Air Acetylene Torch

I currently have a TurboTorch 0386-0834 PL-8ADLX-MC acetylene torch.   It's history started on my friend's jewelry bench to melt silver and gold for casting lost wax rings and pendants.  It was a Christmas gift from his wife.  I inherited it plus a nearly full acetylene tank when he passed and the family was cleaning his house.  

I did not own a acetylene torch and never felt the need because I seldom fabricate metal.  I was trained to used acetylene and arc welders in a high school shop class and periodically used one to make research  equipment repairs.  I had definitely never used an air acetylene torch.   

Modifications

The inherited TurboTorch Air Acetylene torch had a built-in spark starting device.  It was a good idea that never worked and caused the torch to never work properly.  The tip was replaced with TurboTorch A-8 5/16" torch tip without the sparking starter.  The A-8 tip is designed to braze metals up to  1" thickness.  I use a butane BBQ lighter to light the torch.  

Replacement for green goggles

I had always used green goggles when for acetylene torch work.  Recently I looked for options because I hated using them.  The lens is too dark and green color filters the melted braze and flux so they were difficult to see.  

I purchased 3M Safety Glasses with IR Shade 3.0 Gray Lens in the fall of 2023.  The lens are scratch resistance and designed for brazing torch work.  I like the light weight and they are easy to wear.  The IR shad 3.0 Gray shading is not so dark you can not see what you are working on.  The gray lens allows visual flow of the rod.   I tried dark gray sunglasses but flame was still too bright.  The 3M Safety Glasses, Solus 2000 Series, IR Shade 3.0 Gray Lens was the right tool for braze torch work.  A simple solution to replace the old green goggles that I never liked to wear.

Rods and wire

Rods fall into 4 general classes.

Steel Welding Rod/Wire is high temperature (5500℃ or 10,000℉) used in arc welding where the base material is melted and the rod provides the flux to fuse the pieces together.  The two base materials must be the same to have a strong bond.  

Brass Brazing Rod is low temperature (900℃ or 1650℉) used in acetylene welding where the base material is not melted but the rod provides the bond to fuse the pieces together.  The brass brazing wires contains 60% copper, 1% tin, 0.25% silicon, and the remainder being zinc.  Brass rods are for DIY, crafts, refrigeration, and plumbing fixtures since the bond is the brazing rod material and not the base material.  Base materials do not need to be the same but need to be able to bond to the copper in the rod.

Aluminum Welding Rod is extremely low temperature (420℃ or 788℉) used in propane or acetylene welding where the higher temperatures may damage the base materials.  The low temperature aluminum welding rods are used for welding cast iron, copper, aluminum, stainless and galvanized steel and other metals with high strength.  Aluminum welds are known for durability & good corrosion resistance.

Lead Solder Wire is an extremely low temperature (136℃ or 360℉) is for electrical connections.  

Tin/Silver Solder Wire is another type of extremely low temperature (221℃ or 430℉) fusion using an electric hot iron or propane/acetylene welding.  It is often used for plumbing and electrical connections.  

Flux

My brazing flux is a Borax based flux made by Forney.  It comes in 1/2 lbs containers.  It is reported to work with all flame torches and provides excellent surface cleaning.   

My aluminum rod flux is in the core of the rod.   

For tin/silver solder my flux is Oatey No. 95 Lead Free Tinning Flux.   It cleans and improves flow for most common base material - brass, zinc, galvanized iron, lead and tin or copper-coated metals.   The flux does not burn out or turn copper green.  Works on small and large diameter copper pieces.

Acetylene Tank

The Type B tank holds 40 Cu FT acetylene and measures 2 ft high and diameter is 6".  I have attached the tank to the wall with a metal strap.   For my needs 40 Cu FT will last many years.  

Brazing Rod Holder

My rod holder are short sections of 1" plastic pipe screwed into the wall near the tank.  One pipe extends below a bench to allow long rod storage and the other is for short rods.  All rods are bent at one end so they hook on the top of the pipe. 

Thoughts and Hacks

1. The acetylene torch was too hot when trying to repair aluminum with the aluminum rod.  It just oxidized the aluminum and caused it to melt away.  Need to try a propane torch or a hot soldering iron.