I was rereading the soldering/brazing section of an Oppi Untracht book (Metal Techniques for Craftsmen) the other day, and I came across his discussion of blowpipe torches. Of course these are little different in principle than compressed air torches. But what advantage do these sorts of torches give? The air you're adding to the flame doesn't contain any extra oxygen, so it would seem that at best what you're doing is improving the fuel/air mix and perhaps getting it to complete the burn in a smaller area. But don't swirly plumbers' torches do the same thing? What's the big advantage to doing it with an air compressor or your lungs?

I'm wondering about this in part because I have a small Smith acetylene torch, and I recently ran out of oxygen. I'm wondering if there's any particular reason not to just forget about buying O2 and switch to a compressed air/lung powered blowpipe to oxygenate the acetylene flame.

Edited October 29, 200916 yr by MattBower
spelling correction

Not enough o2 in lungs or compressor. I have only seen jewelers blow pipes. Blow across the flameto make a very tiny flame.
Ken

Just remember not to suck!

Ganoksin - BenchTube - Cabochon Ruby Ring- Jewelry Making Videos In this video it shows themaking of a ring and the use of blowpipe torch. It has a lot of control of the flame.

Yeh Grant gives a whole new meaning to it sux. "I did not inhale"