Help! Bobcat or Lynx or other

[glassgypsy]

Hi Sarah:

You have received many good and varied opinions, so here is mine, hope it falls into the same category.

I personally have owned/used any number of torches,ranging from a National 3a to a Barracuda and many in between there (Nortel Major, National 8R, b.b.b.). Presently, I use a Lynx, and hands down, it is the absolute best ever, second to none!!!

Indeed, you could always start off smaller, and continue to trade up, but do you want to:
1. go through a new learning curve with each torch,
and
2. have to sell you old one?

My set up is with tanked 02 and propane, and I work in 95 % boro (balance 90 c.o.e.). You sound very serious, and the Lynx would enable you to grow with your increasing abilities.

You asked about boro, yes it is a bit different, but the end results can be totally awesome. A year or so ago, on e-bay, there would be a scant number of listings for boro, today, over 500……….

peace,
jim

GlassGypsyEtsy [/url]
glassgypsy auctions
Glass Gypsy

[CosmicGW]

I own a Lynx and love it and agree that the Lynx will give you some room to grow – you can work with a very hot flame with this torch.

When I use a Minor in a class environment, I realize how much hotter my Lynx is and I really miss it.

Since cost is not an issue, I would go with the Lynx – the resale is great if you change your mind.

Becky

Becky

[mtmorn]

I have a Bobcat and a Minor – of the two I much prefer the Bobcat. I have to agree with the others though – if you can afford the Lynx go for it!

Sandi

Mountain Morning Design

Ebay Auctions[/url]

[baroness]

When I “imported” my Lynx into a minors-provided class, I inadvertently created a wave of torch envy
All the GTT torches are great, and hold their resale value VERY well if you want to upgrade for even more power later.

[seachange]

Here are my opinions of the torches mentioned and I will add one to the mix.

-Minor – Good for soft glass (slow for boro), limited flame control, works fine on 1 concentrator.
-Bobcat – Great for soft glass (a little better for boro), better flame contol, works on 1 concentrator.
-Piranha – Great for soft glass, good for boro, great flame control, will work on 1 concentrator.
-Lynx – Great for soft glass, great for boro, incredible flame contol, will work on 2 concentrators.

Keep in mind, the GTT triple mixes are cooled by the oxygen running through them. The tripple mixes run better with higher oxy pressures as well as higher LPM.

After about a week of reading everything I can about torches, my list of choices has reduced to the above (upgrading from HH).

I can get any of the first 3 now, for the Lynx I have to wait a bit longer. Have to decide carefully, as I live in Australia, so there are other costs (freight, maybe import duties) to consider, mistakes can get a bit expensive.

My question is:

I will be running on propane and oxygen bottles for a long time, does this alter anything to the order of the list?

I suppose the type of beads one likes to make influences the decision re the torch, here are some of my ‘likes”:

I find that I would like to make bigger beads than I am able to do now. Like to add several layers of different shades of clear glass for interest and depth. Like encasing in several layers. Like accurate work, like dot placing and working with stringer. Like my colors to be bright and clean (moretti/effettre and some Lauscha glass). Like large hollow beads. Like to use interesting frits, also silver. Will most probably want to do boro beads (but not vessels). I like anything in the wearable jewelry line.
I also like to work both fast and accurately. Have a lot of patience while I am developing the skill, but then I really like to get moving fast.

This is all I can think off now, as I am not very experienced yet.

Thank you all for contribution to such an informative website.

With regards, seachange

[LoriGreenberg-Beadnerd]

I don’t know the Piranah but I have a Lynx and a Bobcat and I learned on a Minor. My vote is still for the Lynx. Depending on how long you would have to wait to be able to afford it I might hold out for that. The Lynx is a Bobcat with an inner ring of oxygen. (I hope I said that right). I can get a pinpoint flame with it or work larger. I have an Integra concentrator from Paulette at Suncoast Beads and LOVE it.

I’ve worked on one concentrator with the Lynx and it was just fine. Two is better. I’ve used a generator and it was like 2 concentrators. Add a holding tank and I had a reserve boost of O2. Enter the Integra and I got the full package. Tanked O2 will give you more output of O2 but it will cost ya too. And you have to worry about delivering or lugging tanks.

If you decide on the Bobcat, you won’t be sorry if you wait and spend extra and get the Lynx.

