Neodolatelnamember
12 posts
Location: fremont, ca, usa


Posted:
I'm interested in getting into firefingers, but not the kind that you slip over each finger. I'm looking for the kind where you hold on to a "fan" shaped thing with 4 or 5 long pieces with a wick at each end. (arg, i'm not good at describing things...) does anyone know what i'm talking about? can these things be bought or would i have to make them?

Pele'sWhippingBoymember
442 posts
Location: Rochester, NY, USA


Posted:
Oddly enough those are called Fire Fans.You can probably find some information on them in the Technical Discussion section. It's for Tools and toys.Feel free to take a look and see if I see any threads about Fire Fans using the search function.point."I think so Brain, but culottes have a tendency to ride up so."------------------FYI: I am not Pele. If you wish to reply to me and use a short version of my name, use: PWB."Those who can, do. Those who can't, critique"Pyromorph.com - Let the fire change you[This message has been edited by Pele'sWhippingBoy (edited 27 February 2002).]

FYI: I am not Pele. If you wish to reply to me and use a short version of my name, use: PWB.

English? Who needs that? I'm never going to England. - Homer Jay Simpson


Neodolatelnamember
12 posts
Location: fremont, ca, usa


Posted:
yea i was just looking stuff up on google and i found these:https://www.bearclawmfg.com/s_fan.htmlclose to what i was looking for, but i wanted the ones that have 4 or 5 small individual wicks. looking up "fire fan" on google brings up a lot of portland sports web pages...

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


Posted:
They sell pretty ones here...https://www.speakeasy.org/~armand/irongypsy/frame.htmI did a search on fire fans and very little came up referring to these specifically because they aren't used as much as other tools, they can be difficult to make and to weild at times. They are absolutely gorgeous however.I am moving this to Technical though, which is where it might get more responses pertaining to the tool itself.------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...https://www.pyromorph.com[This message has been edited by Pele (edited 27 February 2002).]

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


Neodolatelnamember
12 posts
Location: fremont, ca, usa


Posted:
damn those are expensive!!! but nice! smile does anyone know of a resource that teaches you to make fire fans? and doesn't the flames heat up the metal? how do people keep from burning their hands, are the handles wrapped or covered with something?

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


Posted:
Common sense would say that Yes, the fire does heat up the metal. So aside from wrapping the handle your only other option would be to lengthen the space between your wicks and your hand.And, as far as I know, there isn't any resource online for building fans. I couldn't even find one for building the cathedral fold poi wicks (but then I really only looked breifly). So I think your imagination, some sheet metal, and some JB weld may be your best bet aside from purchasing pre-fab ones.It shouldn't be very hard to build the actual fan, but you may have to get creative to attach your wicks if you happen to be one of those people that aren't very mechanicly inclined. Good luck smile------------------If you love something, set it on fire.[This message has been edited by SickpuPpy (edited 27 February 2002).]

Jesus helps me trick people.


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


Posted:
There was a discussion about that on here, but I'll be dipped if I can find it!If you make the spokes too long, it will make the fans top heavy and difficult. ANd yes, the metal will heat. On the ones in the link, they are coated in a hear resistant paint. My handles are wrapped in leather, and my spokes are held in place by rivets and a half moon piece of metal. It looks like a setting sunburst. Without diagrams, I wouldn't even know where to begin to describe how to make them though.I know chicken wire, coat wire and kevlar have been used on some designs though!------------------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


LLcoolPatmember
38 posts
Location: san diego, ca


Posted:
The fans on that link are way cool, but I think you may have misunderstood about the heat resistant paint. He's probably using engine enamel or some other type of high temp automotive paint. The stuff I used on my staff is rated at 1200f. The paint itself is heat resistant so it won't crack and peel but the metal is still going to be hot.

adamricepoo-bah
1,015 posts
Location: Austin TX USA


Posted:
The issue is not just length but also the thermal conductivity of the metal. The fans others have pointed to here are made of steel, and have vanes of at least 15"--heat from the wicks will not be much of an issue.The only metal that seems to be a problem in terms of thermal conductivity is aluminum. I believe the next-most conductive metal is brass (about half as conductive) and it doesn't get significantly hot even at, say, 8".A metalworking friend made up some fans patterned after Tabasco's--they have hooks at the end to retain the kevlar--just wrap it so it gets caught under the hook, and wire it in place. They're quite pretty, but kind of heavy.I'm working on my own design for a folding fire-fan, but it'll be a little while before it's ready.

Laugh while you can, monkey-boy


becBRONZE Member
member
521 posts
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia


Posted:
I agree with Adam's observations (and desire for folding fan - have been trying for a while with limited success)...We don't have any problems with the metal of our fans heating up - even with our shortest-spoked ones... we use a very heavy-guage galvanised wire which doesn't seem conduct/absorb the heat at all...

Neodolatelnamember
12 posts
Location: fremont, ca, usa


Posted:
thanks for all the suggestions & ideas...i know that pele uses rivets to attach the spokes... are there any other ways to attach them? can you solder them on or does the metal get too hot and will melt the solder?

Peregrinemember
428 posts
Location: Mystic, Ct. USA


Posted:
I have a fire fan thing which has coils at the end of the wires that fit onto your fingers like fire fingers, but which are soldered together in a fan shape with a double width wire arch about 4" out. and then the spokes are about 8" or so longer (maybe a little shorter than that). the solder has not failed at all, but then i havn't kept them lit for so long that the heat would build up to a point where it might. since they are small wicks they dont really last as long as poi or staff do, even with lamp oil, and heat on the wire has never been a problem. maybe thats because they have almost always so far been used outside in 20degreeF weather though...I have pictures of how we made them which I will post on our website at some point...Pere[This message has been edited by Peregrine (edited 01 March 2002).]

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


Posted:
It really depends on where you solder them as to if it will heat and melt. Good rule of thumb is to not use solder at all if you are unsure.The "ghetto version" has a fan shaped frame of chicken wire, with spokes kind of woven in and out of the wires. Then another strong gauge wire is wrapped around each spoke to hold it in place. You can cover this near the hand with leather or fabric. It makes a nice starter set.We too have been working on the folding fan design off and on for over a year, to no success. Let us know when you get it Adam!------------------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


melissaBRONZE Member
member
156 posts
Location: madagascar, USA


Posted:
hey i just posted some info on fan building suggestions in a new thread so that it will be easier to find in the future. -melissa


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