Forums > Beginner Staff Moves > different coloured flames

Posted: 5th Jan 2006
Somewhere around, there's a coloured flames FAQ. i think it might be in technical discussion. I did a quick search, but i couldn't get anywhere, due to server loading.

"beg beg grovel beg grovel"
"master"
--FSA

"There was an arse there, i couldn't help myself"
--Rougie

Posted: 5th Jan 2006
[Old link]

have a lookie at that.

"beg beg grovel beg grovel"
"master"
--FSA

"There was an arse there, i couldn't help myself"
--Rougie

Posted: 5th Jan 2006
ok, thanks heaps!

"...life is like John Howard- too short to waste time worrying..."

Posted: 6th Jan 2006
Hey,

You might also look at https://www.firechains.com/
under "Fuels, Flame Colours and Non-Fire Ideas" - it's probably covered by the other thread but may be a bit more succinct. As far as I can tell, it's not so much other fuels as what is added to them - powders and other compounds that are dissolved into the fuel. Also, if you find any in Canberra, let me know willya?

Ta
JD

Incendiary meditation

“Think not of the staff as being rigid, but of your mind as being that which is inflexible.”

Posted: 6th Jan 2006
I wonder if it is possible to get the colours to change mid spin... It might take a resevoir of some description... Another random thing to think about.

Have faith in what you can do and respect for what you can't

Posted: 17th Jan 2006
I think getting the colour to change mid spin would be quite difficult. It'd require a resevior with fuel and one chemical metal salt in it, and then a dip in a fuel with a different metal salt in it. To get them to change, you'd have to have the reservoir release the fuel when the other had run out. Otherwise, I can just see you ending up with the two colours bleeding together.

The key points are which metal salt you use (as this determines the colour), and which fuel. One like parafin (or kerosine, orwhatever it's called where you are) is that it burns with a bright yellow, yet relatively cold flame. Getting most easily commercially available metal salts to dissolve in paraffin is near on impossible, due to polarities and things I won't go into (although if you want me to, let me know). I think meths is usually used, as it's the most commercially available fuel with the highest dissolving capacity. There are others available which will burn and dissolve more, but these can often be difficult to get hold of. Coloured flames will ruin your wicks though.

If you want to know any specific of things, let me know, and I'll see what I can find out. I knew my chemistry degree would come in handy somewhere.

Ancient wiseman say "It is very strange person, who, when left alone in room with teacosy, does not try it on"

Posted: 17th Jan 2006
Oh, and as for the metal salts, the resultant colours are just really based on the old chemistry class stalwart of the flame test.

Here's a site with what colours come from what.

https://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa110401a.htm

If you're going to try these, be very, very careful about it. Don't ever use the lead salts, as these are likely to give off very toxic fumes. The same goes for selenium, arsenic, bismuth, antimony and anything else you've probably only vaguely heard of.

If you can get hold of one, either from the manufacturer or the web, check the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for toxicity, or ask someone who knows about these things (like a chemistry student / lecturer/ doctor etc).

Don't die.

Ancient wiseman say "It is very strange person, who, when left alone in room with teacosy, does not try it on"

Posted: 25th Jan 2006
we covered this about three years ago so its somewhere on the site.

calcium, potassium, iodine (i think) and copper have common, commercially availiable salts which give blue, red, purple and green. i think.

i think meths is the best fuel to dissolve the salts to use, just because of its availiability really, not because its a great fuel.

and yes, say goodbye to your wicks if you use them with these metallic salts. the wicks get glugged up with residue and dont absorb fuel and what not. also the flames you get using salts dissolved in a solvent like meths (and even straight methanol)are not as big as straight kero or other commonly used fuels, so the effect is really cool yes, but at the same time can be a little dissapointing

u guys should use ducky's link as it explains everything nicely and will probably give you some ideas

just to stress this point again, the salts will ruin your wicks..... if your having a play around use tea towels or whatever, it'll save you a few $$ in the long run

and watch for the toxicity of the fumes, you shouldnt inhale anything that stinks