There are safer ways to remove weeds punks around your home than by using a flame thrower. Not as fun or effective, but safer.

FTFY.

Flame-throwers are used widely in agriculture and also in gardening, but generally only for removing weeds from between cracks in paving in driveways and patios.

Oddly enough, I haven't noticed a flamethrower aisle in Home Depot ;)

My father has some kind of weed torch that uses a propane tank for fuel.
He mentions it excitedly on the phone at least once a week.
I guess an 18" flame is still fun even when you're 65.

Hmm, that's an awesome idea. Singe the little farkers with a flamethrower.

WOO.

Fire is the best way to keep your patio and brick walkways free of weeds.

Napalm, not so much.

Stays Crunchy in Milk: My father has some kind of weed torch that uses a propane tank for fuel.

Mine too. It's pretty awesome.

PSA: If you're going to use a flamethrower around the house, make sure you have more than a garden hose handy in case things go wrong.

My cousin was using a ordinary sprayer, such as might be used for herbicide, with diesel oil to burn up brush on some land he was clearing, he told me it was perfectly safe as long as you don't use gasoline.

Headline slightly misleading.

"The 54-year-old's garden shed..." A garden shed is not a house. These things are all over Europe. They're just big enough for a bed or sofa and a few other items. A lot of people have small garden plots and these sheds are used to relax and enjoy the garden.

Or to escape from your Euro-inlaws.

Or so I've been told.

Gopher, bless you.

A bunch of little snowflake bastiges of the junior high variety knocked out the big side window of my handicapped kids van last night. I needed a solution for them. I mean a good laugh. Pear burners for the win

It's called a control burn subby. But in this case, it was not.

Weed burners are rather popular for clearing large areas of brush. It's common enough that it's no surprise that on occasion some one screws up.

Technically, there is no real difference between a weed burner and a flamethrower. The former is legal, the latter is not. The difference is pretty much in name only.

skinink: On the bright side, burning his house down has unlocked the Backburner, Flare Gun and the Axtinguisher for himself.

Oh man, that is all kinds of awesome. Where did you get that? WANT!!

/Approves.

OgreMagi: Technically, there is no real difference between a weed burner and a flamethrower. The former is legal, the latter is not. The difference is pretty much in name only.

What does a ground torch count as? Mine has a 200 gallon tank, accepts a mixture of JP8, gasoline, and a gelling agent, and shoots a 30 foot constant stream of burnination.

Yes Sound: OgreMagi: Technically, there is no real difference between a weed burner and a flamethrower. The former is legal, the latter is not. The difference is pretty much in name only.

What does a ground torch count as? Mine has a 200 gallon tank, accepts a mixture of JP8, gasoline, and a gelling agent, and shoots a 30 foot constant stream of burnination.

Do you have a newsletter?

PirateFreedom: My cousin was using a ordinary sprayer, such as might be used for herbicide, with diesel oil to burn up brush on some land he was clearing, he told me it was perfectly safe as long as you don't use gasoline.

He's right, depending on where he lives. I wouldn't try it in southern California, but most months on the east coast are safe, unless there were abnormal drought conditions...

/torches to thaw pipes are also safe, if you avoid direct flammage on the wood behind the pipe

Arthur "Two Sheds" Jackson not available for comment.

Look, that is the cost of doing business. He knew there would be risks.

SpinStopper: Flame-throwers are used widely in agriculture and also in gardening, but generally only for removing weeds from between cracks in paving in driveways and patios.

Oddly enough, I haven't noticed a flamethrower aisle in Home Depot ;)

How can you not have seen people using utility flamethrowers?


Coolest tools evar. Good for gardening, paving, all sorts of things.

/okay I just like fire

Thirsty Pagan: Do you have a newsletter?

I am trying to figure out a way to post an image, but given that I am on a work computer (its 4am here and I have nothing to do) its somwhat difficult.

Photo of the overzealous gardener?



/hot like...well, a flamethrower

Hatman013: Photo of the overzealous gardener?



/hot like...well, a flamethrower

He got rid of his pesky Jew problem, but he still has weeds. He really needs to aim lower.

ah, my testicles

Approve:



/really? first one?

For pure entertainment value in garden tools, it's hard to beat the rodenator.

I just DuctTape a propane torch to a hockey stick. It's good for getting those tent worms high up in trees.

misanthropoid: For pure entertainment value in garden tools, it's hard to beat the rodenator.

Local repairman
Headline slightly misleading.

"The 54-year-old's garden shed..." A garden shed is not a house. These things are all over Europe. They're just big enough for a bed or sofa and a few other items. A lot of people have small garden plots and these sheds are used to relax and enjoy the garden.

(this is where you go "Oh Sheet!I should read WHOLE article")

After accidentally setting his hedge alight, the 54-year-old's garden shed was soon also engulfed in flames and despite efforts to extinguish the fire with a garden hose, the blaze spread to the roof of the house.

