Sievert advice

[kev]

If anybody is knowledgable about the sievert range I would love some advice on what to buy for both boiler and smaller silver soldering work. The prices are to high just to experiment with so help on what precisely to buy from the bottles to the nozzels would be great.  Rig would be for workshop use so portability not an issue.

[Arbalest]

I can't help except to say that you've made a good choice in Sievert and the best place I've found to buy them is Hamilton Gas Products.

http://www.gasproducts.co.uk/acatalog/Sievert_Gas_Blw_Torch_Kits.html

I was staggered to find that some "hobby" suppliers were charging nearly double for the same items so do shop around. eBay may also be worth a look, I bought a brand new Promatic kit for less than 25% of retail!

Update: I've just checked, one hobby shop wants £95 inc for a standard kit whilst another has 'reduced' it's price from £103 to £77. Hamilton want around £56. You'll need to add postage though.

[Jo]

Boilers can be big: 7 1/4" loco (yes in copper) to small 3" vertical........ Which size were you thinking about building?

I alternate between a 3940 and a 2942 nozzle. I have never used the 3537 Jewellers Burner. I also use a 3944 and a 2960 when I did 5" loco boilers (silly idea I get them made now  ).  With a 3509 neck tube.

I use my 3488 handle all the time, the pilot jet/main burner is very useful. I use a standard handle only with my roofing nozzle for keeping 5" boilers hot enough with the much longer 3510 neck tube .

It is cheaper to go to your local tip and pick up a second hand propane bottle than paying the initial bottle fee plus the gas cost. A 13Kg bottle is easy to lift a 19Kg is less and the bigger size again will give you problems. The 13Kg when running the larger burners can ice up - I normally use two bottles a 19Kg on the roofing nozzle and the 13Kg for where I am soldering.

The kits are always a good starting point but be careful you don't get dinged with the single control handle  .

Nearly forgot: Don't forget a hose failure valve: 305401.

Jo

[kev]

Wow great advice there thanks. Sorry boilers not big about 3 to 4 inch diameter at most

[Stuart]

kev

Great advice from Jo

Above all get a burner big enough you can turn them down but not up from there design flow

Get an  adjustable regulator  I think mine goes to about 4 bar and you need all of that for the larger burners

Like Jo my last few loco,s now sold on I have had the boilers made .

As to bottle size get the biggest you can handle and store safely to site son example i was doing a vertical boiler for injector testing about 4 inch dia and was having difficulty with the heat I had a bottle that was about a meter high not sure about the kg , anyway the torch ran fine but the heat would not build up ,the bottle was low on liquid so down on the evaporated. Rate a refill sorted it out , so on my view bigger is better.
I bet you know but the cheap thermalite blocks from the builder merchant make exalant Fire bricks for your herth they are less than a quid each

One last point do your soldering in a dim light not full sun because you will see the temperature better

Have fun and be safe
Stuart

[kev]

Good tips Stuart thanks, I knew most of them but always worth reminding. The regulator is a good point the ones I looked range from 1 bar fixed, 2 bar max and a 4 bar max so you recon the big one which makes sense especially as its only a couple of quid difference between them.

[Arbalest]

If you buy the kit it comes with a 4 bar regulator, it's a nice reg as well.

[kev]

Problem with the kits is they have the single valve handles other than the roofing kits that is so I guess a case of mix and match

[Arbalest]

According to Sievert the large twin valve handle is designed for bigger burners and looking at the catalogue it's aimed at Roofers.

http://www.sievert.se/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Sievert-International-Catalogue.pdf

The smaller single valve handle is for standard and small burners. Listed applications are soldering, brazing heating etc.
If you can afford it the auto ignition Promatic handle is very convenient, it's my go to burner for most jobs.