GreenFire

Hi - I'm trying a simple thing, and I can't even get this to work - I'm trying to ignite a fire sculpture: paper rope soaked in paraffin: from the top downwards using a fuse. Don't ask why, that's just what I'm doing!! I know folks who used to do this with fast PIC, but I gather this is now unobtainable. It works OK with Mantitor, which I gather is a replacement for old slow PIC, but it's too slow for a large scale. Have been trying fast Visco which is fast enough, but it doesn't burn hot enough to reliably light the paraffin. I've seen someone recommend dipping the fuse in nitrocellulose varnish, but I thought visco was already dipped in NC varnish? I also saw someone recommend dipping in titanium, no idea what effect that would have, does titanium burn hot as well as sparkle lots? Any ideas welcome ...

Hi - In my spare time I do quite a few arty things, preferably with a bunch of mates round a bonfire. Last few years I've been experimenting with some ideas, one of which has been to set off a few fireworks here and there.
An idea I've had which I think would look great, and be some fun, is to have some large paintings (not framed, just canvas blowing in the wind), and set them on fire at appropriate moments.
Trouble is, canvas with acrylic paint doesn't burn that easily. I've experimented with various formulas, such as covering it with paraffin, and various accelerants such as nitrate and chromate. Although I can get the stuff to burn, the flame spreads really slowly, and it takes ages for a 2 metre square canvas to burn ... and is not a particularly interesting sight!
Has anyone any ideas on how to treat canvas to get a flame to spread across its surface quickly? ... petrol or other highly volatile organics aren't any use, as too smelly and too dangerous for the audience.

Thanks for your interest - Jon