Hothead/propane use question HELP!

[fyrebeadz*]

A friend of mine is setting up her lampworking stuff. She has purchased a hothead and a BBQ style bottle of propane. That is her only fuel. Since I have ever used only a minor burner, I want to know if this is acceptable? She got the specific hoses that are to be used with this type of set up. I am supposed to help her set up on Friday. Is it ok to just use propane with a hothead? Isn't it a "dirty" fuel and won't it leave scum on the beads? Especially on clear glass? She is running on propane only. I could really use some advice on this before Friday! Thanks!

Donna

[Jesmar]

Hi Donna,
You are absolutly right. Propane is NOT good at all for a hothead. It does burn very dirty and there will be scum for sure. What she needs to use is mapp gas. It would be best if she went to your local gas supplier to get her mapp gas and to bring her hothead so that they can give her the proper hoses and attachments for that spacific torch and for the tank . I don't know where she purchased the hoses, but if she purchased them online or from a glass company. it would still be a good idea to bring all of that to the gas supplier. I thought I was going to buy the hose and attachments for my hothead online, because they sell some that are supposed to be for hotheads. But when I went to the gas supplier they said they had to fit it correctly so that it fits not only with the torch but with the tank as well. But as far as the propane gas, I know from experience:( that EVERY bead will be full of scum. She will not get one good bead from it.
Good Luck
Darlene

[wendbill]

I use propane from a BBQ bottle with a hothead and I haven't had any problems with it. You will find a quite a few other people here are using the same set up without issues.

Scummy beads are usually caused by working too low in the flame or having the hothead flame turned up too high. If you turn the flame down and work in the sweet spot of the flame you're less likely to strike issues.

[Jacinthe]

Sorry but I think Darlene is wrong...

I used propane for almost my 3 full years on my hothead alone.
I NEVER had discoloration or scum unless I worked too close to the hothead itself.

Go right ahead and use the propane, just make sure she has a high quality regulator that lets her regulate the pressure from the tank (for safety). They say you can do it without, but you don't run a BBQ grill without one, why run your torch without one then?

Edit and if you don't believe me, go look at all my beads from last year... they are on my website...

[MikeAurelius]

Hot head torches need full tank pressure to operate properly. A regulator is not only not necessary but makes the torch run at less than its full capability.

While I can understand your safety concerns, it DOES affect the functionality of the torch to use a regulator. There is a built in orifice in the torch that regulates the amount of propane or mapp gas that flows through the torch. That's the only "regulation" required for this type of torch.

[Jacinthe]

I bought a regulator for mine and had NO problems, in 3 years of use. I bought one that it was possible to get to the same pressure in the bottle. Its one that you can change the pressure, I would like to one day replace the one I have with one that is more versatile.

I know its not required in the states. I forgot to mention I am working in Europe and our standards are different than the ones in the states.

Here in Europe it is required, they won't sell you a propane bottle without a regulator. Also if they invest now in a good regulator they won't have to purchase that if/when they do eventually upgrade to a dual fuel torch.

I just don't want to put MY family at risk, and don't see the need of putting anyone else's families at risk. So I use a regulator on my propane bulk tank.

The HH torch was designed to work with 1 pound MAPP bottles of gas, NOT the bulk tanks. Things were created and invented to help the people using it who couldn't access MAPP easily or cheaply. I am grateful there is another way to use a HH without having to use MAPP, for the simple fact that I could NEVER have afforded to make beads using MAPP. At 30 bucks a 1 pound bottle, plus a train trip to Antwerp back and forth it would never have been feasible for me.

[Dale M.]

A lot of information about hothead use in this document...

http://www.artglassanswers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7

As for propane vs. MAPP as a fuel. I have tried both, don't see much difference, if propane is dirty it must be a regional thing.... Also the heat and dirty problem may be from running HH fill open, which makes it a severely fuel rich (reducing flame) I find that turning fuel down some from full open to where flame takes on a richer blue color and a more defined flame is better than having fuel valve full open...


As for hose issues... The connector to the hothead and the propane tanks are "industry standard". Meaning if you have the correct hose it will fit with out any modifications or adaptations. The quality of actual hose between the connectors is probably the only variable... Whether purchasing it from a plumbing shop or a glass supplier or hardware store or camping supplier on I-net probably does not make much difference as all are probably manufactured to same minimum standard.

Yes one needs a regulator on BBQ grill, but that device is of a totally different design and requirement for fuel... They are two totally different devices that have nothing in common other than they both get hot....

Dale

[fyrebeadz*]

Many thanks to everyone for their help here! As it turned, out my friend saw this thread and read everything so she knows what not or what to do!

Donna