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Vortex air torch.

Alc.

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Does anyone have any experience with soldering with the Vortex air torch?
 
O.K., I understand, griff 136. Is it not then worth having in the arsenal for pad/changing/seating? I was just a little leery of injecting highly combustible butane into a little, held-close-to-the-face-brain-eyeballs piece of metal that I would ignite in hopes of it not exploding. If you get my meaning?
 
I've got a torch very similar to the one Griff recommended. Works well for pads and soldering.

Puts the heat just where you want it, and can be adjusted from gentle heat to blowtorch level. Shouldn't be any unburnt butane getting in the sax. Won't remove the lacquer if you use it properly. If you use it on a silver, unlacquered sax, make sure the air is off, otherwise the silver oxidises quickly. Very good for melting plastic pearls, so shield with aluminium foil and be careful.


A bonus is that you can use it to rustle up a quick crème brûlée.
Only drawback is the plastic foot is useless, soon breaks, doesn't grip properly. So I made a stand for it, I'll post some pics in a few minutes.
 
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Just noticed my spell checker switched crème to crèche. I wouldn't recommend crèche brûlée. Torch isn't big enough.
 
It's simply some bits of brass brazed together and set in a wooden plate. Plenty of space there to rest your pads, pad slicks/prickers, glue. And the horizontal part works as a handle as well. The prongs are a tight fit around the burner, stops it from turning. Legs are a tight push fit in the base.You could use epoxy if you drill the holes a bit too big.

When you want a quick, safe place to stand the torch:

DSC_0157-1.JPG

And when you want to use it and pass the sax over it

DSC_0158-1.JPG
 
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It's simply some bits of brass brazed together and set in a wooden plate. Plenty of space there to rest your pads, pad slicks/prickers, glue. And the horizontal part works as a handle as well. The prongs are a tight fit around the burner, stops it from turning. Legs are a tight push fit in the base.You could use epoxy if you drill the holes a bit too big.

When you want a quick, safe place to stand the torch:

View attachment 2830

And when you want to use it and pass the sax over it

View attachment 2831

My hero!

Can it be used as a hair dryer.

Not that there's enough left to dry.:verysad:verysad:verysad
 
For all of my pad work and soldering (except silver soldering) I use the Blazer ES-1000. If you go this route, it works best to use Blazer's own brand of butane. It can be used standing up or lying on its back to have the flame go up for melting shellac.
 
Griff136, Kev, jbtsax; as usual, any saxophone questions can be answered here at the Cafe'. Thanks for the input. And I needed a torch anyway to keep my coffee hot.
 
Just look at who's selling Jbt's recommendation. I'm sure it's not him, but it made me chuckle.
 
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Just look at who's selling Jbt's recommendation. I'm sure it's not him, but it made me chuckle.
Dang, exposed again. :w00t: BTW Kev that stand is ingenious. Nice work and design.
 

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