Bethlehem Grand: the three-stage surface-mix bench torch for big work

The Bethlehem Grand is a three-stage surface-mix bench burner with three independently controlled rings of fire — the most heat in Bethlehem’s bench line. It’s built for large boro tubing and sculpture and big soft-glass work, yet it keeps the brand’s hallmark quiet, controllable surface-mix flame rather than trading calm for brute force.

What the surface-mix flame gives you

Like the rest of Bethlehem’s burners, the Grand is surface-mix: fuel and oxygen meet at the face of the torch rather than premixing inside it. Running surface mix even at high output keeps the Grand quieter and less prone to backfire than a comparable combination torch — a meaningful advantage when you’re pushing real heat into thick glass. For the background, see surface mix vs premix torches; for how a soaking flame differs from a hard penetrating one, see soaking vs penetrating flame.

Three independently controlled stages

The Grand’s defining feature is its three rings of fire, each controlled separately. That gives it a very wide dynamic range: pull back to a small inner flame for detail, or open all three rings for a large, soaking flame that can bring big tubing and sculptural masses up to temperature evenly. Independent control is what lets one torch span that range without fighting you.

Glass, fuel, and oxygen

The Grand handles large boro tubing, big soft glass, and sculpture and burns propane or natural gas with oxygen. A three-stage burner this size has a real oxygen appetite, so plan for tanked oxygen or multiple concentrators rather than one small unit. Bethlehem doesn’t publish the Grand’s jet count or exact oxygen flow, so treat its appetite as substantial and confirm the specifics against the flame you intend to run. See how many LPM does my torch need and oxygen concentrator vs tanks.

The hardware advantage

Like the rest of the line, the Grand carries Bethlehem’s signature swivel and rack-and-pinion adjustment, so you can set a precise, repeatable angle and height — valuable when you’re managing large, heavy work over long sessions.

Where it sits in the Bethlehem lineup

The Grand is the top of Bethlehem’s surface-mix bench range, above the two-stage Champion. There’s also a Grand Sharp Flame variant that swaps in Bethlehem’s Sharp Flame centerfire for larger-diameter boro. Because the flame behavior and hardware feel consistent across the family, a maker who started on an Alpha or Bravo can grow into the Grand without relearning their torch — see Alpha vs Bravo vs Champion for the steps below it.

Before you buy

Budget for the whole system, not just the torch: oxygen (tanks or multiple concentrators for a torch this size), the correct propane or natural-gas regulator, flashback arrestors on both lines, didymium eyewear, and ventilation. New to plumbing a torch? Start with the fittings, hoses & connectors guide and the glass torch safety setup guide.

Editor’s note: details reflect Bethlehem’s own catalog for the Grand. Bethlehem doesn’t publish its jet count, exact oxygen flow (LPM), or current pricing, so confirm those specifics — and the oxygen supply this three-stage torch needs — with Bethlehem before purchasing.