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Watch UK Inventor Colin Furze Survive a Fireworks Blast In a Metal Suit 54

Posted by timothy from the could-substitute-cherry-bombs-in-the-basement dept.
Nerval's Lobster writes Labor Day is nigh, and with it the official end of summer. It's time to pack away the umbrellas and beach towels, and perhaps spend a few minutes flipping through photos of all the fun times you had over the past couple months: the grilling, the trips, the fireworks oh yes, the fireworks Chances are pretty good that you've set off more than a few fireworks in your time. But Colin Furze, the British inventor and YouTube celebrity who once co-hosted Sky1's Gadget Geeks? Well, he puts everybody's love of fireworks to shame. He loves fireworks so much, in fact, that he built a giant metal suit so he could stand in the middle of an epic pyrotechnic display. No matter how good your own engineering skills (or strong your courage), it's inadvisable to try this at home. But it's sure fun to watch.
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Watch UK Inventor Colin Furze Survive a Fireworks Blast In a Metal Suit More

Watch UK Inventor Colin Furze Survive a Fireworks Blast In a Metal Suit

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  • How did this escape an idle tag?

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by siddesu ( 698447 )
      I have no idea, but I don't care. Now I finally know how they built the Tin Woodman.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by flyneye ( 84093 )

      Really!
      I saw this at a Rammstein Concert once before, anyway. Michael Jackson pioneered it , the same way DaVincis assistant pioneered flying.

  • It's made of plated steel (Score:4, Interesting)

    by bytesex ( 112972 ) on Saturday August 30, 2014 @04:42AM (#47790065) Homepage

    Isn't steel. next to strength, not also known for its superb conductivity of heat?

    • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Much like bullets, fireworks are more dangerous in terms of kinetic energy than thermal energy in general.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Guppy06 ( 410832 )

      known for its superb conductivity of heat

      Exactly: pinpoint heat sources will see that energy rapidly disbursed throughout the entire suit rather than stay concentrated in a hot spot.

      Water's heat conductivity, its ability to spread heat out into meaninglessness, is one of the reasons why it's effective at extinguishing fires.

  • How about no.
  • I once flew into London Heathrow on a clear Guy Fawkes night. I looked like the city was a boiling couldron of some glowing witch brew.
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion

      • Re: (Score:2, Offtopic)

        by Zedrick ( 764028 )
        What does colours or icons have to do with it? It's a newssite, content is what matters. If you don't care about that, here's a good alternative:

        https://www.google.com/search?... [google.com]

        Soylentnews is quite good and often have interesting tech-related news before slashdot. It just needs more people in the comments.

      • Stupid name, looks like it was designed in the last com bubble, awful on mobile, no users, posts retarded crap about Indian takeaway deliveries.

        There's scope for a rival to Slashdot, but that isn't it.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by qpqp ( 1969898 )

          like it was designed in the last com bubble

          In contrast to /. beta, which was designed in the current web 2.0 hype, without them knowing what web 2.0 really means.

    • lacks userbase from what im told.

      Oh, it lacks the only thing that makes slashdot interesting you mean?

      Say what you like about slashdot but they've an excellent hands-off policy when it comes to discussions about whatever, that can be relied upon. The same can't be said for your "alternatives".

      Please mod this and the parent post as offtopic, thanks.

      • Like accuracy, you mean?

        The official end of Summer is the moment before Autumn starts, sometime around the 20th of September, give or take.
        • Jane Q. Public: I just accidentally moderated one of your comments in the Antarctic ice thread as "Redundant," when I meant to click "Insightful." I can't figure out how to undo that, and I don't have an email address for you. Sorry!
          • Stuff happens. Thanks for at least mentioning it.

            I don't give out my email address on Slashdot. Nor my location, or phone number. Nothing personal. I am sure you understand.
          • Since you indirectly brought it up, I will say that even though I am generally an honest person, there is one thing I admit to lying about on Slashdot, both overtly and (I flatter myself) rather subtly, and that is my location.

            Because there are some real bastards out there. As I say, I am sure you understand.
    • Soylent has extremely low article quality from what I've seen. I think this place is still the best.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by flyneye ( 84093 )

      So, somehow it is qualitatively different than the rest of the same old shit?
      Newsclown dump still looks and smells like newsclown dump, give it a taste and let us know what you think.

  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by msauve ( 701917 )
      "If I covered myself in bricks and then had fireworks launched at the bricks would I also get on Slashdot as an "inventor?""

      If timothy is editing at the time you post your article, then sure, why not?

    • metal suits for protective purposes have been around for hundreds of years ........ would I also get on Slashdot as an "inventor?"

      I must admit that it did not even occur to me that this is supposed to be an invention until you mentioned it. I thought it was just for a laugh. Yes, the guy may be an inventor, but that does not mean that everything he does is an "invention" - otherwise he would be inventing dinner every time he cooks one.

      Hundreds of years you say? And a order of magnitude. If you are looking for the inventors of body-sculptured metal armour you could make a start among the Ancient Greeks.

  • but that's not a particularly great one - have a look at the rest of the stuff on his channel.

    Oh, and for the people pointing out a conductive suit might not be the best type of protection - it's entirely likely you're right. He's not really into 'safety' - http://youtu.be/6FYZFAuhFV4?li... [youtu.be]
  • Wasn't a suit a bit like this, but infinitely more flexible, invented over 500 years ago? I re-enact medieval battles and the full plate gear that we wear dated 1480 is perfectly firework proof. it's possible to do cartwheels whilst wearing it, too!

  • argh (Score:3)

    by Bender Unit 22 ( 216955 ) on Saturday August 30, 2014 @06:42AM (#47790323) Journal

    There was more information in the the text describing the video than the content of the video itself.
    Also it seemed that the "suit" was the worst place to see the fireworks.

    It's the sort of thing people share on Facebook and I believe it was made for that purpose as it contained no information or explanation, was short and didn't require sound to watch(safe for work).

    Thankfully YouTube DOES contain lots of interesting information from people around the world. Of course of varying quality.
    Personally I enjoy watching videos related to different type of electronics and pinball machines, found some useful repair videos. (one example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com] ). Also Conan has his "serious jibber jabber" that I found interesting( https://www.youtube.com/playli... [youtube.com] )

  • Seems a little excessive, how much kinetic energy does a firework pack? I imagine you could make do with something closer to a firemen's outfit instead of a suit of armour.

  • ... and a lot less stupid. A form-fitting, immobile steel coffin with almost no visibility has got to be the least pleasant way to watch fireworks imaginable. Especially if you fall over face first while "standing" in it.

  • Face full of sparks at the 2 minute mark.

    • Yeah, that bit was pretty alarming. Imagine being encased in that suit, unable to move your arms and suddenly a spark gets in and sets your clothes or hair on fire. I'd be interested to know if he had any kind of alarm he could press to get people to run in with extinguishers and the like.

  • I had a Gumby nightmare like that once.

  • Looks more like a brazen bull to me.

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