This is such a bad idea.

[captainspud]

If I disappear from the board for any length of time, it's because I've burned my fingers off doing this wrong.

Wish me luck!

[Uncle Yuan]

Ladies and gentlemen, don't try this at home . . .

See ya on the Darwin Awards!

[USAgent]

This is great news!  I finally get to throw a hadouken at my cat!

[BlueBard]

Ah, it's good to know crazy people for entertainment purposes.  Have somebody videotape you, Spud.  Then you can share the process with the rest of us when you get back from the Burn Ward.   ;)

For safety's sake you might want to get your hands damp before you handle those wicks.  It shouldn't prevent the ball from lighting but might give your hands a little extra protection.  I'd keep a small fire extinguisher nearby in case the experiment gets out of control.  Maybe a pot of cold water to stick your hand(s) in, if need be.

I'm sure you've already thought of that, but I mention it in case the thrill of discovery has distracted you from more mundane concerns.  All kidding aside, we wouldn't want you to get hurt.

[MJB]

Good luck burning yourself. Heh.

-MJB

[Camma]

So we should end up with what? French-fried potatoe, baked potatoe?

Or maaaaybe if the blast is big enough, potatoes au gratin  :D

[the_ultimate_evil]

get me a moustache, dungarees and a red cap i know what i'm doing at halloween

[BlueBard]

If you pay close attention to that video, whoever is handling the wicks (which is what they are) keeps them moving, doesn't leave them at rest very long.  I suspect they get rather warm even at the base, just from radiant heat.

It's not a kid's trick.  Whoever is doing that is undoubtedly a pro, just from the way he juggles the flaming wicks.  Don't be fooled into thinking that's a novice fire-handler and that anybody can do it safely.

Frankly, posting such a video is way more irresponsible even than all of the "do-it-yourself taser" videos.  Spud trying it is one thing... a 12 year old kid seeing that video is a different story.

[Panther_Gunn]

Seeing the thread title, coming from Spud, I could only wonder in horror what he was on about this time.

Viewing the vid, part of me was very much like "that's so cool!"

However, apparently the grown-up part of me, or perhaps the part of me that actually *uses* my brain, echoed the thread title once more, practically word for word.  I feel very safe in the following prediction:  someone will get hurt because of this, possily badly.  If someone is lacking the survival instinct enough to set the house on fire by trying to imitate something they saw on Beavis & Butthead, then this one is almost a guaranteed "hit".

[Protomorph]

Ok, Beavis...put the lighter fluid down.

[crimsonquill]

The video looks cool... but the moment that soaking anything in lighter fluid becomes involved then an "accident" is just waiting to happen that ends up with severe burns or houses burning down for the Darwin Award winners of the world.

Now if they switched the lighter fluid with the same chemicals that liquid "stage flame" is made from then this might be more worthy of messing with. At least "safety flame" or "stage flame" is designed to burn at very low temperatures and easily snuffed out once the fuel or oxygen is cut off (closing your hand, covering it quickly). The same fire safety rules apply but at least you know that someone experienced with pryotechnics might have had time to develop a more idiot proof version if something DID go wrong.

- CrimsonQuill

[Mr. Hamrick]

So we should end up with what? French-fried potatoe, baked potatoe?

Or maaaaybe if the blast is big enough, potatoes au gratin  :D

i'll take some french fries over here please

[Kommando]

Hmm "Eugenics made simple" or "How to remove the bottom feeders from the gene pool".   :lol:

[Adamence]

It is times like this I am so glad I no longer live with you Spud.

[captainspud]

It is times like this I am so glad I no longer live with you Spud.

You're just upset because you can't watch.

[GogglesPizanno]

You're just upset because you can't watch.

I think we're ALL upset we cant watch....

[RTTingle]

   Yeah, theres a lot more to this than just what he shows.  As mentioned before, how he handles them - keeps them moving, etc.  Better, more impressive and safer (but thats no fun, right Spud?) tricks can be found at your local magic shoppe.

