Forums > Technical Discussion > how to make lamp oil a quicker burn?
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2 posts
2 posts
Posted:
Basically I am a teacher (with fire experience) at a school and we are performing A Midsummer Night's Dream in our outdoor amphitheater. I am living in Istanbul and getting white gas is next to impossible. So I have bought some lamp oil but when I tested it, I had a burn time that was over 4 minutes in length. Usually with the same set of poi using white gas the burn time would be 2 min maximum. I want to shorten the burn time so that one student can use poi within the play. Anything over 2 minutes brings up some staging difficulties.... How can I cut the burn time in half? Is there anything I can add to thin out the oil?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Basically I am a teacher (with fire experience) at a school and we are performing A Midsummer Night's Dream in our outdoor amphitheater. I am living in Istanbul and getting white gas is next to impossible. So I have bought some lamp oil but when I tested it, I had a burn time that was over 4 minutes in length. Usually with the same set of poi using white gas the burn time would be 2 min maximum. I want to shorten the burn time so that one student can use poi within the play. Anything over 2 minutes brings up some staging difficulties.... How can I cut the burn time in half? Is there anything I can add to thin out the oil?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
SILVER Member
Elusive and Bearded
3,597 posts
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Elusive and Bearded
3,597 posts
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Posted:
a littel off topic, but i hear that istanbul was constantanople.....
a littel off topic, but i hear that istanbul was constantanople.....
O.B.E.S.E.
Owned by Mynci!
GOLD Member
Now with extra strawberries
810 posts
Location: Canberra, Australia
Now with extra strawberries
810 posts
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posted:
hurm i can't think of any thing you could add to the full.
But have you though about not dipping them for as long / spinning them of harder / dipping them early.
It might take a bit of experimentation to work out the right times and stuff. But i think you could get there.
You could also think about a creative way to put the poi out rather than letting them die out.
Mabey a tin with a lid to put them out or some thing?
hurm i can't think of any thing you could add to the full.
But have you though about not dipping them for as long / spinning them of harder / dipping them early.
It might take a bit of experimentation to work out the right times and stuff. But i think you could get there.
You could also think about a creative way to put the poi out rather than letting them die out.
Mabey a tin with a lid to put them out or some thing?
I {Heart} hand me downs and spinning in the snow.<br /><br />
BRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Posted:
a bucket of dry ice will extinguish poi as it cuts off oxygen
very stagey way to put them out 
a bucket of dry ice will extinguish poi as it cuts off oxygen
very stagey way to put them out A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.
SILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
Posted:
umm.. use a fire blanket?
Which scene is the fire poi in?
umm.. use a fire blanket?
Which scene is the fire poi in?
SILVER Member
journeyman
73 posts
Location: Wisconsin, USA
journeyman
73 posts
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posted:
dont soak the poi in the fuel, just dump it on with some control and test different amounts, then there will not be as much fuel to burn..
dont soak the poi in the fuel, just dump it on with some control and test different amounts, then there will not be as much fuel to burn..
"Runs with Scissors"
GOLD Member
Pooh-Bah
2,110 posts
Location: Philadelphia, PA - USA
Pooh-Bah
2,110 posts
Location: Philadelphia, PA - USA
Posted:
How about lighter fluid, like, for grills and stuff.
How about lighter fluid, like, for grills and stuff.
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me
SILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia
Posted:
Just put them out with a damp towel by the stage. The dry ice is a good idea too, very cool. Dunking lit poi in a cloud of dry ice steam would be great. Though perhaps getting dry ice there is not so easy either... and yes, simply pouring less fuel over the poi instead of dunking is the usual way.
Just put them out with a damp towel by the stage. The dry ice is a good idea too, very cool. Dunking lit poi in a cloud of dry ice steam would be great. Though perhaps getting dry ice there is not so easy either... and yes, simply pouring less fuel over the poi instead of dunking is the usual way.
.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....
SILVER Member
That guy from Reno
556 posts
Location: Reno, Nevada USA
That guy from Reno
556 posts
Location: Reno, Nevada USA
Posted:
Experiment with alcohol. See what types of alcohol you can get oveer there. Denatured alcohol would be best of 90 percent isopropel. Granted the flame size isn;t as big, but it should bring the burn tiem down. You may be able to use it to dilute or cut the lamp oil too.
But I like what others have suggested the best. Try to use less fuel somehow and put them out quick. A wet towel will help keep them from smoking.
Experiment with alcohol. See what types of alcohol you can get oveer there. Denatured alcohol would be best of 90 percent isopropel. Granted the flame size isn;t as big, but it should bring the burn tiem down. You may be able to use it to dilute or cut the lamp oil too.
But I like what others have suggested the best. Try to use less fuel somehow and put them out quick. A wet towel will help keep them from smoking.
Cody Canon
Controlled Burn, Reno Nevada
newbie
2 posts
2 posts
Posted:
Thanks so much. I will start experimenting. I am quite sure that we have isopropel in the chemistry lab too. Cheers.
Thanks so much. I will start experimenting. I am quite sure that we have isopropel in the chemistry lab too. Cheers.
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