Hi everyone! Long time lurker who finally got the gumption to try my hand at making a forge. 

I purchased this torch (http://www.magtorch.com/mt575-c.html) to use as I had a gift card to menards and am having a heck of a time getting it to run off of a 20 lb tank with an appliance adapter. Works fine with mapp or propane 1 lb tanks, on the 20 it barely lights and 

Any suggestions? I have been wondering whether I need to apply some heat to the tank as its sitting on cold concrete, but I'm a tad apprehensive to do that.

Thanks in advance!

 night66, turn your tank valve on with the torch off and let it sit a few seconds before you open the torch valve, slowly...there is something in these new tri-knob tanks, that checks the flow. I use a hosed torch of similar style. See if that helps.....let us know      Dave

How about a picture or a part number or something for your "appliance adaptor" 

Bob

Your torch is meant to attach directly to a propane or propylene canister, and run at full tank pressure, through a tiny gas orifice, which will rapidly plug up when exposed to the cruder product refillable propane cylinders dispense. Whatever else you do, this problem isn't going away.

Your second problem is that the brass flame nozzle on your torch will simply melt when you place it within a forge, so the flame will have to remain outside the forge and shoot through a short air gap into a hole in the forge, losing between one-fifth and one-third of it effectiveness.

Why don't you simply build a 1/2" Frosty "T" burner, as others on this forum have done.

Appliance adapter

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-12-Foot-Assembly-F273702/dp/B00005LEXM

Thanks Dave, that did the trick.

Mikey, I would have but I needed a torch around the house anyway and I'm hoping that this will grow into more than a "Huh I think I can do that.." hobby.

 Sweet.......               Dave

On another note, could a piece of black pipe act as a torch rest and be used to provide some length from the working area to not melt my tip? That may be  wishful thinking i guess as the airgap would act as an insulator

Ok no problem with that adaptor. Glad you got the torch working.

Bob

night66wolf,

You are on an interesting thought track; this very subject has been discussed on other threads, with me egging others on to try such ideas. One guy used a funnel shaped opening to better direct his flame into a two-brick forge without overheating his torch. I also suggested trapping the torch in a short bit of pipe, with a variable opening to control secondary air induction. Nevertheless, advising you to build a small burner as the practical choice is only fair (the other guy was already using a torch for forge heating), You can get into a fair amount of trouble with such experiments, not least of which would be ruining your torch...