shower with a solvent that burns at a low temperature,and gives off a low heat [perhaps an alcanol;but if a better solvent can be found,so be it] afterwards,start the flamethrower[burning the same fuel]
-- technobadger, Jun 16 2001

Boiling and the Leidenfrost effect http://www.wiley.co...idenfrost_essay.pdf
How water boils; How to dip your hand in molten lead without it hurting too much [hippo, Jun 16 2001, last modified Oct 21 2004]

thankyou for that information
-- technobadger, Jun 16 2001


[Dillon], do you have a citation for the name change? Or are you just making fun of [technobadger]'s spelling?

I know someone who burned themselves very badly trying to show off by pouring methanol on themselves and igniting it. Tip: Take off your shirt first.
-- egnor, Jun 17 2001


Alcanol: Wine grape variety also known as Macabeo, Maccabeu, Lardot. They make light, acidic, white wines with low cellaring potential.
alcanol: European nomenclature for the alcohol family of organic chemicals (ethanol, methanol etc.)
alconol: Alternative name for the same family of chemicals. Used to differentiate from ethanol, as it's commonly called alcohol.

Good call, technobadger.

Not sure how this would be a good idea. Flash burns from alcohol racing fuel are horrendous. Isopropyl alcohol is probably the solvent you are thinking of in this context. I tried to nail down the composition of lighter fluid but it appears to contain about 55-56 different components.
-- UnaBubba, Jun 17 2001


UB: Depends upon the fuel. Back in college, your Uncle Nutsy would set his hands on fire every Halloween, as part of the haunted house attraction for local kids.

As I greeted people in my guise as a drooling, disfigured hunchback (no different from normal, right?) I surreptitiously dipped my hand in a tub of water, then a jar of butane. Then, as I grandly motioned them onwards, my hand touched an open candelabra, and poof! blue flames.

It doesn't hurt- the water acts as insulation, and butane burns cool- as long as you don't have any hair on the back of your hands. If you do, well, it won't hurt the *second* time you do it.
-- Uncle Nutsy, Jun 17 2001


Sounds good [Uncle Nutsy] - see link for how water will similarly protect your hand against molten lead.
-- hippo, Jun 22 2001



halfbakery