Blow torch impossible to buy in Thailand?

[MaiChai]

Got some galvanized tin guttering that needs soldering together. I know the Thais use ancient soldering irons that they heat up on a burner, but that just seem archaic and a blow touch would be much better. But I can't seem to find one anywhere! Do I have to do it the Thai way or does anyone know where I can buy a blow torch?

[eyecatcher]

You gotta think outside the box

Clue.....think cooking.....you will find your blow torch

[stoneyboy]

You gotta think outside the box

Clue.....think cooking.....you will find your blow torch

Indeed forget the blow torch altogether.

[eyecatcher]

That will not bond zinc together in a million years.

Infact real nails will do a better job.

The other way is for the OP simply to do it the old way he describes. Simply using his gas cooker to melt the lead in a pot then he can use it on the gutter if he can get up there before it cools.

[stoneyboy]

That will not bond zinc together in a million years.

Infact real nails will do a better job.

The other way is for the OP simply to do it the old way he describes. Simply using his gas cooker to melt the lead in a pot then he can use it on the gutter if he can get up there before it cools.

Why won't it please do tell.

Failing that Araldite most certainly will.

[arthurwait]

Hardware house sell them.

Verasu sell them for cooking.

[TheCruncher]

Hardware house sell them.

That was supposed to be my line, but you beat me to it.

[Crossy]

MegaHome have them too, both little ones that use the small disposable cylinders (we use one to light the barbie) and big beasts that use cooking cylinders.

In reality your local hardware man will probably have, take a photo of what you need.

[ignis]

Yep one of the items I wish I had brought with me, when I moved here... [only never seen the little Camping throw away bottles here]

Yes even 2 km away at a local Village hardware store has the big blow torch attachement for the big bottles, the only little one I have ever seen For Sale was at a Wholesale Bakery Supplies

My UK one looked like this

[cooked]

Aren't we looking for an electric soldering iron? That's what I bought to seal the guttering.

[ignis]

Depends what wants doing, myself used silicon seal and pop rivets [have a gun here for years]

must be 7 or 8 year ago put my guttering up using seal and pop rivets, so far no leaks

[Crossy]

This is ours, clips on to one of the disposable gas cylinders.

The alternative of pop-rivets and silicone may be easier if the guttering is already installed.

[gerry123]

lazada sell them but not the gas gas canisters not also makro sell the gas canister but not sure about the connection compatibility that's as far as i got when i last searched ended buying a quality hot air gun

[Crossy]

lazada sell them but not the gas gas canisters not also makro sell the gas canister but not sure about the connection compatibility that's as far as i got when i last searched ended buying a quality hot air gun

Seach Lazada for "gas torch" and you'll find loads most of which fit the container shown in my post, others are refillable butane (lighter gas).

Those with a fitting like this one use the disposable cylinders, press and twist to lock.

Cylinders available everywhere, they are the same ones that fit in the portable gas stoves.

[MaiChai]

First career was electronics and am pretty good at soldering so a blow torch with flux and the solder sticks will do the job properly. Silicon will dry out and leak; we have had some experience of that. I am also a pretty good plumber with copper pipes and soldering back in the UK. Think of how they used to solder cans of food together and that will give u an idea of how durable soldering is.

Thanks for all the tips; will try hardware house and the other recommend outlets. For portability up ladders you would want the gas canister type. Will give some feedback when I manage to buy one

[MaiChai]

I eventually bought a blow torch off tarad.com. 199 baht plus 60 baht for ems quick delivery. It's exactly the same as on the photo posted by crossy. Used tarad.com because they take PayPal and the seller was in Thailand. Thought it was risky ordering stuff on the internet in thailand so figured 260 baht was not worth worrying about and worth a try. Arrived after about a week. Looked on lazada but all the sellers were outside Thailand and the delivery was mostly a month. Also found one in homepro but that was 1900 baht and I am not paying that! Big c do the cans for 45 baht so will pick one up next time we visit. Thanks for the help. It's rained twice in the last week in Khon Kaen province so time to do some guttering

[MaiChai]

That blow torch is pretty good, even has an ignitor if you press the orange gas flow. But it turned out to be the wrong solution! Part of being an engineer is trying out different things until u have a solution.

In the end i used a 100w electric soldering iron i had knocking about, which was just about powerful enough.

Didnt have the right flux so used general electronic flux i bought in a 20 baht shop some time back. Then i just used regular electronic solder which is fluxed and has a lower melting point. You need a proper iron so u can rub the solder into the metal and make it adhere A blow torch won't provide this and generates way too much heat and you dont have much control. Do both sides of the join and make sure u have sufficient solder over the join otherwise it will crack open with a bit of movement of the gutter (eg when fitting it). Make sure both edges are as flush as possible; you can hold them together with say a screwdriver and solder a blob across the joint to tack and hold them together. Then fill in the gaps afterwards.

