brazing torch ?

[Ditchrat]

It's time to improve my craft and start to do some brazing. I'm starting the shopping phase and I am wondering what I should be looking for in features? I saw some mixed gas jewelry torches with some narrower tips. Are they worth looking into?

The only thing I am going to use this for is rd stuff.

[Jeepy84]

An oxy/mapp setup with good valves at the bottle, and a reliable striker is all you need. For RC, you don't really want the super small jeweler's tips because you want to use stock with some girth, and you have to get the stock hot, not just the brazing rod. Just like soldering. Bring it up to cherry red will take forever if you have thick (relatively speaking) stock and a tiny torch.

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[hotwheels000]

2 sides to every story,

I use a micro jewelers torch more than I use my full size oxy/acetylene torch. Both connect to the same bottles.

Those little torches can put out a shit ton of heat in a very concentrated area, really nice when making joints next to each other, you don't overheat the surrounding are. They dont use excessive amounts of fuel to accomplish the same task. Super nice when working with fillers that have a low melting point like solder or safety silver.

Only time the bigger torch or map set up comes out is if I am working with solid stock or plate steel. Those 2 are giant heat sinks and it is nice to have a little more heat to get the filler to flow properly.

[Ditchrat]

I used to braze larger things and often times I would preheat to avoid over heating the area I was working on, basically because of them being giant heat sinks. Any reason why I couldn't employ that method using a smaller torch?

I plan on starting out doing sliders, and bumpers first then practice on roll cages. Eventually doing a truggy for my kid.

I am also not opposed to getting one of each.

[Jeepy84]

After reading hotwheels post, I'm intrigued by the prospect of using a jewelers torch now too, especially to use it with aluminum, and the steel I started using... Now to find one that has regulators that fit disposable bottles...

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[badhoopty]

if you are at all serious about getting into brazing, get a small hvac setup with a refillable o2 tank like the smith little torch caddy.

the 80 buck home depot style torches work pretty decent, i use one, but holy hell it CONSUMES those little cheap disposable o2 tanks. and at 10 bucks a pop it adds up really quick.

i often flux and position my joint, then kinda bake it with my mapp torch to get the flux a tad crusty and heat up the metal juuuust a bit. then i'll switch to the o2/mapp torch and with a blue flame about the size of a sharpie tip hit the joint and as soon as that flux turns liquid clear introduce the silver brazing rod, once it starts to flow i move the torch to the back of the joint to flow some back there and thats it.

[War Pig]

I bought an oxy-acetylene regulator/hose/handle for $90 on Craigslist, a couple bottles for $150 and a 00 tip at the local welding shop. Works great and for about $300 you can silver solder to your hearts content. You can do some amazing stuff once you get a feel for it. A jewelers torch is nice, but not necessary.

[Highmark]

I've had my Smith setup for 4 years now and it's been flawless and one of the best tool purchases I've ever made. It's one of those tools that makes you look better at something than you actually are. See my detailed write-up here: Everything you need to know about the Smith Little Torch (with pictures).

You could braze all day long with it (Oxy + Mapp = better than just mapp), and it would still help you localize your heat better than one of home depot torches.