Does a flamethrower really melt snow? Not clickbait

Рет қаралды 70,161

Жыл бұрын

1000+ viewers asked if a FLAMETHROWER could REALLY get rid of SNOW & ICE. Maybe even replace your snowblower? Let's find out for real.
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Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of Silver Cymbal, I cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. Silver Cymbal assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Silver Cymbal recommends safe practices when working on machines and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Silver Cymbal, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Silver Cymbal.

Пікірлер: 186

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching please like & subscribe - Favorite Tools: www.amazon.com/shop/silvercymbal

@fxlu Жыл бұрын

that is you tt account?

@FAT9L Жыл бұрын

Snow is a great thermal insulator due to its high air content and specific heat capacity (this is why igloos work so well!). It takes a LOT of thermal energy to melt snow - far more than you'll get out of burning fuel like this.

@mattman4023 Жыл бұрын

That’s why igloos work so well. Spent two nights in one I helped build near Resolute Bay NWT, toasty warm with OAT -40C.

@Blakehx Жыл бұрын

Needs a stronger spray to help lot fuel penetrate deeper

@the_mike_dub Жыл бұрын

I had a similar thought after a recent ice storm. I tried a propane torch. Similar results-did almost nothing. I hooked up a hose to a hot water outlet and that was about 4x more effective than the fire.

@joshl90 Жыл бұрын

But then the water freezes into ice

@tonylarose4842 Жыл бұрын

@@joshl90 what do you think happens after the flamethrower

@joshl90 Жыл бұрын

@@tonylarose4842 nothing since it didn’t melt much ice lol

@the_mike_dub Жыл бұрын

@@joshl90 LOL. - was going to say same thing - water from melted snow re-freezes to. But hot water got me down to concrete at least! Now a dash of salt and all good!

@MrBudderTacoMBT Жыл бұрын

@@joshl90 Can always salt/sand/rock melt the driveway after it melts to prevent a re-freeze

@Gwallacec2 Жыл бұрын

Snow is actually a great insulator and that’s the reason it doesn’t melt. Hot water would actually be far more effective than fire.

@SFCRambo60 Жыл бұрын

Back in 1973 at Cherry Point MCAS North Carolina we got a record snow fall, our Squadron went and took one of our RF-4Bs and an EA-6A and hooked one of the Units tractors to the nose wheel each and pulled them into the Hanger and started up the 2 planes to become huge snow blowers. Now the snow was close to 12 inches thick and when they turned up the engines sheets of snow like 10 foot square would fly up into the air so no one could be out on the Flight Line. It took about 45 minutes to clear off the snow so my Squadron could fly. Only VMCJ-2 could and did do this while all the other Squadrons shut down for the day. USMC 69 - 73, USAR 77 to 98.

@DavidEve Жыл бұрын

WOW! You are BURNING SNOW!!! What madness is this?!?!?

@michaelb8249 Жыл бұрын

Thank you! I have wondered about this since i was about 5. I also am greatly saddened by the results. Yet somehow still considering making the attempt myself.

@x-bloxfarming5019 Жыл бұрын

That's so sick lol, no one other than you could make a educational flamethrower video.

@crimson888 Жыл бұрын

I always wondered about a flamethrower on my icy driveway...love this channel!

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

I did too, I saw a few old videos but they honestly seemed like fake experiments, I wanted to try for myself. So glad you liked it.

@chrism9037 Жыл бұрын

Looks like a lot of fun!

@vivian9803 Жыл бұрын

This was as much fun to watch as it probably was to film!

@witness1013 Жыл бұрын

You NEVER want to wear rubber gloves when dealing w/ fire. Ever.

@Straight_White_Fatherly_Figure Жыл бұрын

You mean additional skin layers for your hands? 😏

@hardkore360 Жыл бұрын

@@Straight_White_Fatherly_Figure No, welders wear leather gloves to protect their skin from the slag.

