LED Tea Light explosion/fires - need ideas

[Doug ex-em4]

I’ve had a go at making some explosion/fire thingies from the LED tea lights but the results have been totally underwhelming.

I painted the plastic base black, glued cotton wool round the base then added stuffing as used in soft toys. Finally sprayed black with a lighter spray higher up. I painted the inside of the stuffing of the one one the right with some red and yellow.



They don’t look right to me. Any suggestions for upping their game?

Doug

[Digits]

More “fire” than “explosion” but they look ok mate.  I like the idea.

I prefer my explosions to look more dramatic though I grant you.  There are a few in my Nam thread that are really easy to make if you want explosion!

However these are great for burning wrecks / buildings etc.

[Doug ex-em4]

More “fire” than “explosion” but they look ok mate.  I like the idea.

I prefer my explosions to look more dramatic though I grant you.  There are a few in my Nam thread that are really easy to make if you want explosion!

However these are great for burning wrecks / buildings etc.

You think? I’m sure I’ve seen them done more spectacularly. I combed through the whole of the tutorial sub-board but couldn’t find anything there.

Anyway, at least I’ve got an excuse to go back through you 'Nam thread now while I look for your explosions .

Doug

[Digits]

Maybe for smoke you could loose the white and add more black spray....oily smoke more realistic for burning wrecks tbh

[Doug ex-em4]

Maybe for smoke you could loose the white and add more black spray....oily smoke more realistic for burning wrecks tbh

Good point.....I’ve got a couple more lights so I’ll try that on one of them.

Doug

[1000foot]

I'm a big fan of on table fire and explosions. For your fires, you might want to skip the white spray from above. I think the fire being the primary light source will cast shadows that would darken the smoke as it rises away from the fire.

I created some explosions from kebab skewers and foam. I put together a tutorial in case you were interested in making your own.



The best on table explosions I've seen were in a Hoth battle diorama. It looks like the video tutorial is no longer available, but you should check these out.

[Digits]

Yup same idea as the ones I do.  I use stell pins being the only difference.

Be careful using hot glue, wear silicone gloves.

Dave you looking in my thread, I put this here as a reference.

Build a few of these.



Basically.....steel pins stuck in a lump of green stuff, stuck to (in this case 40mm) and stick green clump foliage on the pins using hot glue / superglue.....spray black......lightly spray grey....then dollop on red yellow and orange!  Simples!



Then you can expand on it and add debris....



Or bigger explosions.....to be fair this is a ball cock covered in clump foliage



Or....and my favourite, make something blow up mid air.....we did this for Gamesday a few years ago.   Aircraft painted by a friend on AB...explosion by me.