48 replies to this topic

[BigBang]

Admin/mods, i know there is a flash thread already, but i wanted as many newbies as poss. to see this, to act as a deterent. If you dont agree, just move it to the correct place


Even after repeated warnings some people, who are obvious beginers, are still emailing me, asking about flash. So i recorded a demo of what flash can do, in the hope that actually seeing it in action may just convince them to leave it alone.

What you are going to see, is non-standard flash. It is a comp. i use very occasionally, when weight/size is an issue.

It is less than 1g (0.85g to be exact), ignited completely unconfined on a coke can. The mic. on the cam is on minimum sensitivity so the report (bang) doesnt seem very loud, but believe me it was!!

video

If you can't view it, right-click -> save target as...

If 0.85g can do that much damage, imagine what 4-5g will do............still wanna play with flash?

Edited by BigBang, 15 September 2006 - 03:01 PM.

[Creepin_pyro]

I think this link would work better as a deterrant:

http://members.shaw....nsequences.html

*WARNING: Graphic content*

[Pyromaster2003]

That really shows the power of flash powder - looks more like a primary high ex*losive!
Just imagine someone who hasn't had enough experience with pyrotechnics making that...they would certainly end up like the people on those pics!

Don't attempt it if you don't want to lose a hand or worse!

[Polar]

Hello, Seeing that was really worrying.
I first experimented with flash powder when i didnt really have a clue about it. I found the 70 30 recipe on some dodgy site and thought it looked really easy and would give it a go.
I made a 60 gram batch of this stuff put it in a metal oil drum.

Wasnt expecting anything more then a loud banger in reality it was like a b**b going off blew the thing apart the lid shot thru the air and would have easily cut someone in half.

Before anyone has a go at me i didnt realise how dangerous this stuff was at the time and i know it was really stupid now and would never make anything like it again.
I have always loved fireworks and before couldnt find anywhere that would show me the safe ways to learn this craft.

I was lucky not to have killed myself.

DO NOT MESS WITH THIS STUFF!!!!!!!!

[karlfoxman]

Yes flash is dangerous, so is whistle. Alot of compositions are dangerous! Good post, what worries me is that they may think wow its powerful and I make some. I think you can steer some away but there will always be some that are attracted to its deadly power.

Most of us here try to make things pretty and with complex parts. I have and do make flash for some devices that require it to function properly. One example is my Beraq shells, but im now getting focused on colour flash compositions to make half and half beraq shells.

I hope this will steer some people away, for those coming to KLOB this year I think there will be a few demos of energetic compositions.

Good posts guys.

[pendulum]

It does make you think. My real interest in pyro started about 6 months before I joined here, so that's 18 months ago. I've not made flash in that time, but I admit that it's very tempting.

Postings like this do help, I think. If it doesn't put relative-newbies like me off making flash completely, it definitely without question makes them think a lot about safety procedures and the quantity that they make. Education is (usually) a good thing.

[GBthriller]

Admin/mods, i know there is a flash thread already, but i wanted as many newbies as poss. to see this, to act as a deterent. If you dont agree, just move it to the correct place
Even after repeated warnings some people, who are obvious beginers, are still emailing me, asking about flash. So i recorded a demo of what flash can do, in the hope that actually seeing it in action may just convince them to leave it alone.

What you are going to see, is non-standard flash. It is a comp. i use very occasionally, when weight/size is an issue.

It is less than 1g (0.85g to be exact), ignited completely unconfined on a coke can. The mic. on the cam is on minimum sensitivity so the report (bang) doesnt seem very loud, but believe me it was!!

video

If you can't view it, right-click -> save target as...

If 0.85g can do that much damage, imagine what 4-5g will do............still wanna play with flash?

All due respect: how can you post a video about the dangers of flash, and hold a flame that close to the pile? And now that I have pontificated (sorry), what was that interesting fuse made of?

[BigBang]

Well, if you look carefully, i was using a jet flame lighter, very precise flame, doesnt drift. The flame goes exactly where you want it to go, thats how, but good point.

The fuse was just plain ordinary touch paper, rolled up. I prefer it to visco. Its safer....no sparks, longer delay, lights easier.....doesnt burn your thumb when lighting it, and of course its a much cheaper option!

KLOB........yes im looking forward to it.

[Ritual33]

Love the idea with the touch paper, although not a new idea I'll definatly look more into this.

Drew

[Kevin J]

I am not even in danger of making flash, here in Canada, you would have to go to a lot of trouble and effort to obtain the ingrediants if you could get them at all. BP all the way for me.

[Mumbles]

That really shows the power of flash powder - looks more like a primary high ex*losive!
Just imagine someone who hasn't had enough experience with pyrotechnics making that...they would certainly end up like the people on those pics!

Don't attempt it if you don't want to lose a hand or worse!

Well, technically speaking, according to the US government at least, flash is a primary HE. Whistle has also been recently classified as the same.

[BigBang]

Well, when you watch the video, you can understand why they classify flash as a H.E.

Although not technically a H.E, it certainly comes very close.

[Mumbles]

It is technically an HE. However in our uses it does not behave as such. If you put a blasting cap into a flash device, it would behave as an HE, with a shockwave leading the reaction front, instead of the surface reaction that takes place in more common flash uses. Using huge amounts would also result in a similar reaction. Note: Selfconfining is not the same as detonation.

Edited by Mumbles, 18 September 2006 - 02:29 AM.

[BigBang]

This is an old arguement! i dont disagree with what you have said, but i dont fully agree either, this is a bit of a grey area.

From what ive read, the reaction speed of flash is not quite fast enough for it to be classed as a H.E. but is very close.

And yes, i know that detonation is different from self confinement. Self confinement is what you see in my video.

[Richard H]

I have no doubt in my mind that flash powders are capable of undergoing detonation.

Watch the following video of an ISO container full of waterfalls (The composition of which is very similar to, if not less dangerous than flash powders) conducted by TNO Netherlands. The outcome was most unexpected.

http://www.chaf.info...rfalls_full.wmv