Finally Switched to Bulk Propane But...

Barnacle Bay · June 01, 2012, 09:46:09 PM

Finally Switched to Bulk Propane But... running without Oxygen... I knew the flame was going to be dirty but J'sus C'rist, everything is coming out gunmetal grey??

I have a 4 bar industrial regulator running with the normal hot head torch.

In addition I have tried various setting with the reg & torch but still the same.

Can anyone stear me in the right direction as I don't want to plug into oxygen at the mo due to the expense/more outlay which I can do without at the mo...just want to have fun but don't want to waste good glass rods.

Thanks in advance,
Lou

Redhotsal · June 01, 2012, 10:21:29 PM

You're just running too hot too fast. As frustrating as it is you have to work with the flame a little smaller and/ or work a little higher in the flame. Going from Mapp to propane will take a little getting used to as Mapp burns hotter than propane so things will appear a little slower until you get used to it.

★★Terri★★ · June 02, 2012, 07:56:07 AM

What Sal says......and just a thought.....have you checked your burner? At little speck of something like a bit of glass in it can have the same effect. I had this at about the same time that I put a new tank of gas on and thought it was the gas and spent ages fiddling about with the regulator and then found a bit of glass and some bead release in the burner. A good clean solved the problem.

ruth · June 02, 2012, 09:03:46 AM

with what do you clean it?
Ruth

BeeBeads · June 02, 2012, 10:43:58 AM

Quote from: ruth on June 02, 2012, 09:03:46 AM
with what do you clean it?
Ruth

dear Henry .. dear Henry .. (I'll get me coat)!

Redhotsal · June 02, 2012, 11:22:55 AM

I'm sorry - I thought exactly the same...I'll get me coat too....
Usually with hotheads you can turn them upsidedown and give them a good shake. If you have any compressed air that's also good to blow through it. A long dead spider once fell out of mine which had been giving me a lot of bother.

Purple Cobwebs · June 02, 2012, 01:44:52 PM

I'm sure you'd given him even more bother

Quote from: Redhotsal on June 02, 2012, 11:22:55 AM
A long dead spider once fell out of mine which had been giving me a lot of bother.

Barnacle Bay · June 02, 2012, 01:56:02 PM

Great advice

It certainly is taking a bit of getting used to - but I will persevere. Off to have another go but will check the torch too & make sure its clean, and work a bit cooler.

Thanks again everyone

Shirl · June 06, 2012, 12:51:57 AM

I used my hothead with bulk propane for nearly 2 years.

I lit my torch and then turned it down so the flame nearly went out, then just turned it up a little. I then worked at this setting. I also found that I needed to work 2" or more from the nozzle tip to keep things clean

lampworklover · June 06, 2012, 07:33:19 AM

I was on bulk for 3 years before my new torch; couple of things spring to mind. Firstly, are you turning the regulator all the way on, then 1/4 turn back? Secondly, I had the most filthy dirty beads when my gas bottle was nearly empty....

Veeka · July 03, 2012, 09:14:59 AM

What do you clean it with? My Nortel Minor burner came with a 2 inch long, thin piece of metal, aptly named 'cleaning tool' that was attached to a handle. Used on a cool burner head, you use it to poke inside the gas tubes.

floozysooz · September 02, 2012, 09:56:48 AM

I recently had problems with my bulk propane HH not getting hot enough so I took the whole head apart (it all unscrews in sections), gave it a good brush out, vacuumed were possible and reassembled it. It was much better!

Weston_glass_man · November 22, 2012, 11:51:14 AM

I am just looking to go onto bulk, no I'm a little concerned?? Does the torch make a difference? If I changed my HH to a better one would thins make any difference or is it just the fact your using bulk and no oxygen. On a tangent subject, I have read you can use bottle oxygen or a concentrator!! Anyone use this? Thanks in advance for any replies Rob

Lynnybobs · November 22, 2012, 12:38:47 PM

I work on a hothead on bulk as do lots of others without too many problems.
As has been said you just need to get used to what size the flame needs to be and where to work in it.
Also as its a slightly reducing flame this affects some colours - I struggle with turquoise as it reduces to a coppery brown if I'm not really careful with it.
Also agree that everything get a bit mucky when the gas gets low but I then resort to pulling stringers till I can get a new bottle.

Redhotsal · November 22, 2012, 01:51:14 PM

Quote from: Weston_glass_man on November 22, 2012, 11:51:14 AM
I am just looking to go onto bulk, no I'm a little concerned?? Does the torch make a difference? If I changed my HH to a better one would thins make any difference or is it just the fact your using bulk and no oxygen. On a tangent subject, I have read you can use bottle oxygen or a concentrator!! Anyone use this? Thanks in advance for any replies Rob

You do have to get used to going onto bulk from a Mapp cylinder - it takes a couple of hours to get used to the idea and you do have to work a little slower and cooler but most folk will probably say the advantages of cheaper propane which doesn't drop in pressure far outweighs the disadvantages of slower working. It's slow either way you look at it when you are working with a HH.

Yes, it is down to the fact that there's no oxygen. You need the oxygen to maintain the true colours of the glass and to prevent the glass from reducing (going murky brown and grey).

There's no point trying to attach oxygen to a HH - it's a single gas torch which was designed to run on Mapp but will run on propane. Certeinly NOT oxygen.

Many people start off on a HH and progress to a dual gas torch - like a Minor Burner, or a Bobcat, for example. These are DUAL GAS torches which were designed to run on propane and oxygen. The gases are mixed on the torch head surface (they are usually referred to as surface mix torches). Because of this they are usually very quiet to run and will burn at a much higher temperature than the HH. It is certainly possible to reduce your glass using these torches but because you have much more control to the gas mix you can dictate the type of flame that you want to use.