@No98]

Thank you Sean I will print that off and start a pile of things I need after the flame off!

[Hamilton Taylor]

Holds for any torch, but only if run from concentrator(s). If on bottles, you really should use regs with guages, at least for oxy. Then once oxy reg is set, you can set propane the same way, sure...

Done properly, it'll give you enough gas to match your oxy supply, + a bit for reducing. When setting regulator, make sure torch gas valve is wide open, then set up as per list. When done, run torch with gas lit and oxy wide open, you should be able to adjust regulator for a neutral flame with the torch gas valve wide open too. Then, add a bit of gas on the reg to make the flame reducing, et voila. This has the advantage of only putting as much pressure as you can make use of in the gas line from bottle to torch. Also, no accidental flame throwers. Or rather, only as many as you actually want.

Sean

[squirsygirl]

I love my bobcat, but for the first year I had to constantly fiddle with the settings on the torch.

It's all settled down now though.

Kirsty

[Kay24]

Sean

Thanks for the info and thank you I got my rod of helios and baby blue as well today, can see I will be buying more next friday....roll on payday

K xx

[Dreams of Glass]

All the info on here is brilliant, I made my first 3 beads with my bobcat last night but struggling with -

How big should the flame be
where in the flame is the best place to heat the glass rod,

I'm so used to the hot head and having a visul marker, (the pointy bit of the blue flame), the small blue flames coming out of the torch are only a few mm's high, I can't seem to find any pictures for reference, I have my oxy on 2 but looking at the comments, this seems a bit low....

hope someone can help me 

[dinah46]

I always turn the oxy up for the bobcat as it's quite a propane rich flame.

[Shirley]

I find with mine I don't need much propane at all. It's very economical to run. The candles aren't big at all for a normal flame. I use it with just a little yellow on the tips. Perhaps try it with turquoise or rubino as they will reduce easily if your propane is too high. And don't worry if you have to turn up the flame from time to time. Mine still varies a little after 3 years.

[Krysia@No98]

I guess if you think of a bobcat as being 6 tiny hot heads all strapped together then (I think) it's easier to understand where you can go in the flame.  So the more impatient you are to melt glass the closer to the base of the torch you should be.  When I went for the lesson with Kaz in feb, she kept saying to me, you can put the rod further down in the flame.  It seemed so strange after the hot head, but wow it is quicker to do a whole load of stuff - murini for example 

I have to keep turning up my propane too, but having read else where it is a trait of the bobcats.

[Dreams of Glass]

Thank you for your advise, that has really helped, i've noticed the flame adjustes itself... glad it's normal and it's ok to put the rod closer to the torch 

[Madam Steph]

5lbs of pressure is 1/3 bar - much less than your hothead!
To set correct pressure for a dual fuel torch on an oxycon:

• set it all up
• with oxycon off, and oxy valve shut, open gas valve on torch
• with lit lighter/candle/other live flame held just under and in front of torch nozzle, open regulator until gas lights.
• adjust regulator until flame is about 6" long
• turn off gas valve at torch
• start oxycon, and open oxy valve at torch
• when oxy line is bled, turn off oxy at torch, light gas
• add oxy and adjust both for neutral flame

Whenever I set up a new system, I follow the list above. It means you have set your gas reg with no drama, and your gas reg should then be set for good, or at least for that gas bottle. No further reg adjustment necessary, just melting glass!

Hope that helped, and I'm not trying to teach egg-sucking...

Sean