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I need a micro torch

toplessHO

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central florida
One that will stand on its own would be nice.
Lots of cheap ones out there
something middle of the road is OK.
I looked at the Bernzomatic 2200 made in USA,reviews are so so.
 
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bonneyman

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Desert SW
I found a weird little torch some time ago. Empty and a bit rusty. Someone posted I should drill a hole in the cartridge, install a fitting, and refill it. But I'm not brave enough to do that to something that fits in the palm of my hand.

Maybe someday I'll find an old stash of full carts, and then try it out. But I'm not married to it - if it might fill your need PM me and we can discuss details.
 

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Bogie1632

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Feb 18, 2018
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Southeastern Wisconsin
I've got the Bernzo 2200. Works very well, gas fill lasts through most jobs, though I never paid attention to how long it actually ran between fills. My kit also Carrie's a refill can so I never worry about running out. Easy to start and adjust the flame. I've recommended the same to some friends who were satisfied with their purchase.

I will say, if you use it for heat shrink use caustion. It can burn the shrink and wire easily if you get too close or.dont keeps the tip moving around.

V/R
Bogie
 

unslow1

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Illinois
I have that Bernzomatic 2200 and it's just OK. It doesn't get used a lot because I have a couple that are even smaller but they don't stand up on their own.
 

1cargarage

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Feb 16, 2014
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409
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San Diego
One that will stand on its own would be nice.
Lots of cheap ones out there
something middle of the road is OK.
I looked at the Bernzomatic 2200 made in USA,reviews are so so.
What will you be using this torch for?

When I need a LOT of heat in a specific place, i.e. without heating EVERYTHING around the intended victim, I use a tiny

UNIWELD 17-15 Micro Rosebud (Oxygen + Acetylene)

71RN-fokxJL._AC_SL1000_.jpg

UNIWELD ROSEBUD TIPS

I have what I believe is the tiniest Oxy/Acetylene setup known to man. While there may be smaller out there, few self respecting boys or girls would admit to owning one.

I only use it when MAP won't get me there and it hasn't failed me yet - ALWAYS plenty of heat.

Without knowing what you're trying to do I don't know if that's helpful or way wide of the mark.
 

marak

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Jan 26, 2015
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Anchorage, Alaska
Here is what I have. No complaints, though I haven't used it enough to give it a rating. Not proud of it in that it isn't made here in the USA. It was $38 when I bought it.

 
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toplessHO

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central florida
general use when all the other torches are too big or takes too long to set up
I have oxy acet big tips,small tips,big propane,small propane.
 

1cargarage

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San Diego
general use when all the other torches are too big or takes too long to set up
I have oxy acet big tips,small tips,big propane,small propane.
I was thinking yesterday about how handy a 1/2 size MAP bottle with a scaled down TS8000 would be.

I love my TS8000 w/ MAP, but you're right - sometimes she's too big.

Bernzomatic_TS8000_torch_09.jpg.jpg

I have never had any positive experiences with the little butane pocket torches in the past. They always leak and I've found that they just take up space in a portable box - not worth me packing them around if they're only going to work 10% of the time.

That said, I'd be interested in something that had unanimously positive reviews.
 

Jlarson

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Mar 27, 2015
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AZ
I'm gonna get a Snapon one, I think they're rebranded portasols. I've tried every home cheapo, parts store, farm store and parts house junk torch and they all end up in the trash cause they ****, the mini torch is a pretty important tool for me doing wiring repairs I need one that lights and stays lit. I figure with the Snapon I can at least warranty it easy if it busts.
 

VolvoRyan

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Dec 29, 2019
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Kentuckiana, USA
What will you be using this torch for?

When I need a LOT of heat in a specific place, i.e. without heating EVERYTHING around the intended victim, I use a tiny

UNIWELD 17-15 Micro Rosebud (Oxygen + Acetylene)

71RN-fokxJL._AC_SL1000_.jpg

UNIWELD ROSEBUD TIPS

I have what I believe is the tiniest Oxy/Acetylene setup known to man. While there may be smaller out there, few self respecting boys or girls would admit to owning one.

