20 replies to this topic

[dr thrust]

no sorry its not my work i found the experiment on this site

[Mumbles]

Has anyone actually made this methyl borate lampare? I'm curious as to how it turned out. Instinct tells me that the relatively fast and clean burning flame of the methanol solution would not last long enough to be visible past the initial flash or be washed out on the retina from the relatively dim color in comparison to the very bright flash.

Whistle may actually be a better break charge as the light output is significantly lower, but it still packs a punch.

[dr thrust]

ive made one and your right on the money with your instincts the green effect was washed out by the flash charge, this was on one of my 1 lber's so there wasn't a great deal of fuel to start with and i agree its just burns to fast almost instantaneously, perhaps it would work with f**ng gallons of the stuff! in a large shell with a dark flash composition, but this is out of my limited capabilities, and this is obviously why they use a heavy fuel oil like diesel in lampares to get the "hang time"

Edited by chris m, 19 May 2008 - 11:14 PM.

[cplmac]

I saw a couple of 6" lampares this weekend that used plain old charcoal lighter fluid. The one that functioned looked very good, nice large orange fireball that hung long enough to be appreciated. I think kerosene would be a very similar effect, the only problem with using the heavier fuels like kerosene and diesel is fallout. Typically it is much more difficult to get all of the heavier fuel atomized and ignited. This is a problem with gasoline as well but not to the same extent and gasoline has a very similar large dense orange fireball, but it doesn't have the same thick black rolling smoke to contrast the fireball, it's there but not as significant.

[Mumbles]

It might be possible to dissolve something dirty and nasty burning into the gasoline to get a heavier dark smoky flame. Naphthalene, polystyrene, motor oil, etc. Pretty much anything terrible for the environment should do At that point, it might just be worth it to experiment with mixtures of diesel and standard gasoline though. It depends on personal preference too. Some like the dark smoky flame, while some like the clean burning bright orange fireball.

[dr thrust]

i had some success with 10% motor oil added to cellulose paint thinners, mostly because that was all i had in my garage.