Seemed to work out well. You can buy the guttering at dohome and they have all the bits u need. Thais use old style irons that are heated on a portable gas stove and dohome do those. Think i prefer a modern soldering iron.

Will do the guttering a bit at a time when the urge takes me and stock up on solder, the right flux and guttering next time i visit dohome!

I am sure all the wassadus have guttering; its just that dohome have it on display while the others u probably need to order and collect at the back of the store.

The standard size guttering is 6" width bottom of the gutter. There is also 5" as well.

[canopy]

Part of being an engineer is trying out different things until u have a solution

Really? That sounds like a layman, not an engineer.

[impulse]

Strangely, my best chance of finding a small blowtorch in Thailand is at the kiosks that sell switchblades, swords, brass knuckles, martial arts throwing stars, and other implements of death.

Most of them also sell blowtorches that operate on small canisters of gas.

[MaiChai]

I tried to solder gutters the Thai way, and frankly its barbaric in this modern day and age.

Basically you have heavy half moon soldering irons that you put on a gas burner; ideally 2 so while you are using one the other one is on the stove, and you swap them around when the one you are using has lost all its heat. Pure hydrocloric acid is used as a flux which burns the galvanising off and any other impurities. This is rather dangerous so use a small paintbrush to apply it.

This method uses alot of solder, and it would be much smarter/easier/safer to use a 200w electrical soldering iron and traditional electronics fluxed solder. Certainly you would use less solder, have more control, and have a neater finish!

Thus its probably worth buying a soldering iron on ebay and bringing it to Thailand or order one on one of the thai online shopping sites like tarad.com.

[attrayant]

I'm so glad I brought my Bernzomatic torch and mapp gas canisters with me when I moved here. I thought I'd be doing a fair amount of copper pipe sweating. Silly me. Now I use it mainly for chemistry demos for my students.

You'll probably need to customize something or order by mail and risk having customs not let the gas canisters through.

[JDGRUEN]

This is ours, clips on to one of the disposable gas cylinders.

20151225_075346.jpg

The alternative of pop-rivets and silicone may be easier if the guttering is already install

I have one of these - very similar - bought it at a gas bottle/tank refill place. It uses the refillable cans... Works just fine.

[MangoKorat]

Just updating this for anyone interested.  I will be bringing my blowtorch with me in June to do some work on my heat pump. Mine is one of the new generation of blow torches that use Mapp gas capable of reaching 3600f. Obvioulsy I can't bring gas on the flight so I checked online and found this company.

 

https://gggroupthai.com/product/bluefire-mapp-gas-premium-quality-wholesale-factory/

 

They are wholesalers but if they can't sell me a cannister, they should be able to point me in the direction of a stockist.  Clearly if they can do that, they can do the same for a torch.

[KhunLA]

2 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

Just updating this for anyone interested.  I will be bringing my blowtorch with me in June to do some work on my heat pump. Mine is one of the new generation of blow torches that use Mapp gas capable of reaching 3600f. Obvioulsy I can't bring gas on the flight so I checked online and found this company.

New generation ?

 

I was using mapp gas torches 40+ yrs ago.

[Muhendis]

9 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I was using mapp gas torches 40+ yrs ago.

Sssh.

Your show your age.

Are we no longer using blow torches like this one?

 

[Ralf001]

I got a MAPP torch, Shoppe Bt.390.00

 

[MangoKorat]

15 hours ago, KhunLA said:

New generation ?

 

I was using mapp gas torches 40+ yrs ago.

Yes but the newer types run hotter, they will also run upside down and are self igniting. Unlike regular butane/propane blowtorches, they turn off as soon as you release the trigger. In any case, I didn't say Mapp gas was new, I said the new generation of torches.

 

Where were you buying gas 40 years ago? I don't remember ever seeing it where I see it now.

[MangoKorat]

6 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

I got a MAPP torch, Shoppe Bt.390.00

 

I wouldn't want/don't need that torch - is the gas available on Shoppee?

[KhunLA]

4 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

Yes but the newer types run hotter. Where were you buying gas 40 years ago? I don't remember ever seeing it where I see it now.

40 yrs ago 

 

I didn't, but the plumber I worked for did.  Only used it to melt lead, for connecting soil pipe.   Yea, that long ago.

 

Also my cousin, his truck / auto repair shop I spent a good deal of time at, late teens, and he taught me all there was to know about vehicles.  He had all types of torches / cutting tools, used industrial size tanks.

[MangoKorat]

16 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I was using mapp gas torches 40+ yrs ago.

I don't think you were using a torch like this 40+ years ago.