# Torch preference



## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

Was having a conversation with a coworker today about our torches. Got me thinking what others prefer.

I have two main torches that I use for soldering. First set up is an mc tank with a turbo torch. Different tips depending on size of pipe I am working with. Second is a mapp pro, propane Bernzomatic from Home Depot. One step up from the brass pencil flame style. I will only use this one for tight spaces such as under a cabinet for the occasional angle valve or something small, usually 1/2” with the occasional 3/4”. But by far the most useful is my mc tank with turbo torch.

While we’re on the topic, what is your preference for fuel? Acetylene, mapp pro, mapp (if you have any left) or propane? If I’m not running acetylene, I’m probably going to use propane, just because it is quite a bit cheaper than mapp.

What say the group?


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

I like a mc tank myself with acetylene, with mapp pro with self igniter,
But I have also had a B-tank with a full torch set up, for the big jobs,
When I had a shop in L.A. we used the B-tank with propane, with the Large Mapp tanks, all with extra backup tanks,
with fire extinguishers


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## Lickitlikeafritter (12 mo ago)

B tank and turbo torch with a small or medium tip. Every truck has them and the company pays for acetylene. Some guys (myself included) have mapp torches for a hwt for two male fittings and two couplings, or a handful of pex adapters. My rule of thumb is five joints, less than that and it’s not worth dragging in the b tank.


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## DDDave (Aug 6, 2014)

Bernzo/mapp with the 'fat' tip. Long tank means it's awkward for tight spaces, but always possible to stay safe. I feather the button for flow, makes it one-handed operation, rarely lock it 'on'. Most jobs are 6 fittings or less. Smaller 'normal' tip when inside a tight wall. YMMV


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

We just use the screw on torches with MAP/Pro cans. Most of us have B-Tanks too, but it's usually just the HVAC guys who use them, and even they only use them for brazing refrigerant lines or large boiler piping. I have a full acetylene torch setup, never really kept it on the van. 

Our supply house sells the TurboTorch TX-500 torches, you get about a year before they quit lighting. I keep an all metal ASCO torch on my van as a backup, it's probably 20 years old and never failed me, but the company didn't pay for that torch so I use theirs.

We use corporation fittings on buried copper main lines if we have to fix them. For new installs we try to keep it one continuous length of 60' or 100'. We never see a residential main from city water longer than 100'. Most houses around here have wells. Some towns don't have public water or sewer.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

This is the style I like. I bought one of these ~9 years ago. Still works great, but the integrated striker stopped working. My master gave me a similar used torch head with a working striker, different brand. For gas, Mapp pro.

When we had to solder 1-1/4+ we had a double tip turbo torch With mapp pro.

I’ve never used a b-tank. My master said the only time it’s worth lugging around is in newcon. Which we didn’t do.


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## hewhodigsholes (Oct 28, 2020)

I use a Bernz TS8000 with Mapp/Pro tanks. Im usually sweating a dozen joints or less so an acetylene tank is really worth the hassle. Anything larger than 1" we press or have the HVAC guys braze.

I want to get my hands on a Rothenberger SuperFire 3 with the changeable tips. It's just hard to find a dealer around here.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

A Mapp Pro for small jobs. A 7.5 Propylene (about the size of a "B" tank) for 1-1/4" and up. Depending on the tip used, it's hot enough to silver solder up to 2".
And, it weights about half as much as a B tank.


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## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

Plumbus said:


> A Mapp Pro for small jobs. A 7.5 Propylene (about the size of a "B" tank) for 1-1/4" and up. Depending on the tip used, it's hot enough to silver solder up to 2".
> And, it weights about half as much as a B tank.


Before I got my acetylene turbo torch, I was really considering getting the lp version. The only problem is I haven’t seen where I can get the propane tanks refilled. (The smaller silver one for like a forklift) I really didn’t want to tote around a 20lb cylinder and it would take up too much space in my truck. Right now, I have my mc tank in a 5 gallon bucket with everything that I would need to solder or braze minus pipe and fittings of course


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## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

hewhodigsholes said:


> I use a Bernz TS8000 with Mapp/Pro tanks. Im usually sweating a dozen joints or less so an acetylene tank is really worth the hassle. Anything larger than 1" we press or have the HVAC guys braze.
> 
> I want to get my hands on a Rothenberger SuperFire 3 with the changeable tips. It's just hard to find a dealer around here.


