|
2012-05-17, 11:34pm
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Apr 07, 2012
Location: Oz
Posts: 195
|
|
Cricket vs Hothead - faster?
I have been on a hothead for 3 years now (love it), but am looking at getting a Cricket with a 8lpm oxycon hoping to work faster (is 8lpm enough?). 2" focals are about the biggest things I make.
I am doing a heap of BHB's at the minute and would like to speed things up. How much faster would a cricket be? If i take 10 mins to do a basic one colour BHB on the Hothead, how long on the Cricket?
|
2012-05-17, 11:38pm
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Apr 07, 2012
Location: Oz
Posts: 195
|
|
Oh, idiot! this should be in the Torch subforum, anyone know how I can move it?
|
2012-05-18, 2:36am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 17, 2008
Location: NH
Posts: 126
|
|
Huge difference!!! I am on a Cricket w/a 5 lpm oxycon....plenty of power!! Geeze...never timed how long it takes to make a BHB using 104 coe glass ....but if I had to guess I would say it takes me under 5 minutes for a single color BHB.
I started on a Hothead...I did love my HH....but it took forever to make a simple bead...I just didn't have the patience...So I went to a minor...but I wanted to melt glass faster...so now I am on the Cricket...and love it!!
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. gail To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Cricket w/ 5 lpm Oxycon
|
2012-05-18, 3:37am
|
|
Nerwbie Glass Junkie
|
|
Join Date: Oct 24, 2010
Location: Brisbane, Sunshine State, Australia
Posts: 2,133
|
|
I have a cricket with an 8lpm oxycon & it works great. The cricket is actually designed to run on a 5lpm, I went for the 8lpm in case I want to upgrade in the future because when I bought it, it was only a few dollars more.
I can't compare the cricket to the hothead timewise because I have never used a hothead & I've never made a BHB but I find my cricket plenty fast enough.
__________________
Toowoomba here I come ...
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2012-05-18, 4:31am
|
|
offically down under
|
|
Join Date: Dec 22, 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 3,131
|
|
I was on a hot head for 3 years before I moved up to a minor and then a year ago I upgraded to a cricket. There is a learning curve -especially with stringer control but you are going to love the extra heat and how quiet the duel fuel torch is compared to the HH.
__________________
Tammy
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2012-05-18, 7:44am
|
|
Student!
|
|
Join Date: Jun 16, 2011
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 283
|
|
I love my cricket! I used the HH for a month before upgradng to the cricket and getting a couple of 5lpm oxycons with natural gas. My main reason for switching was that I kept running out of gas mid-bead (and it was always the best bead of the day!).
Cheryl
|
2012-05-18, 8:36am
|
|
Disconnected
|
|
Join Date: Jan 31, 2007
Location: Normandy, France
Posts: 1,323
|
|
I used a HH for 2 years and then switched to a Cricket on one 5 lpm oxycon. I find it plenty for the very small round beads I make. You'll find it is a very different animal, with virtually no radiant heat and a laser-beam type of flame, quite hot indeed.
Like others have said, I enjoy the quietness and the fuel economy (which I assume has to do with both the design of the torch and the fact that a regulator makes it much more fuel efficient).
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2012-05-18, 8:38am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 01, 2007
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 1,749
|
|
And you can always call GTT for specific questions. Wally was great with information on how to work hotter/faster on my Scorpion.
__________________
~Rachel
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2012-05-18, 8:52am
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Mar 07, 2011
Location: Northern California
Posts: 2,023
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flonche
I used a HH for 2 years and then switched to a Cricket on one 5 lpm oxycon. I find it plenty for the very small round beads I make. You'll find it is a very different animal, with virtually no radiant heat and a laser-beam type of flame, quite hot indeed.
Like others have said, I enjoy the quietness and the fuel economy (which I assume has to do with both the design of the torch and the fact that a regulator makes it much more fuel efficient).
|
No. It has to do with burning gas with relatively pure oxygen vs. air. Much more efficient.
|
2012-05-18, 10:05am
|
|
Disconnected
|
|
Join Date: Jan 31, 2007
Location: Normandy, France
Posts: 1,323
|
|
I see, thanks for the clarification
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2012-05-18, 10:27am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 08, 2010
Posts: 855
|
|
How much faster is the cricket compared to a minor?
|
2012-05-18, 12:18pm
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 17, 2008
Location: NH
Posts: 126
|
|
Don't know exact time-wise how much faster it is....a Minor has a more bushy flame...the Cricket has a more concentrated flame...more concentrated heat = faster melting...that is one of the first things I noticed when I switched from my Minor to my Cricket.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. gail To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Cricket w/ 5 lpm Oxycon
|
2012-05-18, 2:17pm
|
|
I'm meeeeelting
|
|
Join Date: May 27, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 2,236
|
|
A cricket is hotter than a minor, although I can't give a time comparison. I will say that going from a HH to a cricket will likely be a pretty drastic adjustment. The flames are polar opposite. A mini cc would probably be an easier transition, but the mini cc uses a lot more oxy than the cricket.
