Stephen Tranovich12:05 PM
Okay, it is time! Let's get started!
Stephen Tranovich12:05 PM
A HUGE welcome to @brice.farrell for joining us today and talking about FIRE!
brice.farrell12:05 PM
Thanks Stephen. Hello Everyone! I'm Brice Farrell - I built Shorter Pounder and helped (re)build Battle Royale with Cheese on this season of BattleBots, I've done a lot of propane boofers for ice carvers (and because they're fun), and I shoot professional fireworks on the weekends :)
ZiggyInKC12:06 PM
I've got my matches ready
Stephen Tranovich12:06 PM
hah, Ziggy!
Stephen Tranovich12:07 PM
Okay, let's not dilly dally and dive right into things!
brice.farrell12:07 PM
Matches are great for little matchstick rockets. Which are harder to do well than the youtube videos make them look. Still a lot of fun if you get some friends together and start experimenting
Stephen Tranovich12:07 PM
The first question that is on everyone's mind: How do WE not catch on fire when building flame systems?
brice.farrell12:08 PM
Humans are decently flame-resistant, so the main concern is making sure that nothing ON you catches on fire, and then transfers that fire to you. I personally avoid liquid fuels, since they can get on you and then you catch on fire...
brice.farrell12:10 PM
The other thing to watch out for is your clothing. Most of the synthetic clothing out there will melt, become a liquid fuel, and then stick to you while it burns. For shooting pyro we are required to use natural-fiber clothes. I personally go with a leather jacket and jeans. Cotton or flannel are also good choices - while they can catch on fire you can pull them off and they won't stick to you.
Cameron12:10 PM
what about wool?
RRSapp12:11 PM
Wool burns
Thomas Shaddack12:11 PM
nomex is the best.
brice.farrell12:11 PM
Apart from that, it's mostly a matter of being cautious - have a few safety switches, keep muzzles pointing away from you, ask yourself "what is about to go wrong" and have some extinguishers / hoses around you.
brice.farrell12:12 PM
Wool is ok, but it's typically already 90* F when we're shooting pyro so wool would be quite warm.
Stephen Tranovich12:13 PM
Do you have a safety checklist you use or give newer people to your projects? Something people in this chat who want to try their hand at fire hacking should keep with them to be safe(r)?
brice.farrell12:13 PM
Nomex is the best, but it's expensive and we don't need that level of protection, since any exposure to fire should be momentary in most of our applications
Arsenijs12:14 PM
Checklists are cool
RoGeorge12:15 PM
OK then, fire at will!
:o)
t.w.otto12:15 PM
*anything* can burn given enough motivation
Thomas Shaddack12:15 PM
chlorine trifluoride. motivates well.
brice.farrell12:16 PM
I don't have a general fire checklist... I have a couple for pyrotechnics? But generally: Natural fibers, eye protection, fire extinguisher, and work your way up during testing
Arsenijs12:16 PM
work yor way up?
Thomas Shaddack12:17 PM
cutoff valves?
Arsenijs12:17 PM
are there special cutoff valves that detect fire?
brice.farrell12:17 PM
So for example, with propane stuff, I'll test it with 10, 20, 30, 50 psi of pressurized air first to check for leaks, then I'll switch to propane and start down at 5psi. If that goes well I'll go to 10, then 20 psi of propane
Arsenijs12:17 PM
like, a GFCI, but for fire
RoGeorge12:17 PM
acetylene fire arrestors
Thomas Shaddack12:18 PM
@Arsenijs a normally-closed electromagnetic valve with electronic control (gas sensors for leaks, fire/smoke sensors...) and fusible link as backup?
brice.farrell12:19 PM
You can use solenoid valves as cutoffs, and there are parts that you can get for furnaces that detect fire - they use them to cut the fuel if the pilot light goes out. Everything I build is...
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for profireworks what certs or licenses do you need to stay legal?
Also what do you use for your magazine?