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Mint SauceBRONZE Member
veteran
1,453 posts
Location: Lancs England


Posted:
(this is a double post i have already put it as a reply to somone i just thought it may be usfull in hear if not i will deleat smile )

ubbangel if someone could spell check this for me I would be most grateful ubbangel



Ok so having done an extensive search of nearly all the threads containing “wire wool” and “Sparkly poi” respectively



I have come up with a bit of info.

But I have discovered an answer to a common myth confused.

Yes there are lots of sparkly poi threads but most of them are useless with limited info

And some quite outdated advice that is actually quite dangerous eek………….



Wire wool spinning is spinning of wire gages (usually made of chicken wire) filled with burning wire wool it is very very dangerous as hot lumps of molten metal are spraying out all over the place. frown



But it dose look very pretty. biggrin



I have used wire wool a few times and hear are my following top 20 tips.



1 make sure your cage and chain construction is solid (don’t want it falling apart mid spin) good solid quick links should be used



2 make sure the holes in your cage are quite big not to big about 1 to 2 inches across



3 use fine grade wire wool it works better the finer the better



4 don’t pack your cages to tight you need good air flow over the wool for it to work (as we found out in Falmouth)



5 opposite to 4 don’t pack it to loose the burning wool wont pass its burn to the rest of the wool effectively (trial and error to get this right)



6 you don’t need to dip if you do your cages are badly constructed with not enough air flow.



7 spin fast but don’t do any body-cross moves (rotation flowers ect) (in-fact don’t to flowers you don’t want the poi head spinning towards you) (buzz saws are right out)



8 don’t make your cages to big this will make them heavy and un-wielding



9 try to make the bottom of your cage round improves air flow over the hot end of the wool



10 in-fact tube shaped is best no sharp edges to catch on stuff



11 if you want to have longer burn time line your cages with a metal can so only the end of the wool burns and the rest feeds down into it as the wool burns away



12 if you do have feed tubes make sure they are smooth or the wool will just snag will not feed into the end of the cages



13 spin in the open (I mean open your back yard will not do)



14 don’t spin near any combustible stuff IE the dry ground, cars, people, buildings that sort of stuff. best done after a good rain shower



15 keep people and animals well back say 20 m or so (you never know what might happen (we once had a head come completely come off))



16 keep all skin and hair well covered ( I got a very bad burn just by one glancing my arm)



17 if stuff dose go wrong drop them and walk away don’t try to put them out they are dam dam hot if you can drop a very damp towel on them or even better fire blanket



18 when you have finished don’t try to empty the remains out straight away wait for it to cool the lump in the bottom is semi molten metal and is hot



19 empty the remains into a metal tin it will still be hot for a long time (don’t want to start any fires now do we wink)



20 be sure you are a good spinner don’t do silly stuff and practice with full cages unlit to get used to the feel of them









Out of the links I did find some were vary good please read them all before even attempting wool work





This link has some great safety info by fireNice and has some good replies.



[Old link]



This one has a bit of useful info and some nice links by fluffy



(LINK COMMING SOON SEARCH IS PLAYING UP redface)







A quote from Frodo someone who’s advice I would trust.

Written by: Frodo



use the finest grade wire wool that you can, DON’T dip, and don’t light!!!



sound confusing? well just use a normal household 9V battery, thats what i use, dry wire wool and a 9V it makes an even brighter wall of wooll!!!





don’t take my word for it, try it!!



frodo out






Hear is a pick of a good design with a feeding tin for longer burn times.



https://home.wanadoo.nl/rhoutappel/plaatjes/poi/wirewoolpoi.jpg







This is just an example one of the many picks I have found and is how not to go about it not enough space sparks are hitting what looks like a wooden fence and who knows what is on the other side of the fence ( may be a cat doing an impression of a dog wwooooooooofffffff)



https://www.homeofpoi.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=3444







Always think safety first ubbangel

cool





ubbangelif someone could spell check this for me I would be most grateful ubbangel

EDITED_BY: Mint Sauce (1137983797)

before i met those lot i thought they'd be a bunch of dreadlocked hippies that smoked, set things on fire ,and drank a lot of tea but then when i met them....oh wait (PyroWill)


fNiGOLD Member
master of disaster
3,354 posts
Location: New York, USA


Posted:
don't forget to check your links(quicklinks)

i see you note to check the construction, but also make sure the chains are attached well, and won't pull off smile

kyrian: I've felt your finger connect with me many times
lou kitten: sneaky little meatball..
ezz: please corrupt me more


AdeSILVER Member
Are we there yet?
1,897 posts
Location: australia


Posted:
clap thankx

that's a great job Mint sauce.

A question - and it's really only a semantic one, does the term sparkly poi refer to both wire wool poi and poi with sparklers attached or to just one? Is it a broad term for those toys that create sparks, or the illusion of sparks?

quite curious...

