Woomf Bottle (a.k.a Fun With Fire)

This is a simple fun and (relatively) safe way to create some really neat fire effects, all you need is the basic materials no construction necessary.

Step 1: Gather Materials

get all the goodies:

Basic Materials:
1 Gallon Glass Jar
Alcohol
Matches

Aeration Materials:
a long straw (from 7-11) OR
some plastic tubing
Hairdryer/funnel/plastic tubing OR
Bellows

the hardest thing to get will be the glass jar. they don't make things like they used to and most things come in plastic. my jar had white vinegar in it and is at least 15years old and probably closer to 25 or 30 years old. Check your grocery store, check the recycling bin, check your grandmothers pantry your bound to turn one up somewhere.

alcohol is easy you can pick up a bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol for about $2

you need at least one aeration tool if you don't want to wait a long time between "firings"

Comments

[Ssslouter]

We did something similar in science class last year. Only we used a plastic five/ten (not sure) gallon bottle. We did need to let it dry and cool for a while, we only did it twice in two hours, so we had enough time to let it cool.

[Dream Dragon]

Some really nice pictures, I did something similar with a milk bottle when I was a kid. Lost all the hairs on my forearm, I think I was lucky that was the limit of the damage.

[chippy]

fun but sounds dangerous. I am thinking of the photographic possibilities right now. Someone I met used to do this with a 5gal paint bucket with a spout lid and some gasoline - 6 foot woomf flames but very stupid and dangerous.

[jjjjake]

where do u get those matches in C.A.

[Sandisk1duo]

Everywhere! just go to dollar tree

[dragonsniper]

lol

[jam BD]

That is sooo coooool!
The video was really good.
=D

[norml]

I used to do this with a 5 gallon thick glass water bottle called a carboy. Fun and dangerous! I love the slow dancing ripple effect you sometimes get.

[SpinningCone]

yeah a carboy would be perfect but ive never come across a glass one just the polycarbonate ones that you get for water coolers. they would work but eventually distort.

[bettbee]

homebrew stores have 'em

[disturbedreaper]

you think nitro car 20% fuel will work 20% nitro methane 80% ethol alchol do you think it would be a little to violent

[Vulcanator]

you wouldn't have to aerate cuz nitro methane produces its own oxygen.

[disturbedreaper]

oh ok thats an explotion then wont do that thabnks

[PKM]

Note about using it in your bathroom- I tested my first spud gun (with a 2 litre combustion chamber) in my bathroom because I was flushing the exhaust with water... then I realised the bathroom had no acoustic dampening at all, and I had shut the door and made a very loud explosion. (ears ringing)

[SpinningCone]

Once I managed to get a fairly lout "WOOSH" with a good air/fuel mix but overal this thing isnt that loud however if you opt for more powerful fuels this is indeed something to consider.

[QwakHed]

This works great w/ acetone. The pure stuff sold at paint stores, not nail polish remover.

[hellowmeonnow]

also guys dont do it inside cause ds bottle can get so hot it can explode but any way i love making these you can make them in a plastic medicine bottle just cut a hole in the lid and do the same as with the big bottle

[hellowmeonnow]

hay any1 who watches this its real name isnt a woomph bottle is called a pulse jet engine and can also be made with turpintine or metholated spirits

[musicalbee2003]

*8th grade physics teacher did this. Told us it was "magic Water." He didn't want us burning our houses down (obviously). He used a plastic water cooler jug. Would a 1/2 gallon glass jar work?

[crankyjew]

cool, but that can be very dangerous.... and no im not going to say that fire is dangerous, but the glass you use is very important.... if your glass container is not rated for high heat, it will shatter...
just be careful and remember that all glass will shatter if it changed temperature too quickly.

[SpinningCone]

thermal shock is a concern but the risk is low,the Glass actually stays surprisingly cool, it takes a few slow burns to get the upper "shoulders" and neck of the bottle to get uncomfortably warm.

the only reason i don't recommend plastic is that it is hot enough to weaken and distort plastic after a few runs, plus if you don't go the extra mile and put in the piezoelectric igniter your matches will melt through the bottom when you drop them in.

glass lasts a long time I've been using this one jar like this for years. now what i really need is some transparent aluminum :D

[beado4ever]

Just ask Scotty and wait a few centuries......

[112251919112]

NICE PICTURE!!!!!!!!!

[Kiteman]

Some nice noises - this is very nearly a pulse jet.

[killerjackalope]

This can be done with deo but the flame hovers in or just above the neck and with a little ice water in the bottom make a really pointless but cool lantern for half an hour or so... also try a plastic bottle with lighter gas or deoderant and squeeze the bottle hard once lit... This will provide 4 - 7 woomphs from squeezing but the top 1/3 of the bottle ends up wrinkled and crumpled from starting to melt then cooling quickly. By the way andrew it's piezio

[joehadac]

i do this with soda cans and just a liter... i held the gas button down and held the can hole against then a second later u light it and it does sound like woomf

[!Andrew_Modder!]

lol i love to do this, but a long time ago i found out that a spray bottle filled with alcohol works the best (because the fumes would be perfectly mixed with the air) i dont know how better i could say it heh. Also if you use a plastic bottle (this wont melt, most of the time :-D), then make a small hole closer to the bottom, and put a pienzoelectric igniter (i think its spelled like that???..) anyway use that, so you would be in way less risk for being burnt! P.S. You can find a pienzoelectric igniter in any stick lighter, try the doller store!

[James (pseudo-geek)]

piezoelectric

[mspark400]

in theory, this is the makings of a basic pulse jet, that is why it has the power to produce thrust, I would suggest however using plastic in the future. nice Instructable.

[davetorpe]

When I do this in my physics classroom, we use methanol. The goal of "coating the sides" is to get some of the fuel to vaporize into the container. (2)ch3oh + (3)o2 > (2)co2 + (4)h20 Since you run out of o2 first, if you flip the bottle after firing, you will drain some of the co2 out and replace it with air. Second and third firings become possible.

[GorillazMiko]

i did something like thiss.. i had a glass jar (pretty small) put about 100 something sparklers in there (just the powder) then bam, just blew up and the glass blew up everywhere, and it looked like this at first then BOOM haha

[bumpus]

ditto cheeseman98, we just did this in chemisty, it was a lab on something, i dont really remember b/c i was distracted by the whole fire thing hahahaha

[cheeseman98]

We did this in my science class a couple years ago, but we attacked it to an overhead projector cart and propelled it across the room.

[SpinningCone]

Yay my first instructable, hope you enjoy it i know i had fun making it.

[bleachworthy]

I luff fire :)