Torch for silver solder.

[goldstar31]

Goldtar31, we also would have some fun with the calcium carbide but we just used water.

'You are in' for an experience

 

[BaronJ]

Hi Guys,

Norman you are aging me I well remember the carbide lamps from when I was a youngster and the blacksmith round the corner illuminating his workshop with them.

I also recall a small factory going bang when someone set fire to the acetylene hose, at least that is what I was told. I have no idea which bit went bang, but it made one hell of a bang ! Part of the roof ended up in the street.

 

[goldstar31]

John- Thanks but some bits of the WW@ for me were fun.
We were ill or un0educated and left school at 14 officially, I stayed on to become an apprentice millionaire selling spinach.
We had a guy in the class( joke) called Ronnie Raper who was thicker than the proverbial Pig Poo and went on to a youth prison to answer for his well chosen surname. Seriously, folks- she was a bus.
conductor.
So we ran out corks and Ronnie turned up with a screw top bottle. Nothing happened as with the corked variety and he shook and shook it! And finally it shattered in his hand.

 

[BaronJ]

Hi Norman, Guys,

When I look back at some of the things we/I got up to as youngsters, its frightening ! We risked injury and quite probably death with some of the things we did.

 

[terryd]

H ChrisV: I have a few notions on fuel: Very simply, the hydrocarbon content doesn't define the temperature of the flame: The amount of oxygen (air) mixed with the gas does affect it greatly. I thought Paraffin was cooler than petrol - because my paraffin blow-lamps would not braze, whereas my petrol blow-lamp would. But recently, I rebuilt a paraffin blow-lamp and the flame was MUCH better - as good as the Petrol one.
Butane carries more carbon in its molecules than Propane, so more (denser) fuel. But as the pressure is lower, needs a different matching of sizes to get enough air into the flame for fast (= HOT) combustion. The last few weeks have been too cold (below 10C) in my garage for canister butane blow-lamps to be hot enough on small jobs! - The "reduced pressure" causes the flames to be bigger, more "wooly" and just don't give the focussed heat I need. Propane doesn't worry about temperature above -30C, so is much better in "cooler" climates. The 30% mix canisters you are using will loose most of the propane initially, so the pressure will still drop as the the cannister empties. But initially there won't be the problem I have been having with low-pressure butane canisters in the cold. I only use canister fuel for jobs that will go in a "closed fist" - as the "power" (not temperature) of these blow-lamps is too small for silver soldering anything bigger. Last week I soldered aluminium on the end of a small length of 1 inch channel - but this week I can't solder aluminium on a 5 inch can I am making. The blow-lamp isn't big enough. But I know it is OK when the weather is hotter in summer! (aluminium solder is at about 100 degrees below aluminium melting point. Not the 700 degrees you need for silver solder!).
Propane blow-lamps - because more pressure is available - use smaller jet sizes than Butane blow-lamps - and utilise the higher pressure to get higher velocity gas from the jet - which in turn sucks in MORE air and leads to faster combustion and a hotter, more focussed flame - Ideal for silver soldering. Attached some pics (mock-ups) of some set-ups I use to best apply heat for silver soldering boilers. (I had a problem that the cup-washer on the paraffin blow-lamp fell apart before I got full pressure on this lamp for the demo! - Only 40+ years old! These things are "servicable" items though! - I'll have to cut some leather from a welders gauntlet to make another cup-washer).
Using a horizontal tray of sand and fire-brick, using a vertical tin of sand and fire brick. You can see the 2 types of blow-lamp I use (not hand-held) for pre-heating and that gives me space in the middle for the Propane blow-lamp - using a regulator at 20psi (more and the flame blows-out!). Note the readily available fire extinguisher (To extinguish me if I catch fire!) and the use of extra fire-bricks to enclose the hot job and slow the cooling after soldering.. Both the petrol and paraffin blowlamp will normally get the sides of the boiler a dull red colour, while the Propane blow-lamp applied to the appropriate zone between will get a patch of boiler a decent red to melt silver solder easily. It can't do that without the insulation and 2 extra pre-heating lamps providing more heat. But my left hand cooks inside the leather gauntlet holding the propane blow-lamp! - from the radiant heat from the exposed hot-end of the job. I wear a welder's apron so I don't cook as well!
Watch out that the exhaust from one blow-lamp does not get near the air intake for another blow-lamp, as the flame of that one will be extinguished - with gas going everywhere until it ignites with a WHOOSH! - and sets your clothes on fire. It hasn't happened to me - yet - but I keep the extinguisher handy in case...(!?)
Work safely.
Hope this helps?
K2View attachment 123468View attachment 123469View attachment 123470View attachment 123471View attachment 123472View attachment 123473