@Straight_White_Fatherly_Figure Жыл бұрын

@@hardkore360 the joke is that rubber gloves become the skin of your hand with heat

@B_Machine 7 күн бұрын

@@Straight_White_Fatherly_Figure I once scraped my arm under my long sleeve shirt as a kid. Didn't change the shirt for at least two to three days. When I finally took it off, I had to pull it off my arm lol.

@kaboom362 Жыл бұрын

Never a dull video

@jamescady723 Жыл бұрын

I have to say this is one of the most interesting gadget videos I've seen in some time.

@Captain_Yogurt Жыл бұрын

Man that’s a bummer, I work at a boatyard real far north in Maine in the coast, and we get a lot of snow regularly, I’ve certainly had a few days after work fantasizing about how nice it would be to have a flame thrower and just melt everything at once lol. At least I know it won’t much work, and instead I just need to get me a 4x4 and a plow lol

@ronaldoliver1700 Жыл бұрын

Thank you

@BigRedtheGinger Жыл бұрын

I was honestly thinking about doing something like this with a propane torch next winter. I live in the San Bernardino county mountains in California. We recently had 91" of snow in only 7 days(it's been about 30 years since the area had this kind of storm), and I had this idea. Guess it's not such a hot idea after all.

@douglashopkins8070 Жыл бұрын

You could try powdered sodium mixed with powdered graphite if you want another flame method to remove snow. Note that the graphite is to slow down the reaction because an explosion would be undesirable. P,ease also note that I have not tested whether that is enough to make it not explode.

@mjhammer8121 Жыл бұрын

I think the key here is that it's a flame thrower and not a heat thrower. It's designed to ignite things that are flammable like dried up ferns in your field.

@mathgasm8484 5 ай бұрын

I think I need that tool for brush.

@Donuts_random_stuff Жыл бұрын

I clicked on this video thinking it was gonna be click bait but NOOOO this dude actually is completely deleting snow 😅

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

I agree the thumbnail looks fake, but it's all the real deal.

@hocus4957 Жыл бұрын

Completely deleting snow? I think you need to watch the video.

@Donuts_random_stuff Жыл бұрын

@@hocus4957 it was sarcasm I watched the complete video but it’s just the idea you get if you start watching i also hoped it would do more

@TheFlatlander440 Жыл бұрын

I live in northern Vermont and I tried melting ice and snow with a propane weed burner. Needless to say, it didn't work very well with the melted snow refreezing almost immediately. I will say the air temp was -15F at the time which made it almost impossible.

@droolbunnyxo9565 Жыл бұрын

Exactly - the melted snow water refreezes very quickly. You'd pretty much have to evaporate it completely to make this torch technique effective & worthwhile.

@user-em6ie2be7x Жыл бұрын

Glad you answered that cause my first question was gonna be where on earth did you get a Flamethrower?

@Mityob67 Жыл бұрын

Fun experiment

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

It was certainly interesting to make

@rw7594 Жыл бұрын

We can buy those here in Canada. About $1400. That's a nope for me. A store here even sells the fuel backpack for it. Kinda cool for SHTF but that's about it. Couldn't do much with it in the city.

@jons2447 Жыл бұрын

Hello, Mr. Cymbal; Hey, you could try to use the flamethrower to heat the driveway. Try starting on a clear/nearly clear area, heat up the driveway, let the warm driveway melt it. Also, watch out for melt water refreezing on the driveway & making an ice-slick. If it gets really ice-slick you prolly won't be able to drive on it. I'm not really surprised, the flame may not be hot enough for what you want. But you can use it to heat the driveway & the warm driveway will usually melt ice & snow. Also, heating a driveway can cause cracking because of the temperature difference. I've seen similar issues w/ trying to use warm/hot water on windshields. You prolly know about that, it can break the glass. You do some good videos, keep it up. Have a GREAT day, Neighbor!

@ahkeen Жыл бұрын

My god thank you for doing this. That was awesome…”the more you know” moment just kicked in 😂

@StrikerX- Жыл бұрын

While it may not have worked it was a ton of fun to watch!

