If you want a larger torch but can't stomach the price of a Grill Gun or Sear Pro, there is a rumor going around that I used a weed torch from Harbor Freight to sear some steaks. Now, I can't confirm or deny this rumor but the torch I may or may not have used is $35 at Harbor Freight. It has the turbo trigger and an push button lighter. It hooks up to a 20lb propane tank so you could sear half a cow without a problem. If $35 is still too much, they have an even cheaper one ($25) that doesn't have the lighter doohickie.
Great video! good info and comparison. Here's a bit of supplemental from my own experiences with some of these. Butane, propane, and MAP (yellow torch tank), are very different gasses with very different temperature profiles. The propane has either short brown/black 1Lb tank or blue tank, and produce medium heat. By medium, i mean it's hot enough to melt solid aluminum. The nice thing about them, you can use the 1Lb brown tanks with camp stoves and lanterns. The blue tank bernzomatic is popular for plumbing, but makes a decent crême brûlée. MAP (yellow tank) is popular for plumbing and is much hotter than propane, and can easily heat steel to cherry red. The problem i see often with propane or MAP, is the tank sloshing. it can severely affect the quality and consistency of the flame. I'm not convinced these are the best tools to use for cooking. The canister mounted butane torch was intended for torching food and running various appliances. I have a couple portable single burner stoves and a small portable table-top grill that utilizes the same $2 cans of butane. There are definitely different grades and build quality when it comes to the canister mounted torch. Be aware that regardless of brand, you always want the one with the adjustable air intake around the barrel. I bought a Japanese branded canister mounted torch from a Japanese grocery store a few years ago for $27 and it has held up perfectly, works perfectly, and even comes with a wide plastic base to clip onto the bottom of the can for stability. I bought it for searing food, but also found it to work well in the garage for brazing aluminum, as the temp is perfect to melt the brazing rod but not hot enough to melt the base metal. It sears sushi, and beef well, but might be a little small for searing larger cuts or roasts. It will torch a crême brûlée perfectly every time. cheers! 🤗🥩🔥🧯🚒
Mapp gas provides a flame that is 3,730 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to propane’s 3,600 degrees. Not that much of a temp difference. Mapp does have better heat transfer then just straight propane.
@@liv04soccer true. the combustion speed gives it the better heat transfer. but i think the slower burning fuels give the advantage on a lot of aluminum brazing, because you can dwell longer without melting the base metal.
@@IzziedeDI'm sorry I should have clarified in my last post Mapp spelled with two Ps was a different chemical mixture. Production of MAPP gas in North America actually ceased in 2008. Most gases labeled MAPP are substitutes (typically referred to as MAPP Pro gas) made from propylene and trace amounts of propane. They no longer sell the original Mapp mixture or it's very hard to get for average user not sure if select few places might still have it. Map/Pro is spelled with 1 P is the current formula that you can get in stores that has faster heat transfer and only burns 130°F hotter then just propane. I'm not 100 percent sure but the original Mapp with 2 ps might have burned a lot hotter then just blue propane bottles. I'm learning to braze bronze with Map/Pro and Oxygen to get a max flame temp of 5100°F pretty neat stuff. Introducing oxygen inline with propane the flame gets pretty toasty.
@@liv04soccer very cool! i think those temps would turn most of the aluminum stuff i've been building into a puddle, heheh. i will be trying some other brazing projects in the future, and my buddy has a oxy-acetelene jewlers torch setup that i may do some more messing around with as well. that was WAY too hot for my application at the time (but i could make the tinyest holes and cuts with that thing.
the butane tank torch is actually a generic brand, i have one from some completely different "brand" and it looks exactly the same except for the brand name. mine is from.... actually it doesn't even have a brand name, it's just called "master torch" lol. i do like that torch as well, and it works quite well. +1 for the recommendation of that torch especially if you have a portable stove so you may have those butane canisters laying around
Don’t worry it won’t blow up inside the tank /propane canister. You need the proper amount of oxygen to mix for a flame or explosion and there is 100% propane in the tank which will not catch fire.
Doing my research in RU-vid! From my understanding, if you’re not close up with the flame (about 1inch) and or if you have an attachement like the searzall then it shouldn’t effect the taste.