__________________
Etsy: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Foot Pedal Tutorial: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Kevlar Fingerless Gloves: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2012-05-18, 6:05pm
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Apr 07, 2012
Location: Oz
Posts: 195
|
|
Thanks everyone for the input, 48 days to go 'til the torch and oxy are funded, I quit smoking and the daily cig money goes straight to the oxy fund
|
2012-05-18, 9:16pm
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Mar 07, 2011
Location: Northern California
Posts: 2,023
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by fionac
Thanks everyone for the input, 48 days to go 'til the torch and oxy are funded, I quit smoking and the daily cig money goes straight to the oxy fund
|
Congrats. I smoked two packs a day for 10 years and havent touched one in 22 years. One of the best things I ever did for myself.
|
2012-05-18, 11:53pm
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 17, 2008
Location: NH
Posts: 126
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryC
Congrats. I smoked two packs a day for 10 years and havent touched one in 22 years. One of the best things I ever did for myself.
|
Good on you!!! Been 26 years since I quit ...One of the best things I ever did for my health, also!!! But I have a confession...if the earth was ending tomorrow....I would go grab myself a carton of cigs...and smoke every one of them...just because....
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. gail To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Cricket w/ 5 lpm Oxycon
|
2012-05-19, 12:05am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 17, 2008
Location: NH
Posts: 126
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by fionac
Thanks everyone for the input, 48 days to go 'til the torch and oxy are funded, I quit smoking and the daily cig money goes straight to the oxy fund
|
That's awesome, fionac!! Good luck!! You will feel so much better...and food tastes so much better..that is one of the first changes I noticed...I can't even believe what cigs cost these days...just think of all the glassy stuffs you will have the extra money for, now..lol!!! One addiction to another
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. gail To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Cricket w/ 5 lpm Oxycon
|
2012-05-19, 12:29am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Nov 01, 2006
Location: Nth NSW, Australia
Posts: 879
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by fionac
I have been on a hothead for 3 years now (love it), but am looking at getting a Cricket with a 8lpm oxycon hoping to work faster (is 8lpm enough?). 2" focals are about the biggest things I make.
I am doing a heap of BHB's at the minute and would like to speed things up. How much faster would a cricket be? If i take 10 mins to do a basic one colour BHB on the Hothead, how long on the Cricket?
|
I just got my cricket and oxycon and have only used it once but already I noticed how quiet and melty it was.
Much much quicker too, than the HH.
I was on the HH for 5 years to so I gave it a good go.
__________________
Nicole
Custard...it's just like hot icecream!
|
2012-05-19, 1:24am
|
Alaska Boro
|
|
Join Date: Dec 10, 2009
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 1,065
|
|
The Cricket works well with a concentrator. However, by adding a 2nd machine the Cricket really comes to life. Have upgraded to a Scorpion which uses the Cricket as the center fire.
If using the Scorpion on NG then only two concentrators are needed. If propane then three is my recommendation.
The advantage of the Scorpion is that the outer flame is much bushier. The down side is the cost deferential in the range of 4 plus times greater.
|
2012-05-19, 2:55am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Aug 09, 2008
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 1,086
|
|
Hm if you are doing stringer work is the cricket too concentrated of a flame? Would a minor be better? I am still on a HH and I am just getting to the point where I feel I am getting much better at heat control and my stringer work is improving because of that. I am afraid to go to a big torch because I think I will lose that.
|
2012-05-19, 6:22am
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Mar 07, 2011
Location: Northern California
Posts: 2,023
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolinesbeads
Hm if you are doing stringer work is the cricket too concentrated of a flame? Would a minor be better? I am still on a HH and I am just getting to the point where I feel I am getting much better at heat control and my stringer work is improving because of that. I am afraid to go to a big torch because I think I will lose that.
|
As long as you take the time to learn how to adjust the torch I dont think that is an issue. The cricket will have a learning curve but it is much more adjustable and versatile than the HH.
|
2012-05-21, 4:22am
|
|
one day at a time
|
|
Join Date: Jun 27, 2005
Location: We are MOVING!!!
Posts: 8,319
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolinesbeads
Hm if you are doing stringer work is the cricket too concentrated of a flame? Would a minor be better? I am still on a HH and I am just getting to the point where I feel I am getting much better at heat control and my stringer work is improving because of that. I am afraid to go to a big torch because I think I will lose that.
|
Having tried all of these small torches out there, I think you would like the Minor more than the Cricket for stringer control, because of your HH experience. The Minor has a lot more radiant heat than the sharp focused flame of the Cricket. This is what makes the GTT torches excellent for melting boro. But if you are after a gentler heat for soft glass, then the Minor or Mini CC are great choices. The Mini is hotter than the Minor and has even more radiant heat.
I'm in need of a second torch, because I think my Bobcat is too hot for some of the things I want to do. I'll be getting a Minor or another Mini CC. My Mini was stolen out of my second studio after my family home burned down. Idiot thief got a torch with a badly clogged port, in need of factory repair. Too bad, and they probably wouldn't know what to do with it anyway. lol
__________________
You live in a world of money. Money means choices. No money, no choices. Welcome to reality.
Melody (Marlee Matlin) from Switched at Birth
|
2012-05-28, 12:31am
|
|
I'm meeeeelting
|
|
Join Date: May 27, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 2,236
|
|
You can definitely do stringer work with a cricket. You can adjust the flame size (smaller) or work farther out in the flame. It'll take some experimenting and practice to find the sweet spot and figure out what method works best for you, but it's completely do-able.
__________________
Etsy: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Foot Pedal Tutorial: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Kevlar Fingerless Gloves: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2012-06-16, 6:34pm
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Aug 09, 2008
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 1,086
|
|
Thanks for the input guys! I am hoping to try out a few torches with my glassy friends before I decide.
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 4:25am.
|