How to make a wick for a sulfur bomb

An ideal wick has a stable and uniform combustion; there are no lumbagoes or spontaneous extinction. It is highly desirable that the wick be easy to manufacture, but reliable and provide the required water resistance.

All wicks made at home can be roughly divided according to reliability into two main groups: unreliable and reliable. Let's take a closer look at these groups.

Wicks and fuses

When making a variety of pyrotechnic devices, you cannot do without a good fuse!
A low-quality wick can not only go out without ensuring the device (bomb, firecracker, etc.) works, but also burn out faster than planned, jeopardizing safety! Therefore, making a wick with your own hands should be approached with complete seriousness and responsibility. An ideal wick has a stable and uniform combustion; there are no lumbagoes or spontaneous extinction. It is highly desirable that the wick be easy to manufacture, but reliable and provide the required water resistance.

All wicks made at home can be roughly divided according to reliability into two main groups: unreliable and reliable. Let's take a closer look at these groups.

Important Note

Before you make a wick with your own hands, do not forget about responsibility for all your subsequent actions. It is possible to launch pyrotechnics only in conditions where there is no strong side wind, outside dense urban areas. The use of such products in hot and dry weather conditions, as well as their use by minor children, is unacceptable.

Here's how to make a wick without using expensive tools.

Are you thinking how to make a lamp with a wick with your own hands? This article provides tips on making a homemade lamp and wick for it. Read now!

How to make a lamp with a wick with your own hands?

Unreliable wicks

Everything here is clear right from the name. These wicks are as easy to make as they are unreliable. The main representatives of this group are sulfur strip and saltpeter paper.

Sulfur strip

The sulfur strip is made from match heads. Cut a piece of paper one and a half to two centimeters wide. Then carefully separate the match heads in the amount of two boxes. It is important to ensure that the sulfur does not crumble or fall off the match. And, one by one, we lay them out in a row on the prepared paper. At the end, where the sulfur strip will contact the pyrotechnic device, you need to put more match heads. We cover the top with the same strip of paper and seal it on both sides with narrow stationery tape. The disadvantage of the sulfur strip is that the tape melts when burned and can block the spread of fire. Experiments have shown that this happens in approximately 3 cases out of 10. 70% reliability... decide for yourself whether to use the sulfur strip or not, but for now we classify it as an unreliable wick.

Saltpeter paper

Perhaps one of the simplest wick options. Here we will not dwell on it in detail, because a separate article on our website is devoted to its description: Saltpeter paper. For now, let us point out the main disadvantage of saltpeter paper - it is very hygroscopic, in other words, it strongly absorbs moisture from the surrounding air, so it is very important, firstly, to store saltpeter paper correctly, and secondly, to use it only in dry weather. A saltpeter cord is made in a similar way. Take a saturated solution of potassium or sodium nitrate and soak the cord in it for about 10 seconds. Then it is dried and stored in the same way as saltpeter paper, but it has its own advantages: it bends easily and is almost unlimited in length, unlike paper.

Poplar fluff as a wick

If it’s summer outside, then good material for the wick should be lying right under your feet - this is poplar fluff. Collect it, crumple it and wrap it in newspaper. Here's the wick!

In order to test your inventions from a safe distance, you really need a remote control. In this case, the wick is a cord, etc. To detonate pyrotechnic charges, you can use either a fuse cord or make a wick at home, for which you will need cheap and easily purchased components. Here are several options on how to make a wick at home.

How to make a kickford cord

Wire insulation, soda straws, or empty pen paste work well. We fill the shell with crushed (be careful! They can detonate when crushed) match heads. If desired, you can replace them with gunpowder or another well-burning mixture. The fuse cord we made will not extinguish the wind, and with proper insulation, it can even be used in water. The more the filling is compressed, the longer our fuse cord will burn.

When using match heads, in order to optimize the process, the sulfur (let’s be honest, there is no more than 10 percent sulfur in the matches, and the main components are phosphorus and Berthollet’s salt, KClO3) you can not scrape off, but immediately break off the head of the match, laying them out in a row, then wrap it all up with tape, although some craftsmen, for example, manage to remove sulfur from matches with one graceful movement of their fingers.

How to make a jute wick

An ordinary jute rope, previously soaked in sodium or potassium nitrate dissolved in water, will do.

