Lenox Mobile Torch System

[Tyman]

I think they got a winner here. http://www.lenoxsaw.com/images/catalog/MobileTorchSystem.pdf Has anyone had their hands on one yet? It looks really professional and I like the idea of having all of my brushes, flux, etc in one case. I can really see myself using this when I have a long haul in a crawl space. If anyone has used it I would appreciate your opinion.

[DUNBAR]

Not that one but I did try to use one made by benzomatic. It was a homeowner's type torch and broke the automatic igniter in 2 weeks.

Still, a good use since I didn't have to drag my mc tank or the heavy box associated with it.

I used to have a soldering bucket with everything in that bucket. Now I'm in a box...with a 12' hose.

The cheap benzomatic only had a 6' hose....too short.


How much is it? Supply houses in my area close at 4:30 now.....sad. :(

[Evil Gopher]

Looks Sweet!!! I use thier blades and tubeing cutters....they make some high quality products...I suspect their torch's are also quality.....being HVAC I use Oxy/act torch....Im envious :D

whats the cost on that set up?

[drtyhands]

If you have a lot of open space the hose won't hinder you.I used to use the turbo torch with the regulator attached to a large propane tank then a 12' hose to the handle and tip.The rig was not that good at getting into tight spots in comparison to the T-K9 that screws directly on to the small tanks you have shown here.And there is no hose to get hung up on the many obstacles on a project.Mine only costs $60.00 and it's very maneuverable.Oh,by the way some self igniter systems wear out long before the regulator.How expensive are the ignitor tips.If yours wears out quickly how much is a non igniter tip.

[Tyman]

Looks Sweet!!! I use their blades and tubeing cutters....they make some high quality products...I suspect their torch's are also quality.....being HVAC I use Oxy/act torch....Im envious :D

whats the cost on that set up?

http://secure.nhbragg.com/itemFlyPage.php?partid=825932 Cheapest place I have seen on the net, I am going to ask my supply house tomorrow.

Lenox has impressed me lately. I have sworn off Irwin, although their Speedbor bits have peeked my interest.http://www.irwin.com/irwin/consumer/jhtml/detail.jhtml?prodId=IrwinProd160003

[Evil Gopher]

WOW nice price!!

I work at a pluming / hvac company...ac guys sneer at turbo torch's for brazing...plumers thing us AC guys use too much heat with oxy/act. most guys at the shop have beat up B-tank set up.....Im love that set up...might get one after xmass just to make plumers envious :angel:

I have 2 of the Speedbor bits I use dureing change outs..drill holes in plywood stands to run the line sets and such...sometimes in attics to run new t-stat wire to a new location so drilling through 2x4s...they work great!!

[gear junkie]

Gopher, get a captain hook tip for your oxy and you sweat a 3/4" joint in 2 seconds. Works great.

[proplumb]

i have had the system for a few months now, im freinds with the local rep. it works great and i am very happy with the torch but there are a few flaws that might sway you away from buying one. if you solder often you carry a decent size can of flux, it wont fit inside. you need the very small size about the same as a can of heat resistant greese. you can only fit mini cutters in the case as well all of my lennox cutters are too big. the last issue is one that is part my fault, i lost the brass end to the torch and lennox doesnt have any replacements yet, also i dropped the tip once and it cracked the handle. the hose never seems to stay in place either the hose wrapps are too shallow and the hose unravells almost all of the time. but for the money and the convinience of self lighting and not having to carry a b-tank around it is worth it.

[DUNBAR]

Do you think it has the capacity for 2 auto-cutters?, tin for flux?

[Tyman]

Thanks for the report proplumb. I am still holding out for now. Is the hose flexible, stiff, or retain memory?

[DuckButter]

After years of dead end purchases winding up at the bottom of the tool box, broken and twisted..I just keep things simple.
My full size Turbo sits in the truck, silently awaiting the first apartment complex I have to solder from the ground up.
I'm with Adam, I use the "pee-wee" torch (as I call it)..fits right in my bucket with all my handtools.
Time is money, one less trip up 3 flights of stairs for one more tool gets me to my next job that much quicker.

[proplumb]

just an update on this system, not all its cracked up to be. the torch head will not lite on a consistant basis, i find i have to keep the gas turned down way low and give it a few clicks to lite the hose is very flexable and has springs on the weak spots to pnching which is a great idea, this also causes the hose to unravel from the holder. the holder hose holder lips are also too small not helping the issue. the hose appears to be about 6" too short so there is either too much hose flopping around or it wont fit in the holster, the only solution i have found id i screwed a copper clip to the top of the case and bend it around to keep the hose in place. now that i have found a small flux can i can fit all of my soldering goods in there minus my large cutters. i solder everyday and even do a fair amount of brazing with the torch and it does work well for that as long as there is no wind. i get allot of comments at work form other guys who se it and like the idea but when i show the flaws they wont buy it. im not a lennox basher i have a tonn of there tools and love thier sawzall blades i just feel they missed a few key points with this one. hopefully they come out with a seconed generation of tis too then it would be awsome. im trying to talk to lennox and see if i can help them allong in know a few guys in the company and realised they did no feild testing on this tool another company was trying to release the same thing and it was a race for proffit so we all know that happens.

