I’m exhausted from working under the hot and bright lights, I’ve got a burn on my right hand from a ‘bacardi burnout’ (you would be surprised what happens when potassium is mixed with bacardi 151!), and my high speed cameras are a mess!
Warrior Cams! Battle Scarred Hardened Veterans. Sprayed with burning potassium, but they got the job done and came out fully functional! Not even Rambo would look as good after a burning potassium shower!
Yup if you want the sweet footage, you gotta get your cameras near the action, and believe me these boys have seen action.
Potassium is an absolute nightmare to work with, it explodes 9 out of 10 times (well to be fair, thats why I’m interested), it gets EVERYWHERE when it goes up, and boy is it effective at stripping paint. FYI it looks to me that when potassium explodes its about 700 degrees (incandescent red heat, see piccie below).
Thankfully it doesn’t mess up the lenses, and in any event, I’ve taken to, where possible getting an extra piece of glass between the reaction and the lens.
So in summary, I made the mess of the paintwork of two cameras, but I got, to my knowledge, the first footage of potassium vapor, and I have lots of it!
Would you believe it, yes, like the bug eyed monster, IT’S GREEN!
Upper, potassium boiling off surface (seen from under the water surface), Yes it's GREEN!, lower potassium glowing red hot, immediately prior to detonation (again from below the water surface)..
Thunderf00t 
June 11, 2011 at 2:46 am |
That is awesome! I have not recently had a chemistry class, so any idea what makes the vapor green? I am sure if I took the time I could figure out what the vapor consisted of, and I bet you already know. Also do you have any pictures of the Bacardi 151 reaction?
June 11, 2011 at 2:54 am |
Very cool indeed TF, thanks so much for sharing. I would give my left arm to see one of your experiments up close & personal & at 43… that’s saying something! Much love from Texas… Lauren
June 11, 2011 at 3:02 am |
Have these warrior cams fought with honor? j/k
Long as they still work, I suppose that’s what counts? Hate to see how the expenses might add up!
I half expect to see you make your own blend of PBAN or HTPB one day…..
June 11, 2011 at 7:59 am |
It looks unworldly, something alien.
no wonder you burnt your hand, I remember you saying before that becardi151 is the same as rocket fuel (or something along those lines)
surely you wear a hockey mask of some sort when doing these experiments? because safety glasses alone don’t seem enough
June 11, 2011 at 10:24 am |
Keep up the amazing work!!!
June 20, 2019 at 12:43 pm |
Please delete this post of yours