KaelGotRiceGOLD Member
Basu gasu bakuhatsu - because sometimes buses explode
1,584 posts
Location: Angels Landing, USA


Posted:
Yeah, I asked the rotational flowers question before and was told it was possible if I offtimed it so that it didn't aim at my face.

O_o not sure if I want to try that one though. Maybe I'll stick with regular flowers first.

To do: More Firedrums 08 video?

Wildfire/US East coast fire footage

LA/EDC glow/fire footage

Fresno fire


LurchBRONZE Member
old hand
929 posts
Location: Oregon, USA


Posted:
Unless you can pull off flowers really quickly I don't think it'll be all that great. The throw of the sparks is dependant on the speed of the chains just as much as the make and wool in them.

Personally the one thing that I would put on there as a very very serious requirement is eye protection. I'm a sculptor and a mailler so welding and metalworking dealing with sparks is no big deal to me, the few times I've done wool I was actually just in a double layered t-shirt and had some gloves, the sparks don't bother me, but always protect your eyes.

Remember that just as many sparks that are going out to the sides, are also going straight up, and straight down on top of you.

The best way to "put them out" is to dunk them in water. I've always done it on a dock, so I have plenty of water around me, and my extreme emergency backup plan for a horrible flamy accident was to dive in..

Basically for the most part stick to easy stuff, spin hard and spin fast. Fountains are a crowd pleaser.

#homeofpoi -- irc.newnet.net Come talk to us we're bored frown

Warning: Please Do Not Jump On The Seals


i8beefy2GOLD Member
addict
674 posts
Location: Ohio, USA


Posted:
How do you make chicken wire into a cruvey / ball shape for the cages? I need to make some.

Oh, and on a side note, a slightly different effect, but safer (sparks "flake" off instead of shoot out in a huge area) is pine charcoal. Safe for your more crowded areas, but may leave a mess of embers / ash around you...

fNiGOLD Member
master of disaster
3,354 posts
Location: New York, USA


Posted:
roll the cage into a hollow column.



bend the bottom in towards itself and twist/tie the ends together



repeat on the top after you've loaded it and attach handles

kyrian: I've felt your finger connect with me many times
lou kitten: sneaky little meatball..
ezz: please corrupt me more


*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
I've made some great cages from all-metal bird feeders - works very well and you can get a pair of cages out of a reasonable sized feeder smile

Cake or Death?


shen shuiSILVER Member
no excuses. no apologies.
1,799 posts
Location: aotearoa, New Zealand


Posted:
Written by:


(we once had a head come completely come off)





jeebers! im definitely not going to stand too close if my head may come Completely off! partially, i can handle... even then... ouch.

those that know, dont say. those that say, dont know.


strugzBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,964 posts
Location: Southampton - Possibly..., United Kingdom


Posted:
Good Post Mr Sauce biggrin informative indeed - i wouldnt argue with anypoint you have made there.



can i just add i taught frodo everything he knew ubblol



biased great pic one



biased great pic two



Play safe kids ubbrollsmile
EDITED_BY: strugz (1138107460)

"...We don't stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing......."


Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
yeah stugz, they are great pics, i'll second that.

really good complete thread mint wink

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
I have rated this thread a 5.

smile

*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
Longer chains are worthwhile too; they'll help you get the cages moving faster through the air.

Cake or Death?


Mint SauceBRONZE Member
veteran
1,453 posts
Location: Lancs England


Posted:
Written by: UraniumChipOxidationFacility


I have rated this thread a 5.

smile




thanks J

if you like the thread rate it biggrin

before i met those lot i thought they'd be a bunch of dreadlocked hippies that smoked, set things on fire ,and drank a lot of tea but then when i met them....oh wait (PyroWill)


Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
so did! wink yay for useful threads!

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
Minty... My name is Jon, not Jay. wink

Flaeyr_Munklefistnewbie
24 posts
Location: Tucson, Arizona


Posted:
Hm, was always interested in sparkly poi/staff, but I was never sure on the construction. It looks like the size of the holes in the chicken wire is relatively unimportant... for some reason, I was fearing the wool falling apart into pieces and huge flaming chunks coming out at the end. Guess it doesn't do that since it is only the very top part that is burning during the spin? Hum hum...

Anyway, great tips in here! I might be crazy enough to try it myself one day.

There was once a man who dreamt he was a butterly, and when he awoke, he wished he would wake again to find his wings.


KieronGOLD Member
Member
232 posts
Location: United Kingdom


Posted:
Tip 21: Don't expect security guards at music festivals to exercise common sense even if you've already talked to them and moved to a nice open area to spin.

Instead expect them to drive straight through the shower of molten metal.

"I'm quite good at darts, though i often miss" - Kylie

"I'm not a bad driver, I just panic when theres other cars around" - Sarah


Invader XanSILVER Member
Your friendly neighbourhood mad scientist
479 posts
Location: Over the hills and far away, United Kingdom


Posted:
 Written by: UraniumChipOxidationFacility


I have rated this thread a 5.





