March 12, 200917 yr Hi. Recently I posted on how I was able to use some surplus oxy-acetylene cutting tips on an expedient basis by using one of those yellow disposable MAPP gas cans. This will burn quite well and also cut with the acetylene one piece tips. It will even weld a bit. No black threads but some black smoke. Anyway, I read that MAPP gas was being phased out, and noticed that the local Home Depot had stopped selling it. It was replaced by MAPP-pro, which is just propylene. At a recent trade show, I asked the Bernzomatic rep what is going on. He said that Worthington, the only supplier (from Petromont in Canada) is discontinuing production. When it is gone off the shelves, it is gone. And the MAPP-pro won't work with those one piece tips. Oh well, scratch off another for the frugal blacksmith. Maybe I can ebay those one piece tips when I run out of MAPP gas. The MAPP-pro has nearly (150F cooler) the flame temperature of MAPP, so it can be used in the rose petal work still.
March 15, 200917 yr This is sad to hear, I was just thinking of setting up a makeshift forge with MAPP gas to get me by till I had my coal forge up and running... Oh well, I guess MAPP-pro or propane will have to work now. :(
March 15, 200917 yr Maybe you should see if your local welding supply store has HPG (High Purity Gas). HPG has about the same temperatures as MAPP and is readily available at good welding suppliers. HPG is also used on cutting tables that are cutting stock 3/4" or thicker. I have used it in my propane forge and works great.
March 16, 200917 yr Author This is sad to hear, I was just thinking of setting up a makeshift forge with MAPP gas to get me by till I had my coal forge up and running... Oh well, I guess MAPP-pro or propane will have to work now. Hi Chris. Propane works just fine if the burner is sized correctly for the forge. It seems that MAPP is useful only when the bean can type designs are used, for which the typical hardware store torches are insufficient when fueled with propane.
March 19, 200917 yr I do a lot of brazing on copper pipes! MAPP is great 2400 degrees! This is horrible news. By the time propane gets it hot enough the flux is usually almost gone! I'll have to go back to a small ac. tank
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