Billionaire tech guru Elon Musk showed off pictures of the Boring Company’s first commercial flamethrowers being distributed to lines of buyers today — and joked that the device has been renamed “Not a Flamethrower” so as not to run afoul of customs or shipping regulations.
“First 1000 Boring Company Flamethrowers being picked up today!” Musk tweeted.
As shown in Musk’s tweeted pictures, hundreds lined up at the pickup site in Los Angeles to get their purchases and pose for pictures as flames licked out from the flamethrowers’ barrels.
Thousands more of the contraptions will be shipped out in the weeks ahead, Musk said. An initial offering of 20,000 flamethrowers, priced at $500 each, sold out within four days in January.
The idea of selling flamethrowers to support Musk’s tunneling venture may have sounded like a joke when he proposed it as a follow-up to the Boring Company’s hat-selling operation, but it’s turned into an honest-to-goodness money-raiser.
Some California lawmakers don’t think the idea is as hilarious as Musk does. They sought to tighten up the state’s regulations on flamethrowers, which currently apply only to devices that emit flames going out farther than 10 feet. But that effort went down in … um, do I have to say it?
Here’s how the back-and-forth discussion unfolded on Twitter today:
First 1000 Boring Company Flamethrowers being picked up today! pic.twitter.com/hBMp5fGzAB
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2018
Nothing makes your baby more zen than a few gentle puffs of a TBC Flamethrower pic.twitter.com/HewJf66hh2
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2018
Flamethrower obv best way to light your fireplace/BBQ. No more need to use a dainty “match” to ignite! If no wood, just drop your flamethrower in fire place! It will generate way more warmth than a quaint pile of logs.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2018
Did Nobody tell you that fire Hazards in California are not a joke? ??? Have some respect for the Firefighters and make an Ice Blaster❄️❄️❄️
— Sanki (@SPPhotonic) June 9, 2018
Each flamethrower comes with a state-of-the-art The Boring Company brand fire extinguisher.
Will offer a TBC ice blaster before the dry season starts in winter.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2018
Almost forgot! Due to recent regulatory/customs rules enacted to inhibit transport of anything called a Flamethrower, we have renamed our product: “Not a Flamethrower”.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2018
Terms & conditions for “Not-a-Flamethrower”
Please use as directed to avoid unintentionally burning things down. For simple & concise instructions, we drew upon wisdom in great Dr Seuss book “Green Eggs and Ham”. #ThrowFlamesResponsibly pic.twitter.com/kgj8W8EOLJ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2018
Update for 10:50 a.m. PT June 11: Musk responded to a tweet from a customer by announcing a donation to the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund, which supports relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of wildfires:
I bought something completely awesome and frivolous, so I’m going to also donate $1000 to the California Wildfire Relief Fund. pic.twitter.com/1oSj6brd0o
— Frank Ippolito (@FrankIppolito) June 9, 2018
We don’t think our product will be the cause of any wildfires, but The Boring Company is donating $10k.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2018
Some Twitter users noted that the “not-a-flamethrower” truly was not that much of a flamethrower, compared to the propane-fueled torches that are commonly used for burning weeds (and that are subject to state regulations). “Props to @elonmusk for his hustle tho,” one Twitterer remarked.
In response, Musk acknowledge that there was some hustle at work and announced that “we’re never going to make” flamethrowers again:
Of course, but it’s the kind of hustle that you like even with full knowledge. People can obv read the Internet & anyone who wants a refund will get one. I predict basically zero. The honest-to-goodness fun value is amazing & we’re never going to make them again.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 10, 2018