The same jute rope, or even better if you take an old cotton rope, will be suitable for making this type of wick. We repeat the already familiar procedures of soaking in a solution of potassium nitrate and thoroughly drying. Next, the powder pulp and organic glue are mixed to form a viscous thick mass. A cotton rope soaked in potassium nitrate (potassium nitrate) stretched through this mixture is called stopin.

Hunting matches as a wick

Why aren't the wicks wonderful? One match burns for about 20 seconds without going out even in inclement weather. Just remember to make sure that the charge does not detonate earlier than necessary due to sparks flying in all directions.

It's summer outside, and good wicks are lying around in huge quantities right under our feet. Collect the fluff, crumple it, and then wrap it in newspaper.

Watch the video on how to make a homemade wick from potassium permanganate and glue:

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Every person is a child at heart. What do children like? That's right, everything flapping and sparkling! After all, no holiday can be imagined without fireworks, and some people manage to make them at home.

Fortunately, this rarely happens. Much more often we buy pyrotechnics on the eve of the New Year holidays. Unfortunately, the quality of their production often leaves much to be desired. This is especially true for cheap pyrotechnics, the wicks of which are sometimes indecently short.

How to make a wick from scrap materials? Is this even real? There is practically nothing complicated about this.

Reliable wicks

The most suitable wicks for homemade pyrotechnics. All of them are almost equally good; which one to choose depends on the situation. Let's see how to make a reliable fuse.

Hunting or camping matches

Special matches differ from ordinary ones by having a larger head and are coated with a special flammable material that prevents the match from going out along its entire length. Such a match burns at a constant speed, does not go out, the combustion time is about 20 seconds. Perfect as a short but reliable wick.

Incendiary fuse

Incendiary pipe

Source

What can you use to make a homemade wick?

The easiest way is to buy a skein of ready-made wicks in a store or online. Cotton threads, wooden skewers, pieces of fabric and improvised means such as braid or medical bandage, gauze are suitable for making homemade wicks.

In order for a candle to burn, the wick must be soaked. To prepare the impregnating solution, use the following ingredients:

0.5 l of water;
5 g ammonium chloride;
5 g sodium nitrate;
5 g calcium chloride;
10 g borax.

All components are mixed, after which the prepared wicks are soaked for at least 15 minutes, then hung to dry (this takes about 5 days). The composition of the solution can be modified by making it from 700 ml of water mixed with ammonium chloride and sodium nitrate (1 g each). It is also possible to use a mixture of slaked lime (30 g), sodium nitrate (8 g) and water (0.5 l).

Some needlewomen prefer components that are more commonly used in everyday life. For 1.5 liters of filtered heated water take 2 tbsp. l. table salt without additives and 4 tbsp. l. Boers. Stir the ingredients well until a homogeneous mass is formed and begin soaking.

The simplest option

Despite their primitiveness, such wicks burn very stably, and with proper sealing they are practically not afraid of getting wet. An ideal option for the safe use of questionable pyrotechnics!

If possible, then before making a wick, try to get hunting matches. They burn excellently and can easily withstand even getting wet, so they can be used to make an excellent fuse cord!

Press down this entire structure on top with the same strip of tape. The resulting ignition cord can be used even in winter conditions, since it is slightly susceptible to moisture. Since it is extremely easy to make a firecracker wick this way, it can be recommended for fireworks enthusiasts of all ages.

Attention! Strictly follow all fire safety rules, otherwise you can easily start a fire.

Alternative: wick made from bandage or braid

The medical bandage is made from natural threads, so it is suitable for making candle wicks. It is better to take a narrow bandage, which should be cut lengthwise. The length should match the height of the candle. The lower end of the bandage is tied in a knot, and the rest is twisted into a tourniquet. For wax candles, the flagellum is tightened slightly, for all others - tighter. After soaking in a flammable solution and drying completely, the wick can be installed in the center of the candle using a wire.

Braid is another material for the core of a homemade candle. For thin candles, it is also cut lengthwise; for thick ones, it is left as is (you should focus on the diameter of the candle). The lower end is either tied with a knot or attached to a wick holder.

Method for young chemists

To make a reliable wick according to this recipe, you will need ordinary potassium permanganate, Moment glue or similar, and matches. A small amount of potassium permanganate and glue are taken, and then these two components are mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

There is no need to rush; it will take at least ten minutes to completely mix the components. Since the resulting mixture is too liquid, you should wait a few minutes until the hardening process takes place.

