52 replies to this topic

[cplmac]

The step whistle is about as simple to make as anything rocket related. All I did was press above the spindle a full increment of whistle, half of BP, then full whistle and so on and so on. It works pretty good, next time I'm doing full increments on both to get better seperation.

[dr thrust]

thanks for the info, easy when you know how .how do you go on making those giant salutes, mixing that much flash cant be good for the nerves!

[cplmac]

I built a jig for when I need to mix a batch larger than 1kilo.

[dr thrust]

hi, a jig ? can you enlighten us

[cplmac]

I've got a cardboard spiral would tube about 1.5 meters long 6" diameter, I attached 4' long wood steaks to the end and I tape my flash box to the inside of the 4 wood steaks, then I turn it for about five minutes or so depending on the size of the batch. Basically it is just a way to keep the mix at a distance while rolling it. Rather than taking appendages this would likely just cause some splinters and hearing loss. I do wear a faceshield, and all the rest of the protective gear when I mix.

[Wyvern]

I fired 4 sodium Benzoate/Perc rockets last night including a sucessful step rocket (thanks for the idea cplmac) there was 1 failure however but its just that the dragons eggs at the end of rocket 3.

Here is the video

ps. Please ignore my paranoid friend the "pylon" hes talking about is a telephone pole about 10m away from launch site.

[cplmac]

Sodium Benze, I was wondering why your whistles had such a unique pitch, excellent work! Might convince me to break the sodium benze out of the cabinet.

[cplmac]

3" Ti Whistle Rocket headed with 5 2.5" + 2 3" salutes

I fired this one off at the HPA get together this past Saturday in Michigan.

Edited by cplmac, 18 September 2007 - 12:55 AM.

[cplmac]

2.5" TT comet with hollow curl Mag

[Pyromaster2003]

Spot on! had a long lasting tail what charcoal was it?

[cplmac]

Generic airfloat about 30% 80 mesh 6% 36 mesh 5%. I just tried those hollow curls in a whistle driver and it failed to light almost all of them. Not sure why the TT mix succeeded where the whistle failed, I'm sure it burns hotter.

[Mumbles]

Whistle does burn hotter, but is largely gaseous products. TT or other BP type comps will produce molten products during and after the reaction. These can coat onto the metal particles and potentially prime them a bit by keeping the heat on them longer. It is also possible, the whistle burned too hot and just melted or vaporized them in the casing.

[cplmac]

Thanks for the explanation, that makes sense. I've got to do some revisions on my girandola for the Saturday shoot now. I think I'm just going to go with Ti whistle horizontal drivers a put a 2.5" comet on top. See you there.

[cplmac]

3 pound 3 stage Ti Whistle

3" Ti Whistle to 8" color changing Chrysanthemum

The 8" shell weighed 7.4 pounds but seemed to be well within the rockets lifting capacity much to my surprise. Commercial shell by the way, I can't paste a shell to save my life.

[dr thrust]

again very nice! can you take some pics,show how you stage the motors how are you joining them together and passing fire from one to the other? ive gone as far as i can with bp rockets height wise! and would like a "little bit extra"