I remember seeing this type of torch when I was little and as I got older I wondered just how it worked. This was the only high temperature torch available during the last century as there were no gas torches , though kerosene oil pressurized torches were very common . The disadvantage of these was they were not available in the small sizes used in jewelry making. For this type of work an alcohol lab type lamp was used as the primary heat source and the powerful small blue flame jet was obtained by the use of a blow pipe inserted into the craftsman’s mouth. There is a small screw on nozzle that screws on to the end of the bent pipe and this gives a better thin powerful blue flame. This is missing in your torch. I had always wanted to own one of these torches but children those days were not provided with funds as they are at present. This torch works by the heat generated in the lamp part being transmitted through the clamp to the torch barrel. Later models had a small tube connecting the bottom of the lamp barrel to the bottom of the torch barrel resulting in a mixture of air and alcohol vapor being forced out through the burner at higher pressure resulting in a longer and hotter flame. Thank you most sincerely for bringing back memories of more than sixty five years.
You will find that this item is great in many way. I have heated a padlock. This works great soldering electrical wires when I fixed my tractor. This works great and is cheap to run for sure.
Thank you for taking the time to explain exactly how to use this torch. I have just purchased one as I am a Watchmaker and I do not like the modern gas torches.
I have a Lenk Automatic Blotorch No. 108. It's almost identical to yours. Mine has a cap that goes over the threaded end and it has no hole in it. The directions says it will either have a cap or wing nut. The directions say to clean the curved tube with .012" wire. Remove curved tube top and fill tube 3/4 full with fuel. Replace curved fuel top and make sure it is screwed down tightly. Next, turn the curved tube upside down to allow fuel to run down into the curved tube. Snap both tubes together, making sure solid wick is inside curved tube. Light flame tube wick and tilt slightly forward and allow flame to play on the brass jet which is on the end of curved tube. In ten or fifteen seconds, a strong blast of flame is produced. DO NOT ALLOW TORCH TO BURN DRY AT ANY TIME. Lenk Manufacturing Co., INC Kinston, NC 28501. This tool belonged to my father. He was a computer engineer for RCA, Sperry/Univac, Unisys since the early 1960's.
Many of these devices use asbestos wading to hold the fuel or as a wick. Just an FYI. I have an alcohol torch from the 1870s with a sqeeze bulb that silver solders nicely. I was so thrilled like yourself when it worked the first time.
So the flame heats the tip up, the alcohol has a very low boiling point and wants to become a gas and starts gassing using the venturi effect which produces the flame for welding. I would imagine that the hotter it gets, the more powerful the flame will be however you may want to use gloves, it's gonna get super hot.
Re: using it to heat food. There's actually something based off the same principle of operation as this called a self pressurizing alcohol stove. You can probably find several vids on here about making them because you can DIY one from seal-able metal container that has two holes in the top and soldering in a full two turn loop of 3/8 copper that has FG wicking running through it and then drilling jet holes in bottom of the loop. Since the flame washes over the tubing in the top of the loop there's no need for a second flame or any kind of shroud for it to maintain itself. Personally I've been knocking around the idea for a couple years of making a mantle lamp on the same concept, which is something that likely would have existed contemporary to your torch, there's even a video on here of one being operated under the title "Self Pressurizing Alcohol Lamp" (and it's a quite fancy piece with cut crystal shades and such) but I can find precious little on it's internal mechanics so I'm kinda left on my own trying to figure out how to arrange the vaporizer and mantles together.
where do I begin. I've been watching your videos off and on now for some time. The first time I've ever seen you was when you made those two giant battery packs for your electric bicycle. When I seen you on that bicycle riding it afterwards and the smile on your face I knew that you are very happy and proud that you were able to make that work. I really like this channel. You have a mixture of a lot of different things that I am also interested in for example solar energy. Nintendo games. An old vintage things. I found it hilarious in the one video when you were playing Roadrunner on that old computer. I couldn't believe that you knew how to load dos...lol.. anyway I would love to see your video game collection maybe you can make a video about that? If you remember where you got certain games consoles how old you were. I think a lot of people will enjoy that. Not only that if you show me your video game collection I might have a few double NES carts here that I can ship to you free of charge of course... if you do post a video of all the video games you have I can know what not to send you . for I do have a good handful of doubles nes doubles. I'm really into Retro games I have a very big collection of NES I've started collecting for NES system years and years ago. have a look at my channel there may be some stuff that interest you. I am subscribed to your Channel and I will continue to watch your great videos. Keep up the great work profrank
+Retro Pro Frank thanks but i think i have more than enough games to play for now.... unless you have any Ghost in the Shell games or Crystalis for the NES. haha ive been collecting nintendo games since about 2002 and have seen them get overinflated in price, ill wait a few years for the value to crash before i buy any more. the prices are already starting to become unstable as it is.
