Light Fuse, Get Away...

[ThirstyBarbarian]

I’m glad I grew up before everyone had a video recorder in their pocket, and everything they did was recorded. I’d have a trail of idiotic videos following me around my whole life.

 

[rcktnut]

I’m glad I grew up before everyone had a video recorder in their pocket, and everything they did was recorded. I’d have a trail of idiotic videos following me around my whole life.

+1 My buddy still has some super8 films of some of our escapades. Got to see about getting them digitized.
I'm beginning to wonder how gasoline would have worked in the potato gun and tennis ball cannon I used to have. Always used Zippo lighter fluid in the tennis ball cannon and hair spray in the potato gun.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

+1 My buddy still has some super8 films of some of our escapades. Got to see about getting them digitized.
I'm beginning to wonder how gasoline would have worked in the potato gun and tennis ball cannon I used to have. Always used Zippo lighter fluid in the tennis ball cannon and hair spray in the potato gun.

I can tell you from experience that gasoline in the tennis ball cannon is too energetic. BOOM!

 

[terryg]

I have my doubts about this one. It seems the most common consensus is that you get get a hole in the tank that can then ignite (definately a bad idea) This one looks like a fake to me.

 

[Steven]

I’m glad I grew up before everyone had a video recorder in their pocket, and everything they did was recorded. I’d have a trail of idiotic videos following me around my whole life.

I'll one up you in idiocy.

 

[Donnager]

I’m glad I grew up before everyone had a video recorder in their pocket, and everything they did was recorded. I’d have a trail of idiotic videos following me around my whole life.

I have no doubt.

 

[rcktnut]

What exactly happened here? I don’t think this is more fuel, but what is it?

I think it is exactly what was said, fire starters, paraffin wax fire starters. If you play the video at 1/4 speed looks like white cubes in the blue container. Makes sense to have them there by his fireplace/grill. Also while in slow motion when he is on the ground notice the charred skin on his arm still glowing. That fire was so hot it immediately boiled the wax. The ash from the fire temporally blocked the oxygen from igniting the gas from the boiling paraffin.

 

[lr64]

I have my doubts about this one. It seems the most common consensus is that you get get a hole in the tank that can then ignite (definately a bad idea) This one looks like a fake to me.

There's video out there by a couple of guys who go out in the desert someplace and shoot things. Including oxygen and acetylene tanks, as I recall. Not generally giant explosions, but the tanks do start flying around pretty well. These guys have the sense to be a long way back. 100 yards? Once or twice, not really enough.

 

[bschultz32]

I use good old-fashioned charcoal lighter fluid to start fires in our outdoor fire pit. Works well even with wet-ish wood. No WHOOMP, no screaming, no visits to the ER or Burn Unit. Charcoal lighter fluid was formulated for exactly this kind of application, is relatively inexpensive, and is readily available at many stores. It amazes me how so many people disdain the use of proven performers designed by experts specifically for the task at hand. My speculative diagnosis: testosterone poisoning.

 

[Donnager]

There's video out there by a couple of guys who go out in the desert someplace and shoot things. Including oxygen and acetylene tanks, as I recall. Not generally giant explosions, but the tanks do start flying around pretty well. These guys have the sense to be a long way back. 100 yards? Once or twice, not really enough.

Probably Ed Sarkissian.

He seemed very amazed that the .50 going through the steel in an oxygen tank would set the hot steel in the hole on fire until the gas was gone. Didn't seem to matter if it was incendiary, or not.

If you run an Oxy/acetylene torch, you won't be surprised. Once steel gets hot, you can all but turn off the acetylene, turn up the oxygen and cut like a mad badger.

 

[lr64]

I use good old-fashioned charcoal lighter fluid to start fires in our outdoor fire pit. Works well even with wet-ish wood. No WHOOMP, no screaming, no visits to the ER or Burn Unit. Charcoal lighter fluid was formulated for exactly this kind of application, is relatively inexpensive, and is readily available at many stores. It amazes me how so many people disdain the use of proven performers designed by experts specifically for the task at hand. My speculative diagnosis: testosterone poisoning.

The vapor from that stuff can be dangerous, too, if you're not careful.

 

[tsmmiller]

We were given free range, and could do just about anything we wanted as long as the chores were done and animals fed and watered.
One thing we were not permitted to do was use the forge in dad's shop. (Not that that ever stopped us!)
One particular time, my brother was attempting to light it for whatever reason. He could not get the coal to take a light. He poured a cup of stove oil on it and tried again with no luck.
Using a complete book of matches he went to the house to get more. Once he arrived back at the shop he lit a match and held it to the coal with a mighty WHOMP!!!
The flash burned his eye brows off and most of the hair on the front of his head. He was in a panic!!! What to do? What to do?
Well, I figured it is early May so summer break is approaching. We normally get crew cuts for summer wear. We'll just go to town and get our haircuts early.
We didn't have enough for the $2.50 haircut for each of us so on the way to town we picked up beer bottles for change. (remember those short little Olympia bottles?)
Still a quarter short we went to the barber anyway, he made us promise we would bring in the rest as soon as we could. (we did)
After the parents got home they questioned the early haircuts. I just said it was getting hotter so we decided why not?
As far as the eyebrows? My brother's hair was so fair as to be near invisible. You couldn't see his eyebrow when he had eyebrows!
Many years later, we were all sitting around reliving our youths and the troubles we got into and stayed out of (or never got caught)
I mentioned the forge incident with my brother frantically waving his arms and mouth NO! NO! NO!
It was one thing I guess my parents never knew or found out about until that time.

 

[lr64]

On a very calm day, I was having trouble lighting the barbecue grill. I was maybe 12 and so somewhat less cautious than I am now. I kept trying to light it, failing, and putting on a bit more lighter fluid. Eventually, I was standing about 3 feet from the grill and lit a match. A path of flame went straight from the match to the grill and lit things pretty well. I'm glad I didn't wait any longer to strike the match.

 

[Marc_G]

Another classic of the genre.

This one is an all time favorite and essentially defines the genre.

 

[rcktnut]

This one is an all time favorite and essentially defines the genre.

Agreed, I can understand a person trying to start a fire with an accelerant but to add an accelerant to an already "rip snorten" fire is really stupid.

 

[NTP2]

wonder how they get all these stupid ideas?

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Agreed, I can understand a person trying to start a fire with an accelerant but to add an accelerant to an already "rip snorten" fire is really stupid.

Right?

You already have a fire. You don’t need more fire. Be satisfied with how much fire you already have. Ooops! See? Now you have way too much fire!

That guy is super fortunate the fuel can did not explode in his hands and douse him in burning gasoline.

 

[Marc_G]

The burning shrubbery and fence just add to the drama. Look closely; there's some sort of bird feeder hanging that I think must get immolated right after the video ends.

 

[Steven]

wonder how they get all these stupid ideas?

From a 'stupid' mind.