[plumberscrack]

While on a 4th floor walkup bathroom remodel last week, my B tank falls over and scratches the new tub :angry: That was the last straw. I only had about 6 joints to solder too. Next trip to Ferguson I pick up the Lenox Mobile Torch for just under $200 :( They love to screw me on tool purchases. WAAAY lighter than a B tank. As others mentioned, space is at a premium inside the storage area. If it were larger it would just become a pigeon hole for leftover fittings. The hose wrap was a little tricky getting used to but once I figured it out no problem with hose staying wrapped up.

This is the first Mapp gas torch I've used. Always been a acetylene turbotorch guy so this is a big change for me. Only comes as a 3/8" tip or 1/2" tip. I bought the 3/8". Looks like it will do up to 1" copper no problem.

The igniter tip adds some length to the handle so getting into tight spots a bit tougher now. My first igniter tip too; so far not impressed.

The white and blue plastic case is more pleasing to the eye. I find that the B tank and tip holder rig tends to scare customers away.

Buckets are for catching water..NOT for carrying tools. Let's look a little more professional out there;)

[Tyman]

Thanks for the update. I am holding off buying it now.

[plumberscrack]

It's not a 'must have' tool or one of those things that makes you say why didn't I get one sooner? but it definetely fills a niche

[gear junkie]

While on a 4th floor walkup bathroom remodel last week, my B tank falls over and scratches the new tub :angry:
I carry a "magic eraser" by mr. clean for this. As long as the scratches aren't to deep and just scuffed, the eraser will take care of them.

[Aaron91]

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to pick one up.

What did you end up doing about the tub Bill?

[plumberscrack]

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to pick one up.

What did you end up doing about the tub Bill?


Um..nothing looks like the tile guy might have scratched it :eek: That's my story and I'm sticking to it :D

Seriously, I keep a white enamel touch up bottle on my truck. About $12 I think. Those steel tubs are scratched sooo easily. The bottle has a useful lifespan of 3 months after you open it. Beyond that it's hard as a rock.

[drtyhands]

Most of us use the Turbo-Torch STK-9 with mapp 95% of the time.$50.00 that's it.B-tank for silver soldering or 2" and up.

Buckets and long hair baby.Got no times for digging through a bag and I'm making an investment in a future combover.:joyful:

[DUNBAR]

Looks like i'm crossing this purchase off the list, carrying my heavy mc tank along with my fire extinguisher in my metal box. 60 pounds I'm sure...


:duck:

[proplumb]

today i was using my torch and some solder fell into it, the first time this has ever happened to me the torch head caught on fire. it was glowing red right away and there was a small flame coming out of the threads where the tip screws on to the rest of the main tips/handle, the brass peice. the solder blocked 2 of the 4 passage ways so there should have not been this much backpressure, and the tip was tight. if i can put up a pic i will, but im not impressed. a new tip is 95.00 half of a new complete kit, i think i will go back to a hand torch if this is the crap im paying for.:mad:

[Tyman]

That is terrible. Looks like I have avoided another tool I would have wasted my money on.

[Evil Gopher]

That is terrible. Looks like I have avoided another tool I would have wasted my money on.

I was thinking the same thing...actualy the small storage space turned me off....but was still on the humm maybe list.

Guess its off the list now...bummer.:itsover:

[westcoastplumber]

wow, saved me from buying one, I see it every time I walk into the supply house, I am glad I waited!!

Appreciate you sharing, thank you!

[drtyhands]

wow, saved me from buying one, I see it every time I walk into the supply house, I am glad I waited!!

Appreciate you sharing, thank you!Robert,Are you telling me you crawl underneath your houses with a b-tank.

I thought you already had the stk-9.Dude I'm going to take you on a little drive.1 supply house and three shops representing hundreds of installers.All of em use torbo out here.

[JCsPlumbing]

I'm not familiar with your torch but if it screws off like alot PROP/MAPP torches you can heat it up with another torch, give it a light tap, and the solder usually rolls right out. Don't use flux. Then you won't have to buy that $95.00 tip. $95.00! Have they lost there freakin' mind. On a side note, Bernzomatic and Lenox-Same corporation. While I know Bernzomatic is typically geared to homeowners, I've had a self lighting MAPP model that has worked great for a long time. And I've had TurboTorch's that still work great, and other TurboTorch's that gave problems real quick. I store them in Crown Royal bags. Barely fit but helps keeps the dust out.

[gear junkie]

Hilti makes a wire brush(looks like a fitting brush, only smaller) for their dx series that cleans these torches perfectly. First time I tried this, I couldn't believe how much crap came out of the tip. The flame was a lot better.

[proplumb]

still waiting on my new tip to come:mad:

[proplumb]

still no tip:mad:

lennox announced a recall today on this kit. faulty tips,hosed,ignitors,gasleaks, the worst lenox tool evermade. :mad:

[plumberscrack]

still no tip:mad:

lennox announced a recall today on this kit. faulty tips,hosed,ignitors,gasleaks, the worst lenox tool evermade. :mad:

need more info please...... website?

I have one :eek:

[proplumb]

this has no been posted on the lenox website, i checked under the media area and they dont realease saftery recalls to the public. what is happening is
1. hoses break at the joints
2. tips wont light
3. gasket at the brass tip leaks and starts a fire 9mine went poof0
4. handle release from the coupler on their own

so things are not looking so well for us... they are supposed to be shipping new units out on the number of sales per store.

i dont know what the wait will be like hopefully soon i dont have a good backup torch. i hope the new tips are larger as well, ill keep posting as i knoww more, let me know if they are recalling wher you are too