Recipe - Rainbow Pinecones

1 ga Warm water FOR EACH COLOR
1 pound Chemical (FOR EACH COLOR):
Calcium Chloride to make
orange flames
Copper Chloride to make
green flames
Copper Sulphate to make blue
flames
Potassium Chloride to make
purple flames
Strontium Chloride to make
red flames

(pinecones that create colored flames when they're burned)

Copyright (c) 1995Virginia B. Sauer

Brilliant red, green, blue, purple, and orange colored flames in the
fireplace are especially festive and make lovely gifts.

Potassium chloride is simply salt substitute, which many families keep on
their kitchen tables.If you wish to experiment making these, you might try
using salt substitute and readily available cones or pods.

According to Elizabeth Creegan (a chemist who very kindly checked these out
for me), "These solutions are not caustic and don't present a fume hazard,
so you don't have to get too paranoid about them, but they should be
treated as poisonous, and should be washed up thoroughly".

A basket of these cones makes a lovely gift.If desired, attach a gift card
reading "May you always see beauty in your world".

MATERIALS NEEDED Copyright (c) 1995Virginia B. Sauer

1 (2 One half 3 gallon capacity) glass container or very sturdy plastic (NOT
METAL) bucket or pail FOR EACH COLOR

1 wooden stick FOR EACH COLOR

Rubber gloves

Safety glasses and/or mask (optional; to avoid dust)

Dry pine cones (or cones/pods of your choice)

*Chemicals are available from a chemical supply house (check the yellow
pages).

I have been told that technical grade is cheaper and works fine.

Do not accept nitrates or chlorates as substitutes... they are too
dangerous.

PROCEDURE Copyright (c) 1995Virginia B. Sauer

Work outdoors or in a wellventilated garage WHERE THERE WILL BE NO SMALL
CHILDREN OR PETS AROUND, and wear protective gloves.If available, wear
safety glasses.Tale care to keep chemicals away from your eyes, face, et
cetera.

~Pour 1 gallon warm water into each pail, then into each put 1 pound of
one of the following chemicals: Calcium Chlorideto make orange flames,
Copper Chloride *to make green flames, Copper Sulphateto make blue flames,
Potassium Chlorideto make purple flames, Strontium Chlorideto make red
flames.

~Stir with wooden stick until chemical has dissolved, then put dry pine
cones into the pail.

~Cover with lid or similar object to weight down cones (so they will
remain submerged under water).

~Let stand for a full 24 hours.(If in the garage, make sure that no
children or pets can wander in.)

~Wash your hands after removing the rubber gloves.

~At the end of the 24hour period, remove cones and set on newspaper
thicknesses to dry.

~Safely dispose of the solutions by washing them down the sink with LOTS
of water.

Posted to EATL Digest 08 Apr 97 by Tania Hewes
taniah@NSERV1.CLSI.US.GEAC.COM on Apr 9, 1997