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This instructable is how to make an easy and cheap candle or fire extinguisher. This can only extinguish small flames like candles because it's only ...
1) A candle 2) Matches or a lighter 3) A ping pong ball 4) Scissors 5) About 1 foot of floss or string 6) Tape 7) A pen (make sure this isn't your fa...
First, take your ping pong ball and cut it in half. The easiest way to do this is to poke a hole in it with your scissors and then cutting through it...
Now, take your scissors or something small and sharp and poke two holes in the ping pong ball half right at the top. Another way to think of this is ...
Now, take your string with the two ends together and stick it through then part of the pen where you use to write with from the outside of it. Then, ...
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Ping pong balls are actually not made of your typical plastic. They are made from a plasticized form of nitrocellulose. Nitrocellulose is a very useful chemical that is used for everything from high quality wood varnish, fingernail polish, and ping pong balls, to, well...(here's the noteworthy part) It is the primary ingredient in smokeless gunpowder.
Though the form of nitrocellulose that is used to make ping pong balls is not as explosive as what is made for use in gunpowder, it is still extremely flammable and will burn vigorously. If you had held it over the candle just a moment longer it would have burst into flames. Take the other half of the ball that was left over outside and light on fire to see what I mean.
This project might make for a rather dangerous prank, but it's certainly not safe to use for extinguishing a flame...
What i did that sort-of fixed it though was putting some electrical tape inside the bowl of the ping pong ball. I'm not sure if it helps or not but i've been using the same candle extinguisher many times (for tests and what-not) and it hasn't lit up (yet?).
Thanks for telling me though, it's good to know! :)