Share your techniques for making fun with fire, burning, and smoke.


Steel wool. Aurelie photo


Fire, in general. Aurelie photo


Shutter doing fire poi. Aurelie photo


Fire pots. My photo

(I tend to play with the fire rather than take the pictures. Hmm.)

A while ago I made a torch to bring underground. I learned the dos and don'ts and why?s of torches.

Made using an old broom handle. The flammable part is made of velpeau bandages, long 2-meter bands of cloth with a bit of elasticity. They are wrapped tightly around the stick. String was used to tie each layer of bandage down, and never caused any problems later. After the cat gets bored, soak it in kerosene, available at most gas stations (at least here), and seal it up to prevent evaporation. The torch, not the cat. The torch will soak up the kerosene thirstily. The cat will hide under the couch.


Moment of truth.


FOOM


It lasted about half an hour, then fell off the end of the stick. If it had stayed on, I think it would've lasted much longer.


I used way too many bandages; as a result, it was too heavy. In the future two or maybe three would suffice. Also, it would be nice to pound a nail into the stick to better secure the bandages.

Even after it fell off into the water, it stayed burning until we were out of sight.


I would do it again for novelty, but torches are a really crappy lighting method: they affect your nightvision and make it difficult to see anything more than a couple meters away. It was extremely good though for gauging the very hazardous riverbed.

Posted by Steed ...

I have the Indiana Jones theme going through my head, now!

I'm going to light off some amazingly explosive stuff in the desert this coming week. I'll post vids when I get back. If...I get back in one piece. =D