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I've been eating with torches wicked with roughly 8 inches of 3" kevlar wicking doubled over to form a good sized head.
On my first dipping, they work amazingly for vapor tricks. I was able to get long candles even a good bit into the burn. In the past, after extinguishing, I've been able to redip my wicks how and use them again.
With these torches however, even after letting them cool down for ten minutes, the first time I put them even half way in my mouth, they extinguish; no chance for a candle at all.
Is it the wicking I'm using? Is it the fuel? Any advice would be helpful.
On my first dipping, they work amazingly for vapor tricks. I was able to get long candles even a good bit into the burn. In the past, after extinguishing, I've been able to redip my wicks how and use them again.
With these torches however, even after letting them cool down for ten minutes, the first time I put them even half way in my mouth, they extinguish; no chance for a candle at all.
Is it the wicking I'm using? Is it the fuel? Any advice would be helpful.
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Unsu...
Re: Problem with Eating Torches?
Sun, March 22, 2009 - 8:38 PMYou did not say what kind of fuel you are using......
From your description, it sounds like your torches are HUGE. The larger the head, the more heat it retains.
If you are using a fuel with a low heat of vaporization (such as Coleman's camp fuel or other naptha based fuel), it could be that when you place the torch in your mouth that so much fuel is vaporizing that the air/fuel mixture around the torch (and inside your mouth) that the mixture exceeds the upper flammable limit, hence extinguishing the flame.
The solution to this may be to use a fuel with a higher heat of vaporization, or perhaps decrease the size of the heads.
It sounds like the first dipping works well as the heads are way cooler before ever being lit. Once they've burned, they retain enough heat to vaporize fuel at a rate higher than you would prefer.
Just my thoughts. -
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Re: Problem with Eating Torches?
Mon, March 23, 2009 - 5:37 AMSorry, I'm one of those people who should never post tired.
I do use coleman's white gas. And if it's too hot, basically I'm extinguishing the flame with it's own vapors inside my mouth, right?
What options do I have for other fuels that will have a higher heat of vaporization that are still wise for fire eating? I wouldn't want to do lamp oil, because from what I've heard vapor tricks are then out of the equation? Is there a mix that works well?
Also, are there any tricks to cooling the torches down quicker? It's not like I can quench them in water.
Thanks again for all the help! -
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Unsu...
Re: Problem with Eating Torches?
Mon, March 23, 2009 - 8:16 AM<<<I do use coleman's white gas. And if it's too hot, basically I'm extinguishing the flame with it's own vapors inside my mouth, right? >>>
Correct.
You could use Ultrapure, or maybe try a mixture of Ultrapure and Coleman's. Personally, I would cut down my wick size to a smaller head that does not retain so much heat. If you're doing a lot of vapor tricks and/or body skin contact tricks, It's likely that the lamp oil will make that difficult, painfull, blistery or impossible.
You could also try using a larger reservoir of white gas for dipping them. I would imagine that a small container would get warm after a dip or two, compounding the problem as the temperature of the fuel increased with every dip of the torch. You could refrigerate your fuel. find two metal bowls that nest within each other. nest the bowls and freeze water between them creating a small freezer for your fuel. Basically a jacket of ice between the inner and outer bowl. It would keep the fuel at 32 degrees F as long as there was still ice there.
You might consider making torches using different wicking material. Experiment a little with torch design. I'm seeing more torches made by winding kevlar rope in different layers and configurations versus using flat kevlar tape these days. -
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Re: Problem with Eating Torches?
Mon, March 23, 2009 - 9:38 AMThanks for the tips!
I like the big wicks because it seems to hold the flames longer when I'm doing contact and also makes a much more impressive flame that can be seen further by the audience. I understand now, though, that I'm making a compromise on vapors/relighting, so I'll have to think long and hard about it.
I think the only reason I stay away from wrapped cording is because I'm lazy/cheap and don't want to have to rewick as often. Again, it might be a compromise I have to make.
I love the idea of frozen bowls, and that does give me some good ideas of where to take it that are more practical for shows and performances. Thanks again! -
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Re: Problem with Eating Torches?
Mon, March 23, 2009 - 1:25 PMI would suggest making more torches, enough to get you though your set. Easy, and will alwys work. Trying to cool your fuel is gong to be a pain
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