Hot take: my old forge burner gave out mid-project and it was a blessing
It happened two days ago while I was working on a set of fireplace tools. The burner just quit, no warning, right as I was bringing a scroll to a welding heat. I had to finish the job with my small backup propane torch, which took three times as long. Honestly, it forced me to stop and finally build the new ribbon burner I've been putting off for months. I used a 3 inch pipe and drilled 32 holes in the pattern. Has anyone else switched from a standard venturi to a ribbon burner and noticed a real difference in heat spread?
Ribbon burners are a total game changer. @jamief67 is right about the even heat, it completely changed how I work. My old burner had hot spots that made forge welding a pain. Now the whole piece soaks at the same temperature. It took some getting used to for smaller stuff, but the control is actually better once you learn it. I would never go back to a single port.