21 replies to this topic

[Pyro-pal]

1 of 9

Golden Shower Stars:
Salt peter Fine---------------------28
Sulfur---------------------------------8
A Dust----------------------------------4
Sodium Oxalate---------------------4
Charcoal Airfloat-------------------2.5
Charcoal #36-----------------------2.5
Dextrin--------------------------------3.5

Golden Shower Stars: (commercial)
Salt peter ---------------------------28
Sulfur----------------------------------6
Fine Meal-----------------------------4
Sodium Oxalate---------------------4
Charcoal #5cc----------------------2.5
Charcoal #36-----------------------2.5
Dextrin--------------------------------3.5

Spider Web Cut Star:
Saltpeter-------------------------------12
Charcoal Fine------------------------4.5
Sulfur-----------------------------------1.5
Dextrin--------------------------------- 2

Gold Comets: (in pounds, ounces)
Saltpeter------------------------------------3
Charcoal------------------------------------1.5
Lampblack---------------------------------.25
Dextrin---------------------------------------6 oz

2 of 9

Gold Flitter Star:
Saltpeter-----------------------40
Wet Powder-------------------12.5
#13 Aluminum------------------2.5
#44 Aluminum------------------3.75
Antimony------------------------10
Sulfur------------------------------7.5
Sodium Oxalate-----------------7.5
5CC Charcoal-------------------6.25
Dextrin-----------------------------8.75

Gold Flitter Candle Star:
Wet Powder--------------------------12
Fine Meal-----------------------------3
3F Powder----------------------------2
Barium Nitrate-----------------------2.5
Sodium Oxalate---------------------3.25
Sparkler Aluminum-----------------1
#120 Atomized Aluminum--------1.25
#16 Flitter Aluminum----------------.25
Dextrin----------------------------------1.5

Gold Flitter Star:
Saltpeter--------------------------------8
Sodium Nitrate------------------------8
Fine Charcoal-------------------------3
Sulfur------------------------------------1.5
White Fine Aluminum---------------2
Flake Aluminum-----------------------.5
Antimony--------------------------------3
Meal--------------------------------------.5
Dextrin-----------------------------------1

Gold Flitter:
Meal D-----------------------------------5
Sodium Oxalate-----------------------1
Antimony--------------------------------1.75
Sparkler Aluminum--------------------.5

White Flitter: (in pounds, ounces)
Saltpeter--------------------------------9
Antimony--------------------------------3
Sulfur-------------------------------------2
Fine Charcoal--------------------------1.5
White Fine Aluminum----------------.75
Flake Aluminum------------------------6 oz.
Dextrin------------------------------------1

3 of 9

White Cut Stars:
Saltpeter---------------------12
Antimony Sulfide-----------5.5
Sulfur--------------------------4
Dextrin-------------------------1

White Star:
Saltpeter Fine----------------------31.25
Sulfur----------------------------------7.75
Antimony------------------------------6.25
Charcoal Airfloat---------------------2.5
Dextrin----------------------------------3.5

Whitemag Star Cut or Pillbox:
Barium Nitrate---------------------------12
Sulfur----------------------------------------1.75
Dark Aluminum---------------------------4
Dextrin---------------------------------------1

White Magnesium Star #2:
Barium Nitrate----------------------------------30
Sulfur----------------------------------------------3
Fine Meal-----------------------------------------2.5
Aluminum Dark (bluetop)---------------------11
Sparkler Aluminum------------------------------1
Dextrin----------------------------------------------3

Silver Stars:
Potassium Perchlorate---------------------------32
Barium Nitrate---------------------------------------2
Dark Aluminum--------------------------------------8
Red Gum----------------------------------------------3
Charcoal Airfloat------------------------------------.5
Dextrin-------------------------------------------------3

White Lance: (in ounces)
Saltpeter----------------------------------------30 oz
Antimony-----------------------------------------9oz
Sulfur----------------------------------------------6oz
Barium Nitrate-----------------------------------4oz
Black Aluminum (Drankenfilel?)------------2oz

White Lance:
Saltpeter---------------------------------------38
Sulfur--------------------------------------------12
Barium Nitrate--------------------------------12
Antimony Sulfide-----------------------------12
Screen 3 times through 30 mesh.

