Vortex Fire Ball Generators

I call them poofers. These wonderful fire toys were the next generation of vortex generators I made for SRL. After making supersonic vortex rings with oxy-acetylene  explosions I want to take it one step further and make giant fire rings. I experimented with different shaped nozzles, pilot lights and valve sizes and came up with ball, ring and disk shaped flames. I was able to achieve great fire rings that fully separated from the cannon and traveled 30-40 feet into the air. The low sounding thump of these poofers can be heard for blocks attracting moths of all kinds. I also worked out a remote crane controller to trigger the poofers. I’m able to walk around the perimeter visiting with the crowd and letting them get a chance to shoot a giant fire ball. I’ve had kids approach the fire balls crying with fright, but wanting to shoot one themselves. The look on their face of achievement and delight with crocodile tears still fresh on their face is worth all the time experimenting.

You can see the perfect fuel air mix achieved (blue) at the flame front and tail of this fire ring. Note the vortex starting to form at the top. the unspent fuel still in the center of this ball will form the ring that will continue anouther 30-40 feet higher before the fuel is spent.

Here is the fire ring.

This poofer shoots and throws a very tight fireball 50 feet in the air.

SRL show in San Jose 2006

Here are the poofers. I can rotate the tops on the balls below. This alows me to adjust for wind and crowds.

Zolie the Blacksmith

Zolie and “Grandpa Joe” got busy at the CBA blacksmithing conference this last weekend and made a nail for Shawn Lovell’s nail stump.

She really enjoyed hammering and hanging out with Joe. She woke us up at 6:45 am in the camp ground asking if grandpa was here yet.

I had a great time seeing all my friends, serving beer, exchanging tips and dreaming up the next project.

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Stagecoach 2010

Stagecoach 2010 was a hoot!

I have never seen so many cowboys in one place. Over 50,000 people came and camped for 2 days of music. I got invited along to crew with the Front Porch and drink. I got a chance to try out my cowboy jokes and generally harrass anyone I saw. We were well received starting our days out at 9am and did I mention my new morning drink, the Beermosa. Now we can drink before noon!

The Art and Music was great, but the people, my friends, the marines who woke us every morning at dusk, the Stagecoach crew and these pictures are what I’ll remember.

What was that!

The Front Porch at the HALF-PINT HOOTENANNY right next to the beer garden and the cleanest toilets at the event!

Girls and Beer

Cowboy Jazz hands

Thank god these 2 came along to do our dishes!

Great performance on the stage by Andrea Harrell

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CA Blacksmith Spring Conference April 29th, 2010

More Spring Conference Information »

Yuri’s Night

Raygun Gothic Rocket

Kyrsten, Zolie and I had a great time as NASA’s guests at Yuri’s night.

The art looked great and it was great to see friends. Could have used a bit more fire and a Giant Iron Snail Car!

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Zolander has landed!

Mission to Earth

For the next 7 years the Zolander landing craft will be exploring the remote eastern edge of the SF bay on the western coast of the American continent on a plant know as Earth. This mission will not only determine the surrounding geology, but will be the final interaction the craft will have with the local population. It will truly test the engineers design and the future of humanity.

Big thanks to all who helped and especially Shannon with the forklift.

Check out Shannon’s Neverwas Haul a giant Victorian House on wheels!

We are so glad to have such a great place for our daughter to play and learn. Thank you APS community!

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Amy Jenkins

I had diner with my good friend Amy Jenkins last week and was impressed at the handmade toys she made.

Take a look at her site here

and her flicker set

Pathways Metal Arts opening April 14th with the Golden Mean

Pathways: Jewelry/Metal Arts Educators of the SF Bay Region

Pictures of the show

Deborah Lozier

April 5 – 22, 2010. The public is invited to attend. Admission is free.

Special feature:

Golden Mean

Golden Mean Snail Car by blacksmith and vehicle artist Jon Sarriugarte will be on display outside the EVC Visual Arts Building from 3 – 7 PM:

Happy Easter Eggs

Pictures

Friday was good, but Saterday was even better! We went to a birthday party, dyed eggs and got 4 more wheelchairs to make into something!

Hot on my honey/daddy do list is:

1. Lady bug
2. Deco Gargoyle
3. Earwig
4. Zeppelin

Handmade Flags for the Boiler Bar

Finished Flags at The Steampunk Show

In the hot Sun at Beyond Wonderland. They sure make a plain pop-up look great.

Cutting out the pattern. They did 2 sizes and overlapped them. The back panels are all done in red & white ticking.

Rich Sciortino was good enough to teach us how to silkscreen the stars that Kyrsten had designed.

After running a few on the manual machine we switch to the full auto one finished all 52 in under an hour!

Zolie Catches the finished product hot out of the dryer to stack and fold. Don’t tell OSHA!

Back home we got to work sorting the colors to get the perfect wabi sabi need to make them look old and handmade.

Serger machine. According to the craft night crew it’s the single best creation ever! I happen to think a plasma cutter is just as cool.

The first of 48 and they get a gold star!

Melanie takes over and spends the next 2 days surging and sewing 60 feet of flags!

We then feed a rope down each casing Melanie had sewed to the top of the flags.

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Here they are in all there glory at the Beyond Wonderland gig.