Forums > Other Toys > Fire Flag Staff

Posted: 7th May 2005
hummm, flags i dont know much about, but i;d suggest using rope rather than normal wick, and sewing it togeather, its stronger, and will go its thing better, plus you can then if you want knot the ends, which would give a nice big bit of fire, at the end of the flag as well.

i'll have to make my self some more flags...the sticks i did use had very little long flags, which gave pretty patterns, good luck!

Drawings by chalk minds, strech between the stars

Kyle Mclean-
Contact without dance is like sex without wiggling.
A) it does feel as good
B) it does not look as good on film

Posted: 7th May 2005
I was thinking about that... but i think it would be more difficult to secure the rope to the staff, dont you?

The few I have seen all use regular wicking, so i think that is probably best... though the rope would be lighter...

well, i already ordered regular 4inch wick, so i guess my prototype will be with that, and if it is too heavy i will make another one.

any other ideas/hints/tips/tricks? theyd be greatly appreciated...

Posted: 10th May 2005
So I am bumping this up in the hopes that someone will be able to offer some help, because so far I havent gotten much...

1. What size:
A> 5ft staff, 3ft wick
B> 5ft staff, 2.5ft wick
C> 4.5ft staff, 3ft wick
D>4.5ft staff, 2.5 ft wick.
>>>Keeping in mind I spin with a 5ft staff right now as my regular staff, but the shorter size might make it easier to avoid the ground!<<<

2. Should I weight the grip end to balance out the weight a little more? Or leave it totally unbalance?

3. Should I put a circular knob on the grip end, like clubs have?

4. Any advice on moves? i have been working to transfer regular staff moves into off-center moves, and looking through some flag-twirling (real flags, like color guard) sites, but i would love some tried and true hints as how to geta good feeling for it.

Posted: 12th May 2005
Look in my gallery for the fire flag I made. Mine is on the end of a chain and produces a heck of a lot of fire. Actually I'm claiming it's the biggest personal fire prop in the world untill I see something bigger.

Depending on what moves your planning on doing I don't know about a counter weight. If your throwing it I suggest against it because fire actually causes drag and you'll need the weight of the flag for it to spin.

If your flag is going to look anything like mine I would worry less about a short staff to keep it off the ground, and worry more about burning yourself aka use a longer staff.

The heat coming off my flag is very intense and usually singes some of Chris's goatee each time he spins it even at 4' away.

I suggest putting a ring with a swivel at the end instead of a knob. It'll probably be too heavy to use a knob.

And last, I bet you'll need to invent your own moves with this thing. Keep looking for motivation and create on your own.

Good luck and don't kill yourself

Cody Canon
Controlled Burn, Reno Nevada

Posted: 12th May 2005
thanks...

however the flag i am planning isnt nearly as intense as yours. just picture a normal staff with 3 feet of wicking, but not in the actual shape of a flag... just three feet of wicking...

kind of the [censored] child of a fire sword and your flag. the "flag" effect will only be when it is spun, so thick wall of flame will be the flag

i was considering doing something similar to what you have made, though it is a lot of fire and i was worried about how hard to manipulate it would be. additionallu, how did you attach the wicking together? just sew it using kevlar thread? do you unbread any of the flat wicking and spliced them together, or just use kevlar thread to attach them together?

also, putting a flag like that on a staff would be more difficult, only because yours rotates at the base of the flag, yes, so it can never get tangled. however, if mounted on a staff, than it can in fact get tnagled up in itself, i fear. that is indeed what i was worrying about most when deciding to not do an actual "flah" shaped wick and just the flag shaped flame...

i would appreciate your input... based on your experience with that bad boy, would attaching something similar to a staff be possible?

after looking at your flag i just might make both...

Posted: 12th May 2005
Ah, I understand what your talking about now. Go for three feet like a sword, just keep the tip pointed up. We have made staves which we call Fan-Staff that is 2.5' of wicking on each end with about a foot of staff in the middle for you to hang on to. Quite intense fire doughnuts.

I hand stitched 4" wicking together to make the flag. You could attach it to a staff, but yes you need to make sure you don't spin it up, that's where a ring+swivel at the end would be handy to unravel it.

Cody Canon
Controlled Burn, Reno Nevada

Posted: 3rd Jul 2005
i finished making my flaf, finally. university ending and an intense summer job in a factory delayed production and practice. i will take a photo and put it in my gallery very soon, and i will be lighitng up next week... i need to practice some more. i fear it needs to be shortened about 6 inches, because i have hit the ground more than i would like... but i will pracice unlit with it as it is for now, and will report back... it is heavier than i expected...

i ended up using a piece of 4" wicking that was about 2 feet long, and i made it into a sleeve that went around the tube (i sewed it into a sleeve). then i did a macrome knot with about 42 feet of 3/8" rope wick that goes from the top of the pipe to for about 3.5 feet. finally, i took two 1 foot pieces of 4" wick and wrapped them around the top, to help secure the macrome up there, and i tied off the loose ends on the bottom and i used kevlar thread to tie the loose ends up so they were neat and tidy... i was worried when i started that the rope wick wouldnt soak enough fuel... now that i look at it, it is slightly terrifying... i will update once i light or take pictures, whichever is earlier...

Posted: 6th Jul 2005
For any and all that may care, there are pics of this beast in my gallery:

https://www.homeofpoi.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=19037

Posted: 27th Jul 2005
mech has a real big flag staff he enjoys spinning

*shouts*

hey mech
over here !!

my original signature was tooo long.
this one is shorter

Posted: 20th Dec 2005
Have you spun that beast yet? If so what was it like, cos I'm trying to peswade my club to make me one.