Vigor water torch

Hi,
I'm new to the group,and have been doing silver jewelry for about 18
months. I'm ready to upgrade my home studio from a bernsomatic type
propane plumbing torch.

I have a chance to buy a used Vigor Watertorch Model BT 700. It
appears to be in good condition, with two torch handles, but NO tips.
I have had no luck finding out about this piece. It may have been
marketed by the jewelry supply folks at Vigor, but I can't find any
info on the internet. I would like to know if parts are availabe for
this unit.

Since it'cheap, I'm thinking of buying it anyway. I assume that tips
from another maker can be adapted (cobbled) or, at worst, whole torches
subtituted. Same for filter material, electrolyte and fluxing stuff.
At any rate I've searched the forum, enjoyed the comments, and am
anxiously looking for information.

BTW - I solder mostly rings, scroll work, wire and such. I'll keep the
old propane torch for annealing.

Jim - No Artist

I believe that Grobet took Vigor over sometime ago so you could try getting
in touch with them. I personally do not find hydroflames that good for
silver, great for platinum, gold and repair work etc. Silver tends to need
more general heat if your pieces are bigger. Depends on what type of work
you do. I would also be a little apprehensive about buying a second hand one
without trying. I am running a few machines at present (not vigor) and the
tanks
are slowly breaking down so the gas production is not as good as it was. In
fact two need some major work and it is most probably not worth doing (I
can't complain though one of them is19 years old )

Chris

Thanks so much for your reply and sage advice. I have wrestled with
this decision for a while, and been unable to find out a thing about
the Vigor unit. I think if I can still buy it for a very low price, I
will; just to mess around with. I have access to some fabrication and
welding resources, so I may be able to repair it.

Guess I'll go ahead and go for the "Little Torch" in portable
propane/oxygen version. Should be adequate for puttering about in the
home studio, and still not break the bank. Opinions and advice also
welcomed on this choice.

Jim

"no artist" wrote in message
...
Thanks so much for your reply and sage advice. I have wrestled with
this decision for a while, and been unable to find out a thing about
the Vigor unit. I think if I can still buy it for a very low price, I
will; just to mess around with. I have access to some fabrication and
welding resources, so I may be able to repair it.

Guess I'll go ahead and go for the "Little Torch" in portable
propane/oxygen version. Should be adequate for puttering about in the
home studio, and still not break the bank. Opinions and advice also
welcomed on this choice.

Buy a cheap conventional oxy/acetylene set and a suitable propane regulator
and set it up as an oxy/propane set

My supplier gave me the propane regulator instead of the acetylene one when
he sold me a complete set.

Get a small torch and buy small 'brazing' type nozzles.

It works, it's cheap and you can buy cylinders at normal retail prices not
inflated jewellers equipment prices.

Plus the whole thing comes on a little trolley if you buy what's called a
'Portapac' in the UK.

It also allows you to use the set of bigger jobs if you need to. You can
turn down a big torch, you can't turn up a small torch...

Loads of this sort of stuff on E-bay, which is where I got mine...

--
William Black

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe
Barbeques on fire by chalets past the headland
I've watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off Newborough
All this will pass like ice-cream on the beach
Time for tea