Retiring my Minor Burner

jellybellykelley · #1 2014-10-06, 6:23pm

I am ready to retire my little minor burner, it has been great for 11 years but now I really want to make larger beads and larger vessels. I have been looking at Nortel torches because of the price. I am considering torches ranging from the mega minor, the mid-range plus with the minor burner on top and the major with the minor top or the red max with the minor top.
I work with soft glass, but my son may eventually want to work boro with this torch.
In addition to this torch question, is what strength do I need from a concentrator to work these torches to their full potential? I bought a M15 from a supplier that we do not hear from anymore on this forum, and I really do not feel that it supplies the O2 that it claims to. My minor doesn't have as much "oomph" as it should. I know I will need a additional concentrator. Thanks!!

dusty · #2 2014-10-06, 8:39pm

You might look at the Knight Little Dragon 21 - it'd be my preferred torch in the class that you're looking at, though you'll have to rig some way to mount your minor alongside it. You'll want at least 2 8lpm or 10lpm machines to run it.

28676bhe · #3 2014-10-06, 9:52pm

Do not get the Mega Minor. There is too little difference, and not enough to consider it an upgrade.

jellybellykelley · #4 2014-10-07, 4:07am

Thanks, I am leaning towards a Midrange plus w a minor top. I do have a M-15 concentrator that doesn't seem very powerful, so I will have to link another concentrator in the deal. Where are the best concentrators for price?

Birdy · #5 2014-10-14, 12:08pm

Moving up to a bigger torch is always exciting! My last move was to a GTT Scorpion with a Regalia concentrator. If you are going to used a concentrator rather than tanked oxy, I'd strongly suggest looking into the Scorpion. It was specifically designed to consume less oxygen, for users who needed to use oxycons rather than tanks. It is much more oxygen-efficient than the Nortel torches. I started out with a Nortel RedMax, and couldn't even run the small torch, which is a Minor, at full blast on my old Devilbis 5.0 liter oxycon, and couldn't run the larger torch portion of it at all.

From the RedMax, I went to a GTT Cricket, and, using the same Devilbis oxycon, had a HUGELY improved, much hotter flame. It was absolutely amazing how much more oxygen efficient it was than the Nortel torch.

When I outgrew the Cricket, I bought a GTT Scorpion, and upgraded to the Regalia oxycon. The Devilbis is still going strong, so I have it Y-connected to the Regalia, and use them both all the time.

I prefer to work really hot, and use a large flame almost all the time. I run my Scorpion with both the inner and outer flames going at least 99% of the time. It blasts out a great flame running the two oxycons together, or with just the Regalia by itself. I make huge focal beads, and also work boro.

Too bad that you got the M-15. I also made that mistake. Was never able to get a properly working unit from good old Jack, and finally had to give up. He kept stalling me on a replacement for the original non-functioning unit, and forced me to pay shipping costs to return the defective unit, as well as shipping to get the replacement sent to me. Nice, huh? I had to pay shipping 3 times! The second one never worked well enough to use except in dire emergencies, but I literally could not afford to send it back to him. It was obvious that he wasn't going to send me a good unit, and told me outright that he didn't have the $$ to refund my purchase, so there was no point in paying shipping again to return it.

My all-time favorite oxycon seller is Kimberly at Pyronamix. http://www.pyronamix.com She is incredibly knowledgeable about the various oxycon brands and models, sells at competitive prices, and offers good warranties.

Good luck with your upgrade!

Birdy

volkanokaren · #6 2014-10-14, 1:58pm

Great info Birdy. I'm also looking to upgrade from my mega minor and m-15 so I will keep this in mind.

Karen Sagar Art Glass

ripzz

jellybellykelley · #7 2014-10-17, 6:26am

I have ordered my mid-range with a minor top! I also have two 20's coming to power the O2. I feel in 7th heaven because the studio is taking shape, actually just need to clean out the pvc pipes I had cut for glass storage and place them in the very ugly but very serviceable entertainment center I bought on facebook. In fact since I don't have to work until this afternoon I should be cleaning those right now!!