I want to make a push button igniter to light flash paper like the one built in the flaming dove pan. Push a button, and it heats up a metal wire and ignites the paper. What do I need to purchase to make this work, and where can I find instructions? I know I need nichrome wire to light the paper, but there are different sizes, so what size is used and what other items do I need? Also, where is the best place to purchase the items?

You can get the items you need at almost any Radio Shack or similar electronics store; push button switches, battery holders are about all you need. The thickness of the nichrome wire depends on whether you want it to be used many times or just once (burning through and breaking). For the burn and break wire, I use the thin strands of copper wire found in cheap Dollar Store extension cords.

The size of the unit you make depends on the batteries and the holder. If you want a really small and lightweight igniter, I suggest Jim Gerrish's "Bang! Flash!" device described in The Wizards' Journal #14 on my site. It does not use batteries, which means it can be smaller than a battery and has no electronic or electrical parts.

If you want a replaceable wire, buy some model rocket ignitors. They require a battery. I use a 9V to make sure it has enough kick, even when the battery starts to get low.

If you want a multi-use ignitor, you can use a glow plug or a kerosene heater ignitor. Both battery operated.

In either case, a small bit of flash cotton will almost guarantee a faster and more positive ignition of the flash paper, which sometimes won't ignite when or as fast as you want it to.

With any battery powered/glowing wire ignitor, there is usually a brief delay as the wire heats up. I just mentioned that if timing the flash is critical.

The Chinese use a thin stick of incense anchored near the paper inside the vessel w/a dab of clay. They knock the punk end into the paper at the required time. Electronics cost, go wrong, need repair.

Assuming this is for handheld work, I'd recommend buying a commercially manufactured igniter or hand cannon. Less chance of ending up with something dangerous.

This is the one I have now, and it's perfectly usable.

http://www.theatrefx.com/store/commerce......._devices

It's the second one I've owned. I liked my first one better, as it was a bit less bulky and easier to palm, but I haven't seen another quite like it in a long time.

Make sure to clean the tube of a hand cannon regularly or build up will make it "squeak" when firing.

Glow plug for model airplane engines. That is what is in many of the commercially manufactured ones. Hobby Town is one dealer.

Yep. While you're there, get a short piece of brass tubing about 5/8" diameter, a brass washer to fit over the end (make sure the glo-plug will fit through the hole), and some epoxy. Glue the glo plug in the hole, making sure it makes contact with the washer. Glue the washer on the end of the tubing, making sure of contact.

At Radio Shack, get a couple short pieces of wire, a 9v battery snap-on clip (already has wires attached) and a push on momentary switch. Some soldering skills would help here to attach one wire to the brass body and the other to the top of the plug. Cut one wire and insert the switch.

You need a plunger to push the flashpaper load down the bore to make contact with the glo-plug. Don't push too hard, though. Just to make contact.

Clip in a fresh 9v batt and push the button to fire. Don't look down the bore, and don't do anything stupid with it. That's your responsibility. This is like the zip gun of hand flashers. I'd advise you tape it all together with some black electrician's tape. Put it in your hand and figger out how to hold it and where the thumb switch should be, and tape it like that. Tape the battery in place on the barrel with a couple of rounds.

This will shoot fire and a ball of fire. Serious danger.

Tabman's instructions are dead on, and no different in design than any pro model available. But note... this idea is different than just wanting to ignite flash paper in the bottom of a dove pan. This will actually shoot a flaming comet. I have built, and still occasionally use, flash cannons that do the same basic thing, only they will shoot a 3 foot ball of fire about 15 feet straight up. Size matters, but fire is still fire.

I have a video shot at a convention that shows a guy shooting a hand flasher and the fireball goes right into the front row. They look cool, but the trajectory can be unpredictable... more so on the small ones.

Anybody who has read my book, Tabman MAGIC, knows the story of singer Johnny Lee (Looking For Love) and the hand flasher from Tannens and the lady in the front row at Gilley's with the bee hive hairdo full of hairspray.

They are dangerous and shouldn't be used by idiots (see above). You can also use the sparker from a Bic lighter or a welder's sparker to ignite flash paper, too.

