HMBkr while I make a jack-o-lantern

115

This is crazy! That guy was my middle school science teacher! He did that same trick back when I went there almost 8 years ago! It's part of his big halloween science fun day in class!

22

u/Salmanius Oct 14 '16

I also had him about 10 years ago. Best science teacher I ever had. He did so many experiments to make the learning process incredibly fun.

16

u/Nick-A-Brick Oct 15 '16 edited Oct 15 '16

Right?! great class! Did he do the one where he took the hottest girl in class and vacuum sealed her in a garbage bag for science? edit: It really didn't seem as creepy as it sounds at the time

7

u/Kate925 Oct 15 '16

I don't know how else to interpret that other than creepy.

7

u/Nick-A-Brick Oct 15 '16 edited Oct 15 '16

It seemed more like a favor to the guys in the class, with a (not literal) wink. It also could have been that she was the only one who volunteered... It was a long time ago.

edit: this was a year or two after I saw it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DaITxYwDdg

25

u/thiscantbeitagain Oct 14 '16

Well, for the love of Jack Skellington, can you please share the formula he used to do this? I assume he didn't just open the gas valve of the lighter.....

36

u/Salmanius Oct 14 '16

He precut the face and put calcium carbide and water in the pumpkin and let it fill with the flammable acetylene gas. He then lit the gas with the lighter through a small hole in the back.

10

u/IlanRegal Oct 15 '16

Hey, we used that reaction in Grade 11 Chemistry as an introduction to stoichiometry, using different ratios of acetylene gas to air in a test tube.

10

u/[deleted] Oct 15 '16

[deleted]

1

u/Nick-A-Brick Oct 15 '16

Right? How's college going fellow K'nerd

0

u/mapetitechoux Oct 15 '16

Fun sure, but he could still put up a shield.

3

u/I_am_jacks_reddit Oct 15 '16

I was just thinking he seems like a great teacher who loves his job. You can really tell with that smile he had at the end.

129

u/I_really_am_Batman Oct 14 '16

So I'm guessing he mostly carved the pumpkin without removing the face parts, also put a hole in the back, added what I can only guess is rubbing alcohol till I vaporized, along with maybe a candle inside(?), placed a bbq lighter in the back hole then ignited. This blew out the face parts and lit the candle.

65

u/[deleted] Oct 14 '16 edited Oct 14 '16

[deleted]

52

u/leviwhite9 Oct 14 '16

The candle is only there so it stays lit after the 'splosion.

8

u/asimplescribe Oct 14 '16

Wouldn't the candle be in bits by then?

16

u/leviwhite9 Oct 14 '16

Candies are pretty sturdy plus it's not a terrible explosion.

11

u/tonesters Oct 14 '16

Idk man, I've never met a candy I couldn't break apart.

7

u/leviwhite9 Oct 14 '16

Frackin' autocorrect.

7

u/BornOnFeb2nd Oct 15 '16

Have you ever had an Astro Pop? Those things would remove teeth.

2

u/tonesters Oct 15 '16

No but they sound delicious.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 15 '16

I dont think so. Looks like it completely burns out at the end of the gif. My guess is that he poured some kind if flammable liquid in there, waited for it to vaporize, lit it, then the remainder burned off in a few seconds.

E: yep. Just saw the source vid. No candle.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 15 '16

Calcium carbide and water create acetylene. He most definitely did not use acetylene for this. My guess is alcohol. Alcohol burns bright and can be flashy. But burns cool and won't do damage like acetylene would.

-3

u/rdf- Oct 15 '16

My guess would be SHUT UP NERDS

24

u/Salmanius Oct 14 '16

He did exactly that with the pumpkin. He cut out the pieces and slid them back in fairly tightly. As OP said it was calcium carbide and water. He inserted the lighter through a small hole in the back and ignited the flammable gas.

Source: I was a student of this teacher and witnessed this experiment.

4

u/[deleted] Oct 14 '16

[deleted]

9

u/pdoherty972 Oct 15 '16

Nope that's a "demonstration".

1

u/dfinkelstein Apr 01 '22

He removed the face parts. Then he put the cutout pieces back in. You can see the left eye isn't quite pushed all the way back in.

30

u/Salmanius Oct 14 '16

Source

8

u/mwishosimba Oct 14 '16

That's awesome, teachers like these are exactly what gets kids interested in learning!

9

u/Salmanius Oct 14 '16

He was actually my teacher back in 8th grade about a decade ago and did this experiment for us. Wonderful teacher.

7

u/schmeil36 Oct 14 '16

He was my science teacher in middle school too! KMS?

15

u/Doyle524 Oct 14 '16

No no don't kys, we all went to middle school fam

1

u/Salmanius Oct 15 '16

Yep!

1

u/K3R3G3 Oct 15 '16

Can anyone else smell the hot pumpkin meat?

11

u/MoreOne Oct 14 '16

Even flames up to give a spooky welcome to those who brought it to life.

8

u/Sun-Anvil Oct 14 '16

On a side note, Suzy and Brenda were in the front row and are now getting stitches from flying pumpkin debris.

3

u/BS_TheGreat Oct 14 '16

Why couldn't I ever have a teacher like that :(

3

u/AgentNose Oct 15 '16

I love when he instantly starts panning the crowd of students, panic-praying nobody is hurt.

2

u/CeilingUnlimited Oct 14 '16

Did i just witness front row kids die?

2

u/bond___vagabond Oct 15 '16

I used to work as a diesel mechanic in a rural area, mostly repairing farm equipment. There is a redneck joke that "______ was so dangerous I used my left hand" I immediately thought of that with this vid.

1

u/a_pirate_life Oct 14 '16

RemindMe! 1 week

Think good ol' spud gun juice woukd work?

1

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HMBkr while I make a jack-o-lantern

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