Thread: Mapp Gas

Originally Posted by Dingo Dog

Some of you have talked about Mapp Gas in here, what is it, what is it good for and where would one purchase the product.

I got a bernzomatic fatboy mapp gas torch, havnt actually put it to any good use yet except for burning spiders in my shed and heating a bolt red hot and bashing it flat, both just for test purposes. It seemed to heat the bold quite quickly, so no complaints there, apart from that I cant really comment.

Matt.

Originally Posted by Dingo Dog

Blokes

Some of you have talked about Mapp Gas in here, what is it, what is it good for and where would one purchase the product.

DD

Greatest gizmo since sliced bread, sold pretty much everywhere, but Bunnies is probably the most convenient (look for the yellow cans). Heat treating small parts, normal soldering, silver soldering, brazing, bending bits of steel... lighting the forge... haven't tried doing creme brulee yet, but I imagine it would be quick..

And they seem to last forever.

Regards
Ray

Try Thomas Warburton for buying one, I got mine there and it was cheaper than bunnings by about $15 I think from memory, it might have been a special but wasnt advertised as a special price.

Try searching for razor gas - same stuff, different brand.
elgas supply it, not sure if they are in Perth.

DD,
I think Bunnings carry MAPP gas in the tool section, have recently seen the Bigboy cylinders at Rudd Farm Supply in Welshpool. Alan.

Which MAPP torch to purchase? Can anyone recommend a particular brand?

Also...can one torch heat up a 3mm thick 30mm wide, 150mm long piece of O1 tool steel enough to harden? (1500F/815 C )

Thanks

Greg

I've had a Bernzomatic for quite a few years........died this week (no piezo lighter). Immediately bought another over the net from Just Tools.
I know bugger all about hardening.........but I can get that sized metal Red Hot along its whole length.

Originally Posted by gregoryq

Which MAPP torch to purchase? Can anyone recommend a particular brand?

Also...can one torch heat up a 3mm thick 30mm wide, 150mm long piece of O1 tool steel enough to harden? (1500F/815 C )

Thanks

Greg

If I can recall it correctly,MAPP, Methtyl Acetylene propa-something could punch out around 2700 C a bit below Oxy Acetyelne at 3100 C.

I annealed A 1/2'' ball bearing to orange heat in about 30 something secs with the Benzo matic.So it has the heat there.It seems to last and last.

Despite the name Benzo-matic Ugh!!! The unit works well and never has failed me ,but I have never had any other brand to compare to.

Grahame

Originally Posted by gregoryq

Which MAPP torch to purchase? Can anyone recommend a particular brand?

Also...can one torch heat up a 3mm thick 30mm wide, 150mm long piece of O1 tool steel enough to harden? (1500F/815 C )

Thanks

Greg

Short answer yes, I have hardened plane blades from 6mm 01 tool steel, BUT it takes a long time and a bit of concentration to get the whole area, I would think you'd be better off using the map torch as shown with the two brick forge (see the recent thread)

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/brick-forge-using-mapp-torch-100483

Regards
Ray

Blokes

Thanks for the quick reply. Have seen that stuff in Bunnies, reason I asked was I thought Mapp was another brand of gas other then the Benzomatic, hence the asking.

Cheers

DD

Never been a fan of MAPP, its only slightly hotter (30°C difference) than propane yet costs 10x more. I have the biggest head for my portable propane torch and that works well for most soldering and heating applications, for anything bigger that needs localized heating I use a DIY venturi burner off a BBQ gas bottle at 30psi - now that thing puts out some serious heat. Proper oxy set still reigns supreme, just that running a large welding tip or roseud uses quite a bit of expensive acetylene.

Originally Posted by DeltaNegative

Never been a fan of MAPP, its only slightly hotter (30°C difference) than propane yet costs 10x more.

Dunno about 30°C.. closer to 340°C in oxygen and more realistically 80°C in air - this is for the Bernzomatic MaP Pro gas (their version of MAPP gas).

Cost wise, those newish Fatboy tanks for the Bernzomatic have a price difference at Bunnies of about $4 between the propane and "MAPP" tanks, so not too bad.

I have one of those tanks that you can get refilled, costs me a whole $3. Tank cost me about $40 a few years ago though.

Are the Fat Boy MAPP cylinders directly compatible with the Piezo ignition torches that use the common yellow butane cylinders, or do they require a specific torch?