Hi Steamchck/K2,

Following our discussion I bought a petrol blowlamp to try, I've always been wary of them before. It's a sievert and very similar to yours on the left of the photo you showed in the post above. However it is a later model with a different handle and no pressure pump. I've attached a picture to show you. before I fire it up I'd be grateful for some advice, I'm wary as I have already had one workshop fire as I recounted earlier and I'd prefer not have another.

Do I just fill her up fasten the bungs and preheat with Meths as with a paraffin blowtorch. I presume that it will self pressurize with the heat from the main flame when running? I remember having a small petrol camping stove many years ago which comprised a container with a loop of copper tube on top, the flame was from a tiny hole in the lower part of the loop which heated the petrol vapour in the upper part of the loop hence self pressurizing. Am I correct in my assumptions?

Oh, and what is the

bracket on top, obviously to hold something, but what?

 

[terryd]

Hi Steamchck/K2,

Following our discussion I bought a petrol blowlamp to try, I've always been wary of them before. It's a sievert and very similar to yours on the left of the photo you showed in the post above. However it is a later model with a different handle and no pressure pump. I've attached a picture to show you. before I fire it up I'd be grateful for some advice, I'm wary as I have already had one workshop fire as I recounted earlier and I'd prefer not have another.

Do I just fill her up fasten the bungs and preheat with Meths as with a paraffin blowtorch. I presume that it will self pressurize with the heat from the main flame when running? I remember having a small petrol camping stove many years ago which comprised a container with a loop of copper tube on top, the flame was from a tiny hole in the lower part of the loop which heated the petrol vapour in the upper part of the loop hence self pressurizing. Am I correct in my assumptions?

Oh, and what is theView attachment 123739View attachment 123740 bracket on top, obviously to hold something, but what?

Hi, Steamchick/K2

The last question should say ' what is the bracket on top for, obviously to hold something but what, an igniter of some sort?'

Stay safe,

TerryD

 

[L98fiero]

' what is the bracket on top for, obviously to hold something but what, an igniter of some sort?'
TerryD

If it's like the ones I remember the bracket is for heating a soldering iron

 

[terryd]

If it's like the ones I remember the bracket is for heating a soldering iron

Hi fiero,

That sounds a very convincing use, specially when used by a plumber, thanks,

Stay safe and healthy,

TerryD

 

[willray]

Hi fiero,

That sounds a very convincing use, specially when used by a plumber, thanks,

Stay safe and healthy,

TerryD

Yup, and that's what the loop/hook, in combination with the little "raccoon ears" on top of the business end of some other varieties, is for as well.


By the way, I believe your Sievert may have had an (optional) little portable pump to pre-pressurize the tank slightly as well. That filler cap looks a lot like the ones on contemporary Optimus and Svea stoves, for which a pump like this was available:


Optimus Mini Pump

 

[terryd]

Yup, and that's what the loop/hook, in combination with the little "raccoon ears" on top of the business end of some other varieties, is for as well.

Hi Will ray,

Thanks for the confirmation it's always better to have at least two corresponding comments,




TerryD

 

[willray]

Hi Will ray,

Thanks for the confirmation it's always better to have at least two corresponding comments,


TerryD

You have no idea how tickled I was, when I figured out the purpose of those features while casting about trying to figure out where it was safe to set down a hot iron...

 

[terryd]

You have no idea how tickled I was, when I figured out the purpose of those features while casting about trying to figure out where it was safe to set down a hot iron...

Hi,

I can imagine. I occasionally have those eye openers, rather like a Euraka moment - perhaps that's how Archimedes felt,

Stay safe and healthy

TerryD

 

[Ken I]

Here's a thread on blowlamps some 10 years back :-
Blow lamps
I also went through starting procedures etc (Page 1)

Avoiding "flamethrower" mode and photos (Page 2)

Yes the clip is for a soldering iron :-

My homemade heavy duty soldering iron - mostly I heat it on a gas ring nowadays.
A blowlamp puts out prodigious amounts of heat and can be useful for large objects - my butane / propane / oxy-fuel etc. torches are still my weapon of choice for silver soldering as you can keep the flame slightly reducing (fuel rich) which helps to consume any stray Oxygen - which you want to keep away from your prepped area while soldering / brazing.

