1569 replies to this topic

[paul]

Yep. Your shells really look great. I like the burst of them!!! The skiking looks like described on passfire. Tried to do it the same way but ended with much more horizontal layers

Richard H, may I ask what you intend with your question?! For me it simply looks like cutted out with scissors. At least in the posted pix I don?t see any conspicuity there.

Of course I may be wrong

With best regards,

paul

[JamesH]

How did you cut your end discs James? Looks well constructed to me.

I just marked them out with a compass and cut them with a pair of scissors. You were right paul!
I intend to make a punch to do it since cutting a load of disks with a pair of scissors isn't much fun, not to mention the sore fingers!

Edited by JamesH, 22 November 2005 - 05:18 PM.

[Bub]

Speaking of which, here the heck do you buy punches?

I've looked all over the place. You're right they're a pain to cut with scissors.

...B.

[ProfHawking]

whats wrong with compass cutters?
They are cheap, easy, make perfect discs and you only need one for a large range of sizes.
http://www.maplin.co...&ModuleNo=30607

[Bub]

Ah, interesting ...

I'll go try that tomorrow.

Thanks for the reply Prof.

[sasman]

Now this might sound like a stupid question But why make Cylinder shells? what advantage do they have over Ball shells?..

[Maineiac]

Two completely different animals really. Ball shells are great for nice round symetrical breaks. You can even layer effects and get pistils etc etc etc. However, have you ever tried to stack ball shells? Works not so good. Canister shells offer so many potential variations it is mind boggeling. Cylindrical inserts arrange much better and IMHO fly better out of canister shells. Canister shells are also much easier (and quicker) to make than ball shells. The pasting is done in one shot rather than lots of little annoying strips. The other big plus I see with them is capacity. A ball shell, while ultimately strong, can only carry so much for a given diameter. In a canister shell you can put a mess of aerolites on the bottom and top the shell off with a nice slow glitter star. The effect is a nice bushy bloom to drooping aerolites trailing glitter, popping in a ring as the glitter stars fade. Pretty tough to do with a ball shell.
If you don't have them, I highly recommend Pyrotechnica #9 and #11 for the article by A. Fulcanelli on Italian style canister shells. You will see many applications for these methods let alone using them as gun launched shells. Well worth the investment by any measure.

[The_Djinn]

Maineiac...have you ever tried to stack ball shells?

Have you ever seen peanut shells ?

Mark

[Maineiac]

Have you ever seen peanut shells ?

Mark

Absolutely! But they seem a bit rediculous to me when compared to the multibreaks that can be created and or purchased. Also, as far as 1.3g peanuts go I've never seen more than two shells stacked.

[The_Djinn]

True.. I have never seen more than 2 stacked either. As for multi breaks cylinder is the only way to go.

I think both have there own merits.. all boils down to what effect you are creating or trying to achieve. As mentioned prior, the way the shell breaks has a lot to do with it.

Mark

[karlfoxman]

You can also use cylindrical shells to hold wireless cameras, i have done that today. After changing the recievers antena i can now get a good picture from a long distance. I will shoot it tomorrow day time and going to plan post the video of the fens from a few hundred feet. The camera is on a parachute and gets dumped out by a tiny pit of burst.

[ProfHawking]

bloody hell, do they survive the lift?
i have a little wireless cam that runs of a PP3, but its really flakey at the best of times.
You would have to point the camera upward on launch right? Useing rope to point it downwards? And what about the rotation, that might horribly blur it

[karlfoxman]

bloody hell, do they survive the lift?
i have a little wireless cam that runs of a PP3, but its really flakey at the best of times.
You would have to point the camera upward on launch right? Useing rope to point it downwards? And what about the rotation, that might horribly blur it

Mine seems fine, it will only get a picture as it goes down on the chute. The cam and the chute deploy at apex and drift down, it will spin as it falls but you will see a decent picture. I will post tomorrow so you can see, see me waving!! I will watch it as it falls on a small tft screen i have.

Karl

[ProfHawking]

Cool! nice job! Very interested to see the results!

[fishy1]

should be nice to view it from the shell's perspective.