I’ve heard that minors use O2 faster than the GTTS. I hope someone will chime in on the Piranah for you.

www.lorigreenberg.com
Bead Nerd blog resources and information for bead makers in business

[seachange]

Thank you Lori. My impression is that if I can get the Lynx, then probably I won’t need to think about another torch for a long long time. It seems to me, from all my (extensive!) reading, this might happen with the Piranha too, hope someone with experience with Piranha and Lynx will chime in.

Another question I should have asked is:

Are any of those torches big users of gas – both oxygen and propane? Or the other way, is any of them an economical user of gas?

In the US all the comments are that bottled oxygen is very expensive to buy.

Could someone please let me know prices for a large bottle of tanked oxygen so I can compare with my cost in Australia? I have no idea is the prices here are high or reasonable.

Here, a large oxygen bottle holding 134 cubic feet (4.97 cubic yards) costs US$ 50 to refill. It will also cost US$ 8 a month to hire the bottle. We live in the country and have a small truck, so transport won’t be an issue.

We also have two very large propane bottles on the property, they are only used for a bit of sporadic heating in spring and autumn. A truck from the gas company comes around to fill them. It costs us around US$ 140 for a full refill.

With regards, seachange

[LoriGreenberg-Beadnerd]

I don’t know about oxygen but I use a barbecue style tank (much smaller that what you have) and it lasts me 3-4 months of torching at least 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. It costs me about $12 USD to fill.

www.lorigreenberg.com
Bead Nerd blog resources and information for bead makers in business

[killerbeedz1]

I’ve had the Piranha torch for about 3 months now. Just yesterday I hooked up a second concentrator for more heat. I’m still testing it out. I’ve only had time to make 3 beads with this set up. Also failed to mention that I have a natural gas hook up. That’s primarily why I chose this torch. It will allow me to do boro as well as soft glass with a natural gas connection. If I had a propane/oxycon set up though I would definitely go with the lynx.

Patsy

Ebay: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZkillerbeedz1
Etsy: http://killerbeedz1.etsy.com/

[Alan Cross]

I always tell evryone go as big as you can as one day you will wish you did so just save that step!
Alan

My Web Site[/url]
Our wedding photo's

[castaway]

Hmm I have a lynx and run it off 1 OG15 oxycon and work sculptural and small Boro. I also have 3 minors for teaching and I must agree with Mike, they are a great all round torch especialy when you are just starting out, I have made beads and marbles on my Minors with no problems I would think that a Lynx may be overkill here. and if you are getting an oxycon then don’t buy a medical one get a lampworkers one.
Bernard

Kangaroo Island, just plain paradise

[impopia_donni]

I love my piranha! One oxy con — was chewing thru oxy bottles with it, paid for itself within months. If you want to work boro the bottled O2 is better than 1 oxy con.

My mini CC chewed thru gas whereas the Beth is much more economical. The mini CC is a great torch too.

Shop
Website
Ebay

[Crazy Woman]

Just my humble opinion…….. I have a minor burner, Red Max, Major Burner and GTT Phantom…..

Today for the first time I used a 5 lp concentrator with the inner fire on the Phantom (lynx). It ran incredibly well and I made several boro beads…. the largest being over 3/4″ in diameter…. No problem at all!!!!

The minor burner is a workhorse and will serve you well for most applications. However, if you are looking for a torch that is very versatile and will do soft glass, hard glass and small sculptural glass and have the budget for it, I would suggest the GTT Lynx. I love the control from a large bushy flame to a tiny pinpoint flame.

I have previously only used tanked oxy and the performance was outstanding on the one concentrator for the center fire! IMHO…. go for the Lynx :thumbsup:

Leslie Anne Bitgood ~Crazy Woman Glass
ETSY Nada http://www.crazywomanglass.etsy.com
Art Fire
http://www.crazywomanglass.artfire.com

[seachange]

Thank you for all your replies. I am still thinking (agonizing is a more accurate description) which way to go. At the moment have had to transfer some of my reserve money to another project, so have to wait a bit…my head is spinning at present, every morning I get up having made a different decision. I think many of you know the feeling, now I’ll have time to cool down.

Could someone please let me know the cost of filling a large oxygen bottle holding around 134 cubic feet (4.97 cubic yards) in the US, plus any other costs like monthly hire? I think it will clarify for me what “expensive” means, when I read that using oxygen is expensive.

Monthly usage depends entirely on the person’s actual hours at the torch…in my case I will also be doing other work with glass, so don’t know how many hours I will spend per week/month sitting at the torch, though I hope it will be lots of hours.

Thanks again, will let you all know what has happened as soon as it happens

Regards from Australia, seachange

[Author]

Posts