19 replies to this topic

[Steve]

CO2 is an odd one - It doesn't have a wet state [ie: No such thing as CO2 liquid]. It goes straight from the solid [aka dry ice] to the gas. The pressure of the gas still depends on it's temperature though [Boyles law I believe]

Not quite true, although this is the case a room pressure, if pressuirsed CO2 can be made into a liquid.

[Schizophrenia]

You can actually buy canisters of CO2 for paintball...

But, I'm kinda getting away from my subject~

Regimentalpyro, I do see your point about propane being directly affected by ambient temperature~

Once the LPG reaches a temperature equalibrium (LPG inside the tank to temperature directly contacting its container) it will lose its pressure~

Stated another way pressure is directly proportional to temperature~

Either way, the supplementary tank is a must~

Good thinking~

Jamie

[Mumbles]

I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the product, but there was a discussion about it on PML not too long ago. Some company brought a bunch of this stuff to a PGI convention and had some competitions about who could make the best fireball with their product, and there was a cash prize. Anyway, legend has it that the stuff was crushed maple seed pods. Sometimes called "whirly-birds" or helicopters. Something like this http://www.unl.edu/a...pls/slide44.JPG A month or so ago, you could have gotten more of these than you'd ever know what to do with. I've also heard powdered acorn shells. This would be similar to extremely fine sawdust. If you wanted to give this stuff a try, skylighter sells "wood meal", as do several other places. It is commonly used for thickening epoxy and the like. It should make a decent substitute for lycopodium. Lycopodium is the spores of a certain kind of fern I do believe.

[Schizophrenia]

Mumbles,

We have an assload of the maple seed things laying around!

Are you supposed to crush the seed or the shell it's in to powder?

Obviously, they will have to be completely dried...

Work, work, work to get the quantity I need...I can see myself spending all day & night in the basement with a pedistal...and maybe getting a pound...

Hmmm, wood meal...I will look it up in a few minutes...

Yes, Lycopodium Clavatum grows in different parts of the world (not US) like the moors in England~

Propane is looking more promising...

However, there are 3 accomodations I must have for it's use...

A inline flash arrester, a valve that won't freeze and a flame detector in the circuit (to make sure the starter is there before Liquid propane spews all over the audience)~

BTW: Out of curiousity, how much can anyone get Lyco powder for over there?

Thanks,

Jamie

[Mumbles]

I would assume the shell like part. The actual whirly bird part. I don't think the seeds would crush up all that well. That flaky covering I am sure would powder with no problem. I would probably just gather a bunch up, dry them out, deseed and toss in the blender or coffee grinder. Both would make short work of it. It's just a rumor, but it should theoretically work. You may want to throw some of the powder over a fire and see how it preforms.

All in all, I do feel propane would be the best option. It's very controllable, commonly available and makes some very nice fireballs.