In a message dated 10/03/02, SFQUAKE06@........... writes:

> I had heard somewhere (Scientific American?) that you bubbled natural gas 
> through benzene and used a flame that was starved for oxygen to get a good
> quality of soot. 

       Probably would work, but benzene is very toxic. I have not tried it.

> heard that you can use kerosene.
> Paraffin?

       Kerosene = paraffin for your purposes. We used to run vehicle engines 
on kerosene. Paraffin is used for lamps, indoor heaters etc and is a refined 
version.

 Are you English?  The paraffin that I know of is the stuff that you use in 
making 
> candles and canning fruit--- it's a solid.
> 
    Correct. Paraffin wax is a solid used in making candles. Never heard of 
it used for canning fruit.

    We use metal tins of about the 8 oz size with a metal lid which fits over 
the top of the can and maybe 1/4" down the outside. Then we drill a hole in 
the midddle of the lid and soft solder in about 4" of 1/4" brass tube. You 
use a bit of wire to pull a length of wick through the tube, leaving enough 
for a 1 turn coil in the bottom of the can. Sorry for any confusion.

    Regards,

    Chris Chapman
    
       

In a message dated 10/03/02, SFQUAKE06@........... writes:



I had 
heard somewhere (Scientific American?) that you bubbled natural gas through benzene and used a flame that was starved for oxyge
n to get a good

quality of soot. 




       Probably
 would work, but benzene is very toxic. I have not tried it.



 Also 

heard that you can use kerosene.

Paraffin?




       Kerosene
 = paraffin for your purposes. We used to run vehicle engines on kerosene. Paraffin is used for lamps, indoor heaters etc and i
s a refined version.



 Are you English?  The paraffin that I know of is the stuff that you use in making 

candles and canning fruit--- it's a solid.



    Correct. Paraffin wax is a solid used in making candles. Never heard of it used for canning fruit.



    We use metal tins of about the 8 oz size with a metal lid which fits over the top of the can and maybe 1
/4" down the outside. Then we drill a hole in the midddle of the lid and soft solder in about 4" of 1/4" brass tube. You use a 
bit of wire to pull a length of wick through the tube, leaving enough for a 1 turn coil in the bottom of the can. Sorry for any
 confusion.



    Regards,



    Chris Chapman