It can make the lawn look nice if you do it right!

misanthropoid: For pure entertainment value in garden tools, it's hard to beat the rodenator.

Crap...hotlink fail. Let me try that again:

Bloody hell...

Link (new window)

Stays Crunchy in Milk: My father has some kind of weed torch that uses a propane tank for fuel.

propane powered bong?

SpinStopper: Flame-throwers are used widely in agriculture and also in gardening, but generally only for removing weeds from between cracks in paving in driveways and patios.

Oddly enough, I haven't noticed a flamethrower aisle in Home Depot ;)

I think they are more commonly called weed flamers. They are not permitted in all areas because people get careless with using them. It would be nice for removing weeds from our desert landscaping but I've never seen them here so I assume they aren't permitted.

PirateFreedom: My cousin was using a ordinary sprayer, such as might be used for herbicide, with diesel oil to burn up brush on some land he was clearing, he told me it was perfectly safe as long as you don't use gasoline.

Safe from a standpoint of not blowing up on you, but what's around to catch fire? You can only safely use such things when any resulting fire is inherently contained.

OgreMagi: Weed burners are rather popular for clearing large areas of brush. It's common enough that it's no surprise that on occasion some one screws up.

Technically, there is no real difference between a weed burner and a flamethrower. The former is legal, the latter is not. The difference is pretty much in name only.

Actually, there are differences. Flamethrowers project a long-range jet of fire, weed burners are very short range devices. Besides, AFAIK flamethrowers are legal anyway.

SpinStopper: Flame-throwers are used widely in agriculture and also in gardening, but generally only for removing weeds from between cracks in paving in driveways and patios.

Oddly enough, I haven't noticed a flamethrower aisle in Home Depot ;)

Really? Look again, man. They're called torches sometimes, but they're not.

Or rather large torches are called flamethrowers in TFA, cause I sure as hell ain't heard of no 40 yard long tongues of burning diesel arcing into the sky being used to JUST to remove weeds from a sidewalk.

Firemen use this technique all the time to clear brush in California to try their best to prevent wildfires from spreading. OF course much more controlled.

I had a friend who had a torch directly connected to a propane tank. Lets just say building a campfire when you get to camp at night goes so much faster with one of those things. We also used it to superheat rocks for a sweat lodge. The only stupid things we did that trip was drink tequila before said sweat lodge. Also, the next morning after discovering the rocks could be crushed with your bare hands from being heated to glowing red proceeded to do so until I got a stubborn one and when I broke it in half it sliced my finger down to the bone so cleanly I didn't even feel it until the blood started dripping off my fingers and I was like "What the hell? Oh well." Shoved it full of iodine pads then wrapped it up with gauze and duct tape and went boating all day and stopped by the hospital on the way home.

SPYCHECK!

My brother had this big creeping vine thingy the size of a small 2 story house on the edge of his property. It was chocking out trees and other flora. As it happens he lives across the street from the town fire marsal. Oh, BTW his street is always well plowed in the winter. Sorry, off topic, He went accross the street said can I and he said I don't see why not, he lit it on fire and with a coffee can tossed gas into it to obliterate the weed. He told me this a week after he did it. I wish I was there.

People are always saying "safer" like that's the de facto best way to do things. What's wrong with having fun now & then? Roofs are mostly replaceable.

I have a propane torch I use to clear weeds. I guess I better read the article. Dammit, there goes all my fun.

Tr0mBoNe: I just DuctTape a propane torch to a hockey stick. It's good for getting those tent worms high up in trees.

When I was a kid I used a propane torch to get rid of paper wasp nests. Yes, it was stupid. Lucky I did not catch the house on fire or get stung to death.

Pmoon: Tr0mBoNe: I just DuctTape a propane torch to a hockey stick. It's good for getting those tent worms high up in trees.

When I was a kid I used a propane torch to get rid of paper wasp nests. Yes, it was stupid. Lucky I did not catch the house on fire or get stung to death.

Holy shiat it's Case from Neuromancer!

Stays Crunchy in Milk: My father has some kind of weed torch that uses a propane tank for fuel.
He mentions it excitedly on the phone at least once a week.
I guess an 18" flame is still fun even when you're 65.

His must be smaller than mine. Mine hooks up to a 5 gallon propane tank and shoots flame about 36". I believe it was designed for ice removal.

OgreMagi: Weed burners are rather popular for clearing large areas of brush. It's common enough that it's no surprise that on occasion some one screws up.

Technically, there is no real difference between a weed burner and a flamethrower. The former is legal, the latter is not. The difference is pretty much in name only.

There's quite a difference in range. I've never had a flamethrower, but the flame on my weed burner is only a few inches long. It gets hot enough to vaporize concrete if you don't keep it moving.

Approves, 1981-style:

Tr0mBoNe: just DuctTape a propane torch to a hockey stick.



Is intrigued.