@sonofman70x7 Жыл бұрын

"a fun tool to use" Talk about an understatement.

@carak4356 Жыл бұрын

Would you consider educating us on irrigation systems for yards in drought? We’re having to change things and get into Xeriscaping where I live. I love your channel thanks for all you do and share!

@mr1pearl Жыл бұрын

Coolest video this year 😎

@fixedG Жыл бұрын

Interesting. Good for setting things on fire it doesn't seem like a high enough temperature for instant snow or ice melting. I'll stick with the long wand propane torch for melting snow and ice on walkways. It pumps some serious BTUs.

@blainethemono19 Жыл бұрын

This channel has come full circle and evolved into Tim Allen solutions.

@xsauce3858 Жыл бұрын

The thermal mass of snow is insane for a little bit of fire to do anything

@dhawthorne1634 Жыл бұрын

A propane weed torch is pretty good against ice because it directs the flame downward. A flamethrower is mostly going to heat the air above it and create a layer of water vapor that protects the ice underneath. On top of that, snow is a great insulator so it will protect the ice crystals that are deeper in the pile. The most effective thing for a driveway is it just keep on top of it. If you keep the snow off of it, the sun will heat up the driveway and that is usually enough to dry it completely. If you need to get through ice quick, use some salt and crack the surface with something like a sledge hammer or tamping iron.

@emissarygw2264 10 ай бұрын

My parents' method was to just pack it down by driving over it. Having the driveway raised up and less banks on either side means less snow getting caught and accumulating.

@douglashopkins8070 Жыл бұрын

I have wanted to see a flame thrower on snow for some time. I had calculated, many years ago, that the heat required to even change the snow to liquid form, never mind vaporizing it made this option considerably less energy efficient than mechanical methods of removal.

@williamdouglas2549 Жыл бұрын

I wonder if you add some anti gel to the diesel,if that would help the stream during those conditions.

@marcberm Жыл бұрын

Despite what you said comparing how this works to an oil fired furnace, I was still surprised how much it sounds like an oil furnace firing up when you pull the trigger. 😀

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

Yes I agree, it is a very clever adaption of exactly how they work. Only real difference is that the furnaces have a safety sensor to ensure the flame has fired so they don't keep squirting out fuel

@jonathanluis4966 Жыл бұрын

Saw a video that someone had a small layer of snow on their driveway and it worked on that, but was barely any snow on the ground at all.

@musicsubicandcebu1774 Жыл бұрын

A really useful gadget for getting people to pay attention.

@markellii3093 Жыл бұрын

Maybe preheating fuel could be a step towards better ignition? Or adjusting the mixture.

@Hy-c. Жыл бұрын

Could you do a before and after of the upcoming Nor’easter? Maybe a post on the community tab?

@greysongillett7498 Жыл бұрын

Sounds like you might not need this as it didn't work that well for snow and ice anyway, but my diesel furnace tech recommended 9-1-1 fuel antifreeze to keep my diesel tank from slushing up like your tank did

@droolbunnyxo9565 Жыл бұрын

Cool! And a lot like making Baked Alaska. 🍨 So, completely agree with all points; I'd probably spend my money & energy spreading a rock salt & sand/gravel mixture instead of doing this. (However, the weed-rid technique is a good one, yes - flame works very well for that :)

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

That is too funny! You are 100% right it does look like baked alaska!

@williamlloyd3769 Жыл бұрын

I’d like to see a Crazy Rocketman KZfaq video versus snow!

@bwselectronic Жыл бұрын

There's another added benefit to burning weeds, you put ash into the soil

@XuroX. 3 ай бұрын

Damn, I thought of just this, getting snow off the end of the driveway this past snowstorm in New England. Too bad it doesn't seem to really work.

