My new firestaff!

Hello,

I decieded to prototype a new firestaff for my website (www.thestunthouse.com/firetoys), named the ISIS staff. Instead of having wick wrapped around the tubing and secured in with screws, ROPE wick is knotted around the tubing. This gives it a much bigger surface area - more flames! - and a longer burn time.

Here's the pic:


-Rell

Presumably there is some sort of fixing to stop the wick sliding off the ends?

Are these the same Isis staffs sold on Salza?

And a couple of questions:
-Do you intend to cap the ends somehow?
-what is the actual length of it?
-any good for contact? (I cant quite tell how flush the grip is to the staff)

Yes nigel there is a fixing.

Squid, it is a similiar staff to Salza's yes.

I may cap the ends, but I do not know yet - this is a prototype. Any ideas on how to?
The length is 140cm.
It is pretty good for contact, but if anything not quite heavy enough.

well, Im a novice to staff in particular, but I do love building things like this.

From the different staff building articles Ive been reading, having about 1 foot of wood on each end will help to add weight plus diffuse the transfer of heat throughout the staff. It would obviously need to be a snug fit. If you cant find a diameter pole that fits perfectly, then take a slightly smaller one and wrap masking tape around to adjust the fit so that its snug.

Different articles have mentioned using metal plugs, but haven't specified what those plugs are or how they are attached. I would think it would be a good idea though, so you dont char the wood pole inside (especially if it has tape wrapping). My inclination would be to weld, but that's a pain unless you already own the equipment. Maybe if you could thread the inside of the staff and then screw on a solid cap of some sort.

eh...contact mcp. I have been devouring her site tutorials and book. Im sure she would have some excellent ideas for finishing it.


Unfortunately, with this prototype, you have already fixed the wick on it, so Im guessing there is a screw of some type going through the staff. If you make beta model, slip the wood in first so that the fixture you are using has some extra bite and wont run the risk of loosening in the staff.

Yea I know about the wood and aliminium end caps, but I thought you had a specific idea, my mistake. Errm, there are no screws or metal at all actually on the head, the rope just runs through the middle of the staff at intervals. I was thinking of putting the rope through the staff, through the wood then out the other end, but I have to drill 4 holes all very close to each other, so I think it would just split the dowel.

This is what you have to do with the rope:
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/7047/17647207al2.gif

So, if I stuck wood in there and drilled through the wood as well, I think it might split the wood. The aliminium caps some people use are just circular washers with very small wood screws in them, which you screw into the top of the dowel I believe.

Heh. See? I told you I was novice to staff. However, you did have me thinking: How far down are the drill holes on the staff that the rope runs through? From the diagram it looks fairly close to the end. But I dont know if that is to scale.

What if the holes could be set back, say 2 inches, then a short length of dowel could be inserted in the end, in front of the rope without interfering with each other? Say at about 1 1/2 inch. Then finish the cap with the washer and nut.

btw: thanks for the info on the washer and nut. That helps me in my own design plans.

No worries. Errm the holes are 1.5cm down and all 4 quartiles around the staff. Also, if I did stick dowel ontop, how would it stay in?

Ive been playing with that this evening. If the dowel is fairly snug to begin with, and you use a screw to attach a washer, it seems that the screw is exerting pressure from the inside to the perimeter, effectively wedging it against the outer tubing.

I have had to use a clamp and really yank hard to pop the dowel out. Of course, heat may change how effective that is, once the metal expands slightly.

But if the holes are 1.5 cm down, then the point is kind of moot, isn't it? I would think you would need a bit more room for any plug like that to gain enough traction.

Yeah, that was why I just left it. I was thinking just having the wick over the top of the metal...

Is there a way that you can tighten the braid at the end so that it closes in around the opening?

Do you mean so that the top knot is over the top of the metal? No. You work from the top down, and the top knot as to go through the metal in the staff. Unfortunatly.

Hmm. running out of ideas then. Only other thing that occurs to me is to tie a knot on a length of kevlar rope, run the loose end through the tubing, pull it tight as possible, and tie another knot at the far end of the tube. Cut, PVC, and it acts like a plug.
kind of like

(knot)88-------(rope running through tubing)--------88(knot)

Stupid waste of expensive rope though.

Well that is what I already have. You mean so that the rope is inside the tubing at parts?

yes. That is what I meant. But the more I think about it, the less I like it. So just ignore my ramblings.

Well you need to do that at the top to do the knot anyway. The rope acts as a plug to stop air, flame and heat from going down the tube.

Well, I decided to go buy the materials yesterday to make a better staff than the first one I made. If I can figure out how to do the barrel knot, maybe I will experiment with your design and how to plug it efficiently. (THAT may take a while )

Righty ho. Keep me up to date via PM.

Got anywhere?

not yet. I've got the materials but havent built anything yet. I've been practicing my skills primarily rather than building.