BERNZOMATIC TORCH PART - UNAVAILABLE ANYWHERE

[chief38]

Today I was in the process of doing a full restoration on a vintage GE fan from the 1930's and I needed to Braze a few of the Cage wires as they had become unattached to the cross pieces. I got out my 40 year old Bernzomatic Torch and low and behold the Orifice was clogged up. I took it out, blew it out with 90 psi of compressed air and I got a very small flame out of the torch. I repeated the process and again just a little flame (tank was full). I looked around for a wire small enough to clean out the hole but the hole is so so small, it's barely even visible - no dice! I figured I'd use an Acetylene torch to repair the cage (a little over kill - but it worked fine) which I did, but then when done I went on line looking for a replacement Orifice for the Bernzomatic Torch. Apparently no one has replacement parts for the Torches any longer (including Bernzomatic) and I guess when a stupid little hole gets clogged you are supposed to throw the whole torch out and buy a new one!

I remember that almost any Hardware store use to carry them and they were a buck or so - no big deal to screw another one in. Well, I refuse to throw out an otherwise perfectly good torch and will continue the hunt for one.

Unfortunately, all the old time Hardware stores are gone and unless I find one in a Plumbing Supply store or welding shop I guess I'll have another paper-weight!

BTW even a #80 Drill is way too large to fit the hole and that's the smallest one I have.

 

[joe44va]

Number drill bits go down to about 104 (0.003"). I think. Perhaps you could find someone who has those small sizes.

 

[bamabiker]

I have an orifice bit set you can use if you're close by.

Well looking at it I see the #80 is the smallest in it so...

 

[BigG-n-Tn]

Would a set of torch tip cleaners have a wire small enough? Welding supply houses have them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tom Beavert]

Guitar E string.
Good luck
TB

 

[bamabiker]

I watched a YouTube video where a guy used brake cleaner and compressed air to clean an old one and got it going.

 

[LVSteve]

Am I the only one here who isn't shocked that there are no spares around for a 40-year old tool?

 

[chief38]

I have an orifice bit set you can use if you're close by.

Well looking at it I see the #80 is the smallest in it so...

I appreciate the offer but I am no where even close. Could you let me know the size in thousandths of an inch if you have a micrometer? I'd appreciate that!

 

[chief38]

Guitar E string.
Good luck
TB

Excellent idea! Thanks! Now my wife will be wondering why her guitar only has 5 strings on it - lol!! Seriously, I will clip a small piece of guitar string off the end and try that. I must confess - I never thought of a Guitar string! Very smart!!

 

[Marshwheeling]

Try soaking it in Pine Sol.

 

[Farmer17]

When you can buy a whole new torch for 20 bucks it's not worth most peoples time to repair one and it costs a lot of money to package, stock, inventory, and ship small parts. Plus you have to have customer service people working the telephones and emails to explain to customers what part and number they need and how to install it, so if you did find one it would probably be a lot of money nowadays.

 

[chief38]

When you can buy a whole new torch for 20 bucks it's not worth most peoples time to repair one and it costs a lot of money to package, stock, inventory, and ship small parts. Plus you have to have customer service people working the telephones and emails to explain to customers what part and number they need and how to install it, so if you did find one it would probably be a lot of money nowadays.

I know you're correct, but the 40 year old torch was meant to last a lifetime - and it probably will, assuming I can clean out or replace the stupid $1 orifice. I'm not a disposable kind of guy. There has to be one of these stupid orifice's around somewhere - I'll find one. In the mean time I will take the advice posted above and try one of the E strings from my wife's guitar.

I hate this new disposable ideology!

 

[bullmack]

Do carb jet cleaning wires go small enough?

 

[wheelgun28]

I seem to recall that Bernzomatic was made in NY state someplace. Sometime in the late 90 early 2000's I think they closed up the factory and moved to China.

I am sure anything, not current production was cast to the wayside. One parts on hand were gone game over.

I will say going from the old style to a new one with a built-in starter is so much of an upgrade I would not go back.

 

[bamabiker]

I appreciate the offer but I am no where even close. Could you let me know the size in thousandths of an inch if you have a micrometer? I'd appreciate that!

.013 with a cheap micrometer.

 

[dave1918a2]

Send the orfice to the guy who has the drill numbers to 104. I bet He'll help You out.

 

[chief38]

Number drill bits go down to about 104 (0.003"). I think. Perhaps you could find someone who has those small sizes.

My set only goes down to #80 - but that is something I was unaware of - thanks for the info!

Looked up the smaller number drills - YES they go down to #107 which measures 0.0483". Can't even imagine using one that small even in a pin vise.

 

[chief38]

OK Fellas - Solved the problem!

First off I soaked it in Acetone for an hour and then use a nylon toothbrush on it. Also pulled off the bronze or copper "filter" and soaked that as well. Blew both pieces off with the air compressor. & did not have to compromise my wife's guitar's E string - lol.
It now works like it is supposed to!

More good news: I actually found a new one (new old stock still in blister pack) on ebay. It was priced high $9 with tax, but at least I can now be assured that my torch will be around for a while longer.

It's the simple things in life that make me happy!

 

[dodgecharger]

If you can find a set of carburetor jet drills they would work also. The old time racers used to buy jet blanks and drill them to size they needed.