What can you do with a Benzomatic?

[tnehlers]

I don't know if they come in different types, but my dad gave me a benzomatic soldering iron, the kind that has a flame. I have no idea what I can do with it...stained glass maybe? Does anyone know?

Thanks!

[metalbone]

you can melt sugar on the top of creme brulee... :)

Just kidding, you can probably melt stringers of 104 on a small diameter mandrel and make colored accent beads to adorn earring posts...

[houptdavid]

Well you can make spacer beads but it takes a loooong time.

Plumbing

Silver solder sterling

[tnehlers]

I was thinking of uses other than glass melting! I have a bobcat for that :D

So, I'm guessing I have no use for it! I was hoping I could use it for stained glass.

Thanks!

[Dale M.]

Most stained glass soldering is done with electric soldering copper....

Dale

[Nitadee]

I LOVE my Benny!!! I make head pins with mine all the time! Makes it really cost effective.
HAVE FUN!!
Nita

[tnehlers]

Ok, I thought that might be the case, thanks Dale.

Nita, how do you make head pins?

[fireside glass]

I used to use mine to take stringers and dicro sizzle sticks and bend em into cool twisty shapes and patterns, then lay em on top of glass and turn em into cool fused pendants, just my two cents...

[rosemarie23]

Nita, how do you make head pins?

Cut the wire to length, plus a little. Hold one end with a pair of plier and put the other end into the flame. Move the wire up and down a little to get more than just the very tip hot. After a short time the end will ball up.

I drop the headpin into a pickle pot right away. Get them out, rinse, and tumble.

Benefits?
You can make the exact length that you need.
Cheap!

[laserglass]

well it depends upon what benzomatic type torch you buy. i bought one for $9.95 that more heating power than a hothead torch. using it would be a good way to start with minimal costs. you can adjust both the gas and air seperately. goes from a pinpoint flame all the way to a very big flame.

[parisgal]

Hmmm, I can use them for plumbing? I love tools that I can use for glass as well as "real" home improvement tasks!

[Mr. Meker]

I use mine to reduce light blue to red.
172638
172509

I make my drop, put it on the ceramic blanket, and cover it. Then I switch from my HH to my Benzomatic and torch the drop while it is on the blanket.

[Mr. Meker]

Hmmm, I can use them for plumbing? I love tools that I can use for glass as well as "real" home improvement tasks!

I read in a book that some airports use boro pipes from plumbing because the deicer/fuel/oil is corrosive to normal pipes and boro is fire and heat proof.

[Nitadee]

Pretty much what Rose said, except I can always tell just when it's going to "ball up" there will be a slight color change in the flame. When I make copper head pins for example, there will be a green tinge, and then, whoop! There's a ball at the end! What I really like is controlling how big I can make that ball, for different sized beads.
I would also add that I only use Copper, or FINE Silver for head pins. And usually the fine silver doesn't have to be pickled. I just drop it into a bowl of cold water.
There ya have it!
Nita

[tnehlers]

Thanks for all the great ideas! Maybe I will keep it after all; it seems like it might come in handy.
If anyone else has ideas, I'd love to read them!

[effemess]

I too make headpins with mine.. but I use fine silver, not sterling, and dont need to pickle it :) :) :)

[blr2449]

well it depends upon what benzomatic type torch you buy. i bought one for $9.95 that more heating power than a hothead torch. using it would be a good way to start with minimal costs. you can adjust both the gas and air seperately. goes from a pinpoint flame all the way to a very big flame.

Mark, does your torch have a model #? I've looked online and I can't see that Bernzomatic makes one like this. I'd be very interested is trying one.