blow torch

[Steve]

Hi i am looking for a couple of new blow torches, a portable one and one with a gas tank, anyone got any feedback on the various makes?

Thanks

Steve

[Wanderer]

Bullfinch make a reliable 'hosed' gas torch. Should be able to get them from any main bottled gas depot.

[Bertrand Collet]

Concerning the portable ones: Something called GoGas International in B&Q (type GB2090). It takes the very cheap 190g pierceable cartridges (£0.90-£1), therefore it's much cheaper than the other fancy portable blowtorches that takes only the expensive starwars-shapes cartridges ...

Hope this helps,

Bertrand

[OldScrawn]

I've just got the Screwfix £60 set (14714), sort of a poor man's Bullfinch and it is pretty good.

[Andy Dingley]

Damned expensive though. Mine is a Rothenberger - half the price I was quoted for Bullfinch stuff (from Calor Gas)

[Andy Hall]

I have some Rothenburger stuff (and I agree it is good quality), and also some Sievert (made by Primus Sievert in Sweden) which is also extremely good.

I use each, depending on the circumstances.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[Paul Hewish]

Steve, it depends what you want to use it/them for:

The odd bit of 'lightweight' DIY - then a cheapo Tamar (or similar) from a DIY shed Better would be something like a Rothenberger Quick Fire (self-lighter) with a screw-on 400g Bernzomatic propane cartridge - excellent kit for serious copper work. I bought mine about 4 or 5 years ago (I think it cost about £20 ??) and it's still the first out the bag because it's light/compact. More serious, especially if you want to burn paint off as well as solder/braze, would be torch & hose. I recently replaced my 30 yr old Gaz kit (butane) with a Clarke FS560 kit (£60 from Machine Mart although they do smaller sets). This comes with a comprehensive range of attachments. Of course, on top of this you have to get your propane cylinder - the smallest that Calor do is a 3.9kg. There is an initial (once only!) rental, I think about £25, then just your refills, about £6 a time. I'm very pleased with it.

I have an account with BOC for welding gear so initially went to my local depot to get the propane kit - they do Bullfinch. The cheapest they had was the 140P @ £54, it had no attachments (optional extras) and the handle was a horrible spring thing which I guess would be very uncomfortable to use for any length of time. Also their gas prices were very high - you have to pay an ANNUAL rental of about £15 for BOC's (propane)cylinders, although the refills are about the same as Calor. The other thing about Calor is that their cylinders are easier to obtain 'cos they've lots of local depots, not true of BOC.

Why not go to your local recycling center a see if you can pick-up an 'old' propane cylinder because all you then have to do is to present it at you local Calor depot and replace it with a refill - you don't have to produce any paper work to show you paid the initial rental.

Paul

[OldScrawn]

rental, I think about £25, then just your refills, about £6 a time.

ditto, only I bought the 6 kilo, £45 deposit and refills £9.