Author Topic: Tori's Pyrotechnics ;-) (Read 7923 times)

Tori · « **on:** 30 December 2011, 11:14:54 am »

I know there are lovers of a good fire on here (You know who you are!

) So I thought I'd share my photos of last nights antics!

Fire spinning!

That's me in the middle!

GringoRojo · « **Reply #1 on:** 30 December 2011, 12:47:46 pm »

cool. how'd you do that then?

Tori · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 December 2011, 12:58:16 pm »

I just pm'd you on facebook, but it's no secret really. It's basically plumbers steel wool (Highly flammable when rubbed with a 9v battery

) stuffed inside a metal cage (I use a cheap metal cooking whisk thing) Then a metal chain attaching the whisk, then spin spin spin!! The faster you go, the more oxygen etc, the more sparks. If you pack the wool less tight you get more sparks too. It's fun, but you must where a hoody an tuck your hair in a hat lol. I got a little singed!!

If you do't fancy getting incinerated, you can also do it with battery operated fairy lights. My fairy lights last night were nor very sucessful

They were not bright enough really. I'm working on that ;-)

Fazerider · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 December 2011, 02:53:10 pm »

Bloody hooligan.

(Love that middle one in particular.)

Tori · « **Reply #4 on:** 30 December 2011, 03:11:34 pm »

Lol! We all went out in black hoodies. The bridge was on a railway footpath. When some people came down the footpath, they turned around and walked back the other way. I think we probably looked like we were up to no good! A few folk did stop and express interest though, which was nice. We had a brief visit from the police, but nothing was said, they just watched for a bit!

Kosmic Kartman · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 December 2011, 05:37:32 pm »

Bright sparks

Fazerider · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 December 2011, 06:09:18 pm »

Like most of my friends I was a keen amateur pyro as a kid. Unfortunately in those pre-internet days, finding information was harder than getting hold of the chemicals so my trial-and-error approach to firework making was somewhat hazardous. Inevitably, at the age of 13 things went a bit wrong and what was planned as a pretty fountain made an impressive bang instead. The police were probably a lot harder on the chemist I grassed up as the source of my supplies than on me. These days a similar sized explosion would probably have got us all shot as terrorists.

Tori · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 December 2011, 06:14:40 pm »

Hilarious!

martynR · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 December 2011, 09:34:21 pm »


Steel Wool Poi

Tori · « **Reply #9 on:** 31 December 2011, 12:59:17 am »

That's it! ;-) If you just spin the sparks are going away from you. In tunnels, it's raining down on you, so be careful if you try it. And like it says, don't try it at home, try it at somebody elses

:lol

His Dudeness · « **Reply #10 on:** 31 December 2011, 02:56:42 am »

i used to do that as a kid. the key is not to buy the steel wool that has soap in it.

we used to used to wrap it around a wire coat hanger and spin it around. wasn't as fancy as your one

erix2 · « **Reply #11 on:** 31 December 2011, 10:55:09 am »

Impressive stuff....you`ll make the local papers yet....

Eric

BIG MAC · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 December 2011, 07:35:56 pm »

I like that... I wonder if the steel wool had some copper swarf in it ...Hmmmmmmm I feel an experiment looming

Tori · « **Reply #13 on:** 31 December 2011, 07:48:55 pm »

Thanks

I don't know what copper swarf is? Or how it'd burn? Does anything burn blue? That would be quite impressive!

Fazerider · « **Reply #14 on:** 31 December 2011, 08:08:11 pm »

Yes, copper (or copper salts) can give blue or green colours in firework compositions, but it might be hard to get copper swarf to burn in air... I don't think it gives off enough heat to maintain the reaction without a more concentrated source of oxygen. Usually it's used as an additive to a mixture which provides the high temperature rather than being the active reducing agent.

pitternator · « **Reply #15 on:** 02 January 2012, 10:15:06 am »

maybe the music should be " firestarter " !

great vid btw....

John Silva · « **Reply #16 on:** 02 January 2012, 10:32:58 am »

Quote from: martynR on 30 December 2011, 09:34:21 pm

If only you could play a musical instrument while doing this,

you could be the next Rammstein.

BIG MAC · « **Reply #17 on:** 02 January 2012, 12:27:10 pm »

Apparently copper chloride is needed but it's naarsty stuff giving off noxious fumes when burnt.

Tori · « **Reply #18 on:** 02 January 2012, 02:13:49 pm »

:lol

I'm having another go at this on friday, but could do with some ideas for some 'non noxious' additives! ;-) I'm thinking of adding my fairy lights to make some more colours, but they may get a bit burnt. Any ideas appreciated!

Fazerider · « **Reply #19 on:** 02 January 2012, 03:31:05 pm »

You could try including aluminium swarf or filings which might give some bright white sparks to contrast with the yellowish ones from the steel wool.

Tori · « **Reply #20 on:** 02 January 2012, 03:53:11 pm »

What about foil? Lol I'm not sure where to find the other things!

Gingernutz · « **Reply #21 on:** 02 January 2012, 04:14:21 pm »

Love the photos Tori - and I bet this gets recreated at the next spring meet

GringoRojo · « **Reply #22 on:** 02 January 2012, 04:31:40 pm »

add sparklers?

Tori · « **Reply #23 on:** 02 January 2012, 05:24:00 pm »

Thanks

Sparklers....oooo can you get ones that burn different colours then?

Fazerider · « **Reply #24 on:** 02 January 2012, 08:07:17 pm »

Quote from: Tori on 02 January 2012, 05:24:00 pm

Thanks Sparklers....oooo can you get ones that burn different colours then?

You can... they smell terrible.

Also, the faster you wave sparklers around the dimmer they get. (They supply their own oxygen so the rapid movement only has a cooling effect.)