After this time, the resulting puddle must be carefully shaped, giving it a more compact appearance. When the composition acquires the consistency of plasticine, it needs to be rolled out, giving the appearance of a sausage. Thickness doesn't matter.

How to make a wick from matches and the composition we described? It's simple: if you need a wick that burns quickly and very reliably, then a certain amount of ground match nitrate should be added to the composition before it hardens.

Useful tips

- it is better to use shapes that have a diameter of at least 5 centimeters (which will prevent the flame from being too close to the edges of the vessel);

- look for a transparent or colored form (the candle will look beautiful);

— the glass of your form must be durable.

To prepare you will need:

A more serious way

The disadvantage of the method described above is the fact that a thin newspaper is in no way suitable for the role of a fuse cord. It can quickly go out, and then suddenly burn out right before your amazed eyes. The consequences can be very sad.

Therefore, it is advisable to get high-quality cotton rope. It is also soaked in the above-described aqueous solution of saltpeter and dried thoroughly. To make the structure as reliable as possible, you can lubricate it with a mixture of potassium permanganate and Moment glue. We have already given the recipe for the “hellish composition” above.

This ignition cord will withstand even significant moisture, which will not have any effect on its ability to burn. By the way, what can you make a wick from, if you do not take into account the above methods?

How to make a wick from cotton threads?

The thread for the candle core should be natural. Synthetic materials burn quickly, causing smoke, crackling and an unpleasant smell. Before choosing one thread or another, you need to set its tip on fire. If a hard ball forms on it and the thread melts, it means that we have synthetics.

Floss threads are ideal for making candles. They are soaked in one of the solutions, the recipes for which were given above. You can use another one: dissolve 1 tbsp in 1 glass of water. l. salt and 2 tbsp. l. boric acid, soak the wicks for 12 hours. Then they are dried for several days, twisted into flagella or braided. If you don’t want to make a wick, you can remove it from a household candle.

And again potassium nitrate

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to abandon this substance, since only with its help can one create fairly reliable wicks. So, we take about two parts of saltpeter and one part of regular granulated sugar.

Grind all this in a porcelain mortar until a fine and homogeneous powder is formed. The resulting composition can be hammered into juice tubes (as in the method with match saltpeter).

How it works?

Have you ever wondered why such difficulties? The fact is that the wick resulting from our actions not only burns perfectly (and at an acceptable speed), but also easily withstands the ingress of water and snow. With its help, you can easily launch fireworks from a safe distance, even installing it right in a snowdrift.

How to use it? To begin with, saltpeter must be dissolved in ordinary water, taking one part of the active substance and three parts of liquid. The easiest way to make a wick is to soak ordinary newspaper in the resulting mixture. More precisely, you can simply dip it into the jar and immediately take it out.

After this, the paper should be thoroughly dried. Attention! Since the products from the evaporation of the working composition are not very beneficial for human health, it is advisable to do this outdoors.

How to make a wick for a firecracker from the resulting material? We roll the dried newspaper into a thin tube, tying it with thread if necessary. Only bringing it into “combat readiness” requires a certain skill.

To do this, light the very tip of the “sausage” and then knock out the flame. The smoldering flame is the goal of all our chemical experiments. It will easily withstand even light moisture, and the burning rate is such that it will reliably protect you from the premature operation of pyrotechnics.

Bickford cord at home. Wicks and fuses

There are several types of OSH - wick, stopin, visco, fuse cord.

It is a cotton or linen rope impregnated with saltpeter or strong alkali, which allows it to burn slowly and steadily without flame at a speed of 1 m in 1-3 minutes [2].

(Italian stoppino) - a bundle of cotton threads soaked in potassium nitrate and coated on the outside with a creamy mixture of gunpowder pulp and glue. Burning speed is about 4 cm/sec. Stopin was invented for quickly lighting chandeliers with a large number of candles at balls, theaters, etc.

- a sticky tape on one side, to which grains of gunpowder are glued in a thin path. It became widespread in the mid-1990s as a wick for launching fireworks. Mainly used for simultaneous or sequential launch of ground fire figures. The burning speed is from 1 to 3 meters per second, depending on the type of gunpowder used.

