I am a plumbing technician working in a prison, and my job is to maintain and repair all the plumbing systems in the unit. This includes over 200 toilets, 150 urinals, 300 sinks, and 24 gas water heaters. Needless to say, it's a huge job. Almost 100% of the unit's domestic water system is copper (ranging from 1/4" up to 3"), so we tend to need to do soldering very frequently. I needed something for my workers that would be hot enough to solder 2", and reliable enough to use daily... while at the same time, not cost much since I would be "donating" this tool to the unit (much faster/easier than waiting 3-6 months for the bureaucracy and red tape to approve a new one). The old torch we had could barely get 2" hot enough for soldering, and the threads were almost stripped out of it.
We've been using this torch for about six months now (I waited to do this review so I could give it an accurate, real-world review based on its performance). This little torch isn't nearly as good as my personal torch at home (TurboTorch), but for under $50, it performs very well. We've had no problems soldering 2" copper with silver, including on thicker items (like threaded couplings and tees). I feared that the first thing to go out on this torch would be the auto-ignition, but even now after several hundred times being clicked, it still ignites the torch on the first or second try. The threads are aluminum (which worried me as well), but they seem to be holding up just fine and don't appear to have any abnormal wear. This torch is separated from the bottle after every use (policy), so I'm impressed that they are holding up this well.
The only thing I don't like about this torch is that the tip is one piece. This means that the internal of the tip (the part with orifices that swirls the gas/air to make a heating tip) is not removable from the outer shell. If a drop of solder ever got in there, it could potentially ruin the tip permanently. I often have to train new/inexperienced plumbers, and inexperienced plumbers tend to put the tip almost directly under the joint, so this is a real possibility... but it hasn't happened yet. Basically, this is a problem that will only occur if the torch isn't being used right, so I did not take off any stars.
| Manufacturer | Mr. Torch |
|---|---|
| Part Number | BTS-8088-K |
| Item Weight | 3.5 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 13 x 6 x 3 inches |
| Country of Origin | Taiwan |
| Item model number | BTS-8088-K |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Color | Grey |
| Style | Torch Kit with Propane |
| Material | Aluminum, Brass |
| Power Source | gas-powered |
| Maximum Power | 2 Kilowatts |
| Installation Method | gas-welding |
| Number Of Pieces | 1 |
| Handle Material | Metal |
| Certification | ANSI Z87.1-2003, CSA Z94.3-2007 |
| Special Features | Portable |
| Usage | Professional |
| Included Components | Propane Gas Cylinder, Torch |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
