pjmember
277 posts
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, USA


Posted:
I've been experimenting with a new soaking regimen recently. Instead of soaking my wicks and then spinning them out, I try to only fill them with the proper amount of fluid. My first method was to just use an old sports bottle and squeeze the proper amount of fuel onto the wicks. This works OK, but can get a bit messy if you aren't careful. My improved method is to only submerge 1/2 of the wick into the fuel for about 10 seconds. I then let any excess drip back into the fuel tub, and when the wicks are no longer dripping I let them sit for about 30 seconds - 1 minute in order for the fuel to disburse evenly throughout the wick.I have had very good results with this latter method. Once you know how many seconds to soak your wicks, you can get burn times nearly as long as a complete soak and spin out. But with careful soaking, you save a *lot* of fuel from being wasted, you don't need to find a place to spin out, and you don't get all the mess associated with spinning out!-p.

SickpuPpyNinja Rockstar!
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.


Posted:
Do you use kevlar, or towel wicks?I hardly use up any fuel with kevlar, but with the towel wicks I can go through a half gallon in a couple of hours.But since kero is only about $12 for five gallons out here I never really gave it much thought, till now.------------------If you love something, set it on fire.[This message has been edited by SickpuPpy (edited 18 December 2001).]

Jesus helps me trick people.


emthrenmember
57 posts
Location: Sydney


Posted:
The only question I'd have is if it reduces the longevity of the wicks, especially at the top.At any rate, it sounds like a very good idea especially when spinning in places where splashing kero all over the place isn't too enviro-friendly.

wulffmember
79 posts
Location: SA, TX, USA


Posted:
Hmm I've tried various different ways of preping my wicks.... i did the initial overnight soak of them and lyt up put out a few times thing too... I've only had them for about 2-3 months. For some reason no matter what i seem to do it always looks like the kevlar is burning now instead of just the fuel. Maybe its just me. If you've seen any of my pics you'll notice a large amount of blue flame versus the nice yellow glow my friends get on their cheese cloth or towel wicks. Is this kevlar related or am i doing something wrong?I usually fill a bowl up till it cover 2/3's of the wicks as they lay on their side, rotating them after a minute or two and then letting them sit, then doing a slight spin off. My mix is 1/2 Lampoil 1/2 Coleman fuel (white gas).I usually go through about 1/2 a gallon of this mix in a night... mainly cause that is all I usually take with me. I usually get quite a few (umm around 8-12) burns usually about 2-4 minutes long from this. A lot depends on how much i leave sitting in the bowl to evaporate etc etc. Thoughts?wulff

wulff


PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
I have been using the squirt bottle method for a long while, especially at faires where I have issues with people who shake out their tools over the audience (yes, I really have seen that of fire eaters). The squirt is nice for performing because the drippings of the fuel that collect in the bucket actually serve to remoisten the wick when I am done, which helps the longevity.That and I find this a much easier way to fuel a staff, rather than trying to soak one end and then battle the run down to soak the other, or figure out some strange contraption to do both ends at once. Squirt and go I say!...oh..and I use one of those fat snapple tea bottle with an arizona sport bottle head on it. It holds more fuel and was what I could fit in my pouch (I have to hide the plastic at faire for authentication purposes.)------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...https://www.pyromorph.com

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK



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