11 replies to this topic

[king pyro]

Hello all.
I am a beginner and I have a lot of questions so I hope no one minds.

1
I read somewhere that Magnesium burns in presence of chlorine-can anyone explain me why and how. In flash powders it burns with oxidisers so is it necessary for them to have Cl in them?

2
I have read at a lot of places that potassium chlorate(KClo3) should never be mixed with sulphur: the curosity factor forces me to ask why?

3
I bought potassium nitrate from a gardening shop. Is it pure enough(I have actually removed the impurities that are insoluble in water by dissolving it and then crystallising it again)?

4
Metal powders are used to give stars. I somewhere read that a mixture of 1:1 potassium permangenate(KMno4) and aluminium(Al) burns pretty fast. How can Al and KMno4 burn without a fuel? Actually I tried this but it didnt work at all, so can there be some problem in my aluminium? but it gives fine stars when used in other mixtures(which contian a fuel also). So I need advice of you experts.

5
What is the use of pop?

6
What is the use of boric acid?

7
What is diappering?

8
What is corning?

9
What is pressing?

10
What is meant by ricing and rice hulls?

11
How is bp made by the method other than ball milling(its CIA or CIY)? Are the more methods? If yes please tell me what are they?

12
Can refined charcoal(one used in the form of tablets to absorb the excess gasses in the stomach before an X-ray) be used in bp?

13
In bp which out of sulphur and charcoal is the fuel and what is the other one called?

14
I know that willow charcoal is used in bp for optimum performance but please name some other plants that work fine. Only raw wood from plants give good results or processed wood which is used to make furniture can also be used?

15
I read somewhere that lampblack is used to give special effects. What is its use?

16
The weighing scale I have is not very accurate and I can not afford a more sensitive one. I dont have an adequate quantity of some of the chemicals(and it is very difficult for me to get some more of them) so I really feel like using them in extremely small quantities which my scale can not weigh correctly, so do I have an option?

17
Now this is my last question-
Do you feel like requesting an administrator to delete my account?

OOps I forgot two questions

1
A normal piece of thread burns at a fine speed. BP burns at quite high speed. Then why does black match fuse burn so slow?

2
Why does coating a blackmatch with a layer of paper to make quickmatch makes it burn so fast and what is its use when it burns soo fast?

[BigBang]

In answer to your question 17......funnily enough, the answer is yes

[karlfoxman]

Q4 - Al is the fuel.

Bigbang Karl agrees

King pyro - I think you need to use the famous Search button, it will give you answers to almost every question you have. If no one has anything to add soon ill close this to get you searching.

Edited by karlfoxman, 25 March 2007 - 04:20 PM.

[pymp]

Most, if not all answers to those questions can be found relatively easily using the search function. Another alternative would be to buy a good beginners book, such as Introductary Practical Pyrotechnics. It's odd that you've heard of so many terms and methods, but know nothing about them.

[BigBang]

This is a wind up guys! No one can know all these terms and not know what they mean.

[karlfoxman]

3 people say 'yes' and ill close

[pymp]

This is a wind up guys! No one can know all these terms and not know what they mean.

I guess he could've been browsing the forum for a while, making a list of terms he didn't understand. You might've thought that in doing so, he would have found out the answers to his questions though..

[portfire]

Everything is here (or at least 99.99% ) just search

http://www.pyrosocie.......t=Search&f=

I know it can be daunting,there's loads and loads of infomation to take in.Just to put it into perspective,it takes 7 years to become a doctor and 8 to become a pyrotechnician,so you can imagine the amount of info you need to know .Just take things step by step, start by reading,get to know what the terms are,(which to some extent i think you do)and what they mean,safety precautions(VERY important) etc.Then you can move on to simple projects .

Also these links may help
http://www.pyroguide...title=Main_Page
http://www.chemtutor.com/


p.s.karl.....yes

regards
dean

Edited by portfire, 25 March 2007 - 05:21 PM.

[BrightStar]

This is a wind up guys! No one can know all these terms and not know what they mean.

LOL - We have a saying on another forum, 'Don't feed the troll!'

Karl, Yes!

Portfire, Only 8 years to become a pyro? I'd heard it takes a lifetime

[BigBang]

Karl...thats 3 'yes' do your duty!

[portfire]

Portfire, Only 8 years to become a pyro? I'd heard it takes a lifetime

I do apologize,your probably right...sorry...right come to think of it.The reason i said that was i saw some TV program a while ago and there was a pyrotech explaining safety etc about the subject,thats where i heard it but no doubt your right,i suppose you'll never stop learning



regards
dean

[karlfoxman]

Done, as said please search. We will help on subjects, find the subject topic and ask a question. Wish you a good stay here and don't feel we are getting on at you, we just like it nice and tidy here. If you need any questions you can't find feel free to pm me.