Coloured flames

This site sells all sorts of chemical additives.

http://www.skylighter.com/mall/chemicals.asp

Please, visit the articles forum and read up on safety tips, colour changes, and chemical properties before proceeding. Here is the link:

http://www.skylighter.com/skylighter_info_pages/articles.asp

I am in no way affiliated with this site or trying to promote or endorse their products. This just happens to be the place I use in the U.S. There are probably plenty of other places in other countries that you can use too.

Also, please be careful if you do end up using these additives. I've used them in performances at clubs before with no problems. Please, as always, take the proper safety precautions when using. Enjoy!

Good stuff Supafly. Dang, I'd love to see your show.

It's nice to see people who've actually used this stuff posting. Good stuff kids.

Explosives shipped anywhere in the US... Hrmm... how does that somehow NOT sound like a good idea.

Thanks NYC. Yeah, I was kind of worried about posting that site due to the fact that some not-so-smart person might blow themselves up. But then again, one can get hurt just crossing the street nowadays. If any of you would like to try something really cool, buy some Titanium Flakes and roll your wicks in it. Titanium Flakes are used in fireworks to create the crackling bright white sparks. You get instant sparkly poi that lasts for several minutes and once it burns off, your wicks are still burning full flame. Big advantage over Steel wool. The sparks only shoot out for about two feet though so it isn't as spectacular as Steel wool. I've used that at spinning at clubs before too.

My favorite is still Lithium Chloride though. I like the pretty red color it gives. Boric acid is just too weak to be impressive. Oh, and I wouldn't recommend using any of these chemicals on your Kevlar wicks as they tend to dry them out quickly and make them rot faster. I only use them on cheap towel wicks that I throw away after two or three burns.

Supafly, do you meen to say you've burned Lithium Chloride with twirling apparatus? because all these theoretical ideas that chemicals burn colours in science classrooms is getting tiring. The suggestion that Barium compounds gives a nice green colour is alarming because some of them are explosive/poisonous or both. Some release toxic gases when burnt. I think that pointing out Barium compounds as a possible fuel colourant is irresponsible to the same degree as saying that Fire Breathing is cool, so just give it a try.

Nusalt doesn't work for you because it's 50/50 Sodium Chloride and Potassium Chloride. So you have two potential colourants working against each other in the fuel. None of these additives work in Kero/Paraffin because they already have additives that make the flame bright and easy to see. Some Metho won't work because it's only 95% and the last 5% are denaturants which are probably inhibiting colour action. Seems to me that 100% Metho with 100% chemical salt additive on a clean wick unexposed to other fuels or chemicals is the only way these fuels will give a colour. Then there is the fact that some of these chemicals aren't soluble, or just not in Metho. And has anyone ever got any other chemical than Boric Acid to work? Maybe only Acids work in this.

More as I work it out. Comments welcome from all

Yeah, audax... I figured all that out about 6 months ago... Posted on it too. Not like anyone read them though.

I tried to do colored/coloured flame last week without the success that I was looking for..... I wanted purple flame and I managed to get my hands on a huge bottle of potassium sulfate that I mixed with denatured alcohol and applied to towel wicks. It looked very cool and was definitely another color.... something of the toasted marsh mellow family, sort of orangish-pinkish tone. I forgot to get pictures but I plan to try again tomorrow with table salt to see if yellow will work. If anyone has comments, feedback or suggestions all are appreciated.

Love ,
Laura (aka hairsmythe)

Yes, Lithium Chloride with denatured alcohol (100%) gives a nice red flame. Strontium works a lot better though and gives a brighter red color. Only used it on towel wicks though and NEVER for an indoor performance. Make sure to stir thoroughly to get the salt dissolved as much as possible before dipping wicks. Since denatured alcohol is the base, the flame is not all that bright. Also, never tried anything with any Barium compounds, that's just asking for trouble.

Still looking for the correct combination for purple flames myself but haven't found it yet. If anyone gets good results, please post your methods. Thanks.

[ 02 October 2002, 07:50: Message edited by: Supafly ]

something to the side i was camping all summer and we had fire everynight well any ways this guywe met said that if you take piece of copper pipe oh say 3/4 in diameter and shove some every day run of the mill garden hose inside the pipe and throw it in the fire it will make it change colour at first i thought B.S. but then decided to try it out yeah man was this cool the whole find changed to the craziest blues,greens,reds and oranges i have ever seen who ever took the time and imagination to figure this out should be involved in the space program, probably the same guy who discovered whippits could this be done on staff or poi ? if not it's sure a great party trick especialy if you got game ie .you pray to fire god and he turns fire green blah blah blah

swifty out