- powder stopin, enclosed in a paper tube. Serves for rapid transmission of fire since its burning speed is more than 1 meter per second.

All of the above types of cords are very vulnerable to moisture; in addition, they give a weak flame force.

Meaning

Lamp from the Greek "lampas" means a portable lamp or a small vessel that contains oil and a wick inside. It is lit in front of the images and the fire does not go out until all the oil is burned.

The lamp is a modified candle whose flame does not go out for a long time.

Initially, the vessels were used simply as lamps, because there was no electricity, and the oil burned out much more slowly than a torch burned out. Such a lamp was used by Christians of the first centuries, since their meetings took place in caves, where it was always dark (persecution did not allow them to gather openly).

As soon as Emperor Constantine allowed Christian services, believers began to hold meetings in churches and the lamp became part of the decorations and attributes of the service. Today it is also used for Christian services in churches.

Interesting! The icon lamp is used by the priest during the liturgy (small and great entrances), as well as during the service of the bishop. The lamp is set on fire by the altar servers or taken to the priest by the deacons.

If initially the vessel was used in worship for its intended purpose - to illuminate a meeting in caves, today it has a more symbolic purpose - it metaphorically depicts the eternal fire of God's love and faith, which drives away the forces of darkness. Twilight in Orthodox churches symbolizes the darkness of human life, and fire is God’s compass, leading people to salvation.

Why are lamps placed in front of the icon?

Since the lamp is a symbol of the eternal flame of God’s love, it must burn constantly in the temple. At home they light it during prayers or for the entire time, provided that there is someone at home. Why this is necessary was explained very well by St. Nicholas of Serbia. He said that faith is light, and the fire in the vessel is a reminder of this light to man.

A lamp burning in front of the image of a saint means sincere gratitude for forgiveness and salvation

In addition, the saint identified several more reasons for the need for fire in front of images:

Fire is a symbol of the bright character of the saints, in front of whose icons lamps are hung.
The light shows a person the true path, reminding him that every sin leads him further into darkness. By this, the light calls for repentance and gives hope in the darkness.
This is a sacrifice for God - the Savior gave his life for a person, the least that a person can return is prayer and oil in a lamp.
This is a symbol of obedience and humility - just as without a person a fire in a lamp cannot be lit, so without God love and repentance will not awaken in a person’s heart.
This is a symbol of God’s fire in man - Christ said: “Go and shine before men,” comparing man to a lamp.

By lighting a lamp in front of the icons, a person illuminates the faces of the saints, focusing on them and expressing respect. Looking at its fire, people remember God, have a compass and a guide in this dark world.

When should you light a lamp at home?

They are lit during the reading of prayers, on temple holidays and simply at will. In churches they burn continuously, but change depending on the color, which corresponds to the events of the Orthodox calendar:

red - on temple holidays and Easter week;
blue - on fasting days;
yellow (gold) - on everyday days;
green - on the holiday of Trinity and Palm Sunday.

The tank is initially fixed in front of the image; if it is suspended, then a pin is first driven into the wall that will support the weight of the lamp. Before the prayer begins, the wick of the lamp is lit from a burning church candle and left to burn while the reading takes place.

The smoldering lamp symbolizes the outlines of Divine light emanating from heaven

In addition to prayer moments, the lamp is lit in front of the images on the days of remembrance of the saints who are depicted on the icons, on Sundays and holidays. While lighting the wick, you can read a special prayer:

Light, O Lord, the extinguished lamp of my soul with the light of virtue and enlighten me, Your creation, the Creator and Benefactor. For You are the immaterial Light of the world, accept this material offering: light and fire, and reward me with inner light to the mind and fire to the heart. Amen.

Reliable wicks

The most suitable wicks for homemade pyrotechnics. All of them are almost equally good; which one to choose depends on the situation. Let's see how to make a reliable fuse.

Hunting or camping matches

Incendiary fuse

Incendiary pipe

Despite the abundance of electrical appliances, candles are still popular, and if you want to make a candle with your own hands, then you need to know how to make a candle wick. Candles add a special mood during the holidays, they can create a special atmosphere during a romantic dinner, and candles can also come in handy during a power outage, from which no one is immune. You can buy a candle in a store, or you can try to make it yourself - any shape and size, with various decorative elements or scented. But before you start making a candle, you need to make a wick.

