Propane vs Mapp vs Harbor Freight Flame Thrower. My experience.

mikeb9550 · July 2013

I have been using a small propane torch that my father in law gave me to light my egg. Seen all the talk about mapp gas. Decided to buy a new swirl nossle mapp/lp plumbers torch. Its about double the heat output of my old propane torch with a standard end. So I decided to check how much hotter the mapp gas was vs lp. Took a piece of steel and used my timer and IR thermometer. Timed it for 30 seconds. The new torch under mapp heated it to 365 in 30 secs. The same swirl torch with a lp bottle heated the other test steel to 345 with the same time, distance, etc. I really cant notice much of a difference between the two. Definitely not worth the 12X the price for fuel. The new TS8000 burnzomatic puts out a ton more heat than my old Surefire T111. The same time on the T111 is 275 deg.

I also been reading about all you guys using the Harbor Freight Torch so I just picked one of these up. This is by far the best thing I have used to start my Egg. I have almost every method you can think of to light the BBQ. Even a gas assisted chimney. The Harbor Freight Blow Torch was the best 16 bucks I have every spent. If you have an egg, its a must have. You light the end and adjust your flame. Heat is even and very very fast. Wish I would have bought one of these last year.

Hi54putty · July 2013

I completely agree.

nolaegghead · July 2013

Yup. That's what I use. I have two of those torches.

MAPP gas hasn't been made in years. The replacement is milking the name and is nowhere near as hot burning. I just use cheap propane. It works fine.

nolaegghead · July 2013

The replacements are usually marketed as "MAP".

The original MAPP was an acetylene substitute that didn't need to be dissolved in acetone in expensive regulated tanks. You can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAPP_gas

Skiddymarker · July 2013

I thought MAPP was used for Creme Brulee, searing steaks and such - it is less about the heat and more about not flavoring the food is it not?

I thought maybe the purists had taken the hate for a gasser to the extreme in that "I will not use that damn stuff to even start my lump"......

My HF torch is the monster used to burn weeds - neighbours tend to quietly go inside when I fire that puppy up....weed burning is not a common thing seen here in Canuckistan.

mikeb9550 · July 2013

Just checked and you guys are corect. Its Map/Pro not MAPP. But I guess that is what everyone is using on the little torches since they haven't made mapp in 5 years.

Not very impressive. Would love to find an old bottle of mapp to see how it burned.

nolaegghead · July 2013

mikeb9550 said:

Just checked and you guys are corect. Its Map/Pro not MAPP. But I guess that is what everyone is using on the little torches since they haven't made mapp in 5 years.

Not very impressive. Would love to find an old bottle of mapp to see how it burned.

I had a stash and I ran out about 8 months ago. It really didn't make much difference lighting lump, since the temp was so much higher (also true for a propane flame) than the combustion point of charcoal. More BTU, sure, but that can be achieved with a bigger torch like skiddy has.

Where it does make a difference is silver soldering where you need a really high temp for the solder to flow.

nolaegghead · July 2013

IMHO, which is really not that humble in this case, spending the extra money on the MAP gas to light charcoal is money wasted.

D_Train · July 2013

Wow, didn't even realize it had changed. I have a new egg and was using 5 year old mapp gas that just ran out tonight. Just checked to see what I replaced it with and sure enough... Map/pro.

BillPinNC · July 2013

mikeb9550 said:

I have been using a small propane torch that my father in law gave me to light my egg. Seen all the talk about mapp gas. Decided to buy a new swirl nossle mapp/lp plumbers torch. Its about double the heat output of my old propane torch with a standard end. So I decided to check how much hotter the mapp gas was vs lp. Took a piece of steel and used my timer and IR thermometer. Timed it for 30 seconds. The new torch under mapp heated it to 365 in 30 secs. The same swirl torch with a lp bottle heated the other test steel to 345 with the same time, distance, etc. I really cant notice much of a difference between the two. Definitely not worth the 12X the price for fuel. The new TS8000 burnzomatic puts out a ton more heat than my old Surefire T111. The same time on the T111 is 275 deg.

I also been reading about all you guys using the Harbor Freight Torch so I just picked one of these up. This is by far the best thing I have used to start my Egg. I have almost every method you can think of to light the BBQ. Even a gas assisted chimney. The Harbor Freight Blow Torch was the best 16 bucks I have every spent. If you have an egg, its a must have. You light the end and adjust your flame. Heat is even and very very fast. Wish I would have bought one of these last year.

Mike, Was your test with the TS8000 and a portable propane bottle? Which Harbor Freight torch did you buy? Does it hook up to the portable propane bottles? Thanks, Bill

mikeb9550 · July 2013

Yes bill... Its a Nice torch. Much more powerful than my old trusty standard sure fire. The harbor freight torch was just the standard one. 16 bucks with their coupon. I have a fitting on order via amazon for just that but its made to attach to a 20lb bottle. I know someone on this forum uses one. http://www.harborfreight.com/propane-torch-91033.html

Ricklesss · July 2013

Ha! That's what I've been using for years! Works GREAT. (The Harbor Freight Weed Burner)

It's visually quite impressive at night time too...friends and guests always seem to like it...

One thing though....WEAR EYE PROTECTION!!!

(also beware of those flying embers, now that it's summer and dry grass is around...)

RicklessssssS in Oregon. (and trying NOT to start a forest fire!)

Propane vs Mapp vs Harbor Freight Flame Thrower. My experience.

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