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Discontinued

Bethlehem Barracuda Glass Torch

Surface mix

No current price

Historical model

Overview

Recorded use: Large boro, Production

Mount
Bench
Fuel
Propane, Natural gas
Oxygen (estimate)
Not confirmed

Specs

The Bethlehem Barracuda was a high-output surface-mix bench burner for heavier borosilicate and production work. It has been discontinued and succeeded by the Bravo, this page is kept for reference.

Reference only, the Barracuda is discontinued. Makers who once ran one, or anyone evaluating a used unit, who wants to know where it sat in Bethlehem's line.

Jets
Not confirmed
Stages
Not confirmed
Mount
Bench
Mix
Surface mix
Full specifications and sources ↓
See Bethlehem Bravo
Find the Barracuda on Bethlehem's site →Ask the editor about the Barracuda

Discontinued: what replaced it

The Barracuda is out of production. It is kept in our catalog for reference and left out of the torch finder and the current comparison table, so nobody shopping new is steered toward a torch they cannot buy. The page stays at its own URL because owners still look up what the torch was, and used units still change hands.

What replaced it: our catalog records the Bethlehem Bravo as the model that took its place in Bethlehem's line. Confirm the current specification and price with the maker before you buy either one.

Buying secondhand? Work through the used lampworking torch buying guide first, and see every model we list as out of production on the discontinued torches page.

Specs

Mix type
Surface mix
Mount
Bench
Oxygen (estimate)
n/a
Fuel
Propane, Natural gas
Skill level
Advanced
Glass
Boro
Best for
Large boro, Production
Price
US price not confirmed

Figures come from Bethlehem's own pages and manuals where we have them; the oxygen figure is a rough estimate, not a specification. Confirm the current spec with Bethlehem before you buy.

How we source these figures

Treat the oxygen figure as a rough sizing estimate. Depending on the model it may be manufacturer full-flame consumption, a converted flow figure, or a documented estimate, and delivered pressure and purity matter as much as flow. What actually drives a torch choice is the glass, the work, and the flame, so size your oxygen supply after you pick the torch.

Prices may be manufacturer list prices or observed dealer references. Where a cell carries an evidence line it says where the figure came from, the date we checked it, and links the source where we hold one; a cell without one rests on the sources at the foot of the page. On a phone those lines show while this note is open. Confirm the exact configuration with Bethlehem before buying.

Overview

The Bethlehem Barracuda was a high-output surface-mix bench burner built for heavier borosilicate and production work, the larger end of Bethlehem’s surface-mix bench range in its time. It is discontinued and has been succeeded by the Bravo, so this page exists for reference rather than as a current buying recommendation.

Discontinued, and what replaced it

Bethlehem has retired the Barracuda and replaced it with the Bravo. If you’re shopping new, that’s where to start: the Bravo is a two-stage bench burner with a 6-jet center fire and a 12-jet outer fire on a 1-inch face, and Bethlehem lists 6 LPM gas and 30 LPM tanked oxygen at full flame, on a swivel base and scroll pedestal. Above it sit the Champion, with a 6-jet center and a 30-jet outer fire on a 1.125 inch face, and the three-stage Grand at 42 jets. Compare the current tiers in Alpha vs Bravo vs Champion.

Each of those carries a jet count and a full-flame oxygen figure drawn from Bethlehem’s own materials in our catalog. The Barracuda carries neither, which is the practical cost of the older torch: you cannot line it up against the current range on paper.

What the surface-mix flame gave you

Like the rest of Bethlehem’s burners, the Barracuda was surface-mix: fuel and oxygen meet at the face of the torch rather than premixing inside it, for a quiet, calm, low-backfire flame that’s characteristic of the brand. For the background on why that design is prized for boro and production, see surface mix vs premix torches.

Glass and intended work

The Barracuda’s catalog record lists borosilicate only, marks it an advanced torch, and files it under large boro and production work. Worth knowing if your bench is not boro-only: the Bravo’s record covers soft glass as well as boro. Bethlehem doesn’t publish the Barracuda’s jet count, stage count, or exact oxygen flow, so treat its capacity qualitatively rather than by the numbers, and treat any secondhand figure attached to it with suspicion.

