GTT Bobcat: the versatile 7-jet Triple Mix starter that runs on a single concentrator

The GTT Bobcat is Glass Torch Technologies’ versatile single-stage starter — a 7-jet, patented Triple Mix surface-mix bench torch built to be the first “real” torch a lot of makers buy. Its appeal is range: it sips oxygen happily on a single concentrator yet opens up to a flame big enough for inch-and-a-half solid boro, all with the clean, forgiving Triple Mix flame GTT is known for. Like the rest of the line, it’s built around the same surface-mix behavior as the Lynx, so the habits you build here carry straight up the range.

What the Triple Mix flame gives you

Triple Mix is GTT’s surface-mix technology: fuel and oxygen meet at the face of the torch rather than premixing inside it. The practical payoff is a clean, quiet, forgiving flame that’s gentle on colors and easy to dial — and on the Bobcat that translates into unusual versatility for a single-stage torch. For the full explanation, see GTT Triple Mix technology and surface mix vs premix torches.

Who the Bobcat is for

The Bobcat is aimed at beadmaking, soft glass, and small-to-medium boro for beginner-to-intermediate makers who want one torch that will grow with them. It’s a smart first surface-mix burner for someone on a single concentrator who’s heading toward boro but isn’t ready for a thirsty multi-stage torch. If you want a tighter pinpoint flame for fine detail instead, compare the Lynx vs the Bobcat; if you’re choosing your very first torch, start with the best beginner glass torch guide.

Glass, fuel, and oxygen

This is where the Bobcat earns its reputation. GTT rates its flame from a 2in pinpoint up to 9/16in x 13in, enough for 1.5in solid boro and boro pendants to 3in, plus larger soft-glass pieces. It burns propane or natural gas with oxygen, and the oxygen side is refreshingly easy: GTT says it runs well on a 5 LPM, 5 psi concentrator, is optimal at 8 LPM, and does extremely well on 10 LPM or tanked oxygen. That’s a rare combination of reach and a modest oxygen appetite. To match your supply to your work, see how many LPM does my torch need and oxygen concentrator vs tanks.

Where it sits in the GTT lineup

The Bobcat is the versatile mid-size entry point to GTT’s Triple Mix range. Above it, the Cheetah trades the Lynx-style center for a 3-port center inside thirteen outer ports and a bushier flame; the Lynx goes the other way toward a needle-fine detail flame; and the multi-stage Phantom and Mirage wrap more fires around a Lynx-style core for bigger boro and production. Because the flame character stays recognizable across the family, moving up later doesn’t mean relearning your torch.

Before you buy

Budget for the whole system, not just the torch: oxygen (a concentrator or tanks), 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: spec details reflect GTT’s own materials. GTT doesn’t publish the Bobcat’s exact oxygen flow beyond the concentrator guidance above, or current pricing, so confirm those specifics with GTT before purchasing.