I have heard that Non Dairy Creamer will catch flame when in aerial suspension (sp?) How would you put it in to the air like that? Grab some in your hand and throw it in the air? Then how would you light it? Throw a match through the cloud of powder? Light it from below with a clicky lighter?

Please let me know if none of these ways are what you should do and how you should do it.

Thanks!
Derek Merdinyan

Look at Dragon's breath. Sub it.

I use the non dairy creamer when I am juggling torches. It produces a nice ball of flame.

To answer your question, you have to throw the creamer towards a flame, preferable upwards. It's nice because it creates a nice effect and only costs $2.00 for a larger supply.

Like Dragons Breath (Lycopodium) the NDC has to be in a fine powdered state when in the air to carry the flame. I would suggest going to a novelty store and taking the bulb off of one of tose "Suprise ! It looks like a _______, But it really just squirts you with water !" things.

They will usually give you a good size burst or two before yo have to refill them. This will keep your pockets and hands clean.

Thinking about Halloween-- might scare kids if you mixed the "flaming powder" just after a fireburst with your coffee and drank it. Or just eat it straight.

Would be holding a match in the left hand and throwing powder with the right hand be a bad idea? heh... So use a torch or candle and throw the powder it its direction. (?)

Derek Merdinyan

It won't really work if you just "throw" the powder at the flame. It really needs a find, directed stream to be visually effective.
You could put some in an old, dry, squeeze type eyedropper bottle, for example..you might need to widen the nozzle hole just a tiny bit.

It works fine if you throw it. As you throw it, it disperses and creates a huge fireball. I use almost every weekend when I perform outside. You just need a larger flame like a juggling torch.

That said. Their is a problem with NDC. If it gets the tiniest bit damp, it is useless. On really humid days this is a problem as the particles start clumping together.

I grabbed a bunch of non dairy creamer from a fast food restaurant to play around with. When I first got it, it felt normal. Now it feels clumpy in the packaging. I figured it wouldnt work as well if it was clumpy.

Derek Merdinyan

It does ??
I never really tried it on a big flame, just a single candle kind of thing.
Well then, that's cool.
I just got some "official" dragon's breath, plus I have lot of the creamer.. I'm going to "A/B" them and see how much difference there is in the size of the fireball they make.

Don't forget tto put desiccant packets in the NDC and it should be fine while transporting to a show...

Good idea.
In fact, I have some really little packets that'd probably even fit in the handheld spray bottle I use.
Does Lyco benefit from silica gel packets too ? Or is that unnecessary ?

I think creamer is water soluble, but the spores aren't.

My grandmother use to put dried rice in salt shakers and the like to keep the grains from sticking together. It is really humid in Florida (DUH!) and the rice would absorb the moisture keeping the salt from sticking together. Perhaps this would work with the NDC.

Derek Merdinyan

Pyrotechnicians use this stuff to make huge fireballs they look like this.

Sorry I meant to make a link to one but I could find one tilll now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSUqHeQZrw

Here's how I use it...

While having lunch with someone and there is powdered creamer available at the restaurant, I'll steer the conversation to how flammable creamer is (and we ingest this stuff?) I demonstrate by lighting a lighter and pouring a small amount toward the flame. After the shock dies down, I tell them it's also how I make money.

I then take a napkin and crudely draw a dollar bill on it then pour some creamer into it and ball it up. I do a sh**tle pass, switching it for a piece of Fl**h Pa**r with a real dollar bill inside of it - balled up. Touch the fl**h pa**er with the flame of the lighter and wa-la! Instant money!


Lyndel

Very nice, Lyndel! I love your take on this subject!! =]

-Vinnie

Thanks Vinnie,

It works great and uses common props available at the time (as far as the spectator knows). The only pre-set is to carry around a dollar bill balled up in Fl**h Pa**er and a lighter. You're always ready to go when the opportunity presents itself!

The fact that the creamer is really flammable is what sells this routine in the spectators mind!

Lyndel

That is great Idea. I am still a little shy with flash paper but I didn't Know you could ball up money in flash paper with out it getting burned.