How to Make a Thermite Lighter
Thermite is a metal that burns extremely hot and fast. Chemistry professors often ignite thermite as a demonstration of various chemical reactions. However, thermite requires a great deal of heat to ignite. This is usually accomplished with the use magnesium strips, which are available from hobby chemical companies. If you do not have access to magnesium strips, you can use ordinary sparklers, which are sold online, at novelty shops, and at fireworks dealers. Sparklers contain magnesium and burn hot enough to ignite thermite.
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Things You'll Need
- Fire pit
- 5 packs of metal sparklers
- Thermite
- Insulated gloves
- Fireplace lighter
- 2 ceramic flower pots with holes in the bottom
- Fire extinguisher
Instructions
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1
Make a fuse by twisting sparklers together end-on-end. Make sure that the magnesium coating on each sparkler touches the coating on the next sparkler. You want the ends to overlap by less than 3 inches. A 10-inch sparkler takes approximately 30 seconds to burn, so two sparklers will give you a one-minute fuse, although you can make longer fuses. The sparklers on each end of the fuse should face in opposite directions, as the tips are more heavily coated and ignite more easily.
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2
Put on your insulated gloves. Test your fuse by laying it on the ground with one end propped up on a rock or brick, then ignite it with a fireplace lighter. If the first sparkler successfully ignites the second, you know that you made the fuse correctly. Make and test a few more fuses to ensure that the sparklers will do their job.
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3
Set the two ceramic flower pots in the middle of your fire pit, one inside of the other, and place your thermite inside. Ceramic is a very heat-resistant material and will contain the thermite reaction safely. Place one end of your sparkler-fuse on top of the thermite, and the other end on the ground.
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Put on your insulated gloves again and have the fire extinguisher within reach. Ignite one end of the fuse. Although the thermite will not explode, and the flower pots will contain most of the sparks, you should retreat at least 15 feet before the thermite ignites.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not attempt to re-light the fuse if it goes out. Many injuries involving pyrotechnics are sustained this way.
Wait at least one hour before returning to the site of ignition.
Check the local laws and regulations regarding fires and pyrotechnics. Thermite is not illegal to make or possess under federal law, but local restrictions may apply.
Do not attempt to make or ignite thermite if you are under 18 years of age.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