I have one of the 8000’s and I can tell you that it will braze 3/4” ok. As long as there isn’t any wind or the ambient temp isn’t too cold. This torch also doubles as the one I will use to light the grill or fire pit. Really good heat out put on it.


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## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

skoronesa said:


> We just use the screw on torches with MAP/Pro cans. Most of us have B-Tanks too, but it's usually just the HVAC guys who use them, and even they only use them for brazing refrigerant lines or large boiler piping. I have a full acetylene torch setup, never really kept it on the van.
> 
> Our supply house sells the TurboTorch TX-500 torches, you get about a year before they quit lighting. I keep an all metal ASCO torch on my van as a backup, it's probably 20 years old and never failed me, but the company didn't pay for that torch so I use theirs.
> 
> ...


Interesting. I have a bernzomatic ts4000 that I have had for years and I haven’t had any issues with it other than it not putting out quite enough heat for anything over 1”. That’s disappointing the turbo torch brand is that unreliable.


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## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

MACPLUMB777 said:


> I like a mc tank myself with acetylene, with mapp pro with self igniter,
> But I have also had a B-tank with a full torch set up, for the big jobs,
> When I had a shop in L.A. we used the B-tank with propane, with the Large Mapp tanks, all with extra backup tanks,
> with fire extinguishers


The btanks can be a chore to lug around sometimes.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

Blue2 said:


> The b-tanks can be a chore to lug around sometimes.


That is why on my trucks in L.A. they were mounted on little two wheel carts that also carried the fire extinguishers


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

We had one B-Tank of LPS, one of Mapp, and one of acetylene all with Turbo Torches,
because of different J-Man wanted on their trucks


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## Logtec (Jun 3, 2018)

Have a B-tank, it’s covered in dust.
I use an MC-tank for lots or med sized copper joints, mapp gas with a self igniting tip- for fewer or smaller copper joints.

The small MAPP torch is great to start camp fires, charcoal Briquettes etc.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Blue2 said:


> Interesting. I have a bernzomatic ts4000 that I have had for years and I haven’t had any issues with it other than it not putting out quite enough heat for anything over 1”. That’s disappointing the turbo torch brand is that unreliable.


Often it's from flux dripping in the tip.

I just did a quick search and it looks like the only metal bodied screw on torch you can easily buy is a Bernzomatic but they don't have a built in regulator.


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## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

MACPLUMB777 said:


> That is why on my trucks in L.A. they were mounted on little two wheel carts that also carried the fire extinguishers


That’s a pretty good idea. I usually have a spray bottle with water and my heat shield if I am doing anything in a tight space. An extinguisher would be more professional


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

I’ve caught things on fire, I’m sure we all have. I’ve never needed a fire extinguisher, I have brought in the one from the truck, just in case. A guy I use to work with was soldering in a messed up spot and caught the house on fire. Not too bad, but the fire department was involved. They said was not really his fault, the conditions were perfect for a fire.

Old heater combustion chamber covers work good as heat shields when you can fit them in place.


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## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

OpenSights said:


> I’ve caught things on fire, I’m sure we all have. I’ve never needed a fire extinguisher, I have brought in the one from the truck, just in case. A guy I use to work with was soldering in a messed up spot and caught the house on fire. Not too bad, but the fire department was involved. They said was not really his fault, the conditions were perfect for a fire.
> 
> Old heater combustion chamber covers work good as heat shields when you can fit them in place.