The wick is a kind of capillary through which the molten candle mass enters the combustion zone. Each type of candle has its own wick. The texture and thickness of the wick may depend on the thickness of the candle, its material, coloring, its filling with decorative particles and much more. For example, there are candles in which only the middle burns out, while the walls remain intact, and for them their own types of wicks are used.

For each candle, the wick is selected by trial and error, and sometimes you need to try several options. It should be remembered that a wick that is too thin will constantly go out, and a thick wick will smoke and the candle will melt too much.

Usually the wick is woven from cotton threads. They can be twisted, braided and even crocheted; the optimal type of weaving is selected based on the characteristics of the candle. If the candle is made of wax, then thick, loose threads are used as the wick and they are not woven tightly, but for other candles, on the contrary, thin threads and tight weaving are used to avoid soot. This is due to the viscosity of the molten candle mass: more viscous wax requires wide capillaries, and lighter paraffin, stearin and various fats need thinner capillaries, otherwise, due to an excess of flammable material, the candle will become very smoky.

What properties should a candle wick have?

Wicks are made from different materials, each of them has certain requirements. The wick is the central element of the candle that makes it burn. It determines how long and efficiently the candle will burn and whether it will smoke. When choosing a wick, it is recommended to take into account the diameter of the candle. Thin (up to 3 cm) correspond to thin wicks, candles with a diameter of 3–7 cm - medium, and wide (from 7 cm) - thick. If we “translate” this into the number of threads, then 15 twisted floss threads are suitable for the smallest candles in diameter, 24 for medium ones, and more than 30 for large ones.

When creating wax candles, it is advisable to use loose-weave wicks made from cotton thread, which burns slowly. If the candle is made not from wax, but from some other material, the wick must be tightly woven, since the viscosity of the candle mass during melting will differ. Wax is the thickest material.

History[ | ]

The invention of a new type of cord by the English engineer William Bickford made it possible to increase the reliability of impulse transmission. In a kickford cord

stopin, covered with powder pulp, is enclosed in a double textile braid, the top layer of which is impregnated with bitumen to protect against dampness. Stopin ensured the stability of the burning of the cord, the powder pulp provided sufficient flame power, the double braiding provided flexibility and integrity of the core, bitumen, in addition to protection from dampness, also allowed the powder gases to break out during combustion, and oxygen to enter the combustion zone [3]. The combustible composition did not have enough oxygen of its own, since it had a low content of nitrate, the main supplier of oxygen. However, the fuse cord

has a number of disadvantages that do not meet modern requirements for reliability and safety: it goes out in water, the burning rate is unstable, bitumen cracks at low temperatures and loses its qualities.

In a modern fire cord

Outer diameter OSH 4-6 mm. The burning rate is constant, always about 1 cm per second, which allows demolitionists to set the time before the explosion along the length of the cord. Transfer of combustion between touching sections of cords is impossible.

visco fire cord has become widespread in household pyrotechnics.

Candle base

The oldest material for candles is stearin. Nowadays it is almost never used in its pure form due to its high melting point. But it is present in almost all recipes as an additive. Modern candles are often made from paraffin, waxes, solid oils and their mixtures.

You can make a candle from cinders, but working with a base of unknown composition is far from easy.

Paraffin

It is a solid product of petroleum refining. You can buy it at the pharmacy, but it is expensive. Purified candle paraffin is available in specialty stores or craft stores. Brands P-1 or P-2 are suitable for candle making. T grades are technical, it is better not to take them.

Compared to natural waxes, it has a fairly high melting point, so it is added to waxes to make the base more refractory.

Do not heat a composition with a large amount of paraffin above 80 degrees, otherwise you will get a defect in the form of a large hole near the wick. At the same time, it is necessary to fill a paraffin candle at a temperature of the composition not lower than 75-80 degrees. Also, allow it to cool at room temperature (about 23-25 degrees). Forced cooling will cause bubbles to appear, and too low a temperature when pouring will produce “foam.”

This defect appears due to incorrectly selected temperature.

If you pour in cooled paraffin (about 65°C), you can get a candle with a “frost coating”. After complete cooling, a whitish coating will appear on the walls. In some cases it looks very decorative.

Plaque on a paraffin candle does not always harm the appearance.
If you can’t get rid of bubbles during casting, try changing the paraffin itself (manufacturer) or add up to 20% stearin.

