make your own fire snot. Methanol Jelly.

[mountainm]

Found this and thought peep may be interested.



Make Your Own Gelled Alcohol Fuel - Canned Heat
Extreme do it yourselfers can make their own gelled fuel at home with by mixing alcohol and calcium acetate (C4H6CaO4).

The following instructions and measurements are from the Montville High School Science Departmental.
1. Add 25g of crushed chalk or egg shells (calcium carbonate-CaCO3) to 100ml of vinegar (water and acetic acid - CH3CO2H) and stir for about 5 minutes.


This should produce carbon dioxide (CO2), calcium acetate (C4H6CaO4) and water (H2O) plus leave you with some left over chalk (CaCO3). If you are guessing on how much chalk to add, just make sure that there is a little extra after 5 minutes of stirring.


2. Remove the excess chalk by filtering your mix through some filter paper (coffee filter or napkin can be used).

Set a funnel in a jar, place your filter in it and pour your suspension through it.


3. Mark the level of your solution in its container and allow your solution to evaporate off about half that volume to remove the excess water.

Place your solution in an oven set on low heat or place it out in the sun to dry. If you went to far - just add the missing water.


Note - if you like, you can dry out your solution completely and store the remaining dried calcium acetate for future use.


4. If your solution isn't already in the container you want your gel in, then pour it in there now.


5. Add 30ml of alcohol (ethanol, methanol, or isopropanol) to your solution and watch the gel form. Do not stir.


6. Once the reaction in complete, pour off any extra fuel.

 

[Robbi]

and one instant molotov coctail ! LOL !!

 

[Teepee]

Great stuff Mike

I'm going to have to have a go at this one, even though vinegar is devils food for me-can't stand the smell.

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

sticky burny fun !!

 

[mountainm]

Great stuff Mike

I'm going to have to have a go at this one, even though vinegar is devils food for me-can't stand the smell.

I think a large chunk of limestone would be easier to get hold of than chalk or egg shells.

 

[Robbi]

egg shells are really easy to get hold of, they sell them in supermarkets but they have goowie stuff inside that you have to throw away into a frying pan before you can use the shells....hope that helps

 

[mountainm]

egg shells are really easy to get hold of, they sell them in supermarkets but they have goowie stuff inside that you have to throw away into a frying pan before you can use the shells....hope that helps

You'll need to eat an awful lot of eggs to produce any kind of quantity.

 

[lannyman8]

great tips, thanks for posting......

 

[Teepee]

I think you are right. I'm guessing it would take a lot more grinding down than chalk though.
Another way I just thought of is those bags of crushed shells they sell in pet shops....

 

[mountainm]

I think you are right. I'm guessing it would take a lot more grinding down than chalk though.
Another way I just thought of is those bags of crushed shells they sell in pet shops....

Just a few small limestone rocks should provide enough surface area. I've done it to grow crystals for my eldest boy.

 

[resnikov]

As an ex-chemist, please make sure you do this some where well ventilated and well away from sources of ignition.

 

[bojit]

Didn't the americans use something very similar in veitnam

I mutch prefer vodka jelly. Great fun for BBQs . just try to keep the kids away from it .

Craig................

 

[mountainm]

As an ex-chemist, please make sure you do this some where well ventilated and well away from sources of ignition.

The calcium carbonate and vinegar reaction is safe enough, just producing CO2. I can't stand the smell of meths in the house so Is do that bit outside anyway...

 

[greensurfingbear]

Not quite as exciting but I've been known to collect the wood chip and dust that is stuck inside a chainsaw to use for fire lighting.

 

[mountainm]

Didn't the americans use something very similar in veitnam

Craig................

I think napalm is a very different beast...

 

[mountainm]

I think napalm is a very different beast...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napalm?wasRedirected=true

How wrong was I! See the note on Sterno.

 

[Teepee]

According to wikipaedia, its benzene and polystyrene mixed. I think I'll stick to the snot.........

 

[ashes1627]

According to wikipaedia, its benzene and polystyrene mixed. I think I'll stick to the snot.........

Would get a good fire going though...

 

[tomongoose]

I tried this and it didn't set very well but I was using coloured chalks that was all I had

 

[mountainm]

I tried this and it didn't set very well but I was using coloured chalks that was all I had

Some commercial chalks aren't chalk at all... well according to QI anyway.