Gasvap Modifications

[Heather]

It is all about getting the flame right.. too much as bad as too small. And I have an old towel that I use to twist off the hot cap. and have 4 other caps, charged ready to keep going through all the hives. Never had a problem.. just practice..

 

[sjt]

Get half a dozen caps . Leave one at each hive . By the time you’ve charged and vaped the last one ,the first ones will be cool enough to be recharged .
removing same usually only requires inverting the gas vap

That's exactly what I do. A few taps on the side of the cap with a hive tool is all it needs to remove the cap if it sticks a bit. I've never had a problem with the tube getting bunged up and been using this method for a couple of years now. I let the whole thing get really hot before starting, maybe that helps.

 

[victor meldrew]

It is all about getting the flame right.. too much as bad as too small. And I have an old towel that I use to twist off the hot cap. and have 4 other caps, charged ready to keep going through all the hives. Never had a problem.. just practice..

Engineering suppliers will stock templesticks .this is a crayon which is stroked on the crucible . It changes colour when the temperature is reached .
you purchase the stick for the desired temperature!

 

[victor meldrew]

https://www.waltersandwalters.co.uk/tempil-tempilstik-crayon

 

[Gilberdyke John]

It is all about getting the flame right.. too much as bad as too small. And I have an old towel that I use to twist off the hot cap. and have 4 other caps, charged ready to keep going through all the hives. Never had a problem.. just practice..

Of course bigger, better blowlamps are available

 

[Amari]

It is all about getting the flame right.. too much as bad as too small. And I have an old towel that I use to twist off the hot cap. and have 4 other caps, charged ready to keep going through all the hives. Never had a problem.. just practice..

Yes, this winter I charged several caps and moved from hive to hive keeping the GasVap alight all the time. Worked a treat.

However a few days later the pizzo-spark of the chef's blowtorch failed to ignite. I'm thinking of buying a Cadrim. Interestingly the blurb advises using it in short bursts and not continuously so maybe this is why the spark has failed on my present torch?

Is this others' experience?

 

[victor meldrew]

Yes, this winter I charged several caps and moved from hive to hive keeping the GasVap alight all the time. Worked a treat.

However a few days later the pizzo-spark of the chef's blowtorch failed to ignite. I'm thinking of buying a Cadrim. Interestingly the blurb advises using it in short bursts and not continuously so maybe this is why the spark has failed on my present torch?

Is this others' experience?

These chefs blow torches aren’t designed for continuous use .therefore the igniters are subject to heat damage .

 

[pargyle]

Yes, this winter I charged several caps and moved from hive to hive keeping the GasVap alight all the time. Worked a treat.

However a few days later the pizzo-spark of the chef's blowtorch failed to ignite. I'm thinking of buying a Cadrim. Interestingly the blurb advises using it in short bursts and not continuously so maybe this is why the spark has failed on my present torch?

Is this others' experience?

The Cadrim seems the best of the bunch in terms of reasonably priced small chefs torches. I've killed three of the cheaper ones that I used mainly to light my smoker ... the ignition always failed and it's a PITA lighting them manually. I've had the Cadrim running on the Gasvap for about half an hour non-stop without any detriment ...The innards of the nozzle are actually ceramic and I'm hopeful that this, along with the superior adjustability of the flame, will live a bit longer. It certainly seems better built than some of the others ... time will tell.

 

[hemo]

The other torch which I also have that is working well is this one below.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Concise-...cro-Butane-Torch-Kitchen/164570300139?hash=it

 

[pargyle]

The other torch which I also have that is working well is this one below.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Concise-...cro-Butane-Torch-Kitchen/164570300139?hash=it

Another one with a ceramic nozzle and the igniters are recessed ... should work well.

 

[pargyle]

Today I made some more modifications. I removed the flame guard (it's held on with a single screw on mine) and covered the outside with a layer of 1mm silicon sheet (the sort you use in the kitchen for baking on). I added a couple of fibre washers between the body of the gasvap and the heat shield to insulate it and just separate the heat shield from the body of the gasvap a little.

