Moving to Boro, Best Torch and Ox combo

[wnbresn]

Well Christmas is fast approaching and the wife who is the lampworker in the family is starting to eye working with boro. Being the hubby and wanting to please the little lady (i.e. save my ass) I'm starting to look for a good boro torch and oxygen concentrator combo to help her upgrade. She currently uses a Mini CC with an Sequal Integra 10 concentrator (Last years birthday presents) . I know I'm probably going to have to pair the Integra with another concentrator to get the oomph the new torch would need but what is a good one to add? I also looked at the Barracuda torch but its a little high in price. How are the Carlisle Wildcats since she does like the Mini CC so much. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[ArtcoInc]

The Mini CC should be fine for small boro work. Just make sure your oxycon is up to it.

But, if you insist on upgrading, and she likes the Mini CC, the Wildcat would be a good next step up.

(which reminds me .. I need to add both the Wildcat and the Hellcat to my web site. I've got both in stock)

Malcolm

[ginkgoglass]

I loooovvvvvve my Cuda, but I'm biased. I switched to 2 oxycons after going through a tank of oxy every two days.

[Mr. Smiley]

I love my Cuda too... and I'm on a pair of M-20 concentrators... The M-15s will power a Cuda nicely as well. It's all about budget... what are you comfortable spending? The Mini will do smaller boro work with enough oxygen... ;)

[wnbresn]

Well the Cuda looks nice but the 850 they run for might be a bit high especially if I have to add another concentrator to the Ingegra 10. Wonder if a M20 and an Integra 10 would be enough to drive the Cuda well? I'm pretty sure it would drive a wildcat. I look to the future and I see her wanting to be able to do boro beads up to say 50mm by 15mm one day and then go back to soft glass on another day. She uses a spinner and a creation station so the torch can't be to big... decisions decisons

[Mr. Smiley]

You'll have to make sure the two concentrators are a match with their pressure output (PSI). ;)

[wnbresn]

So then how about a Wildcat with two Integra 10's ? Hmmm actually for the cost of one Integra 10 I could get a Tornado... Are they worth it? That would be about in my price range.... How good is the wildcat with both boro and soft glass? Sorry for the questions just want to make sure I get her what she needs.

[Paul Ewing]

Unless you need to sell the MiniCC to pay for the larger torch, I would say keep it to do soft glass and small boro. On the 10lpm concentrator, that should be fine for up to one inch beads. My wife does her cute boro fish (about 50mm x 65mm) on a minor with a 5 lpm and 7 lpm concentrator. I have them dialed back to only producing about 10.5 lpm total.

I switch out my torches depending on what I am making. I use the Lynx for beads and small sculpture. I switch to the Cheetah if I am going to make mostly larger pendants and sculptural pieces. I don't use the CC much because of the oxygen requirements, but will probably use it more now that I have four T size tanks instead of one little 150cf tank.

One thing you might run into is if you get much bigger is that oxycons don't put out as much pressure as the larger torches really need. If an oxygen tank is a possibility for you, you might want to look at something like the GTT Phantom, Knight Bullet or Carlisle Hellcat. If you get a four post model, you can run the center fire off the concentrator you have and have the outer fire on a tank. The centerfire would probably be used most (75% or more) of the time so you wouldn't go through oxygen tanks as fast as normal.

[Mary K]

Wnbresn you are a gem among men. You set a good example for all other husbands.
I am fortunately blessed with an equally wonderful and suportive husband as well.
Nice that you know the way to a woman's heart, a big hot flame! of course!

[kbinkster]

What size work does she want to do? You might not need to invest in a second concentrator right away.

I can make nice sized boro pendants and marbles (I'm not so good at those) on an Integra10 with either my Lynx or my Cheetah (faster on the Cheetah).

I also have a Phantom. When I had only the Integra10, I ran the centerfire on the concentrator and the outerfire on tanks. This saved quite a bit of oxygen, since I used mostly the centerfire and only kicked on the outer for heating large gathers.

Then, when I got my Regalia, I hooked the two together to run the entire torch. I could get about 75% of the Phantom's capacity running the two together like that. This is quite a bit of heat! Willy and I melted and shaped a round 1 3/4" gather of boro in less than four minutes.

[wnbresn]

One thing you might run into is if you get much bigger is that oxycons don't put out as much pressure as the larger torches really need. If an oxygen tank is a possibility for you, you might want to look at something like the GTT Phantom, Knight Bullet or Carlisle Hellcat

I have looked at the Hellcat. I was wondering with its 4 port if I could use the Integra 10 I have to drive the Center then use something like a tornado to drive the outers. Just thinking out loud here. I guess you might say the buget is in the 1500 to 2000 bracket. Tanked Ox is out because of our location. She does like the mini CC but wants to do more and I know my wife. She has always been artistic and when she latches on to something she grows in skill level fast. She already spends about 8 hours a day on the torch. I want to make sure I get her equipment that will grow with her.

As to the size of the work she does? probably in the 2 inch by an half inch bracket...But she is always trying new stuff

[PaulaD]

I really like the GTT's. I had a Cuda once and hated it! I've never tried a Hellcat. I waited for along time for one and finally gave up. I'd get that over a Wildcat though because you will need a pinpoint flame at some point. That's where the GTT's shine.
I agree with Paul that an oxygen tank is a good option if at all possible. It doesn't have to be a big one.
Paula