Did you know, you can make your own Colored Flame Fire Logs? These fantastic looking fires will definitely become a conversation piece at your next camping adventure.
There are 2 relatively simple methods for creating your own colored flames, the shellac method and the no shellac method. We’ll show you how to do both.
The Shellac Method
You’ll Need:
Logs (aka Wood)
Shellac
Colorants (see below)
CAUTION: DO OUTSIDE! DO NOT MIX CHEMICALS TOGETHER!
Light paint each log with shellac. While the log is still wet, sprinkle generously with:
Copper nitrate or Copper Sulfate (for a green flame)
Table salt (for a yellow flame)
Potassium chloride (for violet or blue flame)
Calcium Chloride (For Bright Orange Fire)
Shake off excess chemicals and let logs dry before using.
KEEP LOGS OUT OF REACH OF PETS AND CHILDREN!
Do not use colored Flame Fires for cooking.
Potassium Chloride and table salt are by far, the easiest colorants to acquire. Table salt is just that, regular, plain salt. Potassium Chloride can be found in the vitamin aisle of your local grocery store in tablets and can be crushed/powdered or in a powder form already. Both are very inexpensive. Calcium Chloride is most frequently sold as a de-icing compound and likely if you live in an area that gets snow, you probably still have some of this sitting in your garage or basement.
Copper Nitrate and Copper Sulfate can be found in products used for killing the roots of plants. While the flames are pretty, if you cannot find pure copper sulfate, you might want to skip green flames.
2nd Recipe: The No Shellac Method!
You’ll Need:
an Ice cube tray
Big Plain White Wax Candle (from the dollar store) or Parrafin
Wood Shavings
Colorings of your Choice:
Copper nitrate or Copper Sulfate (for a green flame)
Table salt (for a yellow flame)
Potassium chloride (for violet or blue flame)
Calcium Chloride (For Bright Orange Fire)
Alternatively, if you’d prefer not to use the shellac method listed above, you can take wood shavings and a couple of cheap dollar store candles.
Fill an ice cube tray with shavings, sprinkle the colorants (about 1 tsp per “ice cube”) onto the shavings, then gently and carefully pour melted (unscented, plain white) candle wax over each of the cubes.
Let them harden & pop them out of the trays. Add several various colors to an existing fire for brilliant colors. Handle all chemicals carefully according to the package directions.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / melking
