Forums > Technical Discussion > Magnesium Based Fuels
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63 posts
Location: Armidale, NSW, Australia
63 posts
Location: Armidale, NSW, Australia
Posted:
Magnesium burns in a bright white flame. I'm loking for ways to (a) reproduce that white flame and (b) fatten out my flames considerably.
I know of multiply wicked staffs and have made a few, but im wondering now if there is such a thing as magnesium based fuels, and if so, where can I get some.
Or if theres another fuel that burns a bright white.
Magnesium burns in a bright white flame. I'm loking for ways to (a) reproduce that white flame and (b) fatten out my flames considerably.
I know of multiply wicked staffs and have made a few, but im wondering now if there is such a thing as magnesium based fuels, and if so, where can I get some.
Or if theres another fuel that burns a bright white.
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SILVER Member
member
135 posts
Location: England
member
135 posts
Location: England
Posted:
Just about the most comprehensive list is on www.firechains.com:
Hope that helps.
Tom
Just about the most comprehensive list is on www.firechains.com:
quote:If you're after colours, Meths is apparently good cos it burns with a clear flame.. therefore you see the colours better. Not sure how well it burns though cos I haven't tried it.
By general concensus, the best chemicals are:
• Boric acid, which gives a green/blue flame. This is sold in pharmacies in powdered form as it has antiseptic properties.
• Lithium chloride, which gives a nice red flame. Tricky to get as it's an anti-depressant.
• Copper chloride, which gives a good green/blue flame.
• Indium, expensive and hard to find, gives a deep violet.
Other which are theoretically possible, but might not give such good results are:
• Strontium compounds - red.
• Calcium compounds - orangy-red.
• Barium compounds - green.
• Potassium chloride - a purple flame.
• White gas (liquid gas e.g. Colemans camping fluid) - a white flame.
• Dry gas (as above) - a blue flame.
Hope that helps.
Tom
member
31 posts
Location: New York, NY, USA
31 posts
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posted:
i was hanging with a friend experimenting with color additives a while back...using shards of magnesium to acheive that great whitebluesilver flame it gives...my observations: magnesium is hard to find, as i am not a chemist; magnesium has a really high flash point, so when a staff with magnesium shards "glued" to the outside of the wicks was lit, after 2 or 3 minutes a couple of shards sparkled, we couldn't figure out a way to make it get hot enough quick enough to have a bright silver flame on out wicks, although we made some non-spinnable solids that, when applied continually to a solid still flame, shot out 3-4 foot jets of mag-flame.....so this has been my play w/magnesium...hope you have more success than we did, and if you do, let us know how...
i was hanging with a friend experimenting with color additives a while back...using shards of magnesium to acheive that great whitebluesilver flame it gives...my observations: magnesium is hard to find, as i am not a chemist; magnesium has a really high flash point, so when a staff with magnesium shards "glued" to the outside of the wicks was lit, after 2 or 3 minutes a couple of shards sparkled, we couldn't figure out a way to make it get hot enough quick enough to have a bright silver flame on out wicks, although we made some non-spinnable solids that, when applied continually to a solid still flame, shot out 3-4 foot jets of mag-flame.....so this has been my play w/magnesium...hope you have more success than we did, and if you do, let us know how...
Pooh-Bah
2,364 posts
Location: austin,tx
2,364 posts
Location: austin,tx
Posted:
hey "carnelian angel", have you tried grinding it into powder and then immersing it in your solid medium? also i seem to remember from my firefighting days that some magnesium burns when exposed to water, and is hard to put out- be careful when putting out your wicks! sounds like fun...i'm gonna knock you up for some fuel mixes when you're done!
hey "carnelian angel", have you tried grinding it into powder and then immersing it in your solid medium? also i seem to remember from my firefighting days that some magnesium burns when exposed to water, and is hard to put out- be careful when putting out your wicks! sounds like fun...i'm gonna knock you up for some fuel mixes when you're done!
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BRONZE Member
veteran
1,495 posts
Location: Stillwater, Ok. USA
veteran
1,495 posts
Location: Stillwater, Ok. USA
Posted:
actually, the "magnesium that burns when expose to water" was probably sodium metal...some realy wicked shit. you have to keep it stored under a hydrocarbon liquid. a piece bigger than a 22 bullet will blow up when dropped into water, it also produces hydrogen gas when exposed to water...another explosive.
And...magnesium powder is VERY dangerouse, it is actually a component of certain high explosives... (and I don't mean explosives that have been smoking marijuana! )
It is very very very dangerouse when in a powdered form.
next to imposible to put the fire out too.
actually, the "magnesium that burns when expose to water" was probably sodium metal...some realy wicked shit. you have to keep it stored under a hydrocarbon liquid. a piece bigger than a 22 bullet will blow up when dropped into water, it also produces hydrogen gas when exposed to water...another explosive.
And...magnesium powder is VERY dangerouse, it is actually a component of certain high explosives... (and I don't mean explosives that have been smoking marijuana! )
It is very very very dangerouse when in a powdered form.
next to imposible to put the fire out too.
we eat and we drink and we smoke and we try!
Dreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
Posted:
i never thought white gas flames looked particuarly white,but that could just be me. perhaps it takes colors better?
i never thought white gas flames looked particuarly white,but that could just be me. perhaps it takes colors better?
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