--OK first of all how do I get a pyrotechnician's license; i.e. where do I go to get what books and where do I take the test?

How about a tutorial on how to read and understand a MSDS sheet. I've tried to help write some safety stuff here, but MSDS sheets confuse the crap out of me. A good rundown of Flash point, Vapor information, toxic ratings, or some insight as to what OSHA's bizarre secret codes mean.

If it's to much to ask for a general rundown on organic chemistry, if someone could take a useful MSDS (like say, zenstoves.net/MSDS/ultra-pureLampoil.pdf ) and decypher useful parts, that'd be cool too.

I recently started eating fire. The torches I've used were homemade, not fancy, but did the job quite well. I no longer have access to them, however.

Can you suggest ways of constructing fire eating torches? Whether to use kevlar wick or braided fire cord or a thin fire rope? How to attach the kevlar so that it is secure and so that no metal is exposed, etc? They don't seem difficult to make and I much rather make than buy.

Thanks!

I have been looking for an outdoor alternative to my indoor propane fire ring jump. First, I need to find wick. I have found various prices. I also found a suggestion to try JC Whitney and use the stuff they wrap around mufflers. My jump is rather large and I am not sure how much I actually need to accomplish a good fire effect. Please advise. I only have a week and a half to get this done and I am very new to this.

My current jump is free standing, I have to also come up with an idea for this as well. I can send a photo of my current jump if that helps.

Thanks, Tracy

On very basics of safety:

i've been playing with fuego for years and have been around many seasoned fire players. this weekend i witnessed my first tragedy when a friend lit up his poi in a non-designated spin area (e.g. no wet blankets, no spotter, etc.) and wearing a synthetic shirt which caught on fire. he should be coming home from the hospital today.

can someone post a comprehensive list of very basic safety info such as:
~ what safety equipment should be on site (e.g. wet wool blankets, fire extinguishers, spotters, first aid kit, water, etc...) and what to do with the equipment.
~ what spotters should be looking for and when and how to react (e.g. cotton pants with a quick spark can be put out by spinner, but other contact ignitions need immediate intervention.)
~ what fabrics should *never* be worn while playing with fire.
~ how many spotters to have on site (eg- one or two to help victim, a third and possibly 4th for crowd control.)

any basic posts like this could be very helpful to a lot of people.

it wasn't pretty to watch this tragedy and any info that could minimize the possibility of this happening for others would be great. (Ted, don't you have a general safety website? if so, maybe post a link to it as a "recommendation" in this tribe.

hope all had a blast at brc & thanks in advance for your responses to this post.

I have been wondering if there are any environmentally safe fuels that can be used for Fire performances? Something along the lines of: X is to white gas, as bio-diesel is to diesel.

is it safe to store fuel in dip buckets (paint cans) for extended amounts of time.
i assume yes, but would like to know for sure.
thanks

HI, Tedward!
Has there been any new, updated info we need to know on the topic of "Travelling with Tools?" I and my friends are going to Fire Drums next week and want to be doubly sure our poi and things get there on the same plane we do. :)

--Working on a friend's art car and he's setting up a couple of torches on the roof. We've got the whole thing up and running with mechanical controls but he wants to 'automate' it; i.e. replace manual quarter-turn valves with solenoid valves. I've got some surplus 12v NC valves with 1/8" threaded ports, meaning an orifice of maybe 1/8". Question: assuming the propane is coming out of a standard 5 gal tank at maybe 60psi do I have an adequate flow to make decent fireballs? Many other questions but not all organized at present.

I know a read somewhere about the space that each person needs while spinning fire. But as I was spinning glow poi last night in a bar and looking at the ceiling clearance, I wondered if there was a recommended amount that is needed to spin with fire. Thanks!