All 20,000 Boring Company flamethrowers have sold out in just four days

[Polycount]

Elon Musk's latest venture, The Boring Company "Flamethrower," was announced a few days ago. Though many thought it was a joke, it's very much a real product. This came as a surprise to some and raised the ire of one California politician in particular - Assemblyman Miguel Santos - who felt the product was risky enough to warrant a potential sales ban in the state.

Still, potential legislation against Musk's newest product hasn't been enough to deter the public from trying to get their hands on it. According to Musk in a tweet yesterday, all 20,000 Boring Company flamethrowers have sold out in under four days.

Flamethrowers sold out

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2018

At $500 per unit, that's a tidy sum of $10 million for Musk's company. Not bad for a product seemingly created on a whim. Unfortunately for flame lovers, Musk hasn't yet stated whether or not The Boring Company will be producing more flamethrowers in the future, though "way more fun" snowthrowers could be on the way.

As Engadget notes, there are other options on the market for those who simply can't go without a flame-spewing device in their life. The XM42-M is one of the cheaper options at $899 with about 30ft of range, compared to The Boring Company flamethrower's "under 10ft" of range.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/73061-all-20000-boring-company-flamethrowers-have-sold-out.html

 

[Uncle Al]

Unless the law has recently changed, flame throwers were never regulated like automatic weapons and there was no indication in this or other articles who bought these devices. No indication of military so who? Foreign governments? I'm guessing he will next convert all his old boosters to ICBM's and start selling to North Korea?

 

[alabama man]

This should be fun in bus or school. Waiting for the customers to test it out in action. You can get better results with jerrycan and nail-gun but flamethrower is much more personal than jamming doors and burning buildings.

 

[Polycount]

Unless the law has recently changed, flame throwers were never regulated like automatic weapons and there was no indication in this or other articles who bought these devices. No indication of military so who? Foreign governments? I'm guessing he will next convert all his old boosters to ICBM's and start selling to North Korea?

I'm not up-to-date on country-wide legality for these things, but according to Musk, a device with a flame under 10ft is "perfectly legal." You can take that with a grain of salt, of course, since he's the one actually selling the things, but still.

As for who bought them, I know at least a few average people with $500 to spare have picked some of them up. People posted receipt images on Twitter. Beyond that, not quit sure.

 

[madboyv1]

I honestly almost bought one to be on the bandwagon... but then I realized a $500 payment to my credit card sounded a lot better. =/

 

[stewi0001]

I'm not up-to-date on country-wide legality for these things, but according to Musk, a device with a flame under 10ft is "perfectly legal." You can take that with a grain of salt, of course, since he's the one actually selling the things, but still.

I was checking out the XM42-M link, they state the XM42-M's range is 30+ feet. If you click on the Flamethrowers link in the header, the page it takes you to has this statement at the top,
"ORDERS TO CALIFORNIA WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH CA-COMPLIANT NOZZLE LIMITING DISTANCE TO < 10 FT."

 

[Jamlad]

Seems like a fun way to clear snow to me.

 

[ZackL04]

This should be fun in bus or school. Waiting for the customers to test it out in action. You can get better results with jerrycan and nail-gun but flamethrower is much more personal than jamming doors and burning buildings.

Exactly, “lets create a weapon of semi-mass destruction” blood on the hands of Musk is just a matter of time.

 

[J spot]

Unless the law has recently changed, flame throwers were never regulated like automatic weapons and there was no indication in this or other articles who bought these devices. No indication of military so who? Foreign governments? I'm guessing he will next convert all his old boosters to ICBM's and start selling to North Korea?

I'm not up-to-date on country-wide legality for these things, but according to Musk, a device with a flame under 10ft is "perfectly legal." You can take that with a grain of salt, of course, since he's the one actually selling the things, but still.

As for who bought them, I know at least a few average people with $500 to spare have picked some of them up. People posted receipt images on Twitter. Beyond that, not quit sure.

So people who have probably never had the idea or desire of getting a flame thrower are buying this due to hype, because it's Elon Musk. And many of these people are such that they must share the receipt on social media. And these people probably love to take selfies.

I really don't think this is going to end good. I predict innocent people are going to have their life ruined, and property will be burned down. A good portion of those who buy this will be irresponsible people who just bought it because they were easily influenced and have absolutely no use for them other than to see the cool flames. While more responsible type will not buy them.

 

[CrazyDave]

There's a 12 second youtube clip showing the flame from this thing, calling it a flamethrower is overly generous. It produces a flame, yes, but nothing like in the picture on this article. It's tiny in comparison. It's marketing at it's finest.

 

[Stingy McDuck]

There's a 12 second youtube clip showing the flame from this thing, calling it a flamethrower is overly generous. It produces a flame, yes, but nothing like in the picture on this article. It's tiny in comparison. It's marketing at it's finest.

Could you cook a meal with it? Imagine coming to a picnic with one of those: "I'll roast the chicken" FWOOSH!!! "Done".

