help, which torch should I choose ?
 

Hello everyone =;
As said in the tittle, I really need your help to choose the right torch !
I work little pieces (about 1/2 inch) with a lot of details, but I would like to make murrini too.
So, I've made researches, and finally I've taken the Mini CC and the Bethlehem Alpha on... Between these ones, which one do you think I should buy ? :-k

Ps: sorry for my poor english, but french aren't known for being very good at foreign languages ;-)

I can't speak to the mini cc, but I have a Bethlehem Alpha and love it! Have had no problems with it, and to be honest, I don't clean it very often and never had an issue. I've been using it about three years now.

Buy the biggest torch you can right now. You will want to upgrade eventually!

What is your oxygen source?

Thank you very much for your answer Trish915 and bshelle :smile:
Well, so far I'm using a hot head (so I don't have chosen my oxygen source yet) but now I would like more precision and power.
Does the Bethlehem alpha allow you to make murrini and little details of about 3mm ?

I learned on a mini cc and the knobs would get hot while working ... not sure if that situation was ever corrected on subsequent models ... so I would stay away from the mini.

If you want to make murrini gathers ... I would snag the Beth Bravo. That's my planned upgrade. My understanding is that the Beth's got from nice pinpoint flames to nice radiant heat flames on very low psi for gas and oxygen.

Personally, I love my National 8M because I can change out the tips, so it's like I've got at least 4-5 different torches just by making a quick swap. I've done everything from tiny 6mm beads to 3" blown pieces on it that way.

When I got a Bethlehem Alpha for the wife I hooked it up for Natural gas and oxygen concentrators.

It cost nothing to run. It has real threads on the torch to have a hose screw right on, the base is nice, the valves are very fine, big and stays cool. Built tough no doubt.

worth the $209 I paid for it.

I have a video of mine running on natural gas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7uBTg5Zd04

Thanks you all for your responses :) so I choose the alpha !!! I can't wait to try it !!

How's your progress? Please share! :D

Another vote for Alpha.

And do show your progress!

Love my GTT Lynx!

Alpha, alpha, alpha.

The answer might be - all of them! I think the Alpha is a good choice. But I also love my Bobcat and Midrange. I don't like Minors. They seem too slow to me.

I love my GTT Phantom. I've been using it for over 15 years.

I'd defiantly consider the GTT Lynx. It's an awesome torch! I have one but a few years ago upgraded to a phantom which you know still has the Lynx center fire. They really are a good choice. Unless you really go big you'll never need any more than the Phantom. And you can still do what you want with the Lynx

lynx
 

I've used my lynx for 9 years and loved it!!! the only problem is there is no radiant heat so if you eventually want to make large or long beads, it's a problem... but reducing and striking DH colors are so easy to get gorgeous colors out of.

Now you have to wait 9 years to get a new GTT :p

They chose the alpha btw ;)

I'm considering an Alpha, a dear friend has been waiting since June for a new GTT, meanwhile I see on their page a dealer posting tons of new torches all the time that they 'just got in'. :-k

So, the alpha is a good torch, but not perfect (nothing's perfect ;-) ). I mean, it does a very good job for simple beads and murrini, but for sculpture it doesn't make enough radiant heat, so it's very hard not to crack them...

The Mini CC, Hellcat, or Lucio might be a better choice. I really like my Mini CC and Hellcat - they've got a very soft "edge" to the flame that helps with that, but makes them worse for other things.

I went on a quest for the perfect torch and have about 10 now. Except for a few, they're each best for something.