Cooking with Gas

Written by Cathy Charles with special thanks to Sarah Sturgis, Hot Head source, and Elgas for their kind contributions and assistance in the writing of this article.

For those of us using a Hot Head to create our beautiful beads, the question of what fuel to use is very common. The most common fuels used in Australia are Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) or MAPP gas.

LPG, as created by Elgas, is Propane combined with Butane and is available from Hardware stores, Petrol Stations and some BBQ retailers
MAPP gas, produced in the United States, is LPG combined with Methylacetylene-Propadiene. Its only available in 16oz (453.6g) disposable bottles from Hardware retailers like Bunnings, plumbing suppliers and welding or gas supply retailers.

These have been the two most highly recommended fuels to date. However, there is a third option for Australian beaders - . It's manufactured in Australia by Elgas under licence from the UK and is considered to be a high purity brazing fuel producing similar flame temperatures to MAPP gas. Its available in 3kg refillable bottles from specialty gas retailers (eg Plumber's co-op). Details of local suppliers around Australia is available by calling Elgas on 131161.

So what should you use? LPG, MAPP gas or RazorGas?

The key comparison points are:

Temperature: MAPP gas provides a flame heat, in air, of 2210°C (combined with Oxygen its 2927°C ). RazorGas has a flame temperature in Oxygen of 3316°C. In comparison, LPG provides a flame heat around 1970°C in air.
While LPG burns at a lower temperature than MAPP gas and RazorGas, it is still hot enough to melt Moretti and Bullseye glass rods (soft glass).
Cost: LPG is the cheapest at about $5 for a refill of a 2kg bottle. The bottle prices vary with size but a 4kg bottle will be around $50. The disposable MAPP gas cylinders (453.6g) tend to vary significantly, ranging from $19.95 at Bunnings to $28.00 at glass retailers. RazorGas is available at specialty gas retailers and costs $20 per refill for a 3kg bottle. The bottle will cost around $150 and has the same life expectancy as an LPG bottle.

Please be aware costs may vary depending on location and retailers.

Volumes available: LPG gas cylinders come in varying sizes from 1kg to 9kg in department stores, while larger sizes are available at specialty gas suppliers.

MAPP gas cylinders and RazorGas are only available in one size, 453.6g and 3kg respectively.

Reusability of bottles: LPG and RazorGas bottles are refillable and will last up to 10 years before they need to be inspected. MAPP gas bottles can be used only once.

Other issues to consider:

There is a debate over the fact that LPG is dirty and hence can affect the look of your glass. Having only used Bullseye and a small quantity of Moretti I would say this is not entirely accurate as I've not seen any "muddy" effects on my work. However results may vary from person to person.
MAPP gas bottles tend to freeze up. This results in a inconsistent flame which can be a little frustrating. As a precaution always have two bottles so you can swap over the bottles when one freezes up. Once they have defrosted a little you can reuse the bottle until its finished.
MAPP gas bottles need to be secured to a table top as they will very easily tip over. Due to the size of the LPG bottles, they can be set up standalone hence you can pop your gas bottle on a table.

The Hot Head has been designed to be used in conjunction with MAPP gas and the manufacturer recommends the use of high temperature brazing fuels, such as MAPP gas.

July 2004

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