4 Common Uses for a Butane Gas Torch

Tags -  Uses for a Butane Gas Torch

A butane torch is a tool used that creates an immensely hot flame using butane gas.

The average butane torch for consumers is said to create a flame that reaches a temperature of up 1,430 degrees celsius, which is hot enough to melt common metals like aluminium or copper.

From fixing jewelry to pipes around the home or even burning the top of your creme brulee, the butane torch can be used for a number of everyday projects and a must have for any household.

With so many uses however, there are different factors to take into consideration; depending on how you’re going to use it will affect things like the fuel capacity or ignition type you require.

Generally speaking, lightweight butane torches, (the kind you would use in the kitchen), use brass pins and the handle itself is made from metal and plastic.

In regards to lighting it, butane torches will either be manual or automatic; automatic butane torches will have a button to press, where as manual requires a bit more work - the user has to open the valve, release the gas and use a flint starter at the same time to ignite the flame and then close the valve after use.

Typically, you can expect a butane torch to burn for around 30 minutes to an hour and heavy duty, commercial torches will burn between 3 to 5 hours.

Now you understand what a butane torch is, here are 4 common uses:

1. Culinary 

Butane torches are popular in professional kitchens and are often marketed as kitchen torches, cooking torches or culinary torches.

It is used for a number of reasons, for example to caramelise sugar, brown toppings, melt cheese or char vegetables.

2. Plumbing

Plumbers use butane gas torches to fix copper pipes.

This is achieved through soldering, where they heat the pipe and apply a solder material which softens with the flame, and as it melts it gets into the gaps between the pipes creating a tightly fitted joint.

3. Stubborn Nuts & Bolts

There’s nothing worse than trying to release a stubborn bolt and you lose grip of the wrench.

Before you know it, you’ve whacked your hand against a wall or the side of an engine - painful!

Luckily, a mechanic can use a butane torch to heat up the fastener before using the tool to loosen it.

How this works, is that the heat makes the metal expand and gets rid of the rust which allows it to move.

4. Fix Jewelry

If you fix your own jewelry or take it to a craftsperson, you’ll appreciate how easy a butane torch makes it.

By using a butane torch, the metal will be hot enough to bend into any shape and fit you need for rings, necklaces, bracelets etc.

Whether you need to join together broken pieces or if you’ve taken up DIY jewelry making, a butane torch is a tool you can’t go without!

5. Strip Paint

A butane torch is a good replacement for a heat gun when it comes to warming up paint to make it easier to strip.

If you’re looking to use a butane torch to strip paint, ensure you hold the flame at least 6 inches away and heat until the paint begins to bubble.

At the same time, make sure you're constantly moving the torch around so you don’t end up burning a single spot, and finish by using a scraper to remove the paint.

The Takeaway

So now you know some everyday uses for a butane torch, the next time you want to perfect some dishes in the kitchen or are ready to strip some paint before decorating - a butane torch will do just the trick for making these small tasks a whole lot easier!

For more information, please contact us today.

Check our Butane Gas Refills in the meantime.

You may also like:

1. What is the difference between Butane and Propane Gas?
2. 4 Common Uses for Butane Gas
3. 4 Main Dangers of Using Butane Gas and How to Tackle Them