4 of 9

Red Cut Star:
Potash of Chlorate-------------------13
Strontium Carbonate-----------------4
Red Gum--------------------------------2
Dextrin------------------------------------1

Red Star:
Potassium Perchlorate------------------13
Strontium Carbonate----------------------4
Red Gum-------------------------------------3
Dextrin-----------------------------------------1

Red Aluminum: (Cut Star Only)
Potassium Chlorate---------------------10
Strontium Carbonate----------------------3
White aluminum----------------------------2
Black Aluminum----------------------------1
Rosin------------------------------------------1
Red Gum-------------------------------------.5
Dextrin-----------------------------------------1

5 of 9

Green Star:
Potash of Chlorate-----------------10
Barium Nitrate------------------------6
Barium Chlorate----------------------8
Red Gum------------------------------3.5
Dextrin----------------------------------1.5

Green Star:
Barium Chlorate------------------------8
Barium Nitrate---------------------------6
Red Gum---------------------------------3
Dextrin------------------------------------.5

Green Star:
Potassium Perchlorate----------------27
Barium Nitrate---------------------------24
Charcoal 80 mesh-----------------------6
Red Gum-----------------------------------2
Shellac--------------------------------------1
Dextrin---------------------------------------2.5

Green Electric: (Cut Star only)
Barium Chlorate------------------------------12
Potassium Chlorate---------------------------4
White Fine Aluminum-------------------------4
Black Aluminum--------------------------------4
Red Gum-----------------------------------------3
Dextrin---------------------------------------------1

6 of 9

Blue Stars:
Potassium Chlorate---------------------12
Paris Green-------------------------------5.25
Stearic Acid--------------------------------1.5
Dextrin---------------------------------------.75

Blue Star:
Potassium Perchlorate-----------------12
Paris Green---------------------------------4
Stearic Acid----------------------------------1.5
Dextrin----------------------------------------.75

Blue Star:
Potassium Perchlorate-------------------30
Paris Green----------------------------------9
Stearic Acid-----------------------------------3
Red Gum--------------------------------------1.5
Dextrin------------------------------------------3


7 of 9

Yellow Stars:
Potassium Perchlorate-----------24
Sodium Oxalate----------------------5
Rosin-----------------------------------2
Red Gum------------------------------2
Dextrin----------------------------------2.5

Yellow Stars:
Potassium Perchlorate---------------30
Barium Nitrate--------------------------10
Sodium Oxalate-------------------------3.5
Red Gum----------------------------------6
Charcoal Fine----------------------------3
Dextrin--------------------------------------3


8 of 9

Steel Gerb: (commercial)
Saltpeter----------------------------21
Sulfur---------------------------------6
Charcoal #5CL---------------------9
Steel (needle or Belmont)-------6

Steel Gerb: (in pounds)
Saltpeter--------------------------------8
Charcoal--------------------------------2
Sulfur------------------------------------1
Steel-------------------------------------3
Aluminum Flake-------------------Hand Full

Crescent Wheel: (in pounds, ounces)
Wet Powder---------------------------5
Fine Meal------------------------------1
Meal D----------------------------------1
Sparkler Steel-----------------------.5
Steel (coarse Belmont)-----------.5
Aluminum Flitter #20 --------------2 oz

1.25? by 10? Steel Gerb, or Pusher (in pounds, ounces)
Saltpeter--------------------------------12
Charcoal 5CC--------------------------2.25
Charcoal #36---------------------------6oz
Fine Meal--------------------------------4
7F powder--------------------------------.5
Coarse Needle Steel ----------------4.5

Gold Flitter Gerbs:
Meal D--------------------------------------5
Sodium Oxalate---------------------------.75
Antimony-----------------------------------1.25
White Fine Aluminum--------------------.5

Wheel Drivers, Display: (in pounds, ounces)
Meal D-----------------------------------3
Steel Dust-------------------------------9 oz

1? by 9? Water Falls:
Potassium Perchlorate-----------------------5
White Fine Aluminum-------------------------3.5
Aluminum Flitter--------------------------------1.5
Dextrin----------------------------------------------.5
Before charge Dampen with 1.5 cups (assuming alcohol, water or both)

Candle Composition: (in pounds)
Saltpeter---------------------------------20
Charcoal #5CL--------------------------1
Charcoal #36---------------------------12
Sulfur--------------------------------------6
Dextrin------------------------------------.75
Dampen with 1 quart of water and mix thoroughly. Screen through 8-Mesh screen and dry.
When dry re-screen through 8-Mesh for use.


9 of 9

Flash:
Potassium Perchlorate----------------5
Black Aluminum-------------------------2
Antimony Sulfide-------------------------.25

Shell Blowing: (inside)
Meal----------------------------------------16
Sulfur----------------------------------------4
Charcoal Fine-----------------------------2

[Richard H]

Interesting. Where did you come across these formula? Are you able to credit them to anyone?

[sasman]

Hi PyroPal

Do you happen to have any video clips of those comps in action?..if so can you please post some clips?..

I dont understand some of the terminolgy?.. but i am from yorkshire and am a bit thick? Eg ..5cc? wet powder?

Cheers

[Pyro-pal]

Interesting. Where did you come across these formula? Are you able to credit them to anyone?

I some how wound up with them when I was partners with 2 other associates in the late 70?s
We were trying to start a manufacturing plant in the U.S. but due to the unexpected high start up costs we soon found we were under funded. There was only enough money to get through the experimentation phase then it was shut down.