My dad just handed me one of these earlier today (a slightly different model I believe, the 108?) and asked me to find out what it was. With the help of reddit to find me the name, and then google to find me this video, here I am! My dad found it in my grandpa's old workshop, so it's nice to have something of his. Thanks for showing how it works, what a cool little thing!
I love “low tech” tools like these. My grandparents were dairy farmers and my Pap’s brother (my great uncle?) was a blacksmith. The things they could do to/with metal and wood were practical AND amazing.
Hi I have one here in my shop somewhere? It has a small chain that holds a cap to cover the torch tip. Mine has never been used (by me), so maybe I'll take it out and try it? I have an old "White Gas" brass bottle blow torch that I used to use for casting round balls for my muzzle loader. Or I did..if my kids didn't take it? :~)))) It needed a new leather seal for the pump, but that was easy. As a leather worker, I had tons of leather here. Keep up the videos it's great to see a young person with an interest in old tools. God bless: Stoney
Just picked one up at a junk shop. I also have a "Betty Jet" lighter that works on the same premise. Basically a mini version of this inside of a lighter body.
My late father was a typewriter mechanic. He used one of these, presumably, to solder the type to the levers. It's clearly designed for precision work so I'd guess that jewelers used them too.
With slight modifications you could get a hand torch out of it. Replace the heating flame with a catalytic heater, the torch nack needs a serpentine to get the fule gaseous and the tip needs a bunsenburner nozzle. Don't forget to build in a flame arrestor in the gaseous part😂 I wonder if this method works also with wax🤓? maybe with a higher temperature the wax could get gaseous to 🤔...
I just purchased one at an antique mall. It was labeled "Automatic blow torch." There are no markings on it what ever. Thought I would add it to my steampunk costume. Thank you for this video. It has been most helpful. Mine has a small cap that screws on to the tip. It is attached to the bracket by a small chain.
You're not missing any pieces except thw cap where the threads are. Some models do not have the end cap. I use mine as a nice visual to ignite my whiskey/cocktail smoker that goes on top of my glass.
I just got one at an antique store and thank you for showing me how to use it. Awesome! Mine came with a cap and a tiny chain attaching the cap to the pipe. PS...I LOVE all the electronics I saw in the background. We gotta talk.
The convection from the volatilised gas in the heated part of the tube really gives it some energy. The threads above the wick are very likely for an airflow regulation section. It might also couple as a heatsink regulator. My grandfather used to have a few similar lamps he collected from his time in Dublin roadworks. I love the simple ingenuity.
I have the same torch, still in the box- mine has the cap, very groovy piece…I never knew how to use it properly until just now- Thankyamuchly!! I’m pretty sure it was only really used to sweat solder pipes together and such.
Yours still has the box? could you take pictures of it and post them to internet archive for future reference? the boxes for old tools are rare and easily get lost
I'm going to make one, such a simplisticly beautiful.. it's like a modernized renaissance spirit torch, just made of metal and not requiring manual blowing or attaching an air bladder
The Torch self pressurizes, as it heats up the Alcohol expands... They are intended to run on Denatured/Marine Alcohol AKA Methylated Spirits... It is missing a Cap on a chain, and some also had a thread on barrel that improved performance... Jim Dandy made the originals, Lenk also Produced them...
I know this is six years on, but I just fell down a mouth blow pipe/blow torch rabbit hole. You mentioned possibly using this camping, We used to make pop can penny stoves that ran on alcohol. They function on similar principles to this.
I have a Wall Dreadnought Alcohol that I recently got around to trying and I just can't stop playing with it, it works much like that one but it's all in one cylinder .
at a local flea market there are 3 that have been sitting on a shelf for years, I may need to go talk to the owner and pick up one or two, and there brass
You're absolutely right, it did come with a screw on directional nozzle and makes it very hot. I've acquired 9 of these cuties and none have that nozzle so had to make one. they made a copper, SS and tin version. Great video, thanks
@@RinoaL It would have warning labels, an age rating, available only to certified professionals, the alcohol only sold by prescription and no user serviceable parts requiring you to purchase a new one if the wick burnt low when you ran it dry by accident. Cap seals would deteriorate after 13 months so it would start to leak after guarantee interval was over. Made from corroding metal that rusted in storage or from the factory recommended alcohol that was so thin that it would dent in normal use.
Hey, I have one of these somewhere in my basement as well, but never knew what that thing was. Thanks to you I know what it is and already know when I will need it. Nice!
I watched your video and something told me I had seen one of this on our farm. I went out in the barn and to my suprise there it was right in front of me. Mine is complete and I can mail you a picture of it. Just send me a message. Like your videos 👍