@brianchetelat6601 Жыл бұрын

I need one of those! I don't have snow to melt or weeds to burn, I just need one : )

@titodalessandro1909 Жыл бұрын

That’s crazy it looks like Bernt Snow

@greensavant2573 Жыл бұрын

911, What's your emergency? LOL, thanks for posting this!

@leemiller4375 Жыл бұрын

Put a little diesel fuel antigel when below freezing. It will make it burn like it's summer.

@class2instructor32 Жыл бұрын

Snow is a good insulator

@71degrees Жыл бұрын

I couldn't let myself have that, there would be drawings burnt into everything 😂

@harrymaciolek9629 Жыл бұрын

The soot it leaves behind will help the snow melt faster.

@mattb9664 Жыл бұрын

I think Silver Cymbal needs to do a lawn renovation video showing the benefits of first burning out the lawn!

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

I would do it, if it was beneficial. But for lawns, that rarely is every a good choice. If you haven't seen the lawn I got here, it was a wreck, turned around all in place. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z59jraqo2sWZooE.html

@jrusev1 Жыл бұрын

Honey, we need a flame thrower for..ahh, farming.

@jesusgjchuza6491 Жыл бұрын

Cool 😎🤝

@crisservin3106 Жыл бұрын

I've seen people before use this method but wondered how effective. I use this method for weeds on and in between sidewalks

@dosiodosev740 Жыл бұрын

Enjoy your toys. Cool

@milky1234123 Жыл бұрын

you had me go :O when you set the brush on fire

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

Yes, but keep in mind bracken ferns kill animals every year. One of the few ferns you don't want around 2:02

@Sylvan_dB Жыл бұрын

Diesel is good. It increases the energy content by 20% or so. You need some styrofoam dissolved in the gasoline. Far more energy content and it makes the fuel sticky and persistent. Don't know if your equipment allows that use, however.

@zacandmillie Жыл бұрын

Or dissolve pure soap flakes into the diesel. It makes the diesel gel and therefore stick

@gaiazyme Жыл бұрын

The bracken fern are bioaccumulating excess soluble ions in the soil (largely potassium) and converting them into organically bound forms stabilized in their biomass. If you let them grow long enough they will sequester enough of the excess soluble ions into humified soil organic matter and microbial biomass, as well as transition the ecological succession of the soil microbiology towards a wider fungal to bacterial ratio thus being less conducive to the germination of the bracken fern - and early stage succession pioneer species (aka "weeds") in general. Or you can fast track it by ex situ composting the bracken fern biomass then reincorporating of the humified material and/or applying a more fungal dominant later stage succession inoculum of beneficial microbes ☀

@Quadrille763 Жыл бұрын

Propane torch for weeds

@ronggearrob9622 Жыл бұрын

Was kind of hoping for a snippet from Once Upon A Time in Hollywood..."Rick, It's a flamethrower." Anyway cool and interesting video as always.

@jamesmandl9302 Жыл бұрын

A little everclear might thin out the diesel a bit.

@fatman2407 10 ай бұрын

i would suggest a diesel 90 to 10 gasoline mixture for a nice thick fire

@monte80kyle 5 ай бұрын

It's fire 🔥 how would it not melt snow

@jasonthomopoulos3291 Жыл бұрын

Been doing great videos. Wanted to ask you did you ever work on the show This Old House you sound familiar

@mattbcameron 5 ай бұрын

I tried a fresnel lens as a sun scorcher on snow and it was same result couldn’t melt it, even though it would burn wood or melt metal in seconds.. would even heat up snow as it was too reflective and too good an insulator

@marthacoomber3188 Жыл бұрын

Gee that was interesting.

@EqualsThreeable Жыл бұрын

That's why you can have a fire inside an igloo. Snow won't melt.

@Mark.N Жыл бұрын

Fresh snow on sidewalks works well with leaf blowers though..lol

@A_Class 14 күн бұрын

“Legal, even in California.” 😂

@bread-gz3rl Жыл бұрын

"I think it's clear now" *proceeds to burn down the entire county*

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

Originally I had a little of the talking heads burning down the house but I took it out.

