The Practical Pyromaniac: Build Fire Tornadoes, One-Candlepower Engines, Great Balls of Fire, and More Incendiary Devices

This book combines two elements: recipes and instructions for spectacular and fiery experiments AND narrative about the scientists of the late 18th and early 19th centuries who paved the way in the discovery of elements and the elucidation of combustion.I would say the majority of the proposed experiments are very ambitious in the materials and supplies required and construction techniques. The book is aimed at the kind of teen-aged boy who makes his own rockets out of fertilizer and sugar but a boy following this book would need an enthusiastic dad with deepish pockets. Some of the experiments involve a lot of construction only to produce a short lived spectacular flame effect. Danger looms, as the book keeps pointing out.I enjoyed the descriptions of the life and works of such scientists as Joseph Priestley and Henry Cavendish -- Gurstelle does a good job of providing entertaining cameos of these dudes.

There are a fair number of clever projects in this book that live up to the title, like the sound modulated flame tube, the fire tondo, and the flame thrower, but there are also a good many mundane projects like making a clay oil lamp, or the "one candlepower engine" which is simply a candle on a horizontal pivot lit at both ends. It's not nearly as good as the author's earlier  Backyard Ballistics: Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices . The budding mad scientist will find a wider variety of really flashy and dangerous projects in  Make: Technology on Your Time Volume 35: Playing with Fire: The Danger Issue .

No, I'm serious about the title. There are some fun experiments in here, and can teach kids both about chemistry, and to have respect for things that burn and blow up.A lot of it is pretty basic, so I think it's more geared toward adult-assisted experiments for kids. But then, the flame thrower is really cool. Can't wait to build that, not sure where I'll find a safe place to try it, though.

Great book filled with some great projects. Keep in mind, this isn't something to buy your kid unless you want your house to burn down. These are good projects for someone who knows what they are doing and is able to be safe when playing with fire.

There is a lot of chemistry, and science history, and several interesting projects. I want to try the Hydrox bubbles next 4th.Most of these projects have serious hazards, and the safety information is to be respected.

Well written, explores the history of the science of flame; fewer experiments than I would like, but hey, I am a pyrotechnician.

Got this book for my 3 little boys. I'm a Mom, and we have spent many hours reading the stories and history behind fire dynamics, and trying the experiments. Little boys and big boys love fire. This is a good way to let them experiment and experience the "fire" safely. FYI boys, always follow the safety guidelines :).

The book had a few decent experiments, but the only really cool thing was the propane flame thrower which was already described in "Absinthe and Flamethrowers", also by Gurstelle. If you want to build a real flamethrower, look elsewhere. All in all, I was disappointed with this book and I believe Gurstelle is losing his edge.

The book is a major disappointment and delivers a lot less than it promises. It takes a lot of imagination to see a double ended candle see saw as the one candlepower engine promised in the book title. The book is resembles a lot of self published books emanating from America as indeed this one does. The contents seem to be hastily and cheaply thrown together by cutting and pasting underwhelming stuff freely available elsewhere on the internet and books of curiosities for children.I thought that this book my elevate my own pyromaniac activities beyond premier league status - I've melted my wellies, removed my mates eyebrows, almost given myself a tan with the u.v. from burning colloidal aluminium and much frivolity and fun with my paraffin powered incendiary devices including a 1/2 gallon capacity flame wand.Sadly the book struggles to attain membership of any league other than useless. I am going to burn it to deprive anyone else from the disappointment of second hand ownership.A fitting end for an unfit for purpose book.This book is the first thing that I've reviewed that I want to give a zero star rating to. It just about merits one star because of its combustibility.

i wasn't sure what to expect from this book. lots of interesting experiments. yes plenty. what i wasn't expecting and found a pleasant surpise was the amount of detail on the early experimenters. a lot of really good history of science stuff. i thought i knew a fair bit about early scientific experimenters, but their was a lot i wasn't aware of. my only criticism,which is nothing to do with the book or the author was the kindle download version i read is missing a lot of the details of the experiments and the equations and diagrams. this is no reflection on the author, but rather how the kindle interprets pdf files. i can thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in the science of fire and flames,or indeed the history of science. but buy the paper version if you can afford it.

My husband felt this book should be mine. I was skeptical but ordered it anyway. Now that I have actually had some time to get into the book, I find the history of the science of fire fascinating! That alone makes the book one of my new favorites. The experiments are well-written, researched, and surrounded by cautions. Anyone with a love of fire and/or science, a bit of patience, and an ability to follow directions will find this book a fine addition to any collection.

if you ever need to know about the history of flame throwers and the construction of them then this is the Book for you, full of photographs, illustrations and well written history, a good and informative book for your reference library.

Great little book written in an easy to read style. Will be of interest to anyone who like home experiments involving bangs.