I need some help lighting a fire remotely

[Jeffforpresident]

So I attend Post Road Christian Church on the Eastside. Our men’s bible study, Fightclub, will be having our Midway event on campus and I need some help.

I would like design something that a group of five guys could build that would shoot something on fire into a giant bonfire to light it up. So in theory the guys would complete five or so events and get a part of it and then at the end assemble it and shoot. Something that could shoot flaming arrows would be preferred.

I would like to keep most of the parts of the weapon made in house out of wood. I could buy some stuff but we are on a church budget and we are not a mega church. Any ideas would be much appreciated no matter how out of the box they are. Thank you guys for your help in advance. Pic just for the sake of having a pic

 

[Chance]

Trebuchet is a lot of work for unpredictable results on where the payload lands. An inner tube powered crossbow would be simpler and something that you can aim.

 

[Creedmoor]

A PVC or steel potato gun shooting a flaming potato.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

There could be an existing pilot light so to speak, and the teams then bring and assemble the parts to transmit more fuel. I'm thinking a small fire then lit by adding a lot more fuel from a remote location.

 

[Mgderf]

A PVC or steel potato gun shooting a flaming potato.

What's not to love about a flaming potato?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

What's not to love about a flaming potato?

A flaming potato you say?

 

[ditcherman]

A flaming potato you say?

View attachment 305405

Just what kind of church is this?!?


Sorry, I had to take it there.

 

[deo62]

Just what kind of church is this?!?


Sorry, I had to take it there.

I was thinking “Vikings”

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Just what kind of church is this?!?


Sorry, I had to take it there.

Church? I don't know. I just DDG'd "gay Mr. Potato Head" and that was one of the images that came up.

 

[Cameramonkey]

More reliable. Fuel (kerosene) in a bucket perched atop the pile. a hidden candle lit inside a pocket of the pile.

The challenge would be to build something to tip the bucket over. (on a hinge of course so its a controlled drop)
That keeps all the fire and flame safely contained, with no chance of "missing" with a flaming whatever.

Shooting flaming objects might get this conversation:
"so what happend to the house next to the field?"
"Dont ask"

LOL

as I type, maybe a dunk tank type release?

 

[Cameramonkey]

And put the candle inside a large coffee can, that way bystanders cant see the flames. Poke holes in the bottom of the can so it cant hold kerosene. that might make it burn longer than you want with blacker smoke than you want. (unless you are ready to announce a new pope)

 

[Gingerbeardman]

My favorite method utilizes gasoline and Roman candles but that doesn't meet the established parameters.

 

[ditcherman]

If you wanna talk tannerite, I got you.

But I think you're talking non-firearms so...my initial thoughts are similar to CameraMonkeys where something, maybe on fire to make it look like it did the work or maybe not on fire, hits something that "triggers" a flame to expose itself to vapors.

Candles and such are very undependable. Think road flares for ignition source. Maybe road flare gets tipped to light fuse that goes to liquid/vapor source...or road flare gets exposed to vapor...you gotta get the gasoline vaporized...do not go overboard...thinking...

The above picture is one small container of tannerite. Everyone thinks more is better, and that's fine, unless you don't actually want the mower and fridge parts coming back at you. There's a better way. I've gotten a lot of laughs and wows doing this over the years, it's been a while and its time to do it again.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

What's not to love about a flaming potato?

Dude. That was my band's name back in college!

 

[Mgderf]

A flaming potato you say?

View attachment 305405

That's not what I had in mind...

 

[Creedmoor]

What's not to love about a flaming potato?

The thought of a flying potato with a tracer brings back memories of my Dad blowing stuff up on the farm. Then, Laughing so hard it hurts.

And the others think I was kidding.

 

[Creedmoor]

A flaming potato you say?

View attachment 305405

You guys gotta get out of Indy more often.

 

[Cameramonkey]

The thought of a flying potato with a tracer brings back memories of my Dad blowing stuff up on the farm. Then, Laughing so hard it hurts.

And the others think I was kidding.

My main concern about a spud gun is keeping the projectile lit.

And my only shot using mapp gas scared the crap out of me. Took the bark off a tree at 30 yards. That tater was MOVING.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Moved to the break room and edited the post to fit the thread. Hope OP doesnt mind.
@Jeffforpresident if you need help renaming the thread to something else, let me know. Sometimes after a mod makes a change it removes the ability from the OP to change.

 

[Greffy]

I was wondering the other day about how flaming arrows work. Anyone have real world experience on those.
Sorry to the OP in case this idea is not workable for his project.