hotheadinfo

The Care and Cleaning of your Hothead Torch
Melinda Melanson
Dale M

Use this information at your own risk. I assume no responsibility. The below information is how I took care of my Hothead torch and is not endorsed by the inventor or manufacturer of the torch.

First, if you are having problems with the control knob or notice leaks anywhere on your torch, STOP and return the torch for repair. Or buy a new one, they are very inexpensive.

First take a look at the pic and familiarize yourself with how these pieces come apart. Do not attempt to remove the skinnyneck/crookshank from the valve body, it has a factory sealing compound on the threaded connection and if it is disturbed it will leak fuel and you probably will not be able to reseal it and have effectively put your torch out of action. The easiest way to remove the head of the torch is to grasp the skinny neck/crookshank gently with a pair of vise grips, then grasp the head or the torch with another pair of vise grips and gently twist the head in a counter-clockwise direction to remove it from the skinnyneck/crookshank. While you have these pieces apart, scrape off any bits of gunk that have accumulated with a wire brush or similar item. Wipe any oily gunk off from the torch with a soft absorbant cloth or paper towel.

The orifice is probably the culprit of poor torch performance. This item has a tiny hole that regulates fuel output and gets gunked up sometimes. The fuel that this torch uses, Mapp, propylene etc.. has an odorant added to it to help detect leaks. This odorant can build up and sometimes, especially in the case of hot weather or an overfull tank, it can get into your hose and torch. To help prevent the siphoning of odorant, always keep your hoses above the top level of the tank. Thanks Mike A for that tip! To clean this orifice, simply pull the orifice out of the top of the skinny/neck and soak overnight in some paint thinner, acetone, nail polish remover or other non-oily solvent. If this doesn't help, then you can, as a last resort take a straight pin and gently probe the tiny hole. If this still doesn't help then it is time to order a new orifice from Beadmakers@aol.com

After cleaning, simply replace the orifice, making sure that it sits properly into the skinny neck. Gently screw everything back together and CHECK FOR LEAKS. Occasionally the orifice doesn't seat properly and will need to be taken out and reseated until a good seal is made. If you smell fuel while torch is burning, STOP and after the torch has cooled off, try to reseat the orifice. If you still smell fuel while the torch is burning. STOP and return torch for repair or buy a new torch.