...But would you buy it? tongue

"Love the art in yourself and not yourself in the art."
--Konstantin Stanislavisky


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
Only if it was on 3 for 2. tongue

MynciBRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom


Posted:
Right I have the wool for falmouth... I now have but to make the cages I hope I get the packing right...I don' want to wase the wool.....

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.


KaelGotRiceGOLD Member
Basu gasu bakuhatsu - because sometimes buses explode
1,584 posts
Location: Angels Landing, USA


Posted:
I'm going to bump this because it's a worthwhile read for anyone who wants to spin steel wool. smile

To do: More Firedrums 08 video?

Wildfire/US East coast fire footage

LA/EDC glow/fire footage

Fresno fire


Mint SauceBRONZE Member
veteran
1,453 posts
Location: Lancs England


Posted:
aww thanks man

before i met those lot i thought they'd be a bunch of dreadlocked hippies that smoked, set things on fire ,and drank a lot of tea but then when i met them....oh wait (PyroWill)


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
I rated it a .. oh.. I already said that.

frown

Mint SauceBRONZE Member
veteran
1,453 posts
Location: Lancs England


Posted:
i will update this as some poit i have loads more to wright and i still need to change all sthe spellings skully sent me smile

before i met those lot i thought they'd be a bunch of dreadlocked hippies that smoked, set things on fire ,and drank a lot of tea but then when i met them....oh wait (PyroWill)


Karl_LabradaSILVER Member
newbie
6 posts
Location: Adelaide, Australia


Posted:
just a quick note, thru my testing i have found that makeing up a wire wool head in a similar way to a fire head works well and removes the need for a cage. if u keep the wool loose enough and hold it firm to ur chain with a single piece of fine wire all the bits which spark off are so small they dont do damage, and it burns nearly all of the material (wiith only a little left around where its attatched to the chain) makeing it easy clean up and verry little waste... but then, i guess thats not for everyone...

w4rr3ngBRONZE Member
newbie
2 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
Great post, I had a few questions i wanted to clarify..

as far as the feeding tin , thats hollow at the top a well?

I have my tins hollow on both ends, is this going to be a problem as far as safety?

My cages are about 12-15 inches in length total , with the poultry wiring curved and sealed at the bottom. chain attached with quicklinks to the wiring , then quicklink at the top attached to ball chain.


Does this sound about right ^^? Or any advice on modification to this design? Also, how much wirewool should i put in this out of a bundle of 12 sheets.


Thanks!

Karl_LabradaSILVER Member
newbie
6 posts
Location: Adelaide, Australia


Posted:
I've been reading up on how other people rig up their wire wool for burns, and ive found that for me, wrapping the wire wool around an old piece of scrap steel tubeing similar to makeing a fire head gives a good result. i fasten it on with a piece of fine wire twised firmly around the middle of the wire wool head... it gives a nice burn and the time of the burn and level of sparks can be controaled by how tightly u wrap the wire wool around the steel tube. a looser wrap will give a shorter, more sparkey and brighter burn than a tighter wrap, but if the wrap is too loose the wire wool wil come off and burn on the ground, too tight and it will just smolder on your chains (part of the reason for the steel tubeing especially while exparamenting.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: wire wool burns VERRY HOT, so be safe!

Stick ManBRONZE Member
member
37 posts
Location: Nh, USA


Posted:
I finally did my first wire wool spin last night. I was a little disappointed when they stopped sparking after 20 seconds. But I think I can fix that by making the openings in the cone bigger and packing the steel wool a little more densely. The cages are 12 inches long, with a 4.5 inch diameter, and made with ½ inch wire mesh. I used VERY loosely packed, 0000 gauge, wire wool for the burn.

For protective clothing I wore; Carhartt pants and jacket, over a hooded sweatshirt, with a hat and welders mask.

Cage design:

Non-Https Image Link


Non-Https Image Link

Video:

I ain't been around the world, but I've been around the block. I ain't seen everything, but I've seen enough to talk. I'm not a prophet, I'm not the 2nd comming of christ. I'm just a mason with a will to build and a little advice.


wyndsurfrnewbie
18 posts
Location: Brasstown, North Carolina, USA


Posted:
I take it that you have to spin these things really hard to get the effect??? i was wondering about putting these cages on the ends of a stick and making a staff for them??? has anyone tried this yet??? was the outcome lame or deadly???

Dude... my butt's on fire again... bummer...


Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
 Written by: wyndsurfr


I take it that you have to spin these things really hard to get the effect??? i was wondering about putting these cages on the ends of a stick and making a staff for them??? has anyone tried this yet??? was the outcome lame or deadly???



i dont think its quite as good personally. to me it just feels more dangerous. dont know why.

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


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