Beeswax

Natural beeswax is sold by beekeepers and can also be found in beekeeping stores. You don't have to add flavorings to this base. Has a recognizable aroma. If you want to make a scented candle, you need to consider the base scent.

Natural wax has a recognizable smell and color

A candle made from pure beeswax will be soft. At high temperatures in summer, it can change shape. To prevent this from happening, add 10-20% paraffin or stearin. This candle material is poured into molds at 80°C.

And keep in mind that the base color of this wax (yellow) is very difficult to cover. We need very high quality dyes and in large quantities. The second option is to find clarified wax - a specially prepared material.

Soy wax

This is a relatively new substance that is becoming increasingly popular among candle makers.

Advantages:

Natural ingredients.
A neutral base in which dyes and flavors of any type are dissolved. Mixes well with other bases.
Soy wax products burn approximately 50% longer than candles made from other waxes.
When burned, it emits only carbon dioxide and water.

Flaws:

The price is three times more than purified paraffin.
Only container candles can be made in their pure form. For molded ones you need at least 20% paraffin/stearin.

The molded candle is removed from the mold after cooling (left), the container candle remains in the container (right)

When making a container candle in a glass glass, heat the glass and pour it into a warm container. Then the candle material will not lag behind the walls.

Soy wax is ideal for scented candles.
It has almost no aroma, but it “accepts” fragrances and aromatic oils well. Pour soy candle material at low temperature. Pure soy without additives is poured when it reaches 40-42 degrees. Otherwise, holes, cracks or bubbles will appear. For formulations with additives, select a higher temperature, but start from about 47-48°C.

For soy candles, choose shorter, wider shapes. The candles are more fusible than paraffin and, moreover, burn longer, but the candle material must burn out evenly. This only works with a larger diameter - the minimum diameter is about 6 cm .

Coconut wax

A mixture of waxes is sold as a candle material, most of which is coconut wax. Pure one is simply not suitable for these purposes, as it does not support long-term combustion.

The base color is white, with a weak characteristic aroma. It has a low melting point, so you can only make a “container” candle from it - in some kind of container. The melting point depends on the composition, but you should not heat it above 85°C. The same goes for keeping melted wax on fire for a long time.

Coconut wax is a mixture of natural waxes (usually soy)

The low melting point helps the wax separate from the walls of the cookware. The problem is solved by using opaque glass or heating the mold before pouring. In any case, the container should initially be at room temperature, and for a tight fit to the walls it should be heated to 40-50°C.

To increase the melting point, more refractory additives (stearin or paraffin) are added to coconut wax, which can be about 20%.

Palm wax

It differs in that it forms crystalline patterns on the surface, so it does not require decoration. Unfortunately, in our country it is difficult to get it.

Candle making at home from palm wax is exotic for our country

Above we have mentioned the most commonly used candle bases. Glycerin is also added to the wax to make the base more transparent, and stearin is added to raise the melting point and prolong burning. The addition of stearin is also needed to make it easier to remove the candle from the mold.

What is this - a fuse cord?

Another feature that the Bickford cord had was its elasticity. It can be rolled up, conveniently carried, and when preparing an explosion, it can be wrapped behind any obstacle, which allowed sappers to place charges at short distances, while they themselves could be located in cover.

The cord, the manufacture of which involved wrapping stopin with textiles, obtained such properties of the kickford cord thanks to its design. The fact is that the active substance was wrapped in a layer of cloth, which was impregnated with gunpowder. This ensured uniform combustion and prevented fading. Next, a second layer of textile was applied, which was lubricated with bitumen. It protected it from moisture, gave additional elasticity and, during the combustion process, supplied the fuse with oxygen, which was very important.

However, this fire cord also had its drawbacks. It did not tolerate negative temperatures well, which is why it broke and crumbled. It could also become damp, and in conditions of high humidity or in water it was practically useless. That is why today it is considered obsolete, and the cord is practically not used anywhere when carrying out blasting operations.

Thus, a fuse cord can be purchased at any specialized store or obtained from modern pyrotechnics. In this case, the resulting copy will be similar to the original of previous years only visually. In fact, this is a completely different device that meets modern needs and operating conditions.

