bionicarm Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Ok so, trying to get into the apparently less frustrating world of gas burning forges (I'm coming from a good bit of working with coal in a brakedrum). Here is my issue, I don't have enough money. I bought a Bernzomatic TS4000 a while back for some soldering I had to do. Now, for the time it will take me to save up for the materials for a 2 burner propane forge I decided to go with the 2 brick forge using the TS4000 as my heat source. My issue is with the torch, it's not burning the way it used to. When it was new it burned all very close to the tip with a bright(ish) blue flame and an audible woosh (I'll not call it a roar). However now there is a large, low pressure plume of gas around the central burn, less roar and WAY less heat. Also, when I put it in the burner hole in the brick, it freaks out and starts sputtering and having all sorts of issues, and theres a yellow flame in the forge itself. Based on what I know of burners (not much) it's a gas/air mix issue and theres not enough air. Does anyone know if this can be fixed/adjusted? Should I just scrap it until I get a decent forge going? Anyone got some kaowool burning a hole in thier pocket? (kind of a pun) Really appreciate your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Sounds like a gas pressure issue; are you using a new tank? Old tanks can sometimes leak down over time. On my 1 firebrick forge I did not insert the burner into the side of the forge but just the flame plume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will. K. Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I have the same/similar torch. I use it all the time to heat small things up and start my grill. One of my favorite general shop tools. Check the burner for bug/spider nests. I went to use mine last spring and it wouldn't work right. A spider had made several webs/nests inside the tube. I cleaned it out and good as new! Be careful using it as a burner for a small forge. If the gas tube gets to hot the insulation on the wire for the spark starter will melt and it will ground out before making the spark to light the gas. Its kind of a pain to take it apart to fix the wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciladog Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Unscrew the torch tip from the pipe and you will find a small brass inserted orifice with a very tiny hole in it. If anything gets to block that hole the gas presser at the tip will be reduced and the amount of combustion air is also reduced. If it needs cleaning do not damage the hole or its size or you will need a new one. Those torches can not operate with any back pressure. When you put the torch tip into the forge the amount of air that is aspirated into the back of the torch tip goes down. Or there is not enough gas left in the cylinder to maintain pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will. K. Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I'm pretty sure the orifice in the TS4000 in in the black handle body and not under the tip in the tube that transports the air and gas from the top of the handle body to the torch tip. Picture of vanes in tip: http://www.newmetalworker.com/reviews/graphics/tools/bernzomaticrvu/swrlvanes250.jpg Picture of tube if tip is removed: http://www.newmetalworker.com/reviews/graphics/tools/bernzomaticrvu/ignitr250.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bionicarm Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 Wow you guys are good. Oraface was slightly covered up, gently brushed it off. Something was back all the way in the bend of the tube which was a pain in the tail to get out. Got that out and it's good to go. Before I was only getting like 600 degrees out of it (judged by temper colors). Now I'm concerned that I don't have fire brick though. I bought some from a place that installs fireplaces and they called them "fire brick" but they seem more dense than the mental weight I get from reading about them and they're...I dunno...pretty. Like something that you would use to brick out your fireplace with to show it off. Also, they don't hold the heat well; a lot is transmitted, which would be a good thing if used for a fireplace, less so for a forge. Could this be the case? Thanks a lot for the help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciladog Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 There is a big difference between fire brick and refractory birck. Fire brick is usually what is used to build a fireplace. Refractory brick is what is used in making kilns, forges, and the alike. Fire brick is very hard and refractory brick is very soft. You can cut and shape refractory brick with ordinary woodworking tools (saw, drill, etc.) Althought some refractory brick is also hard they call it hard refractory brick. http://www.sheffield-pottery.com/Kiln-Building-Refractory-Bricks-s/24.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Look in the phone book for a professional craft supply house as a source for the fiber insulation, soft bricks, and related items that are used to line a glass blowers or potter's kiln, there is at least one in most large towns. Forget the big box stores that sell scrap book stuff and DIY homeowners supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mastertec41 Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 I used compressed air and simply blew every opening in the head. It now has a very hot blue flame. Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 The 4000 is a typical dual-fuel torch (uses both propane and propylene),\. Nearly all of these torches have a stainless steel flame tube, which is very thin, and so they oxydise away rather rapidly, when mounted in heating equipment. And nearly all of these flame tubes have a narrowed end, which is needed for them to create their designed flame. You can run a thicker stainless steel tube over the end of the flame tube, and and mount an even larger tube over that, leaving an area of overhang a little larger than the diameter of the original flame tube, and your torch should work well again. These are called sliding step-nozzles, and you can find them discussed in the Burners 101 thread. A better way to put that would be "an area of overhang a little longer than the diameter of the original flame tube." You can find a photo of the kind of flame retention nozzle I'm recommending on a small torch toward the bottom of page 13 of the Burners 101 thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Bionicarm, What did you decide to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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