Alcohol-Fueled Blowtorch

An alcohol-fueled blowtorch that is very simple to make and burns very hot. please note that this is a prototype and just to prove the concept. And yes mark 2 is on the way.

Step 1 Safety Note

This instructable includes fire. I think (and hope) that everyone knows that when dealing with fire, be careful and have some water, an extinguisher, wool blanket, or all of those handy in case you spill flaming alcohol on yourself. Also remember that this is a prototype and flashbacks may happen so be careful if you do make it. with that put aside, lets make a blowtorch.

Comments

[Hmff]

I love it!!
so much in fact that im reenginering the consept to make my own inproved one.

[Kiteman]

You're blowing compressed air through the alcohol, and lighting the spray / vapour? It would probably be safer, and more controllable, to direct a spray of alcohol into a stream of air, then light the result.

[Ben.land101]

well i'm trying to get a blowtorch not a flamethrower

[Kiteman]

Using separate supplies of fuel and air, you can "tune" your flame from a low-temperature yellow flicker to an intense blue cutting flame. It's like a Bunsen burner - a stream of air is added to a stream of fuel in just the right ratio to get the hottest flame.

[Ben.land101]

well i understand what your saying but i'm also trying to keep it simple.

[lemonie]

Blow lamps used to run on paraffin, you pumped up the can and is sprayed mist which burned. These days they're ornaments like copper-kettles. I'd suggest version 2.0 goes for an aerosol design?
This is surprisingly effective though, definitely does the job, but I'd imagine your soldered joints melting with prolonged use.

L

_{(Barley is a cereal crop, you want "barely")}

[PKM]

Wow, that's... the least safe thing I've ever seen, and that inlcudes the accidental jet engine/flamethrower we made out of a fire extinguisher.

You could probably make a lot of improvements to the design but this looks like a sound proof of concept, low pressure compressed air + alcohol = vapour you can use for a blowtorch flame.

I would like to second the concerns about the lack of flashback protection, I've seen what happens with confined gas explosions both through my chemistry education and my playing.

Any plans for a Mark 2?

[Ben.land101]

well i am going to clarify on a few things in a little while. (as well as more pictures) and yes there will be a Mark 2. (i'm now going to call this the prototype.)

[ironsmiter]

There's a whole lot of the construction that isn't at all clear, as it stands. Where's the fuel go? where's the compressed air introduced? Best as I can guess, it's a U shaped piece of piece (straight plus 2 elbows), with the fule in the straight, and air introduced into the non-flame end. Seems VERY risky as there's no flash suppression whatsoever. One picture of the ENTIRE finished product may answer all these issues(other than the flashback problem. placing a sink aerator screen into the coper elbow should handle that fairly well. Doesn't take much. Also, please, oh please, don't use electrical tape to "seal" the tubes. If you're only looking for a 30 second usage, it'll work, but you really should solder those joints. I'd even say go with a silver solder, as it may get warm enough to melt lead solder, if the flame stays down in the elbow, like in your video. .

[Ben.land101]

Thanks for your comment and about the flashback i also wear a leather glove on the hand that is blowing in the air on the other elbow for just that reason. i will add more pictures tonight as i was in a rush to make it. and of course the alcohol runs out in about a minute so i'm not worried about the tape melting.