Kinds

Today you can find lamps of completely different shapes, sizes, types and materials. Its components remain unchanged: an oil reservoir, a stand and a glass to protect the flame. If the lamp is pendant, then most likely it does not have a stand - it is replaced by a decorative element, and there must be three metal cords that hold the tank.

Types of vessels vary depending on the dimensions and methods of their use:

Tabletop, wall and hanging (used only in churches).
Extinguishable and inextinguishable (placed in front of relics and relics).
For home use, temple and church processions.
Ceramic and glass.
Made from colored glass or painted.

Closed memorial lamps are lit at the cemetery

You can buy lamps of different shapes and types for home use, but the most convenient are glass table lamps, but you will definitely need to purchase a stand for them (it protects against ignition if the glass cracks). In this case, lamps can be simple or decorated with carvings and paintings.

Required impregnation

Creating a wick is not only about making a thread of the required density and thickness. In order for her to become a candle wick, she must be prepared for this. So that the wick does not burn out immediately, but performs its function, the thread must be soaked.

In the case of a wax candle, sometimes impregnation with the same molten wax is sufficient. The wax is melted over a fire in an enamel plate. The thread is placed in a plate and allowed to soak. The procedure must be repeated three to four times until air bubbles no longer appear in the liquid wax. Then it must be hung until the wax has completely hardened. The thread for storage can be loosely wound on a bobbin, laying layers of paper. It is better to store in a cool place so that the wax does not spread. When necessary, you can use scissors to cut the pieces to the required length. How to make candle wicks at home.

One of the most important tasks when creating a candle is choosing the right wick. If the wick is too thick, then the candle flame will be large and smoky, but if the wick is too thin, then it will burn faster than paraffin or wax, and the candle will “choke.” To make the wick, we use natural cotton thread, which does not smoke or crack when burning.

The ability to properly make a candle wick is a guarantee that the flame will be beautiful.

To make a braided or twisted wick, take 3 pieces of cotton cord or yarn. Mix 1 tbsp. l. salt, 2 tbsp. boric acid in a glass of water. Soak cords or yarn in the solution for 12 hours. Hang them to dry. When dry, twist or braid them together to form a wick. The wick is ready! Using scissors, cut to the desired length (candle length + 10-15cm).

To make a waxed wick, dip the already rolled wick into the melted wax until it is completely saturated. In order not to miss this moment, watch for bubbles; as soon as the wick starts to blow bubbles, you can pull it out. When removed, straighten the wick and place it in water. After that, lay it out on wax paper to dry. Ready-made wicks can be twisted into coils and stored until the right time.

First, take out the wick from another candle. To do this, you can buy household candles: they are very cheap and soft. The wick is very easy to get out of them - you just need to pull the tip of the wick.

Source

: Recipe

Sparklers work best at night or in low light conditions. If you use them during the day, you will see more smoke than sparks, but both of these visual effects are quite interesting.

Recipe:

60 ml warm water;
36 g potassium nitrate;
24 g white sugar;
from 1 to 20 drops of food coloring (color optional).

Note : White/gray smoke is the only color you will get even if you use different colored dyes. You will not be able to produce colored smoke when using potassium nitrite.

Mix the sugar and potassium nitrate together to make a smooth mixture, then add water and stir until completely dissolved.

Soak about 3.6 m of 100% cotton yarn in the solution, then spread it evenly on the deck.

“Bake” in the oven at 150°C (300ºF) for about 20 minutes. After 10 minutes, make sure that the yarn does not stick to the surface of the deck.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Features of product functioning

During the combustion process, sulfur dioxide is released from the bomb; it is a poisonous gas that has a detrimental effect on all bacteria and microorganisms. During the combustion process, smoke penetrates into all cracks and cavities and allows for processing that is impossible using other means.

This is an ideal product for antibacterial treatment of premises; its effectiveness is higher than that of any other drug. They cope even in those places that cannot be treated in any other way.

Another important factor is that during processing the block warms up and dries the room, this helps to better preserve and protect the wood, because most diseases appear in it due to dampness.

The sulfur bomb for the cellar is very easy to use; each package comes with instructions that explain in detail all the nuances of use and the necessary precautions.

It has long been noted that the use of checkers is justified not only in cellars, but also in other buildings. This type of treatment is especially suitable for greenhouses; the smoke kills most soil pathogens, which has a very positive effect on yields.

From foil

To do this, prepare:

Matchbox;
aluminum foil;
paper;
thread;
electrical tape.