Buying one used

A well-kept Barracuda can still be a capable surface-mix burner. Because it’s discontinued, the checks matter more than they would on a new torch:

  • The manual. Bethlehem’s technical index still lists the Barracuda, but its linked PDF returned a 404 when checked on October 11, 2026. Obtain the correct operating instructions directly from Bethlehem before using a secondhand unit.
  • Fuel and fittings. Our record lists propane and natural gas. Ask which the unit was plumbed for, and check its fittings against your regulators and hoses: torch fittings, hoses and connectors.
  • The face. A surface-mix face is a lot of small ports, and a used bench torch has usually spent years in front of hot glass. Ask what cleaning it has had, and look for discoloration or blocked ports: torch maintenance and discoloration.
  • The mount. Confirm what mounting hardware comes with it and that it suits your bench height and angle: torch mounting and bench angle.
  • Supply sizing. With no flow figure on record you cannot check a concentrator or a tank plan against a number in advance, so size from the work: how many LPM does my torch need.
  • Parts and support. Confirm with Bethlehem what is still serviceable before money changes hands.

Whatever you end up running, set it up with the flashback protection your torch and gas supply call for, which is not a one-size answer: flashback arrestors explained covers why the makers differ. If you’re starting from scratch, how to choose a glass torch walks through the trade-offs.

Editor’s note: the Barracuda is listed in our catalog as discontinued and succeeded by the Bravo. Bethlehem doesn’t publish its jet count, stage count, exact oxygen flow (LPM), or any current pricing, confirm details and any used-unit support directly with Bethlehem.

Fit and tradeoffs

Best for: Reference only, the Barracuda is discontinued. Makers who once ran one, or anyone evaluating a used unit, who wants to know where it sat in Bethlehem's line.

Not for: A current purchase decision, Bethlehem has replaced the Barracuda with the Bravo, so new buyers should look there or at the Champion and Grand.

Pros

  • + Quiet, oxygen-efficient surface-mix flame in the Bethlehem tradition
  • + Built for heavier borosilicate and production work
  • + Bethlehem mounting hardware and build quality

Cons

  • − Discontinued, no longer sold new; succeeded by the Bravo
  • − Bethlehem doesn't publish jet count, stage count, or exact oxygen flow for the Barracuda, confirm with Bethlehem
  • − No way to compare it on paper against the current range, which does publish those figures
  • − Parts and support for a discontinued model are worth verifying before buying used

Reader reviews

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Flame notes

(Discontinued, succeeded by the Bravo) High-output Bethlehem bench burner for heavier borosilicate work.

Maker

Bethlehem Burners

USA · Founded 1950

Focus: Scientific, Production, Boro

A division of Bethlehem Apparatus Company. Bethlehem says it has manufactured surface-mix glassworking torches since 1950.

Find the Barracuda on Bethlehem's site →

Related reading

FAQ

Is the Bethlehem Barracuda still made?
No. The Barracuda is discontinued. Per the catalog, it was succeeded by the Bravo, which carries Bethlehem's quiet surface-mix flame and signature hardware in a current model.
What replaced the Barracuda?
The Bravo. If you were considering a Barracuda, the Bravo is the natural current starting point, with the Champion and multi-stage Grand above it for more heat.
Should I buy a used Barracuda?
It can still be a capable surface-mix burner, but because it's discontinued, confirm parts availability and support with Bethlehem first, and weigh it against a current Bravo or Champion.
What should I check on a used one?
Which fuel it was plumbed for and whether the fittings match your regulators and hoses; the condition of the surface-mix face, including discoloration and blocked ports; the mounting hardware it comes with; and what Bethlehem can still service.
What glass was the Barracuda built for?
Heavier borosilicate and production work, it was the high-output end of Bethlehem's surface-mix bench range in its day.

Sources

Researched and edited by Joe Blanchard, sixteen years on the distribution side of the glass industry.