My commercial one has a screw-in replaceable glo-plug, which is not a bad idea as they do eventually burn out.

Also, for a really good fireball toss, I use two flash paper balls. The first one burns up and produces hot gases that both light the second one and, at the same time, propel it out the tube. I get a much better meteor-like arc this way than with just one which has already partly consumed itself to provide thrust.

As everyone else has said, whether you do this home made or get a commercial one, treat it with GREAT respect. It may be flash paper, but it's still real fire. I got my first hand cannon while in high school and, as a dumb HS kid, carried it around loaded in my pocket... until the day my keys bridged the contacts, and it went off IN my pocket.

Since that day, I keep ALL my combustible props in a firesafe box when not actively performing and use great care with them. I only use them on stage or in other VERY controlled environments.

(Here's the firesafe I use, btw. Convenient to carry to/from gigs.
http://www.officemax.com/catalog/sku.jsp......n_skus~Y
)

Those types of fireboxes are very heavy. They are also designed to protect contents within from fire outside the box. Not sure what might happen if stuff ignited inside the box. Army surplus ammo boxes make great fire boxes and are not nearly as heavy.

I always carry fuels, chemicals, flash paper, etc., separate from all ignition devices. In some cases, I separate some flammable/combustible products from others.

Re: glow plugs - It is possible to tap threads into the screw-in plate (washer) and get that replaceable feature. Easier still is to get a copper pipe cap to use in place of the washer. Solder (or epoxy) it to the end of the tube. Drill the proper size hole in the end of the cap, and you can usually screw the glow plug in, letting it self-tap itself into the soft copper. Once in, it will easily last until the glow plug burns out.

I've made many different ignitor devices over the years, including flash Zombie gimmicks, hand flashers, torch ignitors, confetti cannons, fire books, and many other things. I've used glow-plugs, kerosene ignitors, rocket ignitors, copper strand wire, steel wool, and flint sparkers.

Electronic ignition is the least fail safe because you can have failure in the battery, the ignitor (glow plug, etc.), or any point in between. But, there are some applications where they are still the better choice.

While on the subject, fire extinguishers and fire cloths are smart things to have along, too. Little fires can quickly grow.

When in doubt, don't use fire. Simple.

For sure...

Doesn't using an electrical igniter put one into another fire liability category? Just curious, because I've heard it does from a few sources...

For sure it does. Your best bet is to get a pyro license for indoor pyrotechniques.

(Back Ground) As a teenager, one of the youth groups I belonged to used "Indian" stories and trappings for color. As the one who could do Magic, I became the default Medicine Man.

I threw fireballs made from a three inch square of flash paper, with just a pinch of silver powder (extracted from firecrackers) twisted up in the middle. These were rolled "Snap n Pop" style into a little tadpole shape that would make a nice arc before puffing into a flash with a very satisfying mushroom of smoke. I used incense tucked into my belt to light.

(Cautionary Tale) One day we were doing an exhibition at one of the local YMCA's. This was special because the mascot from UTC, Chief Chattamock, was presiding as Tribal Chief.

I'd never had a problem with my little flash bombs before, but in the extended wait before starting our "dance", I was holding my first fireball in a hand that was growing increasingly sweaty.

The result was that when I threw that first wad, from a point directly opposite the Chief, instead of flashing at the top of the arc, it proceeded in a graceful curve right onto the Chief's shoulder, which was covered at the time by some very expensive real hair braids.

He used flash paper regularly at the college games, so he very calmly reached over to pat it out. Just before his fingers made contact (thankfully) the powder caught, sending a flash of light and smoke (and the smell of burnt hair) out into the room.

We continued with the show, but I was horrified that I'd just burned the Chief. Afterwards, when I apologised, he said all was ok, but I started being more careful of my "flight path" from then on.

(Current) I don't use flash paper, but would if I had the need. But I'd also go far out of my way to find out and comply with local (and building) ordinances, AND don't forget to inform my host that there was fire involved, even giving a private demo of exactly what I was going to do. This runs into fire safety, security, and insurance issues, and probably many more that I'm not thinking of.