I only use it when MAP won't get me there and it hasn't failed me yet - ALWAYS plenty of heat.

Without knowing what you're trying to do I don't know if that's helpful or way wide of the mark.


Oooh! Thanks for the "tip". I finally invested in Oxy/Acetylene.... and it's AMAZING. Super cheap to swap the bottles for my little HF setup. MAPP is relatively expensive.

-Ryan
 

chris_1001

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Apr 2, 2014
Messages
327
Location
MA
I found a weird little torch some time ago. Empty and a bit rusty. Someone posted I should drill a hole in the cartridge, install a fitting, and refill it. But I'm not brave enough to do that to something that fits in the palm of my hand.

Maybe someday I'll find an old stash of full carts, and then try it out. But I'm not married to it - if it might fill your need PM me and we can discuss details.
Wow, blast from the past. Those were sold by Radio Shack. I had to have one as a kid, They also had a gas and Oxygen version.

Found one on Ebay


And some other info

 

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1cargarage

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San Diego
Oooh! Thanks for the "tip". I finally invested in Oxy/Acetylene.... and it's AMAZING. Super cheap to swap the bottles for my little HF setup. MAPP is relatively expensive.

-Ryan
I had to get an adapter (also Uniweld, but I don't know the part #) to fit the 17-15 on my rig. Just keep that in mind if you end up going with the Uniweld mini rosebud.
 

1cargarage

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Feb 16, 2014
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409
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San Diego
Where do y'all buy MAPP gas? I thought it was banned... ??
MAPP became MAP or MAP Pro or something a while back. I don't recall the specifics (I'm sure google knows), but the yellow bottles of gas can be gotten from Home Depot or the like (typically next to the inferior blue bottles). I can get it here in California, which means anybody can get it... Anywhere.
 

Doug

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Salisbury, NC
Where do y'all buy MAPP gas? I thought it was banned... ??
MAPP gas is not banned; it's just longer being made. Look carefully at the label on a bottle of today's Mapp gas and you'll see it's now called "MAP Pro." It's not the same stuff; the ingredients are different. For what I use it for I see no difference between the two.
 

bonneyman

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Wow, blast from the past. Those were sold by Radio Shack. I had to have one as a kid, They also had a gas and Oxygen version.

Found one on Ebay


And some other info

Wow! Thanks for the info!
 

dnschmidt

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johninct

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Dec 21, 2010
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I’ve got the Snap-on Torch 300, I like it so much I have two. It’s the only Torch I’ve used that lights the first time, every time.
I was wondering what you use that torch for. Why I ask, years ago my Snap-On man would not sell me one saying that they weren't good for that much.
 

javyLSU

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Jan 2, 2019
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Location
New Haven, CT
I’ve used them for everything from shrink wrap and soldering to heating bolts that won’t budge. That’s an odd thing for a dealer to say, sometimes they don’t want to order small things they don’t already have on the truck.
 
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richfinn

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Jan 29, 2011
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Location
Leeds, Yorkshire, England
I have both a Portasol mini torch and soldering iron kit (made in Ireland), I believe they manufacturer for Snap-On tools

Awesome design/quality for the price

The torch is equipped with a solid stand
 

dutchgray

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Sep 28, 2014
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Dorset. England.
I’ve used them for everything from shrink wrap and soldering to hearing bolts that won’t budge. That’s an odd thing for a dealer to say, sometimes they don’t want to order small things they don’t already have on the truck.
Sometimes they have to buy a case of the item and they don't want the rest in stock knowing it will take years to sell them all.
 

richfinn

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Leeds, Yorkshire, England
Which kit?
The super pro 125 kit


The GT220 micro torch


Spare parts readily available and good prices on ebay for portasol products
 
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Firebrick43

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May 12, 2015
Messages
14,012
Location
West central Indiana
What will you be using this torch for?

