On Thu, 08 Mar 2007 02:43:33 +0000, C0nnie wrote:

Contenti seems to be a good economy supplier. I will also consider
getting the holder for the whole system.
Is there such a thing as a regulator w/o a gauge?

Yes, I have a heater with one -- not for jewelry torches, though.

Maybe a gauge is a
good thing.

Oh, yes. I enjoy tuning my system for each task.
Generally, smaller tip openings require less pressure.
Too high pressure makes the gas move through so fast that it will not stay
lit. Too low pressure in a large tip opening will not give enough heat and
could result in flashbacks. A fixed pressure regulator will not do the
job, and you want to be able to read the pressure you are using.


I'm considering getting Rio's video DVD all about soldering. It says
it's 90 mins and goes thru selection of equipment, safety tips and
setup of the soldering area. In it, a box ring is fabricated.

I have not seen it. But it seems like a good idea, if nothing else, to
actually see a torch being adjusted. Although quite easy to
see with oxy/acetylene torches, with oxy/propane it is not quite so
clear where the sweet spot of a neutral flame is between oxidizing and
reducing flames. There are also all sorts of little safety tricks that
are worth knowing. I had a class in metal sculpture once where the
instructor didn't know all of these. People in the class would do things
like stand in front of oxygen regulators when opening the tank
valve. A safety video is not a bad idea.