Pictures of flaming bi-filament

[Spiral Syzygy]

Ok, so I finally got pictures off. It looks like we were only able to get some video that I will post later and a single good still before the batteries died. The universe was not making it easy for this experiment to take place. This was the second set of batteries, the first completely dead. Our grill lighter was out of fuel, leaving us to use a Bic lighter. This is stupid, don't do this.

So I held the bic to the board itself. A 2-3" flame would form and move a few inches across the board and stop.  I tried this on the bare edge and more or less the same thing happened. I held the bic on the bi-filament tape edge for 3-5 seconds and in another 10 seconds the board and tape looks like it does in the picture below.


Mahalo,
Spiral

[Vinay Gupta]

Wow. That's what I'd call BadSynergy (tm.) Did the fire on the board maintain, or was it that the tape was burning off the board and then the fire would go out?

I'm really grateful you'd doing this work, Spiral.

Vinay

-- 

Vinay Gupta

Free Science and Engineering in the Global Public Interest

http://hexayurt.com - free/open next generation human sheltering

http://hexayurt.com/plan - the whole systems, big picture vision

Gizmo Project VOIP : (USA) 775-743-1851

Skype/Gizmo/Gtalk  : hexayurt

Icelandic Cell     : (+354) 869-4605

"If it doesn't fit, force it."

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[Spiral Syzygy]

The board caught on fire too. That much heat got the foam going to where it seemed like the flame was stable and self-sustaining. I can't say how long it would have burned for. I let it go for a good long while after the tape had all burned off.

[Vinay Gupta]

Awright, that would be our critical fail. From now on, looks like all tape gets foil covered for flame retardant reasons, and we'll work on getting a fireproof or at least significantly fire-retardant tape sorted out.

Thank you so much.

If you're wiki-enabled, could you update the safety notice on the Appropedia pages? I can do it also, but you did the research mate :-)

Vinay

-- 

Vinay Gupta

Free Science and Engineering in the Global Public Interest

http://hexayurt.com - free/open next generation human sheltering

http://hexayurt.com/plan - the whole systems, big picture vision

Gizmo Project VOIP : (USA) 775-743-1851

Skype/Gizmo/Gtalk  : hexayurt

Icelandic Cell     : (+354) 869-4605

"If it doesn't fit, force it."

[RichShumaker]

I smell an ART project.
That would be a joke by the way.

Did you test the burning tape with foil or gorilla over top to see how
it dampens or removes the issue.
Is there any paint we could use to neutralize and strengthen the tape
and remove the issue of FLAMING DEATH?

Rich Shumaker

[BurnerDan]

Hey Guys - I noticed a reference to Hexacomb (basically kraft paper skins with more kraft paper made up as hex-comb centers - where the foam would be) sheets as being more environmentally friendly and politically correct (if you give Boise-Cascade higher marks than Dow).  What I'd like to know more about is the relative safety of this type of product.  Seems like there could be a lot of bedevilment in the details, so a fast answer seems less likely.  That said, does anyone have any experience of any kind with this product?  There's apparently a barrier to using it.  The person mentioning it (sorry - I can't find that post now) noted that a large order would need to be made to get any of this material, so I am also trying to gauge interest. 

Overall, it seems clear that there's a need to educate burners contemplating or already using hexayurts in their safe use.  The whole image of a yurt turning into a 10,000 degree oven in seconds is scary.  Obviously, covering over/not using the bi-directional tape is a good first move but any heat source that could initiate core foam combustion creates a serious risk.  Other structures may be equally problematic.  Tents, even nominally fire-retardant ones, might behave badly fanned by high winds.  So here's where artist/maker "let's try this new approach" stuff meets reality.  It's new; it's untested.  One good thing (theoretically) about commercialized products is that they're made by deep pockets - people/orgs with (hopefully) serious things to loose by putting people at risk.  Where is/where should Burningman be on that continuum (artist/maker vs. commercial/mfr)?

Thoughts?