That’s crazy. That’s a good idea to use one of those covers too


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## cmh (Jul 29, 2016)

Mc tank with turbo torch. I mostly use it on 1/2 or 3/4 with a small tip. I have used the larger tip on 11/2 with no problem. I use the molded plastic Victor carrier that is made for 1 oxygen and 1 acetylene tank. Instead of the oxy, I have a small fire extinguisher in its place. This setup has worked great for years but then again, it's the only setup I've ever used.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Blue2 said:


> That’s a pretty good idea. I usually have a spray bottle with water and my heat shield if I am doing anything in a tight space. An extinguisher would be more professional


I keep a 1pint aluminum spray bottle in my solder box. Usually I don't remember to fill until after I've drained the pipes so I fill it from the toilet bowl, I mean tank. We all have 2 pound extinguishers mounted in our vans. When I am concerned I bring that in. Usually just wetting everything down is sufficient. 

My sherbet bucket I use for catching water I usually keep half full after draining things, mostly for putting hot fittings into, but it does double duty if I need to toss some water on a fire.

Somewhere on here is a story about how I almost burned down a rectory and had to put the fire out with a bucket of my own piss.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Found that story




skoronesa said:


> When you solder you should always have a bucket of water handy, and maybe a fire extinguisher.
> 
> *I almost caught a rectory on fire. *Had to use my pee to put it out. I was soldering up in the corner of a foundation near the sill. Of course all the water was off and the valve was in the crawl space. Luckily I had to pee earlier so I had a small bucket with pee in it. The whisps of wood on the old joists caught so quickly. *If I didn't have that little bucket of pee there that building would have been gone. *Then I got to finish working with the smell of pee :/ I didn't care, I was so relieved I didn't burn the building down.
> 
> Ever since I keep a spray bottle in my sweat box and I thoroughly wet the surrounding area down.


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## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

skoronesa said:


> Found that story


Lmao that is hilarious. Better than nothing


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## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

Here are two carriers I made for my mc tanks.


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## Fred Bagadonutz (Nov 27, 2011)

Blue2 said:


> Was having a conversation with a coworker today about our torches. Got me thinking what others prefer.
> 
> I have two main torches that I use for soldering. First set up is an mc tank with a turbo torch. Different tips depending on size of pipe I am working with. Second is a mapp pro, propane Bernzomatic from Home Depot. One step up from the brass pencil flame style. I will only use this one for tight spaces such as under a cabinet for the occasional angle valve or something small, usually 1/2” with the occasional 3/4”. But by far the most useful is my mc tank with turbo torch.
> 
> ...





Blue2 said:


> Was having a conversation with a coworker today about our torches. Got me thinking what others prefer.
> 
> I have two main torches that I use for soldering. First set up is an mc tank with a turbo torch. Different tips depending on size of pipe I am working with. Second is a mapp pro, propane Bernzomatic from Home Depot. One step up from the brass pencil flame style. I will only use this one for tight spaces such as under a cabinet for the occasional angle valve or something small, usually 1/2” with the occasional 3/4”. But by far the most useful is my mc tank with turbo torch.
> 
> ...


I have a pencil flame. My coworker has a huge torch.

When we get together its magic.


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## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

Fred Bagadonutz said:


> I have a pencil flame. My coworker has a huge torch.
> 
> When we get together its magic.


it’s the motion of the ocean not the size of the boat


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Blue2 said:


> it’s the motion of the ocean not the size of the boat


No, it's about giving good head haha. Do that and she won't care about the size of your boat!


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

This is what I use. I also refill my own propane bottles.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Tango said:


> This is what I use. I also refill my own propane bottles.
> 
> View attachment 132797


I hope you weigh them so as not to overfill.


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## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

Tango said:


> This is what I use. I also refill my own propane bottles.
> 
> View attachment 132797


I’ve got one of those with out the striker. Can’t really get used to moving the arm around as I move the flame. A lot of heat output though


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

skoronesa said:


> I hope you weigh them so as not to overfill.


Yes I weigh them, very hard to overfill.
Empty bottle 400 grams, full 850 grams.
What I need to check are shraeder valves if available, I have 2 bottles that need them.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Tango said:


> Yes I weigh them, very hard to overfill.
> Empty bottle 400 grams, full 850 grams.
> What I need to check are shraeder valves if available, I have 2 bottles that need them.


I believe they are the extra long variety, at least they were in the couple bottles I took apart.


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