Cheap, Easy Nichrome Wire Igniters

the simple way to make nichrome wire ignitors (like the ones that come with model rocket engines) for setting off fireworks and stuff.
can be used with model rocket launchers, or cool people will make tetranitrates' awesome detonator

(C:\Documents and Settings\Matthew\My Documents\My Pictures\2007-08-25)

and use that.

I use it to blow up fruit. (Mainly rock-hard pears from my neighbors tree) You are responsible if you use it on something else. like relatives.

to make these, you will need:

low-resistance material. (it means wire, dumbbell) I used rosin-core solder. because it was in sight and didn't move faster than me.

masking tape. (any kind of tape will work, but masking is easy to rip with your fingers)

nichrome wire. Can be bought in 10-foot rolls at unitednuclear.com, but I recommend looking for a spool of it on the internet (I used guage 38)

wire cutters and needlenose pliers help

to start, you need a surefire way to have the nichrome always connected to the wire. cut two pieces of wire around an inch long each,according to preference. then I suggest using needlenose pliers to wrap the nichrome around the end of it 2-3 times, using the needlenose pliers to bend the top over and squeeze it tight

with about a centimeter of nichrome in between (more or less to taste) attach a second wire to the nichrome like the first and put them in the sticky side of a strip of masking tape

all that's left is to cover it up with another strip of masking tape. when electricity is run through the nichrome, it will get hot and set stuff on fire! Yaaaaaay!