Propane torch recommendations

[SolarAndWood]

I have the cheap and cheerful propane torches but am looking for something bigger, any suggestions? Something that can put out some heat when needed and heat up a decent sized hunk of metal. Like when the wheel bearing on my tractor freezes and I need to push some snow. I use grill tanks for the stove and water heater so was thinking something like the commercial roofers use?

 

[wetwood]

Probably not the direction you want to go, but a good LP cutting torch set with a heating tip puts out more heat than you would probably ever need.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Thanks, something like that is exactly where I want to go. Acetylene seems like a PITA unless you really need it and use it a lot more than I ever would.

 

[mrfjsf]

How big of a flame are you looking for? If you are looking for a good multi-purpose torch, get a B tank and turbo torch air acetylene setup. You can buy a variety of tips for the heads that will get you a small enough flame to soft solder 1/2" water line all the way up to silver soldering 4" copper. Very versatile/useful torch setup to have. Maybe more torch than you are looking for, not sure. A little pricey but WELL worth the money!

check em out here http://www.thermadyne.com/turbotorch

 

[SolarAndWood]

I'm a lousy plumber and have resorted to pex and quick connects. The majority of my use is frozen bolts on equipment, something that needs to be cut, etc. I also don't do very much of it so it would be nice to piggy back the gas on something I have around anyway.

 

[Dune]

If you have farm equiptment you should probably have a decent oxy-fuel setup. Quick work cutting steel or heating a stuck bolt.
Forgo the ace and setup for propane instead. You will need type T hose and special 2 piece cutting tips fro propane use, but the money you save will be your own.

 

[SolarAndWood]

It looks like I might be a lot closer than I thought. There is an old Acetylene setup that has been in the corner of the barn with trashed hose. From reading the Smith FAQ, looks like all I need to do is get the T hose, plumb it for a grill tank and get LP tips?

 

[infinitymike]

I use something like this when I want to melt iced off my frozen framing lumber. I hook it up to a BBQ tank.
I bought 2 of them years ago from a roofing supply company.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-TURBO-P...ultDomain_0&hash=item5891bcb4a9#ht_4564wt_954

 

[SolarAndWood]

That looks similar to one Harbor Freight has on sale for $28...hard to argue with that price given how much I am going to use it.

http://www.harborfreight.com/propane-torch-with-push-button-igniter-91037.html

 

[wetwood]

The fuel gas regulator fits both propane tanks and acetylene tanks. Nothing to change there.

I have had no regrets with a oxy-propane Smith set. I have heated the 1' thick steel plate sides of a large loader bucket cherry red so we could bend them back straight at work with it.

 

[Dune]

It looks like I might be a lot closer than I thought. There is an old Acetylene setup that has been in the corner of the barn with trashed hose. From reading the Smith FAQ, looks like all I need to do is get the T hose, plumb it for a grill tank and get LP tips?

Yeah, but you may want to take the regulators to a reputable welding supply for an opinion. You will have to go there anyway to get the type T hose.

Plus, there were male and female regulator ends, so you may need an adapter, also available at the welding supply.

Finaly, you are entering a realm of grave potential danger. Please familarize yourself with safety standards for compressed and flamable gases thouroughly.

 

[wetwood]

Costs more but the easiest way to go is just buy a dedicated oxy-propane torch set like this one.

http://www.weldfabulous.com/smith-hta-30510lp-american-classic-cutting-torch-propane-heavy-duty.aspx

 

[SolarAndWood]

Finaly, you are entering a realm of grave potential danger.

Probably shouldn't trust it to HF then huh? We have a few Smith dealers in town. I'll check them out and see if I can reuse anything I've got to get the cost down.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Costs more but the easiest way to go is just buy a dedicated oxy-propane torch set like this one.

http://www.weldfabulous.com/smith-hta-30510lp-american-classic-cutting-torch-propane-heavy-duty.aspx

I heard ya, looks like if I do that I don't ever have to think about this again.

 

[wetwood]

Finaly, you are entering a realm of grave potential danger.

Probably shouldn't trust it to HF then huh?

That's good. LOL

 

[MasterMech]

Solar,

There are smaller oxy-fuel setups available for reasonable cost that would do what you want.


Just an example:

http://www.thetoolworkshop.com/bernzomaticoxygentorchkit2880538.aspx

 

[Morgan]

You might end up leaning towards an oxy-acetylene/propane setup, but if you just want a nice plumbers propane torch then hands down, you want a crosstech turbo torch, by far the best naturally aspirated torch on the market, they come single barrel, double barrel and triple barrel, they burn propane or mapp gas, triple barrel burning mapp gas puts out 30k+ BTUh I have a couple single barrels and a double barrel, double barrel easily solders 2" copper and it is all I ever use for lighting my boiler, few pieces of kindling and a couple mins of torch time and its roaring. I bought mine from www.torchsales.com. They do go through the propane though, I bought a little adapter so I can refill my little 1LB tanks from a BBQ tank, $20 on ebay, saved me a pile over the years.

 

[Dune]

Finaly, you are entering a realm of grave potential danger.

Probably shouldn't trust it to HF then huh? We have a few Smith dealers in town. I'll check them out and see if I can reuse anything I've got to get the cost down.

Smith is a good brand, but so are Victor, Harris and Purox/Oxweld/Linde Peronaly I am a Purox fan, but they are all good.

 

[Morgan]

If you just want a normal torch, go crosstech, best decision you will ever make regarding a normal "plumbing" torch, guaranteed, if you don't like it I will buy it off you! =)