Ordering questions
Product questions
Colored Flame questions
Miscellaneous questions
Do you ship to where I live?
Yes! We ship all over the world. If you can receive postal mail where you live, chances are we can ship goods to you.
How much will it cost to ship my order / how much will customs be?
We ship all orders based on weight. The easiest way to obtain a shipping quote is to add the items you want to a shopping cart and let our software do the math for you.
We cannot give quotes on customs or VAT because it is impossible to keep track of all that data for every country in the world. These rates are based on the declared value of the package, and sometimes the value of the shipping as well. To get a customs estimate, figure out the total cost from us (price of your order plus shipping) and ask your local postal authority using that number.
I selected the "Pay (with a) Pal" option but didn't get to enter my payment data. Is there something wrong?
No, everything is fine. Due to certain procedural requirements, we must use a different process for some payment methods, including Pay (with a) Pal. Your order is in our system and we will send you a money request, usually within an hour of your order. Once you pay that, the status of your order is updated and your goods are shipped right away.
Will you change the value of my order for customs so I don't have to pay as much?
No. It is a violation of international law to falsify customs documents. If we are caught doing this, our export privileges can be suspended or cancelled. Since international shipping is a big part of our business, we choose not to take this risk. We support the idea of free trade, but until it becomes a reality we will play by the rules.
What is Super Saver shipping and how does it work?
Super Saver shipping is our way of helping our customers save money. Starting with orders of $200 or more, this option appears in the shipping list and if selected, it will save you big bucks on shipping. Orders over $300 ship free in the USA (all 50 states, APO/FPOs, and Puerto Rico), international orders have a discount that varies by region. One thing to note: Some items in the store are light enough that normal shipping may be cheaper, check the available options to get the best rate.
Some fine print
Shipping method for Super Saver shipping is at the discretion of Neon Husky. In the USA this will normally be USPS Parcel Post, for international shipments we will use USPS First-Class or Priority Mail for most shipments up to 20 pounds. Large packages or shipments over 20 pounds may be sent via surface mail (4-6 week transit time). All international shipments will be insured (just like with the normal international method). Discount rates are subject to change without notice.
My order didn't go through, but my bank says there's a charge on my credit card. What's up with that?
When a merchant receives an order, they send a request for authorization to the bank that issued your credit card. The bank sets aside the requested funds without transferring them anywhere until the actual request is sent by the merchant's bank. Once the request is received and verified, your bank transfers the funds to the merchant's bank. If the transaction does not go through for some reason, no authorized request will be sent and the funds will be made available again in 2-4 business days.
This situation also applies to multiple attempts at payment. If you try 3 times to pay for an order (due to errors in the information you enter on our secure form) and only 1 of those goes through, the other 2 transactions will show on your bank's records until they disappear for lack of authorization.
In either case, the thing to look for is a confirmation email from Neon Husky. This email will contain an order/invoice number and a summary of your order. If you are concerned about receiving more than one order, check the totals in this email to make sure they are correct. If your payment did not go through, you should not receive an email from us. Don't forget to check your spam mailbox before assuming your order didn't go through!
When in doubt, please don't hesitate to check with us. We can tell you the status of your order and payment in a few moments.
When will you have more Ultra Clear acrylic in (insert size here)?
The short answer: We can't say because we don't know.
The longer answer: When we get a shipment of balls from China, we don't know what grades are in the box until the balls have been inspected. When we have Ultra Clear balls available, they'll show up on the website. Some shipments don't have any Ultra Clear, some have quite a few. If you need a really nice ball in a timely fashion, we suggest our Water Clear balls as it may be a long wait until the right Ultra Clear comes along.
What length should my poi be?
There are 2 schools of thought on this. For all the details and how to find the right measurement for you, visit our poi measurement page.
How long do (insert glow or LED prop here) last?
Here's the data:
Are glow sticks safe for children to use?
Yes. We use the same type of glow sticks you can buy around Halloween. The fluids used in the chemical reaction are mildly toxic, but under normal
abuse the outer casings of the sticks will not break. We've yet to see
one do this, after long months of serious whappage. If used on a soft surface such as grass, there should be virtually no risk of breakage. And kids love them!
How long do your fire poi burn?
