GTT Bobcat: the versatile 7-jet surface-mix starter that runs on a single concentrator

The GTT Bobcat is Glass Torch Technologies’ versatile single-stage starter, a 7-jet standard 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, with the clean, forgiving character GTT surface-mix torches are known for. Note the technology distinction: the Bobcat is GTT’s standard surface-mix design, it does not use the patented Triple Mix system that starts with the Lynx, but the broad surface-mix habits you build here still carry up the range.

What the surface-mix flame gives you

Surface mix means 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. (GTT’s patented Triple Mix is a more elaborate surface-mix system used on the Lynx and up, the Bobcat doesn’t have it. The differences are explained in 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 entry point to the GTT lineup, its standard surface-mix torch, sitting just below the patented Triple Mix range. Above it, the Cheetah trades the Lynx-style center for a 3-port center inside a 10-port outer ring 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 protection matched to your torch and gas supply, didymium or boro-rated eyewear matched to your glass, 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. The catalog’s ~8.5 LPM oxygen figure is converted from GTT’s flow table for the largest usable flame (a ceiling, not a minimum), and current configuration details should be confirmed with GTT before purchasing.