 

[wiyosaya]

Unless the law has recently changed, flame throwers were never regulated like automatic weapons and there was no indication in this or other articles who bought these devices. No indication of military so who? Foreign governments? I'm guessing he will next convert all his old boosters to ICBM's and start selling to North Korea?

I'm not up-to-date on country-wide legality for these things, but according to Musk, a device with a flame under 10ft is "perfectly legal." You can take that with a grain of salt, of course, since he's the one actually selling the things, but still.

As for who bought them, I know at least a few average people with $500 to spare have picked some of them up. People posted receipt images on Twitter. Beyond that, not quit sure.

So people who have probably never had the idea or desire of getting a flame thrower are buying this due to hype, because it's Elon Musk. And many of these people are such that they must share the receipt on social media. And these people probably love to take selfies.

I really don't think this is going to end good. I predict innocent people are going to have their life ruined, and property will be burned down. A good portion of those who buy this will be irresponsible people who just bought it because they were easily influenced and have absolutely no use for them other than to see the cool flames. While more responsible type will not buy them.

Personally, I never thought that there was a responsible use for them in the hands of the general public. Perhaps in the hands of the forest service for controlled burns or other legitimate entity that does controlled burns, but Musk is far from marketing them to the forest service. It would also go without stating that the military likely would have no interest in this either.

Seems like a fun way to clear snow to me.

My guess, after trying to melt ice with an acetylene torch, it probably would not do a very good job unless there was just a dusting of snow. There is just not enough energy there...

There's a 12 second youtube clip showing the flame from this thing, calling it a flamethrower is overly generous. It produces a flame, yes, but nothing like in the picture on this article. It's tiny in comparison. It's marketing at it's finest.

Could you cook a meal with it? Imagine coming to a picnic with one of those: "I'll roast the chicken" FWOOSH!!! "Done".

My guess - there is not enough energy there for chicken roasting, either.

But don't get me wrong. This thing will start fires.

 

[Manuel Diego]

... irresponsible people who (...) have absolutely no use for them other than to see the cool flames...

As if there was a use for a flamethrower...

 

[treetops]

Idk if you all saw these so called flame throwers in action but they are weak sauce.

 

[cliffordcooley]

As if there was a use for a flamethrower...

Not sure if serious or not. People do have a use for a flamethrower. Or else you wouldn't find them being sold. There has been a few times I wish I had one. And as seldom as I might need one, this toy blowtorch would have worked wonders. I however am not going to spend $500 in getting one.

 

[captaincranky]

Way back in time, while dinosaurs still roamed the earth, I was...., (wait for it, and don't laugh).......a Boy Scout.

A Scout who managed to get himself in trouble for bringing a can of lighter fluid on a camping trip. We were supposed to be able to start a campfire with one match, in almost any weather.

Can you imagine what would have happened if I brought one of these flamethrowers with me? I most likely would have been summarily executed by the scoutmaster.

Oh well ,in any case Musk hasn't claimed his new toy is a "revolutionary scientific breakthrough", because it well, isn't.

It was a German scientist who invented the flamethrower, (that figures right?), way back in the early 1900's.

Between that, Panzer tanks, and Zyclon B, those Maltese Cross types were always on the cutting edge of killing.. (No really, between Wusthof, Solingen, and J. A. Henkles, they do knives really well too)..

 

[mbalensiefer]

Putting two on my Tesla.

 

[hk2000]

As if there was a use for a flamethrower...

Not sure if serious or not. People do have a use for a flamethrower. Or else you wouldn't find them being sold. There has been a few times I wish I had one. And as seldom as I might need one, this toy blowtorch would have worked wonders. I however am not going to spend $500 in getting one.

Like what?
I'm racking my brain, trying to think of a legit use or it!!

 

[cliffordcooley]

Like what?
I'm racking my brain, trying to think of a legit use or it!!

If I have to spell it out for you, you must have been born and raised in the city. Where you were prohibited from doing cleanup with fire.

 

[hk2000]

If I have to spell it out for you, you must have been born and raised in the city. Where you were prohibited from doing cleanup with fire.

Got it. Still sounds like a dangerous proposition, and I share Mr Santos apprehensions.


.

 

[dj2017]

Why shoot someone when you can burn him alive?

 

[merikafyeah]

$500 for that kind of flame?!! Sh*t son for $10 you can get some carb cleaner and a lighter and make your own flamethrower that's just as good:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2sC29_XR88

Spend the remaining $490 on pizza and iced tea so you can sit back, relax, and watch the world burn.

 

[flyboydale54]

Should be a good personal and family protection device for Muslim Terrorist Attacks and protection from Sharia Law.

 

[wiyosaya]

Oh well ,in any case Musk hasn't claimed his new toy is a "revolutionary scientific breakthrough", because it well, isn't.

Musk is following the Steve Jobs model - steal everything you can and then claim credit for it.

 

[sac39507]

So what exactly do you do with a flame thrower?