That depends on a number of factors:
Using a mixture of Coleman gas and charcoal lighter, you should expect a good burn time of 5-8 minutes or so. There are configurations where you will not see longer burn times, but you will see much larger flame. Your mileage may vary. More fire & fuel information will be added soon.
Back to topWhy are they called Flaming Poodles, anyway?
Note - Flaming Poodles are no longer in the catalog but we like to keep this question around to make the list more interesting.
It's a long and drawn-out story. The short version is that they were
named in honor of a character created late one night at the Lopez Island
Jugglefest in 1999. When we went to name our in-house fire props, "Fire Meteorites"
didn't have enough zing to it, and neither did anything else we could come up with. Someone suggested Flaming Poodles, and the name stuck. No animals were harmed in the naming of these props.
What is the right size contact juggling ball for me?
In general, you want the largest ball that you can comfortably hold in your hand. The larger the ball, the slower it will roll and therefore the easier it is to control. For most people, this is a ball between 3 and 4 inches in diameter. The accepted "standard size" for acrylic balls is 3 inches, though nobody is exactly sure why.
Are your acrylic balls imperial or metric size?
It depends on which grade you're buying. Our Water Clear balls are are in imperial sizes, all other grades are metric. Estimations to other units such as 100mm=4.0 inches are there to help everyone get an idea of the size. Tolerance for Water Clear balls is +/- 0.002", for all other grades it is +/- 2mm or less, usually much less.
Are your acrylic balls really acrylic?
Yes. Our acrylic balls are made with 100% acrylic resin, no hardeners or other resins are used. Colored and UV-active balls are made by mixing dye into the liquid acrylic during the casting process. Water Clear balls are machined from 100% PMMA rod stock.
How much does a [insert size here] acrylic ball weigh? And why is there a different weight listed on another vendor's website?
Here's a handy table for just such an occasion...
(oz/g)* |
|
| 38mm | 1.2 oz. / 34.0 g |
| 44mm | 1.9 oz. / 53.9 g |
| 51mm | 2.9 oz. / 82.2 g |
| 57mm | 4.1 oz. / 116.2 g |
| 65mm | 6.4 oz. / 181.4 g |
| 70mm | 7.8 oz. / 221.1 g |
| 76mm | 9.9 oz. / 280.66 g |
| 82mm | 12.8 oz. / 362.9 g |
| 90mm | 16.4 oz. / 464.9 g |
| 100mm | 23.2 oz. / 657.7 g |
| 120mm | 40.4 oz. / 1145.3 g |
* Weights vary slightly per ball due to small variations in size, coloring, sparkles, etc. See below for more on hyper-accurate measurements.
You'd be surprised how often that second question comes up. The answer is that not all acrylic balls are exactly the same. Some of the possible reasons for the difference are:
Why don't Tribal Neon fire dyes work with Kerosene, etc.?
There are two reasons. Firstly, when petroleum-based fuels burn freely in air there is insufficient oxygen for their hydrocarbons to burn up completely. This leaves a lot of unburnt carbon particles in the flame (soot) which glow yellow/white, overpowering any colour coming from the metal atoms in the additives. The second reason is that most metal salts are not soluble in petroleum-based fuels, so no metal atoms can be delivered to the flame.
In the past I experimented with some of the chemicals used as fireworks ingredients but they didn't color the flame. Why is this?
Pyrotechnic devices usually also contain electron donors and powerful oxidizing agents that are used to raise the reaction temperature. Many of the salts used in fireworks need such high flame temperatures before they will show any colour. Even with the alcohol flame the temperature does not get high enough for many metals to emit the rich vibrant colors you see in fireworks.
What's to stop me going out and getting the chemicals and making my own fire dyes?
Absolutely nothing. But it took a lot of time and expense to evaluate and test a whole range of formulations before finalizing the ones used. If you're determined to waste your time and money, help yourself.
The safety warnings indicate that the materials in Tribal Neon fire dyes are quite toxic. How safe are they to use?
