6 thin streams of heated chemiluminescent fluid shoot out of a gun barrel in a hexagonal burst that imitates the plasma (or "laser") fire we've all seen in sci-fi movies. The hexagonal burst involves about 1/8" streams aranged in a hexagon that would be about an inch across. I figure that the incandescense of the streams would visually blend together at a distance and give the appearance of a solid 1" beam.

The chemicals are mixed just prior to firing and having been heated, they are very bright, but their luminescence is brief. (I think).

Try not to actually hit anyone, though, as I'm not entirely sure it's safe chemical-wise and I know the scalding wouldn't be nice.

I want mine to be mounted on the top of my car. "The force is strong with this one" .... "perhaps he should not have almost hit me during that last lane change .... Mwah ha ha ha ha ha!"
-- Zimmy, Apr 16 2008

how light sticks work http://science.hows...stick.htm/printable
Phenyl Oxalate Ester & flourescent dye + Hydrogen Peroxide [Zimmy, Apr 16 2008]

Gratuitous cross link Bubbling_20Turn_20Signals
[normzone, Apr 16 2008]

Glow in the dark paint balls http://youtube.com/...uRI&feature=related
on YouTube. [Zimmy, Apr 16 2008]

Are they heated to incandescence or are you using chemo-luminescent (is that the right term?) fluids that mix and create light like in light sticks?
-- MisterQED, Apr 16 2008


I was thinking of the chemical luminescent variety. I read that heat causes this reaction to produce more intense luminescence, but reduces the amount of time the dye is luminescent. (I changed the word incandescent to chemiluminescent in the main idea).
-- Zimmy, Apr 16 2008


The problem with using streams of liquid is that gravity would cause them to droop groundward over distance in a manner more reminiscent of JarJar than Han Solo.
-- bungston, Apr 16 2008


perhaps the stuff could be contained inside of a glow stick that is made of the same material that paintballs are made of. Splat!
-- jaksplat, Apr 16 2008


[Bungston], yeah, I was thinking about an electric pump to build up enough pressure so that the balistic (is that the right term?) path of the water was closer to straight.

[jaksplat], I thought about a paintball containment (well, I didn't think of specifically paintballs, but something like it - that's not a bad idea come to think of it), but I'm not sure if the emitted light would elongate enough. It actually may.
-- Zimmy, Apr 16 2008



random, halfbakery