@edrodrigues5623 Жыл бұрын

I have no reason or need for one but I want one.

@cocoabiscuits Жыл бұрын

perfect for the zombie apocalypse.

@amcheck4828 Жыл бұрын

I like the Plasma version

@mikeruge5918 9 ай бұрын

That's a bummer. I think I'm going to try gasoline for the ice treads on the driveway though to soften it up.

@davidalearmonth Жыл бұрын

The Action Lab just did a video on this too, talking about the science of it. But he just did a snow ball over a flame, not a flame thrower. :)

@Jinxyoutoheaven Жыл бұрын

Maybe fire blast might work it has a higher base power than flamethrower.

@mtranchi Жыл бұрын

Snow is a great insulator.

@TheSilentSniper321 Жыл бұрын

What a cool channel

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

I really appreciate that thank you

@xail1047 Жыл бұрын

Hello, being French, I am very surprised to see a Minitel on your desk. What uses do you have of it ?

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

I am so excited to see people remember these. It was a TON of work to get my hands on that. I have a special video coming up on that in the next few weeks. Keep an eye out I think you will like it

@xail1047 Жыл бұрын

@@SilverCymbal Ok, ok (honestly) I can't wait ! As a student in electronics I had a project last year to "re-use" a Minitel as a Linux terminal and on a server simulating the original services of the old Minitel which I remember was not easy. If you need advices or translation of technical documentation tell me I will be happy to help you ! Have a nice day.

@Pampersboy86 Жыл бұрын

Can't believe I'm watching snow get burnt lol lmfao

@Mr.RyanButterly Жыл бұрын

Diesel fuel gets colder in the winter time that’s why they add kerosene to it to keep it from getting gel up. So add some kerosene to your diesel during the lunchtime.

@andrewchapman2024 Жыл бұрын

I'm no pro so take this info as you will, but it seems to me that a flame thrower uses a lot of energy with little results. My guess is if there was a machine built specifically for spreading high temperature controlled flames, you could potentially melt ice and snow more efficiently.

@trustbuster23 Жыл бұрын

I can confirm that a propane torch works just about as well, when trying to melt away snow and ice from a driveway or sidewalk. It is good at burning away weeds, but that is about it.

@tacocin Жыл бұрын

👍

@paulinedavis8734 Жыл бұрын

That flamethrower looks like it could backfire and be dangerous. I want to kill weeds on my gravel driveway but I don’t think I’ll go to the flamethrower route. I think there’s a torch that might be more simple, uses propane & may be easier to control with a long handle & at the bottom is where the the flame comes out. HAVE YOU TRIED ONE?

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

Yes absolutely, I made a video about killing weeds with a torch and other easy methods (non-chemical) here kzfaq.info/get/bejne/m6x0arakz5_daGw.html

@watsonrk1 Жыл бұрын

A real snow blower!

@Proulx05 Жыл бұрын

Propane one would work better for that lol

@kperellie Жыл бұрын

Maybe try a weed torch?

@SilverCymbal Жыл бұрын

Yes, for a small area it would work, but you use a ton of fuel to do it

@chillydickie Жыл бұрын

Make the flame green!

@Bella-nv2yp Жыл бұрын

Low combustion efficiency though

@erj9081 4 ай бұрын

So we essentially get a roasted snow/ice rather than water.

@603Madison Жыл бұрын

Hooking up a hose to the hot water tank is probably a much more effective method.

@NithinJune Жыл бұрын

What if you pour gasoline on the ice/snow first. It feels like it would be much more effective

@SCUBONZIES Жыл бұрын

Leroy smith

@garrettb69 Жыл бұрын

All that chem-snow suprised it didn't ignite!!

@atherzaidi5871 3 ай бұрын

only use I can think off is to ward off a Grizly attack.

@geedoubleu641 Жыл бұрын

I believe snow has insulating properties.

@deemarie3524 Жыл бұрын

Boys will be boys😂