Each fire dye contains an optimized blend of various chemicals. All metal salts should be considered to be potentially toxic, especially if you were to ingest them. As long as you are careful not to do so they could be considered to be relatively safe. The red dye contains an optimized mixture of Lithium and Strontium salts along with organic and inorganic solubilisers and conditioners. Lithium was present in both Coca-Cola and 7-Up until around 1948. There were even beers that proclaimed their use of Lithiated water. Lithium Chloride was even used briefly as a sodium-free substitute for table salt before people experienced unpleasant symptoms as well as cases of toxic effects and even a few deaths. Today Lithium salts are used clinically to control bipolar disorder, and used synergistically with several types of antidepressants. The Lithium content of one pack of red Tribal Neon contains 2-3 times the dose that doctors would prescribe for an adult, so ingesting a small fraction of this would not be too big a deal, but should still be avoided by careful preparation technique and use. Strontium is chemically very similar to Calcium, and is used fairly widely as a supplement against osteoporosis, particularly in women. Strontium was and still is used in many toothpastes (e.g. Sensodyne) to reduce sensitive teeth, which should give you some idea of its relatively low toxicity. Again, the toxicity is in the dose, so preventing ingestion is the principal means of ensuring your safety. The green dye contains salts of Boron and Barium. Boron is an essential mineral, and its salts have been used variously in laundry detergents, as ant bait, and as a mild antiseptic. Common boron compounds such as borates and boric acid have a low toxicity that is comparable to table salt. Barium is toxic by ingestion and also by inhalation of the oxides and carbonates produced on burning. Again however the amounts you are likely to encounter in preparation and use of Tribal Neon dyes are very low and therefore relatively safe. In all cases the same metals are likely to be released in comparable quantities by most fireworks, and nobody thinks to ask the same questions about them, or feels the need to wear metal-fume masks to fireworks displays. All the same, we recommend you use common sense and good technique to avoid skin contact with the powder or the treated fuels, and to always use the fire props outside in the open air, where the dust generated by burning is free to disperse.
I have heard that Strontium is radioactive. Is this true?
No. While Strontium has four naturally occurring isotopes none of these are radioactive. Strontium-90 was created in atomic weapons tests, and the fallout from these was dangerous because Strontium is taken up by the body like Calcium. Sr90 fallout entered the human food chain via cows' milk when atomic test fallout was incorporated into pasture grass. This led to some of the children who consumed the milk contracting leukaemia.
Isn't Methanol toxic? Is this safe to use?
Methanol, also known as Methyl Alcohol or Wood Alcohol is toxic, and it is able to be absorbed slightly through the skin, but so long as you do not get too much on your skin you are unlikely to be at significant risk. Again, use common sense when handling all solvents, and that goes for kerosene and other petroleum solvents too. The principal risk from Methanol is from its high flammability and its nearly invisible flame.
How about Ethanol or Denatured Alcohol / Methylated Spirits? Is that safe?
Ethanol, also known as Ethyl Alcohol or grain alcohol is toxic, especially when ingested in excess, but I suspect you are already aware of that! Pure Ethanol is 200 proof alcohol and is undrinkable because you will be unable to breathe after taking a mouthful. The fumes from your mouth will cause you to gag involuntarily and you may even black out from lack of air. Trust me, I have seen this happen! Pure methylated spirits / denatured alcohol contains around 5% Methanol to deter people from distilling it to produce a beverage (distillation is unable to separate the two alcohols). Again the principal danger is from the high flammability of Ethanol and its nearly invisible flame.
How do I extinguish an alcohol fire?
The simplest way of putting out a small alcohol spillage fire is with a water soaked towel. Always have one on hand for this purpose. Any fire bigger than a small spill is a serious problem, and will require proper fire fighting procedure (with which anybody playing with fire props should be familiar!). Water will cool and dilute burning Methanol and Ethanol. When Ethanol is diluted below 50% by volume (100 proof) it will not burn unless the fuel is very hot. Methanol is similar.
Your formulation says it contains Chlorides. I have heard that burning Chlorides produces Phosgene gas, which is a potent chemical warfare agent. Is this correct?
Possibly, but again, the issue is more one of whether dangerous quantities of Phosgene are produced - which is unlikely. Fireworks use the same metal salts - many of them as chlorides, and public fireworks displays use far larger quantities, yet nobody gets carried away in a stretcher.
My red dye powder has started to turn into a liquid. What's happened?
The red Tribal Neon powder will readily absorb water from the atmosphere until it dissolves. The resealable bag will prevent this so long as you keep it tightly sealed. The result is messy but will not affect its ability to dissolve in the fuel or to make colored fire. Just transfer it carefully into your fuel, and rinse the bag with a little extra water (or fuel - if you are careful). If the powder has completely liquefied it is possible to drop the open bag directly into the fuel, from where it will dissolve. The label and print will wash off too.
