Crazy candle project

Well , I'll put this crazy problem forward and see what comes back. The
project is to have a candle (modified or 'gimmicked' I guess) under a
cup which is face down on a table. When the cup if lifted up (hence
revealing the candle) the candle is already lit. The solution I have
come up with is to have some type of light sensor that connects to a
glow plug (model plane engine part) that lights some lighter fluid and
lights the wick. So therefore when the cup is lifted , it activates the
glow plug which lights some fluid which lights the wick.
Any better ideas?
I know its a strange project but I guess so is life.

Andy

 

[SklettTheNewb]

better also vent it somehow, otherwise you are gonna get a nice little
fire ball from the vapors when you spark it. glow plug won't light the
fuel, buy on of those BBQ lighters that you "can't blow out", I don't
know what the term is for it, but they arg as long as they are
activated, you could have the light sensor trigger that.

It would be cool if you could release the fuel via some kind of
membrane that could have a wire wrapped around it and melt when
energized, that would take care of the vapor problem...

This sounds fun

 

[SklettTheNewb]

maybe a section of cocktail straw of mini water ballon with nitro hobby
fuel, wrap it with small guage wire and lay it next to the wick...
that would work...

 

[Active8]

On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 06:14:12 GMT, Ray wrote:

Active8 <reply2group@ndbbm.net> wrote in
news:bt2raakl5mf0$.dlg@ID-222894.news.individual.net:

On 29 Mar 2005 11:34:02 -0800, bolwarra5@hotmail.com wrote:

Well , I'll put this crazy problem forward and see what comes back.
The project is to have a candle (modified or 'gimmicked' I guess)
under a cup which is face down on a table. When the cup if lifted up
(hence revealing the candle) the candle is already lit. The solution
I have come up with is to have some type of light sensor that
connects to a glow plug (model plane engine part) that lights some
lighter fluid and lights the wick. So therefore when the cup is
lifted , it activates the glow plug which lights some fluid which
lights the wick. Any better ideas?
I know its a strange project but I guess so is life.


Such complex and potentialy dangerous solutions to a simple problem.
Take a match and slice into the head with a sharp razor blade. Slip
a piece of fine wire into the slit and wrap it around the head.
Solder some larger gauge wires to the fine wires so the joint is
below the head. Secure the wires to the paper match stick with
masking tape.

The larger wires won't fuse when you apply a voltage, but the fine
wire will light the match. Fudge and practice until you can just
tilt the cup enough to let in light and get the flame near the wick
- if the whole contraption is inside the cup. You could hide it
behind the candle. Don't use a flammable cup. Placing the cup on the
table will extinguish the match, if it's in the cup. If you want
your audience to see that the cup is empty and there's nothing
behind the candle, make your own candle around everything - battery,
sensor, ignitor.

You should be able to set the match off with 1 or 2 batteries - like
the old 000 steel wool firestarter trick.

How about use a lunar ignitor for a model rocket motor. It would only
need about 6V... maybe tie a CDS cell in there for the light sensor.

I thought about that, thus the match idea. Are they any noisier or
smokier than a match?
--
Best Regards,
Mike

 

[SklettTheNewb]

I had lost sight of the op's *assignment* and was thinking he had to
use a liquid fuel... that is not the case, so my ideas are a waste.
The match would be the easiest for sure!

 

[Andy]

Hi guys ,
You ideas are awesome. I posted this problem here and then saw
sci.electronics.design and thought it would be a more appropiate
group. I pasted your ideas over to there as there has been quite a bit
of discussion about it. See you at sci.electronics.design

Andy