Branding iron heat source

[SixFooter]

I bought a branding iron (new item from an old supplier). I cannot get it to work.
What do people use as a heat source? I tried

1) Mini garage-bought barbecue - just charcoal in a foil tray
2) B & Q Gas barbecue
3) Gas camping stove
4) Domestic gas stove

The instructions, I think, said use a blow lamp, but I'd have to set some clamping arrangement up and it seems a bit of a faff - I have lots of boxes to brand you see and would not want to stand for hours pointing a blow lamp at the end of the branding iron.

If I'm being thick, please feel free to hurl as much abuse my way as you like.

 

[coffin dodger]

Big plumbers type blow torch and a couple of breeze blocks, use the blocks to trap and keep the torch steady, rest the iron on one of the blocks with the brand end in the flame and wait until its cherry red, brand boxes and return to reheat as needed.

Regards
CD

 

[user 6228]

modern blow lamps come in different sizes
from puny butane to mega Propane ones.
a propane one that takes different size nozzles is best. Then you can tackle jobs from delicate soldering to exhaust pipebending, with a branding iron somewhere in between .
like this
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/pmpx-professional-torch-kit

btw this one lights a charcoal BBq in a bout 45 seconds!

 

[MartinL]

If I'm being thick, please feel free to hurl as much abuse my way as you like.

Wow, not the thing to say on here!

The iron needs to be able to burn on contact, ie at least a dull red.

Perhaps not the only thing that's dull????

(Sorry couldn't resist)

 

[Luminos]

please feel free to hurl as much abuse my way as you like.

Well I don't believe you have 6 feet

 

[NickB]

If you have room in the kitchen for all the woodwork to be branded,a domestic gas cooker makes a very effective heat source for a branding iron.
You don't have tto buy any more kit,and (I think) the gas is cheaper....

 

[victor meldrew]

If you have room in the kitchen for all the woodwork to be branded,a domestic gas cooker makes a very effective heat source for a branding iron.
You don't have tto buy any more kit,and (I think) the gas is cheaper....

I use a propane torch ,however if nowt else available , build a small fire , wait until you have a pile of glowing embers and plunge the business end of your branding iron in there if more heat required , direct your empty smoker towards the embers , bingo you have an ad-hock set of bellows !
VM

 

[ayagerard]

professional torch linked by DEREKM
This is the way to go, [ if you have bottled gas at home ??? ] inasaly will heat iron in 4-5 minutes to glowing and 2-3 minutes will reheat it good enough to do 3-4 branding ,
can be done out side, or in shed, garage, house wont smell like smoker,
place iron up on some thing inflammable [2 blocks] point the torch at front
of iron the hottest point of the flame is just beyond the the blue flame
the heat will blister concrete and melt tarmac be careful
allso you could hire one off these a couple off £ for a weekend and see what you think before you buy
gerard

 

[peterbees]

I use the wood burning stove to heat my hive branding iron.

 

[alanf]

The heat source needs to be proportionate to the size of the brand, i.e. the more iron in the brand the more heat you need to put in to get it to temperature. The plus side is that once a heavy brand is hot it retains enough heat to mark a few surfaces before you have to heat it again so it can be quicker for a batch.

The low risk option if you don't already have a suitable gas cylinder is to hire a roofers torch complete with gas cylinder for a day or two. The long handle means you can prop it up on bricks or blocks of some sort and keep your hands away from the hottest bits.

 

[drex]

The Victor Meldrew method worked for me fine. Needed the air from my smoker bellows to get the embers glowing really hot, but I did about 40 boxes no problem that way

 

[SixFooter]

please feel free to hurl as much abuse my way as you like.

Well I don't believe you have 6 feet

My bees do though!

 

[itma]

Any of the heat sources mentioned should be sufficient -- but all will take a bit of time to heat the iron hot enough.
How long it takes will depend on how big the iron is. / I suspect that the Camping Gaz stove might take longest.
Get it glowing!

 

[Andy Duff]

I use a propane torch ,however if nowt else available , build a small fire , wait until you have a pile of glowing embers and plunge the business end of your branding iron in there if more heat required , direct your empty smoker towards the embers , bingo you have an ad-hock set of bellows !
VM

gets my vote

 

[Silly Bee]

Be better buying an electric hot wire pen, not sure what they are actually called, but it has a hot wire and you can write whatever you want with it.

 

[victor meldrew]

Be better buying an electric hot wire pen, not sure what they are actually called, but it has a hot wire and you can write whatever you want with it.

These machines are not really man enough ! Basically they are for decorative purposes and don't burn deep enough to stand the elements .
VM

 

[psafloyd]

I bought a branding iron (new item from an old supplier). I cannot get it to work.
What do people use as a heat source? I tried

1) Mini garage-bought barbecue - just charcoal in a foil tray
2) B & Q Gas barbecue
3) Gas camping stove
4) Domestic gas stove

The instructions, I think, said use a blow lamp, but I'd have to set some clamping arrangement up and it seems a bit of a faff - I have lots of boxes to brand you see and would not want to stand for hours pointing a blow lamp at the end of the branding iron.

If I'm being thick, please feel free to hurl as much abuse my way as you like.

I'm wondering if there are only three options.

1) brown sauce

2) red sauce

3) no sauce at all

 

[victor meldrew]

I'm wondering if there are only three options.

1) brown sauce

2) red sauce

3) no sauce at all

Plenty sauce from yourself
VM

 

[Andy Duff]

These machines are not really man enough ! Basically they are for decorative purposes and don't burn deep enough to stand the elements .
VM

Come on VM, I am sure they would be fantastic for melting holes in poly hives

 

[SixFooter]

These machines are not really man enough ! Basically they are for decorative purposes and don't burn deep enough to stand the elements .
VM

Tried a lidl one and it was pretty useless actually.