   For example, like someone else here mentioned, throwing fireballs like they do in Street Fighter.  You can go low tech... and use some flint and flash paper, or drop a lil' cash and get some nice flash guns.

RTT

[Camma]

    For example, like someone else here mentioned, throwing fireballs like they do in Street Fighter.  You can go low tech... and use some flint and flash paper, or drop a lil' cash and get some nice flash guns.

RTT

With the video, there is absolutely no reason to continue to encourage.

[ow_tiobe_sb]

If Spud incinerates himself, do we get our eye back?  I was always rather fond of it.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Fop o' th' Morning

[Mr. Hamrick]

    For example, like someone else here mentioned, throwing fireballs like they do in Street Fighter.  You can go low tech... and use some flint and flash paper, or drop a lil' cash and get some nice flash guns.

RTT

With the video, there is absolutely no reason to continue to encourage.

of course there is

[BWPS]

I'm doing this ASAP. Is that just like regular charcoal lighter fluid?

[BlueBard]

I'm doing this ASAP. Is that just like regular charcoal lighter fluid?

Um.

I'd advise you not to try it, for all the reasons previously stated and all the ones I'm about to mention.

Since I suppose that warning you against this is not going to be very effective...

Use the stuff for refilling non-disposable lighters, if you can find it.  Hopefully it's less volatile and burns cooler and cleaner than charcoal lighter fluid.  I believe the video probably used butane, but I couldn't tell.  The lack of those kinds of details in the video makes it a particularly dangerous guide.  It makes it look safe, simple, and easy, which it is not.

Take any and all precautions you can think of.  Don't light it in your hand.  Use a non-flammable work area.  Keep a fire extinguisher and cold water handy.  Don't do it by yourself... use the buddy system.  Use the fluid sparingly.  If the wick drips fluid, you used too much.  Let it evaporate before you try it again.  Make sure there's adequate ventilation, but no strong breeze.

Better yet, do your homework first.  Go online and find out all you can about the techniques used by stage magicians, jugglers, and fire-eaters.

Start with this quote from Wikipedia:

Other than sound fire safety precautions and some practical advice regarding the laws of physics (i.e. "hot air rises"), there are few secrets to eating fire. There is no such thing as "cold flame" nor is there any special substance in the performer's mouth other than saliva. According to Daniel Mannix's 1951 sideshow memoir Step right up!, the real "secret" to fire eating is enduring pain; he mentions that tolerating constant blisters on your tongue, lips and throat is also necessary.

Stressing the parts about no such thing as cold flame, enduring pain, and tolerating blisters.

And this safety link: http://www.divineimagination.com/resources/articles/fire-eating-safety.html  It focuses on Fire-Eating, but some of the information will apply.  Note especially the warnings about using cotton wicks, not letting them burn out, and using the same fuels that pro Fire-Eaters use.

More links:
http://www.juggling.org/help/circus-arts/fire-eat/fire-eat.html
http://www.foreworks.com/fire.html
http://www.nafaa.org/index.html

[captainspud]

I tried it yesterday... as long as you keep it moving, it's hot but doesn't burn. Someone in the comments explains how it works-- basically, the cotton and thread will never burn, to the point of there being no way to sustain a flame AT the ball. The flame feeds off of the fuel as it reaches the surface and evaporates, so the fire is always a millimeter or so from the surface, since it takes that much distance for the fuel to adequately mix with the air. And anywhere you grasp, there's no evaporation happening (and very little on the underside).

That said: do this outside, preferably in the snow so you can just drop it if something happens. I held it too long when I first lit it (tried to put out the match, silly me), and it was convenient to just be able to let go.

[BWPS]

Don't do it by yourself... use the buddy system.

I don't have any friends and my wife doesn't seem to think its a great idea either.

I tried it with gasoline and I burned my face off. I may have spilled some on my shirt. Attempt #2 will go much better!