
Elon Musk’s $600 Flamethrower Will Be Released into the Civilian Market in April - IntronExon
https://taskandpurpose.com/elon-musks-600-flamethrower-will-apparently-released-civilian-market-april/
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fullstackwebdev
Ok so that's just the Harbor Freight weed burner with a housing that looks
like a gun.

[https://www.harborfreight.com/propane-
torch-91033.html](https://www.harborfreight.com/propane-torch-91033.html)

~~~
mmagin
It grinds my gears when people call a big torch a flamethrower. A flame
thrower spits burning liquid fuel onto things.

~~~
mikestew
I wouldn’t mind so much if the front page of that military-oriented site
didn’t have a picture of an _actual_ flamethrower in action. Yeah, you’re not
doing that with propane toys from Amazon.

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cronjobma
Makes me wonder... it worked for Airbnb with selling cereal to get some funds
flowing. Musk made it work with the hats and now this. Should it be a serious
strategy for startups to sell funny/share worthy swag to fund their ventures?

~~~
david-cako
According to the comment referenced in the comment referenced[1], it's quite
lucrative.

[1]
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16244023](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16244023)

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Falcotech
I'm surprised to see so many people taking this seriously. This product is
scheduled for release sometime in April. Let's consider the possibility that
the release date could be April 1st. /hint

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Ice_cream_suit
From a comment below the article:

"I debunk the flamethrower...

it's just a Push-Start Propane Blow Torch ( 50$ from Amazon ) mounted in
S.T.A.R. XR-5 Airsoft ( 112$ ). Start piezo button is inverted and in the hole
with finger.

You can see the propane valve button on top of the gun... and you have a
propane torch able to burn grass in your garden .. "

See [https://www.amazon.com/Push-Start-Propane-Blow-Torch-
Long/dp...](https://www.amazon.com/Push-Start-Propane-Blow-Torch-
Long/dp/B076QGV1PY?th=1)

Musk gets $600 for a piece of kit worth around $75 and the fan-bois lap it up.

~~~
luismmolina
Only $600!!?????, fanboy here

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barsonme
Fun fact, flamethrowers are only illegal in CA and MD. The former, presumably,
because like half the state is a tinderbox. The latter because, well, they
like to ban things.

Anyway, this sounds pretty awesome, especially since other flamethrowers are
well upwards of $600.

Just, uh, please be safe.

~~~
adammunich
They are legal in CA so long as the fuel is a gas.

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Rebelgecko
It definitely doesn't look like it'll shoot more than 10 feet (unlike the
XM-42, which costs a couple hundred more bucks and is definitely illegal in
CA). This just looks like a butane torch in a 3d printed case that will get
you arrested if you walk around with it in public.

~~~
barsonme
If I had more property and my SO wouldn't smack me upside the head for
spending $800 on something that shoots fire, I'd totally get the XM-42.

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sxates
So basically Musk has turned into Hank Scorpio [1]

[1]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ew78KThLOY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ew78KThLOY)

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snrplfth
"Spaceballs: The Flamethrower! The kids love this one."

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tempodox
But will it work on Mars?

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dsr_
Not without an oxygen supply. And when you have a nozzle-directed oxygen +
fuel source optimized for distance, we call it a rocket.

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stesch
Sounds reasonable.

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TokyoKid
He was a super villain already.

