Burning Soap Bubbles

by ShakeTheFuture

66K66770

Intro: Burning Soap Bubbles

In this Instructable, we look at the way to fill soap bubbles with the gas.

Why would you want to do that?

So, you can set them on fire.

Just like fire breathing - it's for the show.

What's needed:

  • Plastic pipe with the cap
  • Empty Lighter
  • Bubble wand (ring)
  • Metal wire
  • Electrical tape (optional)
  • Soap Bubbles
  • Butane Gas (Lighter refill)
  • Epoxy glue

STEP 1:

Take out the fuel container from an empty lighter.

Unscrew the screw to let remaining gas escape.

STEP 2:

Make sure the gas container is empty and screw opened!

Cut off the bottom of the container.

STEP 3:

Glue it on a plastic pipe.

STEP 4:

Drill a hole in the cap.

Don't drill it too big. You can make it bigger later. (if necessary)

Put the cap onto the pipe.

Attach the wire around the pipe.

STEP 5:

Cut off the ring from the bubble wand and attach it to the other end of the wire.

You can wrap the wire with electrical tape if necessary.

STEP 6:

Your gas bubble attachment for the butane canister is ready.

To change the size of the bubbles, adjust the ring's distance from the hole. You can also make the hole bigger if you think it's too small.

To blow the gas bubbles, dip the ring in the bubble mixture.

Press the pipe against the canister just like you would refill a lighter.

You will get gas bubbles.

If you light them up, they will burn with a big flame.

Great for performers or anyone who likes to play with bubbles and fire.

Warning:

Only do it outdoors.

Only ignite the lighter when you have stopped blowing the bubbles.

Don't ignite the bubbles that are too close to your face as the flame can be very big.

Sometimes the flame from one bubble can ignite another (chain reaction)

Keep the gas canister away from the flame. It's best to blow the bubbles, leave the canister somewhere safe or give it to somebody, before proceeding with ignition.

It's a good idea to wear safety glasses.

Read the label of your butane gas canister.

It's safe procedure as long as you don't do something stupid.

Just treat your gas canister like you normally would (keep away from heat, sparks, open flame etc.)

Same thing with the flame. Just use some common sense.

70 Comments

ShakeTheFuture 8 years ago

A funny story about the source of Inspiration for this Instructable.

When I was a kid, I was blowing the bubbles with my friends. I ran out of bubble mixture, so I decided to make my own. I went to the bathroom and mixed a few things - including bleach :)

I did manage to make a bubble mixture, but I also ruined my friend's t-shirt.

Bubbles I was blowing, landed on his t-shirt, leaving a bleached stain.

What a great way to ruin peoples clothes without them knowing it :)

I had a video where I recreated the mixture, but I took it off as I did not think It was a good idea. Bleach on somebodies skin or eyes can cause big problems.

I remembered about the bleach bubbles and decided to try gas.

I wonder what else can be hidden in innocent soap bubbles.

J2SARET 8 years ago

All we used to do was fill our squirt guns with and squirt them down ant hills for about 20 min until the bleach destroyed the ant jills. You had a lot better imagination.

ShakeTheFuture 8 years ago

I used to put a grass straw on ants house and wait until they pee on it (i am not sure if it's a pee) and then I would lick it :)

Antzy Carmasaic 8 years ago

Those exploding balloons are crazy. They sent them from Japan to US! Wow.

ShakeTheFuture 8 years ago

Interesting. I never knew that. Did you want to build it with perfume because of the smell or it's burning properties?

Antzy Carmasaic 8 years ago

Maybe fill em up with hydrogen sulfide. Blow these lovely bubble in the park on a windy day. When they burst people will start wondering who among them farted :D

rocketman221 8 years ago

Oxi hydrogen gas works well. It makes a loud bang when you light it.

Bard 8 years ago

Did the bleach eat holes in your friends clothes, It sound like an interesting experiment to revese die a shirt using bleach bubbles. I put bleach in an airbrush and revsese dyed a a shirt once(note used resporator and saftey goggles)

ShakeTheFuture 8 years ago

No, it did not eat holes. He was wearing a dark shirt. In the places where bubbles landed it left brown stains.

Antzy Carmasaic 8 years ago

Oh I could watch the video of those seemingly harmless bubbles explode into a fiery blaze forever. Especially with that background track...
Nice idea though.

bravoechonovember1 8 years ago

love it! looks amazing!

you keep coming up with so simple yet awesome stuff!

ShakeTheFuture 8 years ago

Thanks!

I really enjoyed this one. With a proper slow-mo camera it would look even better.

bwelkin 4 years ago

Oh, man! my hobby is giant bubbles - 3-feet and up - Now I want to do some that will light up the night!

JenH6 8 years ago

Could you just mix a fuel, like butane or coleman fuel with soap-to make bubble liquid-then blow it through a wand and light it??? seems like the water is just a fluid, so fuel should work. Anyone tried it?

RedstoneM 8 years ago

Use HHO gas instead, makes no CO2 and makes a bigger explosion. (Don't forget the flashback filter incase you are electrolyzing it yourself, a smoothie bottle of it with water in it blew a dent in my wooden floor yesterday... Haha.

sharpstick 8 years ago

KIDS, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! go do it at your neighbor's house.

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