Wright1902Glider wrote:
Hello everyone,

Just stepped in from the shop for a few moments. I need a recomendation and/or
input (based on actual experience please) regarding a BurnzOMatic Oxy/MAPP gas
torch. That's the one on the Home Depot shelf that uses two small cylinders and
sells for about $50. Has anyone ever used one of these, and are they capable
of doing work? Or are they mostly just a cruel joke? If they do work, what is
the actual capacity of a torch like this? My budget and girlfriend currently
will not permit the purchase of a standard Oxy/Actylene torch, and my MAPP
gas/air soldering torch will not quite generate enough heat to braze the parts
that I need to join. I tried a Actylene/air torch as well, but it wasn't hot
enough either.

The parts that I need to join are a 3/8" mild steel rod, and a 16-ga. mild
sheet-steel "saddle." The sheet-steel saddle is 1 1/2" long x 1 1/2" wide with
a "hump" in it 3/8" deep that fits over the 3/8" rod. On either side of the
hump are flanges about 1/2" wide with mounting holes drilled in them. In
cross-section, it looks like the Greek letter Omega. The saddle portion holds
the rod portion of the part to the wing spars. The flight loads on this part
will be mostly tortional, i.e. keeping the rod from turning inside the saddle.

I have one of these, I got it about 10 years ago.

I was happy with using it for cutting.

I would not use this torch to weld anything used on an aircraft. For
making a jackstand, jig, or some other odds-and-ends for use around
the shop, I personally don't see anything wrong with that. The torch
has one head for all jobs (from cutting to welding) regardless of the
size of the workpiece, and what little knowledge I have of gas
welding gives me a bad gut feeling about it.

One of John Ammeter's covers one of my biggest points- the oxygen is
very expensive and uses up quick in these. I remember using up a few
cylinders (the O2 cylinder can empty in about 5 minutes) before I
figured out a good technique to set the oxygen flow.

The flame temperature is as hot as you'll ever need. Back when I got
the set, I looked up adiabatic flame temperatures for various gases.
ISTR that propylene and oxygen is only about 100F cooler than
oxyacetylene. Propylene (aka methyl acetylene) very similar to
acetylene and is a major component of MAPP gas.

The flame size is also very small, but I would say it is just large
enough to weld the workpieces you describe.

The big picture is as the other replies have stated, there may be
better ways to skin this cat.