I tipped the powder into the fuel and it didn't all dissolve. What went wrong?
Most of the powder should dissolve with a good shaking after a few minutes. If the fuel is cold this will make it less soluble and it may take a while to all dissolve. If it does not dissolve even after standing for a couple of hours the fuel may be too "dry" (i.e. little or no water present), and adding a tablespoon or so of distilled water is likely to help. If you regularly have this problem with your fuel you can try dissolving the powder in a small volume of warm water first, then adding this to the fuel. Even if a few crystals remain undissolved after standing for a few hours this is unlikely to significantly reduce the color of the flame. If all else fails use a larger volume of fuel. Be very careful if warming the fuel! The alcohol is far more flammable when warm, and it would be very easy to create a serious fire or explosion hazard by heating the fuel directly!
Can I use Tribal Neon fire dyed fuel for fire breathing?
NO! Under no circumstances should you put treated fuel or even raw alcohol into your mouth! Fire-blowing is extremely dangerous even with low-volatility hydrocarbons. With alcohols it is guaranteed to be injurious. With alcohols that contain metals it is sheer stupidity. DON'T DO IT!
Can I store treated fuel in metal cans?
The salts and acids in Tribal Neon will promote the rapid corrosion and rusting out of many tinned steel cans, making them leak. Use a plastic container of a type suitable for kerosene or other petroleum products. Be sure to use a container that is brand-new or completely clean on the inside (very hard to do, but possible). DO NOT mix color-treated fuels with any other type of fuel, and DO NOT mix different colored fuels together.
Can I store treated fuel in PET soda pop bottles?
No, the solvent properties of the alcohol make this an unpredictable thing to do. See above for proper storage.
My flame is still quite yellow and not as colorful as I expected. What's gone wrong?
There are three likely causes for this. 1) Your fuel probably contains hydrocarbons or other solvents that are producing soot in the flame, making it luminous (yellow/white). You need a purer grade of alcohol. 2) There could be salt (common salt - Sodium Chloride) in the fuel. This dyes the flame yellow like a sodium streetlight, drowning out the proper red or green color of the dye. The most likely source of this is the water used by the manufacturer to dilute the fuel (for economy) or the water you used to help dissolve the powder. Again, you need a purer grade of alcohol (or a cleaner bottle). 3) One other potential source of Sodium is from props that are constructed using water-based adhesives, many of which contain lots of salt or even competing metal salts.
Why do you warn against using props that are reinforced with glue?
If the adhesive used to bind the prop together is soluble in alcohol or water-alcohol solvents it is most likely to fail under the stresses of use. If you use a fire prop or poi set that is constructed without use of adhesives you will also avoid salts contaminating your flame colors
Why do I need to use a fresh prop with each colored fuel? Can I use an old prop if it's clean?
It is important for the best results that your prop contains no residue of hydrocarbon fuel or your flame will be too luminous to see the coloured fire clearly. A really clean prop may work fine or it may not, your mileage will vary. Once you have used a prop with one color you should devote it to that color and not change it. Mixing dyes will spoil the effect, giving muddy indistinct colors, and the residues will remain from previous uses.
Do you have a store? Are you going to open a shop in Europe (or elsewhere)?
We do not have a retail store. Our location is a warehouse/shipping center, and is not set up for browsing. We do offer pickup services for our local customers and we are happy to speak with people in person if they have questions about our products. The best way to see and try things for yourself is to see us at a festival (click here to see our schedule).
Even though we ship all over the world, we are still a small company so we do not have plans to open any retail outlets at this time. This helps keep our costs down which in turn helps keep prices down for our customers. How can you convince us to move to Europe and open a shop? Tell everyone you know to order from us! At the present time the majority of our orders come from the USA and unless that changes, it would not be cost-effective to relocate.
How did you come up with the name Neon Husky?
Huskies are Jim's favorite animals and he wanted to incorporate 'Husky' into the name of the company. From there, the search was on for the "perfect adjective." Many options were tried, and 'Neon' was the winner. In hindsight, we like to say that because we deal largely with illuminated and shiny things, neon presents the right kind of image. If anyone would like to suggest a more interesting tale for the name of the company, suggestions are welcome.
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