Pyropal

Edited by Pyro-pal, 21 September 2005 - 01:20 AM.

[Pyro-pal]

Hi PyroPal

Do you happen to have any video clips of those comps in action?..if so can you please post some clips?..

I dont understand some of the terminolgy?.. but i am from yorkshire and am a bit thick? Eg ..5cc? wet powder?

Cheers

Sorry no clips but I can elaborate on a few: ?5cc charcoal? is airfloat charcoal and wet powder I believe is a fine window screen cut of polverone. ?Antimony? I believe means the sulfide. I am posting the formulas for posterity.

Pyro-pal

[JamesH]

White fine aluminium? I'm not familiar with this terminology, could you elabourate?

Edited by JamesH, 21 September 2005 - 01:27 AM.

[Pyro-pal]

White fine aluminium? I'm not familiar with this terminology, could you elabourate?

It's called bright aluminum now a days.

[BigG]

Sorry no clips but I can elaborate on a few: ?5cc charcoal? is airfloat charcoal and wet powder I believe is a fine window screen cut of polverone. ?Antimony? I believe means the sulfide. I am posting the formulas for posterity.

Pyro-pal

Note that white stars can quite happly be made with the METAL antimony, so the formulation might just mean anitimony metal.

[Yugen-biki]

You have some interesting recepies there! A lot of them seems to be easily lit, for interest to all the readers of the topic "stars that light easy". But I guess people will have troubble finding paris green, which by the way is not needed to make a good blue.

[Pyro-pal]

Note that white stars can quite happly be made with the METAL antimony, so the formulation might just mean anitimony metal.

It wouldn't hurt to test both, though the "antimony" used in the Flitter/Glitter mixes is most definitely the sulfide.


Pyro-pal

[Pyro-pal]

You have some interesting recepies there! A lot of them seems to be easily lit, for interest to all the readers of the topic "stars that light easy". But I guess people will have troubble finding paris green, which by the way is not needed to make a good blue.

True, the use of Paris green is a sure sign the formula is from an earlier era.
If you run across some Paris green (and there is still some out there) along with some HCB
this mix makes a pure sky blue color.

Sky Blue Star: (nice sky blue color)
24 lbs. chlorate potash--------------------61.53
8 lbs. Paris green---------------------------20.51
3 lbs. stearine---------------------------------7.69
2 lbs. HCB--------------------------------------5.12 <-- whitish tint w/saran wt. for wt. (try Dechlorane)
2 lbs. dextrine----------------------------------5.12

Mike Swisher at Usenet?s Rec.pyro could probably better answer questions about the specifications of some obscure ingredients along with some history.


Pyro-pal

[Mumbles]

Paris Green isn't that hard to get still, just exensive, and very poisonous. It's probably no more poisonous than barium nitrate, but Paris Green is bioaccumulative I think. You just have to make the paris green nowadays. It is actually very simple, and nearly anyone who took a general chem class could handle it in terms of difficulty. I would recomend a bit more training before working with the chemicals though. As2O3 is still available. It is available as insecticide in some parts. It can also be ordered from chemical suppliers. This is by far the most expensive chemical neccesary. Shimizu provides a synthesis in F.A.S.T., but I think I have a better one. Shimizu's proceedure may have sodium contamination if not washed enough though.

I can provide a synthesis for HCB too, but it is rather, shall we say "energetic". It is one of those type of reactions you do as a chemistry demo because it is big, bright, and loud. If controlled better it would not be nearly as energetic.

[Potassium chlorate]

Sorry for writing in a 5 year old thread, but speaking of Paris Green again, what is the best fuel, if you don't add another chlorine donor? Is it stearin or colophonium or anything else? The simplest would be potassium chlorate, Paris Green and shellac, but according to Lancaster, that mixture is just suitable for a pillbox star and not a pumped one.

[seymour]

Sorry for writing in a 5 year old thread, but speaking of Paris Green again, what is the best fuel, if you don't add another chlorine donor? Is it stearin or colophonium or anything else? The simplest would be potassium chlorate, Paris Green and shellac, but according to Lancaster, that mixture is just suitable for a pillbox star and not a pumped one.

Pillbox compositions can burn slower, and be less resistant to blowing blind to other compositions. Other than that, any difference is minor.

Not all pillbox stars burn badly. Chlorate, Shellac and some copper thrown in sounds like something that would burn quite well.

I say try them as pumped stars. That way you shall have the knowledge.

Worst case you might have to break shells a bit softer to stop em blowing blind.

[MDH]

One of the nicest paris green blues I have seen was simply potassium perchlorate, paris green and hexamine. Literally nothing else.

The other one was with straight dextrin, but it burned rather erratically without a steady flame.

I can't give a 100% honest opinion on paris green however, the product I used looked like it was contaminated with other products since I purchased it from an oblivious antique store owner for $16. I haven't touched paris green for three years since I started using CuCl2 and CuS.