When everything is ready, proceed:

Take a piece of foil and fold it in half. Pour match wax into the fold.
Fold the sides of the foil. The result will be a kind of container with an explosive mixture.
Wrap the foil in paper and tie with thread.
Glue a few matches to the package, and you can launch an explosive package.

Rules for using sulfur bombs

Despite the fact that smoke bombs for disinfecting premises are produced by many manufacturers, the principle of operation is absolutely the same for all. Therefore, we will consider the main points that are mandatory if you decide to use this type of processing.

Basic safety rules

The main thing to always remember is that a lit sulfur bomb is very dangerous to health. Moreover, violation of operating rules can even lead to death. Sulfur dioxide is an extremely toxic substance that irritates mucous membranes and causes poisoning.

To avoid harm to health, you should follow a few simple rules:

How to use a smoke bomb correctly

It is worth noting that the measures for preparing and using the product are quite simple, but, as noted above, due to the high danger of smoke, all recommendations should be followed strictly.

Before processing it is worth performing a number of preparatory operations:

Advice! Do not forget about the ventilation pipes - they must be plugged, and protruding surfaces should be generously lubricated with grease.

Advice! The process can be significantly accelerated by using a candle in the exhaust pipe - this will significantly increase air movement, and within a day the cellar can be used.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the process - everything is done by hand, and the restrictions are determined only by the danger of the substance. In addition, the price of checkers is very low, anyone can afford them.

Example of a gel candle

As an example, consider preparing an aquarium candle that will contain marine decorations.

— gel for candles (several colors are possible);

- several clean decorative items that will be inside the candle to decorate it. Since the theme is marine, you can use, for example, shells or marine-themed toys.

Place the candle gel in a water bath;

use low heat to heat the gel to 100C;

strengthen the wick with the stem at the bottom of the mold with glue so that the wick is in the middle, which will ensure the best burning of the candle; you also need to secure the wick on top of the mold (you can use regular threads);

it's time to use decorative items that you can arrange at the bottom of the mold as you wish - naturally, all of them should not be flammable; you can put several items at the initial stage, and others a little later;

Decorative items inside the candle should not be placed closer than 6 millimeters to the wick, and preferably closer to the walls of the mold so that they are better visible;

before you start pouring the gel, it is advisable to warm up the mold, and this can be done with a hairdryer - this way you can get rid of the bubbles;

Monitor the temperature of the gel, and when you cool it to 80-90C, you can begin to slowly fill the candle;

* the best option would be to fill in layers, i.e. first, pour in a little gel and after a while, when the gel at the bottom of the mold hardens a little, you can fill in a new layer, and so on until the mold is filled;

* you shouldn’t wait long if you don’t want the boundaries of the layers to be visible;

* if you use several colors, you can make them shimmer smoothly in the form, but you also need to wait a little until the bottom layer hardens a little, otherwise the colors will mix;

You can use the candle within a day.

Candle dyes

Coloring wax is not easy. Regular dyes are not suitable. Neither food, nor watercolor, nor ordinary aniline dyes for fabric. There are special ones that are sold in craft stores. These are wax-based aniline dyes. Their consumption is 3-5 grams per 1 kg of candle mass.

Special paints are needed to color wax and paraffin.

Fat-soluble dye for candles Idumshchiki, green, 10 g

Fat-soluble dye for candles Idumshchiki, red, 10 g

Fat-soluble dye for candles Idumshchiki, yellow, 10 g

Fat-soluble dye for candles Idumshchiki, orange, 10 g

To get a white color, use clarified wax or paraffin. Adding stearin will remove transparency and make it easier to remove from the mold. But to get a pure color you will still need a dye.

If you don't want to buy special paints, you can add colored wax crayons. But things are not always smooth with them. Some do not stain the composition, they simply settle down, others can dissolve the wick or cause the formation of inhomogeneities, bubbles and other defects. In any case, the dyes are placed together with the wax and melted together (if there are no other recommendations).

It’s easier to work with special wax dyes

You can also use natural dyes that contain some oils. For example, turmeric or annatto oil gives a yellow color, yarrow oil gives a blue color, and a water extract of chili pepper gives a red color. You can add cocoa - you will get both color and smell, but the powder will settle down, which will give an uneven color. But it doesn't always look bad.