A new torch for my anniversary?

[J. Savina]

Hi all!
This year is maybe the first year in a long time that my husband and I have been talking about exchanging anniversary gifts (not just cards). The last few years have been a financial rollercoaster. It's just a little better this year. So my husband said he would like to see me with a new torch. I've been using a nortel minor burner. I really only want to do small boro stuff which is way too frustrating with the minor and an oxycon. I have 2 oxygen tanks (collecting dust since I now have an oxycon) and several propane tanks so I'm not concerned with psi issues. I don't want him to spend more than $500.00 dollars on this (which is only fair since the anniversary gift I want to get him is around $500.00). So, I'm not sure which torch would be the best step up. I've been looking around. Mid-range, Lynx, Bobcat, Carlisle? I'm so confused. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
J.

[squid]

Lynx

[Imaglassgal]

What she said.

[J. Savina]

Hey thanks! Lynx is in my price range.

J.

[kbinkster]

If you are interested in a hotter flame, but not necessarily much wider flame, then the Lynx is great. You might be surprised at how big you can actually go on one. The Cheetah is the next step up in the GTT triple mix line. It is a lot hotter than the Lynx and has a bushier flame. You might not need something that big, though, if you just want to do small boro. The Lynx will do plenty.

[tgslampwork]

I also love my Lynx. LOVE.

[J. Savina]

Wow, that 4 votes for a lynx. Hmm. I'm starting to lean.
Thank you for the info Kimberly! I'm wondering if someone in my area has one that I can try out.

J.

[kbinkster]

Jeanette, are you running propane or natural gas?

[LyndaJ]

Love my cheetah - and its ability to run a wider flame. I use NG, but I run with a booster.

[kbinkster]

I love the Cheetah, too! It is a really neat torch. Like the Lynx, though, it does not do well on household pressure NG.


Another thing to consider whenever you have a torch you are running on a single 5 LPM oxycon, once you outgrow its performance, another option besides getting a new torch is to get a second oxycon (or upgrade a larger one). The diference can be night and day and sometimes that is the less expensive way to go.

[shawnette]

Another vote for the Lynx.

[debkauz]

What about adding a little more money and getting a Scorpion?

[J. Savina]

Propane gas.

Well Deb, I'll certainly look into a Scorpion, but I'm trying to keep it under $500.
J.

[J. Savina]

Originally Posted by kbinkster

I love the Cheetah, too! It is a really neat torch. Like the Lynx, though, it does not do well on household pressure NG.


Another thing to consider whenever you have a torch you are running on a single 5 LPM oxycon, once you outgrow its performance, another option besides getting a new torch is to get a second oxycon (or upgrade a larger one). The diference can be night and day and sometimes that is the less expensive way to go.

Thank you so much for this info.
I have 2 oxygen tanks, and 1 oxycon 5psi. Before I get another oxycon, I want to see how my new torch does with the oxygen tanks I already own.
J.

[dpglassworks]

I LOVE my Bobcat for soft glass and my Cheetah for Boro... have had all the brands you mentioned and I have been the happiest with GTT

[tt4st]

I love my Lynx and Cheetah and they will rock on your tanks!!

[gmkcpa]

ANY torch should work great with tanked O2. I started with a National hand torch, went to a Wale Firebird, and then to a Carlile CC. Everything rocks with tanked O2.

[kbinkster]

Originally Posted by J. Savina

Thank you so much for this info.
I have 2 oxygen tanks, and 1 oxycon 5psi. Before I get another oxycon, I want to see how my new torch does with the oxygen tanks I already own.
J.

My point was really about seeing how much more performance you can get out of the torch you already have when fed more oxygen because you said that you were frustrated with the Minor on 5 LPM. Have you used it with your tanks, lately?

I understand wanting a new torch and I'm not trying to talk you out of one.

[J. Savina]

Originally Posted by kbinkster

My point was really about seeing how much more performance you can get out of the torch you already have when fed more oxygen because you said that you were frustrated with the Minor on 5 LPM. Have you used it with your tanks, lately?

I understand wanting a new torch and I'm not trying to talk you out of one.

Yep, before I got the oxycon, I only had the tanks and even with the tanks it was a struggle getting enough heat to melt the boro.

I bought a bunch of boro glass that I haven't been able to use yet. I took a boro class a few years ago, and tried out the Nortel mid-range and Red-max torches. I was more comfortable with the mid-range, but not all together thrilled with the Nortel mid-range, so I really am leaning toward a lynx or bobcat. AHHH, decisions, decisions.

Thanks you for all the input. By our next anniversary, maybe I'll talk him into getting an EMS. HEE HEE

J.

[MikeTodd]

My wife and I love our midrange plus. She likes the minor part so she can do small sculptual objects and I love the midrange so I can work bigger. I am a furnace worker by trade so I like have the larger flame. We run it on a 5lpm concentrator and supplement it with a K-tank all hooked together with a t-connector.

[kbinkster]

I think you will be really happy with a Lynx. You might even be surprised at what it can do on your 5 LPM machine when you're wanting to do soft glass.