When I need a LOT of heat in a specific place, i.e. without heating EVERYTHING around the intended victim, I use a tiny

UNIWELD 17-15 Micro Rosebud (Oxygen + Acetylene)

71RN-fokxJL._AC_SL1000_.jpg

UNIWELD ROSEBUD TIPS

I have what I believe is the tiniest Oxy/Acetylene setup known to man. While there may be smaller out there, few self respecting boys or girls would admit to owning one.

I only use it when MAP won't get me there and it hasn't failed me yet - ALWAYS plenty of heat.

Without knowing what you're trying to do I don't know if that's helpful or way wide of the mark.
Doesn't look any smaller than a smith airline, (my favorite), but that uniweld does look a lot more crude. There is also the metco midget with is a very nice torch as well, and definitely smaller than that uniweld.
 

1cargarage

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Feb 16, 2014
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409
Location
San Diego
Doesn't look any smaller than a smith airline, (my favorite), but that uniweld does look a lot more crude. There is also the metco midget with is a very nice torch as well, and definitely smaller than that uniweld.
I am not familiar with the smith airline or the metco midget. I got the Uniweld at my friendly neighborhood welding supply because that's what they had that fit my rig with just a brass thread adapter and the price was reasonable.

After the fact, I did bit of digging and saw some of the "micro" offerings used by jewelry makers/repairers. There is some good looking kit to be found in that arena, but I already bought the UniWeld and was/am satisfied with it. Also, having to buy and fit new regs in order to use the small torch added to the cost and subtracted from the convenience. :)

EDIT:

The torch handle on the Smith unit you mentioned looks to be basically the same as what I have, maybe one (industry) size down, which would explain the thread adapter.

SMITH AIRLINE TORCH
5-17.jpg

The MECO (not Metco ;)) MIDGET torch looks like a sweet little rig for sure. It's one of the many I'm sure I saw after getting my UniWeld.
Even if I hadn't gotten the UniWeld before seeing these, I probably would have passed, as another $200 for just the torch handle was more than I could justify.
Lz4ozLgHTIv6UiIJd6Nhg3N6_1ia46zoXwGE_nKwqzgxHGvK4I.jpg
 
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milwaukeephil

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May 7, 2014
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New Berlin
I've got 2 of these. The kickstand allows it to stand vertically and horizontally. The build quality is amazing. Apparently Mac rebrands some of their stuff.

iroda.jpg

 

Ton ton

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Oct 16, 2019
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Page County,VA
I’ve used them for everything from shrink wrap and soldering to heating bolts that won’t budge. That’s an odd thing for a dealer to say, sometimes they don’t want to order small things they don’t already have on the truck.
I find my local snappy dealer saying this on a regular basis.
 

matt stott

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Sep 11, 2013
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Location
Boston, USA
I have a Smith's Little Torch- I use it way more often than I thought I would, it is very handy for spot heating and small brazing/silver soldering jobs, too. There are different tips and rosebud heads for it, too. Runs on Oxy/Map Pro bottles in my shop- but you can run oxy/propane with the torch, too. This thing is TINY- makes the Bernzo torches seem huge.
 

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toplessHO

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central florida
forgot I had this one... havent even touched it in 15 yrs and it fired right up.
Looks like something a crackhead would use....It came in a kit for pouring doming epoxy.
The thread on pouring epoxy reminded me of this.
I pulled it apart and low and behold its got something similar to a butane lighter as the fuel cell.
 

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toplessHO

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central florida
I have a Smith's Little Torch- I use it way more often than I thought I would, it is very handy for spot heating and small brazing/silver soldering jobs, too. There are different tips and rosebud heads for it, too. Runs on Oxy/Map Pro bottles in my shop- but you can run oxy/propane with the torch, too. This thing is TINY- makes the Bernzo torches seem huge.
thats a neat little torch.
 

Mr. Tool

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Jan 26, 2013
Messages
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$47 on Amazon for just the torch. They sell them in kits with some soldering tips and stuff too but I prefer my Portasol soldering gun for that.
Yes, I went straight to their website and the website sell's the torch by itself for roughly $62 bucks but after seeing the video about their micro torch with complete kit I really became more interested:


This product also caught my attention:

 
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