Bug Spray + Lighter = Flamethower?

I recently saw a program on the Discovery Channel where someone used a can of bug spray and lighter to make a flamethrower. They did so to scare away a jaguar. I've also seen this flamethrower trick done with hair spray. Exactly what is being burned here? Is the aerosol itself flamable? Is there alcohol in all these products? What other types of sprays can be used for this? Disinfectant? Spray paint? Pledge? I'm also wondering how dangerous this is. Is there any chance the flame gets into the can and blows it up in my hand? I'm thinking of trying this with some old binaca. Oh and most importantly, what kind of lux and lumens output can I expect? Anybody willing to measure with thier light meters?

Since it became impossible to use CFC's as propellants anylonger, the propellant in most spray cans these days is propane, butane or isobutane, all of which are extremely flamable . Just about any spray can can become a flame thrower these days because of the propellant gas used.

Generally the portion of active ingredient in most spay cans is small comapred to the amount of propellant, and it is the propellant that burns so well. Of course it the active ingredient is also flamable, it doesn't hurt. Most insecticides are halogonated hydrocarbons, and how well they burn is related to how completely halogenated they are. Many require an organic solvent to carry them, and most organic solvents are highly flamable.

Generally the can is devoid of oxidizing agents, so the flame cannot go back inside the can because there is no oxidizing agent inside. It needs the oxygen in the air to support combustion.

Mattheww50 knows far more about this stuff than I do, but as someone who on many occasions has been on the lighter side of an aresol can, I can say indeed, yes, it does work.
This used to be a favorite trick of mine as a kid, until now I thought that at any second in between childish laughs that the can was gonna blow!

Actually the absolute best substance I have seen for this.......When Young to clean up Fire Ant Trails and knock down Wasp nests.

Is Liquid Wrench followed closesly by WD-40. Be careful with these two.

Hairspray and bug spray make a short lived close range blue flame. The other two put out a long flame that sticks and burns. Also WD-40 absorbtion has killed people including someone I know.

Pydpiper said:

Mattheww50 knows far more about this stuff than I do, but as someone who on many occasions has been on the lighter side of an aresol can, I can say indeed, yes, it does work.
This used to be a favorite trick of mine as a kid, until now I thought that at any second in between childish laughs that the can was gonna blow!

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i used to do this as a kid too.. :laughing: Damn cool ain't it.

Until 1 day i decided to fill the entire toilet bowl with aerosol spray and light it up to see the consequences (Which i thought would at most be a flaming bowl!) .......... And the flame blew up into my face, causing my eyebrows, eye lashes, nostril hairs and hair to singe!

It got me so shocked.. i stopped after that, to wipe away the charred parts and trim my weird lookin' eyebrows, and never attempting it again.. :sweat: Lucky me.

We did this in boy scouts. Then we progressed to Throwing aerosol cans in the fire (highly recommended! Great big BANG!). Lighting our hands on fire with zippo fuel and then straight to blowing fire with barbecue starter by filling our mouths and blowing at a hand held lighter. It was odd no one got hurt.

vaism said:

i used to do this as a kid too.. :laughing: Damn cool ain't it.

Until 1 day i decided to fill the entire toilet bowl with aerosol spray and light it up to see the consequences (Which i thought would at most be a flaming bowl!) .......... And the flame blew up into my face, causing my eyebrows, eye lashes, nostril hairs and hair to singe!

It got me so shocked.. i stopped after that, to wipe away the charred parts and trim my weird lookin' eyebrows, and never attempting it again.. :sweat: Lucky me.

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Flaming bowl.. Too much..

I ended up catching a plant hanger on fire in my living room, big old cotton thing suspending from the ceiling.. I was young, but never did learn my lesson. I still use WD-40 to get my fireplace going on the deck.. :sweat:
I am a firm believer in accelerants .

xochi said:

Lighting our hands on fire with zippo fuel

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:huh2: What?! and never got burnt? how the heck is that possible? :laughing:

Ok, you win, never lit myself on fire on purpose before.
But.. Once I took 30 22cal blanks from my remington nail driver, bored a tight hole for each one into a 2x4, placed another 2x4 against it and wrapped it in duct tape so the little buggers wouldn't get away, and tossed that into a fire, still have scars from that one.

xochi said:

We did this in boy scouts. Then we progressed to Throwing aerosol cans in the fire (highly recommended! Great big BANG!). Lighting our hands on fire with zippo fuel and then straight to blowing fire with barbecue starter by filling our mouths and blowing at a hand held lighter. It was odd no one got hurt.

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JonSidneyB said:

Actually the absolute best substance I have seen for this.......When Young to clean up Fire Ant Trails and knock down Wasp nests.

Is Liquid Wrench followed closesly by WD-40. Be careful with these two.

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I'm assuming you've never tried 3M's Super 77 spray adhesive? Can you say napalm in a can :huh:

Not that I ever would have participated in such childish, wreckless behaviors :devil:

xochi said:

Then we progressed to Throwing aerosol cans in the fire

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The quality copper spray paints that actually have trace amounts of copper emmit a greenish flame when tossed into a fire.

DFiorentino said:

The quality copper spray paints that actually have trace amounts of copper emmit a greenish flame when tossed into a fire.

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This makes sense, as a kid my uncle would put a piece of rubber hose in a copper pipe and toss it in the campfire, it would change the whole fire to a beautiful blue/green show of colors that seemd to last a long time..

Sometimes its more about effect than safety..
Here are 4 123A's, 1 minute into a 3 minute carousel ride.

I've nuked CD's before, but WOW!!

I hope there are no environmentalists reading :duck: .

xochi said:

We did this in boy scouts. Then we progressed to Throwing aerosol cans in the fire (highly recommended! Great big BANG!). Lighting our hands on fire with zippo fuel and then straight to blowing fire with barbecue starter by filling our mouths and blowing at a hand held lighter. It was odd no one got hurt.

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Ah, the darker side of the being a scout

I'll still claim that (overall) being a scout teaches you to be a responsible person, and gives you the skills to keep you alive under harsh conditions.

Those of us that have lived through foolish and dangerous antics as a child is proof that some do survive to boast of it, with no apparent consequences. Unfortunately, those that killed themselves off aren't able to tell their story. While both surviving and suffering injuries from various foolish and dangerous stunts in my youth, I'd be hard pressed to want to share the ideas with our younger ones in our group.

Our group consists of members of all ages, including some young enough to be highly impressionable, and consider themselves invincible. It's a hazardous combination for sure. One would be better to restrict such accounts to a responsible age group. Thread closed.