Quicksand Fans

I’ve never done this, but has anyone tried creating artificial quicksand using cornstarch? I guess it’s also called oobleck or non-newtonian fluid. It seems that some of the producers have made something like that. Does it feel different from regular quicksand?

Screenshots From A Random YouTube Video:

An Interesting idea, although I did see a video where a guy filled a water dunk tub with custard and then added a layer of frosting on top the poor guy slowly sand down in the goo until he was neck deep and couldn't get out, without help

Speaking for Studio 588, we have not. My opinion is it is appropraite for a stuck effect, but its use as "quicksand" would be rather expensive because a lot more of it would be needed and it has a short shelf life.

Get a small box at the grocery and try it out. That would be a doll sized amount. Let us know.

MPV have done loads of "MPVbleck" videos. I understand it to be based on oobleck but with some extra secret ingredients. I don't know they did use, there's definitely a colouring, I feel like a preservative would be useful, and maybe there's additives to alter the rheology.

Oobleck is pretty much the opposite of quicksand in its properties. True quicksand is shear thinning so you sink when you struggle and it can 'set' when you stop. Oobleck is shear thickening. Depending on the mix you can dance or jog on the surface, but when you stop, down you go! But then because it thickens when you try to move it can be just as hard to escape from - and looks just as sexy to watch someone struggle in.

You need about a 2:1 cornstarch to water ratio, so you're gonna need a LOT of starch, I reckon that's the big drawback especially if you want something to sink deep in. By contrast commercial gunge/slime a few hundred grams of powder goes in a 10 litre bucket, and even bentonite clay gives a more favourable powder:water ratio than cornstarch.

Yes. At school a long time ago !