From: Dave Hutchinson <djch%maths.bath.ac.uk%nsfnet-relay.ac.uk@ssyx.ucsc.edu>
Subject:  Flame traps
Date: 11 Apr 90 13:15:11 GMT

A flame trap usually consists of a fine metal gauze across whatever pipe the
flame must be prevented from travelling up. The idea is to prevent the high
temperature of the flame from travelling beyond the gauze. I doubt if a plastic
gauze would work. 

Such traps are used in gas systems, and a gas supply house should have them. A
possible (untested) improvization would be to insert a loosely packed plug of
steel wool into the sprayer lance, as near as possible to the tip (to reduce
the untrapped volume). Such a plug should not reduce the pressure too much.

Note that gas systems are not my main field, so be careful. In addition check
to make sure that whatever you are spraying does not attack/dissolve any part
of the sprayer (particularly the air pump valve seals). I once pumped a
paraffin blowlamp too much and broke a seal. A jet of warm paraffin shot out,
covered my hand and the ceiling. By immense good luck it was just cool enough
not to burn for more that a few seconds, and the shed and my hand survived
undamaged. Had this been a more flammable fluid...

Happy flaming...

David Hutchinson