Regards, Ken

 

[terryd]

Here's a thread on blowlamps some 10 years back :-
Blow lamps
I also went through starting procedures etc (Page 1)
View attachment 123756
Avoiding "flamethrower" mode and photos (Page 2)
View attachment 123757
Yes the clip is for a soldering iron :-
View attachment 123758
My homemade heavy duty soldering iron - mostly I heat it on a gas ring nowadays.
A blowlamp puts out prodigious amounts of heat and can be useful for large objects - my butane / propane / oxy-fuel etc. torches are still my weapon of choice for silver soldering as you can keep the flame slightly reducing (fuel rich) which helps to consume any stray Oxygen - which you want to keep away from your prepped area while soldering / brazing.

Regards, Ken

Hi Ken,

Many thanks for the link and confirmation.

Stay safe and healthy

TerryD

Here's a thread on blowlamps some 10 years back :-
Blow lamps
I also went through starting procedures etc (Page 1)
View attachment 123756
Avoiding "flamethrower" mode and photos (Page 2)
View attachment 123757
Yes the clip is for a soldering iron :-
View attachment 123758
My homemade heavy duty soldering iron - mostly I heat it on a gas ring nowadays.
A blowlamp puts out prodigious amounts of heat and can be useful for large objects - my butane / propane / oxy-fuel etc. torches are still my weapon of choice for silver soldering as you can keep the flame slightly reducing (fuel rich) which helps to consume any stray Oxygen - which you want to keep away from your prepped area while soldering / brazing.

Regards, Ken

P.s.
Hi Ken,

Having seen that old thread on Blowlamps I must respond, to most folks of a certain age in the UK at least, if you just sing "dum, dum, dum, dum..."the response is almost certain to be "...Esso Blue". Probably one of the simplest and best advertising jingles ever.

Stay safe,

TerryD

 

[Steamchick]

"Get your Esso Blue from your Esso Bloo-dealer". I remember asking my Dad what a Bloo-dealer was? We got it from our local iron-monger for our Rippingille room heater. - So he became known as the "Bloo-dealer" after that! The people opposite always use "Pink Paraffin" - but their rooms stunk of the fumes - I reckon now that it wasn't the fuel, just the maintenance of the wick... - Turned-up too high? - They had some yellow flame, which we never had on our Rippingille.
I think that's where I first learned of some principles of combustion. My Dad explained the pre-heater was the reason the heater could draw-in lots of air and mix with the paraffin vapour to burn cleanly - and by heating a wire gauze in front of the reflector the heat was radiated - not just convected exhaust. (A whole physics lesson before I even knew "physics" existed!
I later used a wick paraffin room-lamp on my Brother's boat that was not the typical Hurricane flat wick type. It had a tall glass chimney to develop the draught and had a mantle over a small circular wick with central air intake so a blue flame was created that heated the Mantle to incandescence for the light. The best "wicked" lamp I have seen. My Brother said it was "an American lamp" - of the type used in Westerns by the Cowboys' wives when they returned home at night after weeks away...., or whatever. But rarely do you see the type with a proper mantle.
Having owned Tilley pressure lamps, various fuelled burners, and more recently studied a bit about burner design, I am back (almost) to the Rippingille radiant wire mesh with making a wire-mesh Propane burner for a loco fire-box. This is my target... (see pdf). 200kW/sq.m.

K2

 

[willray]

...
I later used a wick paraffin room-lamp on my Brother's boat that was not the typical Hurricane flat wick type. It had a tall glass chimney to develop the draught and had a mantle over a small circular wick with central air intake so a blue flame was created that heated the Mantle to incandescence for the light. The best "wicked" lamp I have seen. My Brother said it was "an American lamp" - of the type used in Westerns by the Cowboys' wives when they returned home at night after weeks away...., or whatever.
...

There have been a number of manufacturers of variations on this idea, but at least in the US, the overwhelming majority of these are Aladdin lamps.

Current owner of the Aladdin product line

Great lamps. Roughly 60 Watts of warm-white lighting, almost zero smoke/smell. We light the living room with a couple of these quite often.