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Hi Guys,

I was talking about heating up and straightening my front bumber with a buddy and he mentioned using a MAPP gas torch. That was a new one to me so I trucked on over to Lowes and checked it out. Seems there's two types of torches. Lowes had the one that uses straight MAPP gas and the other requires both MAPP and Oxygen cylinders. I know they both burn hotter than Propane, but will either (or both) get metal that nice dull red color? Or is oxy-actylene the only way to go?

thanks,
bob

Bob,
If you want to heat up your bumper I don't think the mapp gas will do it with a little plumbers torch. You could go with an oxy/Acet. rig, which is a big investment, But I would recomend a weed burner torch. you can get them at lowes/Homedepot for about $50, and they use a 20# propane tank (Gas grill size). They put out a huge amount of heat, and will burn for a few hours on $20 worth of propane. you will be able to heat a large area of the bumper at a time. Btw its almost impossible to use one of these with out smiling.

Brett

I used a mapp gas torch set YEARS ago for brazing ,it did alright, it used solid oxygen sticks to make oxygen. You had to light the sticks and they would burn creating oxygen somehow ( I think these were pretty dangerous especially in shipping). After I bought my first oxy-acetylene set I found a new use for the oxy sticks (burning leaves and old wood piles). In the early '90s I used a mapp- oxygen torch while working on forklifts and that was the last time. I don't remember, but I must have not been too impressed with it because I have used oxy-acetylene since then. It must not have heated very good as I like my torch to heat up quick and steady. Go with the oxy-acetylene its more standard. You don't need a big torch for the bumper one from a farm and home store will do. Not one of those that come with the small tanks though- you' ll be running for refills all of the time. My torch at home is a Harris Calorific 85 with a # 1 tip and it does just fine. Once you have one you will wonder how you made it without one. From heating to straighten, heating to remove, dainty cutting where you are blowing off what you don't want but seeing the parting line soon enough to save what you don't want to cut ( here comes that practice word again) and just plain don't give a rats backside push the lever and cut some iron

Go to the Cyberweld website,$161.00 gets you a Victor 250 torch set. A Harbor Frieght cheapo is only good for causing high blood pressure! My son "borrowed " my old Victor(30+ years old) ,I thought I could get by with a cheapo . Used it a couple of times and it crapped out. The cheapos claim to be Victor compatible,they aren't.

Mapp gas has been discontinued. Now they sell Mapp Pro, which does not get quite as hot