Lampworking - Lessons Learned

When I started lampworking, I had a Hothead torch, and a small three pound tank of propane attached directly to the torch and mounted on my table. Because I was still a beginner, making a single simple glass bead took me a long time, and the tank would often get cold, so that I could not get my glass to melting temperature after about 45 minutes. Solution: get a larger propane tank (the grill-size one,) an oxygen concentrator, and a mixed-gas torch. Now my working time limit is based upon my stamina, not my equipment. But I still love the Hothead torch, and continue to use it fairly often.