Don't you all just love these homemade ideas! Okay. I was wondering if someone knows where to get a very small battery powered glo plug to fit in a size of steel tubing.

Got a Hobby shop nearby that specializes in Model Airplanes??

I picked up some nice little glow plugs for about $3.50 each, and they glow nicely with a pair of AA cells.

The problem is that you then have to thread it into something, and most tubes that would take flash paper are bigger than the plug.

So you could solder a thick washer or other stock over the end of the tube, and drill it, and tap it, and voila', you have just done an aswful lot of work to save a few bucks.

And you still need a way to hold the batteries in place, and a switch, and some way to "hold on to it", assuming you are doing a small palmable unit.

It is doable, and if you have a very special case; like having more time than money, or just wanting to make a better one... it can work. But be careful and dont ever forget that you are literally playing with fire.

BroDavid

you seem like you dont recoment many do it yourself magic projects. Why would it take a long while. I have washers, drills, solder, tubing, batteries and switches from previous collections of sorts i've taken apart. what could be the worst thing? Could flash paper really make a steel tube explode?

I do a LOT of do it myself effects. I have designed and manufactured and marketing a wide variety of products over the years, and I do all of my own prototyping.

But maybe I was a bit strong in my previous post, where you are concerned.

A lot of folks come to me and say, "OH I just saw that FLash thing you used and I want to make one too!" And I tell them whatthyy need to do, and they dont have a clue or a tool to get it done. However, you apprarently have the tools. Go for it.

But I would not use steel tube becuase it will corrode and is harder to work with than copper which is readily available in a wide variety of tube and flat stock, and which will work fine for this type of device. And I guess I just thought that if you were suggesting a steel tube, then you had not done many hobby projs. Sorry if if I was out of line.

Now for safety; Could flash paper blow up a steep tube? Maybe, maybe not. But I know that if it is confined in a small space, it is just like gunpowder, it lights, and want out! So I guess it could. Not likely but possible. And remember that you are talking about FIRE. It is unlikely that when I use fire in my ACT, that anything "unusual" will happne. But I still bring my own fire extinguishers, review the fire alarms, and insist extinguishers and alarms be manned during the performance.

I dont want to hurt anyone, or get hurt! I always caution people about fire. It is dangerous.

Good Luck, and be careful out there!

BroDavid

well, accually, i wasnt going to use steel, it jsut came to mind at the moment, but doesnt copper corrode also? It seems to get gummy, when steel just rusts... Would aluminum be a better alternitave?:/

Copper does corrode a bit, but only due to corrosives. by this I mean it doesnt really corrode all over , like rust. But it does need to be cleaned out everry once in a bit, and the plug cleaned out too.

As for alumiinum, if you heli-arc or have other ways to weld aluminum, I guess it might be better. And the possibility exists, if you have a milling machine that you could machine the device out of a block of aluminum. But I personally think that while it would be elegant, it would also be overkill.

Godd Luck

BroDavid

Copper does corrode a bit, but only due to corrosives. by this I mean it doesnt really corrode all over , like rust. But it does need to be cleaned out everry once in a bit, and the plug cleaned out too.

As for alumiinum, if you heli-arc or have other ways to weld aluminum, I guess it might be better. And the possibility exists, if you have a milling machine that you could machine the device out of a block of aluminum. But I personally think that while it would be elegant, it would also be overkill.

Godd Luck

BroDavid