Elon Musk may receive all the media attention for his rockets and electric cars, but he's also digging tunnels through another of his side projects, The Boring Company. In an attempt to promote the company and raise additional capital, Musk put up for sale a limited edition of 50,000 caps, followed by 20,000 flamethrowers, which are actually simple torches shaped like a rifle. The flamethrowers sold out in a matter of days, but if you still want one, don't worry: With the right parts, it is possible to make an exact replica.
Imagine the headline: "Elon Musk is selling flamethrowers". A part of the Web was outraged in record time (typical), and even a member of the California State Assembly announced that he would seek to ban the commercialization of those "devices". I admit the news took me a bit by surprise. Musk is seen by many as a sort of Tony Stark in real life... but selling weapons doesn't seem to fit his profile. All doubts were cleared once the whole world saw the flamethrower in action, or rather, the torch for welding membranes installed in the housing of a futuristic-looking airsoft rifle. The "flamethrower" was sold online at a price of $500, selling out the entire production of 20,000 units. So... what if you really, really want one?
https://www.youtube.com/embed/GveWDLBmc8YBuild Your Own
The answer is to build it, and the channel "So I Had This Idea" reduces the process to a handful of steps, with a total of five main parts. The rifle is a CSI S.T.A.R. XR-5 FG-1508 that sells for $108 on eBay, and it all starts by removing its internal parts. The torch requires several modifications, including cutting the trigger. A couple of extra holes in the housing, the exact amount of epoxy securing the torch, and a support on top for the propane tank finish the project with much more elegance than we expected.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeeYW0NA1HU/Final cost? According to current prices, $219, less than half the original price. As always, the recommendation is to be careful when modifying gas-powered accessories and handling propane tanks.
