Kitchen Table Science revisited
-
- 5StarLounger
- Posts: 847
- Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 06:35
- Location: A Magic Forest in Deepest, Darkest, Kent
Kitchen Table Science revisited
Today I visited a dear friend who has four children, a daughter of 14 years and three boys 10, 8, 7. The daughter, not interested in the affairs of her younger siblings often stands to the side as the whirlwind of her younger siblings pass by.
I turned up to my friend, Duncan, this afternoon to drop off some stuff when the youngest said "Dad said you can make custard explode...can you Jerry, can you?"
So, in true KTS style, we did. we found a cardboard tube, a saw, a rubber balloon, an elastic band, a piezoelectric gas lighter, an old funnel, a foot pump.......and custard powder.
All four children and the adults had a hilarious hour of cutting, sawing and fire raising with experimentation to get the finer details of pump action, angle of funnel then the first custard powder explosion.....then bigger and BIGGER explosions. All of us covered in custard powder, ash and the odd singed eyebrow here and there. Who said KTS wasn't fun?
I turned up to my friend, Duncan, this afternoon to drop off some stuff when the youngest said "Dad said you can make custard explode...can you Jerry, can you?"
So, in true KTS style, we did. we found a cardboard tube, a saw, a rubber balloon, an elastic band, a piezoelectric gas lighter, an old funnel, a foot pump.......and custard powder.
All four children and the adults had a hilarious hour of cutting, sawing and fire raising with experimentation to get the finer details of pump action, angle of funnel then the first custard powder explosion.....then bigger and BIGGER explosions. All of us covered in custard powder, ash and the odd singed eyebrow here and there. Who said KTS wasn't fun?
Jerry
I’ll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there’s evidence of any thinking going on inside it
I’ll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there’s evidence of any thinking going on inside it
-
- gamma jay
- Posts: 25455
- Joined: 17 Mar 2010, 17:33
- Location: Cape Town
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
Similar to this?
If this person is using custard powder it seems to light up quickly...is it due to its fine grain or does it have a semi-flammable nature?
If this person is using custard powder it seems to light up quickly...is it due to its fine grain or does it have a semi-flammable nature?
Regards,
Rudi
If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.
Rudi
If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.
-
- Administrator
- Posts: 78625
- Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 00:14
- Status: Microsoft MVP
- Location: Wageningen, The Netherlands
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
Because of the fine grains, a powder has a relatively large surface area exposed to the oxygen in the air. Dust explosions form a serious risk in for example flour mills.
Best wishes,
Hans
Hans
-
- Administrator
- Posts: 78625
- Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 00:14
- Status: Microsoft MVP
- Location: Wageningen, The Netherlands
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
Appropriate to the subject of this thread: Kitchen Science - Custard Fireballs.
Best wishes,
Hans
Hans
-
- Administrator
- Posts: 12629
- Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 15:49
- Location: London, Europe
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
Sounds brilliant, where's the pictures - AND the instructions.
StuartR
-
- Administrator
- Posts: 7218
- Joined: 15 Jan 2010, 22:52
- Location: Middle of England
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
Well, if my old mum (gawd rest 'er soul) had anything to do with it, you would not be allowed to use custard powder. So:StuartR wrote:Sounds brilliant, where's the pictures - AND the instructions.
- 570ml/1 pint milk
- 55ml/2fl oz single cream
- 1 vanilla pod or ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, yolks only
- 30g/1oz caster sugar
- 2 level tsp cornflour
Leif
-
- 5StarLounger
- Posts: 847
- Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 06:35
- Location: A Magic Forest in Deepest, Darkest, Kent
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
1) 10cm plastic funnel
2) 10cm (diameter) x 15cm thick cardboard tube
3) 1x piezoelectric gas flame
4) 1x foot pump
5) Duct tape or similar
6) 1x deckchair
7) 2x over 18's ( supervisors!) aka Big Kids
8) 1x over 14 yo
9) 3x under 10 yo
10) Loads of custard powder
Attach footpump to nozzle of funnel using tape to cause seal if necessary.
Tape cardboard tube to funnel, duct tape where necessary
Drill hole the same diameter as the piezoelectric gas flame and poke it into hole so flame is in the centre.
