The Pistol Flame Unit

Well here it is. A simple little tutorial on how you could make a simple pistol style flamer unit. This can be achieved very fast and with minimum cost to you, the struggling film maker. The method explained here is the very basic of concepts and can be easily fined tuned to your individual needs. I take no responsibility for any injuries or damage that may occur due to these next passages.


VIDEO DEMO

Flamer Demonstration
view the flash playback
at the bottom of this page

Requires Flash Player 6
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WHAT YOU NEED:
  1. Cork gun
  2. empty aluminium can
  3. can of aerosol which will comfortably fit into the cork gun breach/shaft. (deodorant, fly spray etc etc)
  4. Heavy insulation tape or fast setting glue
  5. Scissors
  6. Small metal punch, nail or small pointy object
  7. A butane or similar fuel orientated stove top/oven lighter.


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HOW TO (Hypothetically speaking that is!) BUILD THIS CONTRAPTION:

  1. Pull back the regulator handle on the cork gun to produce a totally empty breach.

  2. Cut the bottom off the aluminium can, then proceed to cut around the inside rim of the can's bottom. This leaves you with a circular conicle disk.

  3. Push the metal disk inside the front of the cork gun breach (where the normal nozzle would protrude). The convex side of the disk should be facing inward towards the back of the breach.

  4. Grab your aerosol can and take the plastic nozzle from the top of it off.

  5. Insert the aerosol can into the breach of the cork gun and against the metal disk. With a texta or marker pen mark where the nozzle hits the disk. Then take the aerosol can back out.

  6. With your nail or pointy object make a small hole (a touch smaller than the aerosol can nozzle) in the metal disk where you placed the marker.

  7. On the outside of the cork gun, tape or glue your oven lighter to it. Make sure that the flame end sticks out at least an inch from the front of the gun.

  8. Insert the aerosol canister back into the cork gun and place the nozzle against the newly made hole.

  9. Gently squeeze the trigger of the cork gun until the rammer presses the fuel canister against the metal disk. Fuel should now squirt out.

  10. Click the oven lighter and "WOOF". Flame will be shooting out of your newly made movie prop.

  11. Fire only short bursts. To finish simply hold in the rear regulator lever and pull back the rammer in the breach. It is that simple!

  12. If you want then jazz it up a bit with some bits and pieces of old toy guns and metal etc and you have your professional looking short range flamer unit.

  13. Experiment with camera angles and remember at all times "SAFETY"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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View the Demonstration to the right! Uses Flash Player 6 - get it here.

Contact me for further details.
I am happy to answer any questions or discuss any ideas that you may have.
Drop me a line with "Effects" as the subject at EFFECTS
or post your enquiries in the Forum - there is a section titled Special Effects



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