# Flame Throwers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 26, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981 "2002-12-26T16:29:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/1 "2002-12-26T16:29:03Z")
In discussing the Christmas Day snowstorm that left 16+" in its wake, I wished for a flamethrower to melt the snow from, and dry, my driveway so it would not ice over. I guessed that e-Bay probably had one for a few thousand dollars. I did a quick search but came up empty (I wonder how the hot rod type throwers that go on the exhaust would look on my wifes Buick Century? but I digress…) Can someone offer a better estimate? I don’t really want to purchase one, I swear (ATF guys…I really don’t!), I was just curious. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/2 "2002-12-26T16:45:21Z")
[Flameengineering](http://www.flameengineering.com/) would seem to be place to go. Perfectly legal! ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/3 "2002-12-26T16:55:36Z")
Thanks Tapioca, maybe it is in my budget after all! ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/4 "2002-12-26T18:08:31Z")
You may try renting a “weed-burner” yeah I know what it sounds like. But _here_ if I went to the equipment rental bidness. And I asked to rent a weed burner theyd know what I was talking aboot… ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/5 "2002-12-26T18:21:50Z")
In Montreal it is not unknown (although not common) to embed heating pipes under the driveway and you open the valve to them when there is snow to clear. It seems like a real waste, but I understand the impulse. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/6 "2002-12-26T18:25:16Z")
[weed burner](http://www.brookstone.com/shop/product.asp?product_code=290940) ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/7 "2002-12-26T19:01:22Z")
the weed burner looks pretty small. It looks like a cigarette lighter. Tapioca’s link looked closest, but only out of curiosity, what would I have to plop down at Herman’s Military Antiques to walk out with one like in the newsreels of the caves on Okinawa? ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/8 "2002-12-26T19:10:38Z")
There’s always the [Terra Torch](http://www.nps.gov/ever/fire/action.htm). I have no idea where you could buy one, but they’re cool. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/9 "2002-12-26T20:03:44Z")
Agreed, very cool. God help the person who’s parked in my spot when I come home from work! ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/10 "2002-12-26T21:22:57Z")
I get that this is lighthearted and fun but I never miss a chance to be pendantic Flamethrowers and incendiary grenades are currently illegal under the Geneva Conventions when used on civilians, civilian property or on military targets near civilian populations. E-bay & you could end up in front of the Hague if you use 'em 🙂 OTOH you maybe can get yourself a thermobaric weapon that’ll melt your snow … [http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2002/020826-thermobaric.htm](http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2002/020826-thermobaric.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/11 "2002-12-26T23:09:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jimmmy \* > \*\*I never miss a chance to be pendantic… \*\* Well, the company I linked to doesn’t actually make napalm powered flame throwers, just good ol’ propane. No one’s going to a military tribunual over that. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/12 "2002-12-26T23:14:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jimmmy \* > OTOH you maybe can get yourself a thermobaric weapon > that’ll melt your snow … > > \*\* Too much weapon, there, Jimmmy. Thanks anyway. ---
**Author:** ![starfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@starfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starfish)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/13 "2002-12-27T16:13:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Casey1505 \* > \*\*the weed burner looks pretty small. It looks like a cigarette lighter. Tapioca’s link looked closest, but only out of curiosity, what would I have to plop down at Herman’s Military Antiques to walk out with one like in the newsreels of the caves on Okinawa? \*\* The WW2 ones are around $3000. They are not made anymore so there are no new parts. The wands, ignitors, etc can be hard to find. When you fire one, you rely on 60 year old parts salvaged from scrap units to keep you from becoming a one man bonfire. There are a few people who do restore and shoot them. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/14 "2002-12-27T16:26:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Casey1505 \* > \*\*I don’t really want to purchase one, I swear (ATF guys…I really don’t!), I was just curious. Thanks. \*\* Somewhat curiously a flamethrower does not meet the definition of a firearm (no projectile propelled by an explosion) and AFAIK the BATF has no regulations on them. I’ll ask around but I don’t think it falls under the definition of destructive device either. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/15 "2002-12-27T16:39:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Padeye \* > \*\*Somewhat curiously a flamethrower does not meet the definition of a firearm (no projectile propelled by an explosion) and AFAIK the BATF has no regulations on them. I’ll ask around but I don’t think it falls under the definition of destructive device either. \*\* Really?? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/16 "2002-12-27T17:49:42Z")
Yes, really. Keep in mind I’m only referring to the federal legal definition for **firearms** which is somewhat more narrow than you might think. There is no fixed ammunition, no explosive force (burning fuel is not an explosion) and no projectile. State laws are a different matter so YMMV. Something does not have to be a firearm to be a deadly weapon or deadly instrument in your jurisdiction. Just because the BATF may be silent on the issue doesn’t mean you can legally have a flamethrower where you live. This narrow definition also means a cap and ball muzzle loading arm is not a _firearm_ as far as the BATF is concerned but that still doesn’t mean I can carry my Colt Walker on a plane. This topic came up when I bought a reproduction gun, the Walker actually. The clerk said there would be no 4473 or background check because “it wasn’t a real gun.” I informed the lad that while it wasn’t a regulated firearm it was most certainly a real gun and offered to give a demonstration at his convenience. ---
**Author:** ![Kalashnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kalashnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalashnikov)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flame-throwers/144981/17 "2002-12-27T18:15:30Z")
BTW, you can rent flamethrowers at some of the large machinegun shoots such as Knob Creek. I wouldn’t do it though - they are often old and/or homemade and you don’t know how well maintained they are.