Plop custard powder in nozzle of funnel
Pump air through to cause a puff of custard powder
Repeat but with flame on and again adjusting the amount of air, not too much as this can put the flame out.
We tied a candle to the outside of the tube and got a real improvement as it acted like an after burner and reignited the loose powder.
2) 10cm (diameter) x 15cm thick cardboard tube
3) 1x piezoelectric gas flame
4) 1x foot pump
5) Duct tape or similar
6) 1x deckchair
7) 2x over 18's ( supervisors!) aka Big Kids
8) 1x over 14 yo
9) 3x under 10 yo
10) Loads of custard powder
Attach footpump to nozzle of funnel using tape to cause seal if necessary.
Tape cardboard tube to funnel, duct tape where necessary
Drill hole the same diameter as the piezoelectric gas flame and poke it into hole so flame is in the centre.
Plop custard powder in nozzle of funnel
Pump air through to cause a puff of custard powder
Repeat but with flame on and again adjusting the amount of air, not too much as this can put the flame out.
We tied a candle to the outside of the tube and got a real improvement as it acted like an after burner and reignited the loose powder.
Jerry
I’ll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there’s evidence of any thinking going on inside it
I’ll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there’s evidence of any thinking going on inside it
-
- Administrator
- Posts: 12629
- Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 15:49
- Location: London, Europe
-
- PlutoniumLounger
- Posts: 15651
- Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
- Location: brings.slot.perky
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
Never mind all the kids. Where were you when I needed some electroplating done?Jezza wrote:......and custard powder.
P.S. If I substitute Knorr's instant Champignon powdered soup can I make a mushroom cloud? Thx ...
He who plants a seed, plants life.
-
- Administrator
- Posts: 7218
- Joined: 15 Jan 2010, 22:52
- Location: Middle of England
-
- PlatinumLounger
- Posts: 3691
- Joined: 15 Jul 2010, 14:10
- Location: Milton, TN
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Anne
-
- PlutoniumLounger
- Posts: 15651
- Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
- Location: brings.slot.perky
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
OK Leif, I'll head out now; back in a half hour or so ...Leif wrote: Lower your sights Chris, and just go for a custard plate.
He who plants a seed, plants life.
-
- PlutoniumLounger
- Posts: 15651
- Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
- Location: brings.slot.perky
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
Et Voila! You'll have to forgive the cruddy shot. The suite of sweet (literally!) ladies inside the boulenger are at their busiest around 7pm of a weekday night, and what I thought was a tourist having a rest was a beggar who, as I stooped to retrieve the camera, turned out to be not a beggar but a drunk beggar, so I dropped a €2 in his paper cup in the hopes that he'll quit the scene for the rest of the night. On my way home I was going to take a cute photo of a massive bulldog and a tiny (think boite des allumettes) pup, but as I drew close a fight broke out and my tarte got the worst of it as I stuffed it out of the way in my bag of clean laundry.Leif wrote: Lower your sights Chris, and just go for a custard plate.
Anyway, they don't do tarte de creme anglaise (I looked it up in my pocket dictionary which is too big to fit in my pocket), so I ended up with something that is (soon to be "was") pear-and-something. I missed the last bit (see "busiest") above), but I hope it isn't almonds, or olives or anything like that. I don't like them, even on salads ...
P.S. Below please find a StreetView of the boulanger when it is not busy. P.P.S. I have italicized the foreign words to make things easier for the Lounge Pedant
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
He who plants a seed, plants life.
-
- Administrator
- Posts: 7218
- Joined: 15 Jan 2010, 22:52
- Location: Middle of England
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
Sorry! - that should be Bon appetit!
Last edited by Leif on 18 Sep 2014, 19:44, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: To correct italicisation
Reason: To correct italicisation
Leif
-
- SilverLounger
- Posts: 1952
- Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 12:46
- Location: Nr. Heathrow Airport
Re: Kitchen Table Science revisited
Slightly off topic but this demonstrates one of the other properties of custard (please ignore the annoying presenter who along with some other wannaerbe (Jeremy Clarkson) also presents top gear)
Steve
http://www.freightpro-uk.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
― Benjamin Franklin
http://www.freightpro-uk.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
― Benjamin Franklin