How to burn organic material
Mike Waddick, Mon Mar 05 2007, 11:37PMHey,
i just joined this forum because i got a question i think someone here might be able to ask. I am trying to find a better way to do the effect shown here.
http://flickr.com/photos/612/248777508/in/set-72157594292050811/
I did that by putting the rose in grill igniter fluid then setting it on fire. It was the only thing i really found around that gave me the good orange flame. I want to do this effect some other way without a liquid because its very hard to control, is there something i can put it into that will make it flammable? ideally being clear so it isn't seen in the picture. Also it would be nice if it was slow burning because it seems to give the best effect.
I have been searching everywhere for ideas and so far i got nothing.
Ideas anyone?
Thanks in advance,
Mike Waddick
Re: How to burn organic material
Electroholic, Tue Mar 06 2007, 01:22AM
Na/sodium would give you orange flame.
fuelwise, I would go with liquid, solid fuel either burns too hot(have to vaporize it first), or too fast(if it contains oxidizing agent)
how about gasoline jelly or methanol jelly,
I think they are availabe from camping stores.
just spread them on like you do for toasts.
Electroholic, Tue Mar 06 2007, 01:22AM
Na/sodium would give you orange flame.
fuelwise, I would go with liquid, solid fuel either burns too hot(have to vaporize it first), or too fast(if it contains oxidizing agent)
how about gasoline jelly or methanol jelly,
I think they are availabe from camping stores.
just spread them on like you do for toasts.
Re: How to burn organic material
Liam, Tue Mar 06 2007, 03:19AM
Try getting something that is soluble in a nonpolar liquid (gasoline, xylene, etc) such as Styrofoam and making a jelly out of it. A very small amount goes a long way, but the flame is very sooty. You would not need to add Sodium to the flame to make it orange like that; a poorly-oxidized flame from most any source will burn with a yellow-orange flame (which could be tweaked in Photoshop).
Liam, Tue Mar 06 2007, 03:19AM
Try getting something that is soluble in a nonpolar liquid (gasoline, xylene, etc) such as Styrofoam and making a jelly out of it. A very small amount goes a long way, but the flame is very sooty. You would not need to add Sodium to the flame to make it orange like that; a poorly-oxidized flame from most any source will burn with a yellow-orange flame (which could be tweaked in Photoshop).
Re: How to burn organic material
..., Tue Mar 06 2007, 04:58AM
You might try Sterno (some petrolium jelly thing that burns pretty good, most supermarkets have it for keeping food warm) with a little salt added for color.
But really if you want a big flame like that you are going to need something really volatile, like acetone/methanol/etc.
BTW You might try adding copper sulfate (find it for killing roots in your drains, it is a can of blue crystals) for a wiked blue flame. For more colors you would probably have to buy some salts online, strontium is a blood red :)
..., Tue Mar 06 2007, 04:58AM
You might try Sterno (some petrolium jelly thing that burns pretty good, most supermarkets have it for keeping food warm) with a little salt added for color.
But really if you want a big flame like that you are going to need something really volatile, like acetone/methanol/etc.
BTW You might try adding copper sulfate (find it for killing roots in your drains, it is a can of blue crystals) for a wiked blue flame. For more colors you would probably have to buy some salts online, strontium is a blood red :)
Re: How to burn organic material
Swany, Thu Mar 08 2007, 10:25PM
Any alcohol with a higher mol wt. than ethanol should give an orange flame due to incandesant carbon. For simplicity sake, I would suggest 91% isopropyl alcohol: rubbing alcohol. It burns fairly cool and slowly, more water can be added to balance the effect.
If you want colors, HEET in the yellow bottles is fairly pure methanol, dissolve a metallic chloride of choice to give a nice flame. Boric acid in methanol forms the pseudoester methyl borate, which burns with a VERY clear bright green. I would definately reccomend that.
Swany, Thu Mar 08 2007, 10:25PM
Any alcohol with a higher mol wt. than ethanol should give an orange flame due to incandesant carbon. For simplicity sake, I would suggest 91% isopropyl alcohol: rubbing alcohol. It burns fairly cool and slowly, more water can be added to balance the effect.
If you want colors, HEET in the yellow bottles is fairly pure methanol, dissolve a metallic chloride of choice to give a nice flame. Boric acid in methanol forms the pseudoester methyl borate, which burns with a VERY clear bright green. I would definately reccomend that.
Re: How to burn organic material
Steve Conner, Fri Mar 09 2007, 10:36AM
Does methyl borate give off any dangerous fumes when it burns? I have no idea, just a vague bad feeling.
Steve Conner, Fri Mar 09 2007, 10:36AM
Does methyl borate give off any dangerous fumes when it burns? I have no idea, just a vague bad feeling.
Re: How to burn organic material
ConKbot of Doom, Sat Mar 10 2007, 04:22PM
ConKbot of Doom, Sat Mar 10 2007, 04:22PM
Swany wrote ...
Any alcohol with a higher mol wt. than ethanol should give an orange flame due to incandesant carbon. For simplicity sake, I would suggest 91% isopropyl alcohol: rubbing alcohol. It burns fairly cool and slowly, more water can be added to balance the effect.
If you want colors, HEET in the yellow bottles is fairly pure methanol, dissolve a metallic chloride of choice to give a nice flame. Boric acid in methanol forms the pseudoester methyl borate, which burns with a VERY clear bright green. I would definately reccomend that.
I can attest first hand that isopropyl alcohol doesnt brurn with a yellow flame. I dont know how many times ive lit my friend glass desk on fire with rubbing alcohol... or the old covering your finger with rubbing alcohol, then lighting it, and blowing it out before it hurts...Any alcohol with a higher mol wt. than ethanol should give an orange flame due to incandesant carbon. For simplicity sake, I would suggest 91% isopropyl alcohol: rubbing alcohol. It burns fairly cool and slowly, more water can be added to balance the effect.
If you want colors, HEET in the yellow bottles is fairly pure methanol, dissolve a metallic chloride of choice to give a nice flame. Boric acid in methanol forms the pseudoester methyl borate, which burns with a VERY clear bright green. I would definately reccomend that.
Print this page