Works a treat - I thought it might need a couple of layers of silicon sheet but one is sufficient to be able to pick the gasvap up even with the torch going and it up to full heat. I just cut the silicon sheet to size and stuck it to the heat shield with some silicon sealant.

The hardwood casing to the cap works well .. so, the two bits that were in danger of burning my fingers are resolved. I had the Cadrim torch going for the better part of half an hour again and it never missed a beat -lights first time every time and I've now got it set at a setting where it will heat the pan to the right temperature for the OA to sublimate and also start on the igniter. Just have to switch it on and press the igniter ... Brilliant.

 

[Swarm]

Very neat job, I like that.

 

[amandaj57]

Today I made some more modifications. I removed the flame guard (it's held on with a single screw on mine) and covered the outside with a layer of 1mm silicon sheet (the sort you use in the kitchen for baking on). I added a couple of fibre washers between the body of the gasvap and the heat shield to insulate it and just separate the heat shield from the body of the gasvap a little.

I am really jealous. It now looks a comfortably usable piece of kit!

 

[Newbeeneil]

Today I made some more modifications. I removed the flame guard (it's held on with a single screw on mine) and covered the outside with a layer of 1mm silicon sheet (the sort you use in the kitchen for baking on). I added a couple of fibre washers between the body of the gasvap and the heat shield to insulate it and just separate the heat shield from the body of the gasvap a little.

Works a treat - I thought it might need a couple of layers of silicon sheet but one is sufficient to be able to pick the gasvap up even with the torch going and it up to full heat. I just cut the silicon sheet to size and stuck it to the heat shield with some silicon sealant.

The hardwood casing to the cap works well .. so, the two bits that were in danger of burning my fingers are resolved. I had the Cadrim torch going for the better part of half an hour again and it never missed a beat -lights first time every time and I've now got it set at a setting where it will heat the pan to the right temperature for the OA to sublimate and also start on the igniter. Just have to switch it on and press the igniter ... Brilliant.

Interesting mod Philip, what silicon sealant did you use?

 

[pargyle]

I have some washers left, most of the sheet of silicon and I'm happy to turn a hardwood cap cover ... if anyone wants the kit to do it... Postage is about £3.50 ... say a fiver in total to include the materials. Drop me a PM. I've enough silicon sheet for about 8 I think.

 

[pargyle]

Interesting mod Philip, what silicon sealant did you use?

Just some left over white bathroom sealant .. spread it thinly on the sheet and it stuck to the copper like the proverbial.

 

[victor meldrew]

Just some left over white bathroom sealant .. spread it thinly on the sheet and it stuck to the copper like the proverbial.
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It is a question Silicone Engineering get asked frequently by engineers and designers who are looking for an exact temperature point where silicone rubber will start to degrade in application.

In the majority of cases there isn’t a definitive answer that our experts can give without discussing further about the environment that the silicone will be situated and the temperature(s) the material will be exposed to.

Silicone rubber, unlike the majority of other rubbers, can withstand extreme temperatures way above 200°C and down to as low as -60°C without deforming. However, one aspect determines what actual temperatures silicone can really withstand and that is TIME – The length of time the silicone is exposed to extreme temperatures determines its lifespan and performance in application and this is a very important factor when specifying rubber materials into applications.

 

[pargyle]

Hopefully, by the time it has degraded ... I will be long gone ! Once the washers were in place the temperature of the heat shield dropped quite a lot ... still too hot to hold. For what the sheets of silicon costs if it does deteriorate I can replace it. Mind you, I don't think the Gasvap will get to anywhere near 200 degrees C with the Cadrim torch at it's present setting.

 

[victor meldrew]

Hopefully, by the time it has degraded ... I will be long gone ! Once the washers were in place the temperature of the heat shield dropped quite a lot ... still too hot to hold. For what the sheets of silicon costs if it does deteriorate I can replace it. Mind you, I don't think the Gasvap will get to anywhere near 200 degrees C with the Cadrim torch at it's present setting.

And me

 

[hemo]

If the torch reaches 200c then it is sublimating as formic acid.