66 replies to this topic

[marble]

Most PVC glue is fine, most of them are just PVC dissolved in MEK with some dye added.

I have 1lb of saran and 5lb of pot perc coming in from the US, shipping was high but not to bad ($35). I can order just about every pyro chem (even Paris green if I want) but shipping is the killer.

ATM he is just helping me out, don't know if he would be to happy if I told others. Might ask him though.


I am still holding out on finding a lead dioxide anode for perchlorate production, I think I have made enough potassium chlorate to last me a while.

Edited by marble, 06 June 2008 - 03:13 AM.

[marble]

Well its the Queens birthday holiday today, good enough reason for me to fire off a rocket

[seymour]

Odd, Queens birthday was last week here in NZ. Go for it!

[Arthur Brown]

There MUST be a plastics moulding company in Aus! Go source a bag (25 kilos?) of raw PVC in powder form. Or find where they get theirs and order some. Long ago my employer had pvc delivered by the tanker lorry daily! But a jar of a few kilos will satisfy your need for colour promoters for a while.

Ready compounded pvc tends to have flame inhibitors in the mixture which we do not want. Web search for Emulsion PVC or suspension PVC and find suppliers. The difficult bit is finding someone to sell you a few kilos. They are looking for sales of tonnes per month or per day!

[marble]

Decided to call it a day, I have come to the conclusion that its just not worth the legal risk.

Already started destroying my inventory. Decided to divert my spare time to organic and inorganic chemistry, already got quite a collection of lab gear.

Edited by marble, 20 June 2008 - 01:19 PM.

[rocket]

That thought has crossed my mind a few times lately, I still do a little pyro but not as as near as much as I used to.

I agree with you marble the risk is just too great if you get busted, its gunna f**k your life up for many years.

[marble]

I have 5lb's of perc I don't really need, may offer it up for sale.

Still deciding what to do.....

[Pepsi]

Jeez its gone quiet here, or is it just my ears ringing.....?

P

[tom_123]

I'm still lurking.. and now posting!

[Techohead]

yes we're all still lurking... but unfortunately for some of us we have to keep our heads low... there have been a couple of big busts in Australia over the last few months, people getting sprung for b**b making and things of it's nature. Every time someone gets caught making b**bs it makes our lives just that little bit harder.

[Arthur Brown]

Maybe it's time to pop your heads UP! Form an association or get associated with an established science or chemistry society. Maybe it's time to become approved firers of commercial fireworks, go see your local display company.

Organic Chemistry is probably more risky. In Texas the possession of a filter coffee machine can get you binned for "Having lab equipment" as part of their drive to persecute all and sundry to hit the illegal manufacture of narcotics.

[kelly]

Yah, we're still around but the problem with putting your head up is that someone takes a shot at it! The biggest problem we have is the distance between us. I'm 2 1/2 hrs from Melbourne and 1 1/4 hrs from the state border and that's traveling at an average speed of 100 km/hr. It's not that I don't want to know and meet others with the same interest, it's the distance and the small number of us. It's not like we can decide to have an event on a Fri. night, meet everybody on Sat. and spend the day and Sun. having a good display and get home early Sun night, for work the following morning.
Other problems like a venue also inhibet us. I live in a country town and have limited access to a place to try my makings, but too much activity and the boys in blue are around and things get complicated to say the least.
So, how do about a dozen pyros in Victoria, and the others around the country numbering a total of maybe 50(?) country wide get the federal gov. to legalize amature pyrotechnics? and that doesn't get around the fact that some states seem to be atonomus, ignore the federal gov. and establish their own laws governing pyro activity and other things.

[nick2354]

Marble, I wouldnt mind buying some Perch off you. If you want to sell it of course.

[Techohead]

Well it looks like a lot of you are trying to decide whether or not this would be a good turning point or not for your pyrotechnics, in taking it a step further, or calling it quits. me, it's been only a year that i've been doing pyrotechnics and just yesterday i launched my first 3" ball shell, using homemade black powder, homemade white to chrysthanthemum stars, and a hell of a lot of newspaper and wood glue. i've designed my own electronic firing system, which allows me to start indentical fireworks cakes at different locations at the exact same time, for firework synchronisation. i've made rockets, starmines, flamethrowers and done effects for amateur video projects. if this is what someone can achieve from scratch in one year, look where i could be in another yuears time, and in ten years time. i've always been under the impression that this is just the beginning for me, but it didn't take me long to realise just how complicated the issues are that we all have, with the 'boys in blue', disgruntled neighbours, fire hazards (bushland), telephone calls to the fire bridgade because of terrified old ladies in the house down the street that don't know the difference between a firework and a bomb. the list goes on, but as i said, for me i feel it's just the beginning, and i think i'm going to have to find my way through all these problems, because i am certain there must be a way to enjoy this hobby to it's fullest, perfectly safely, and completely within the law.

Most of us in Australia are within 3 hours of each other 'time zone' wise, which means real time communication might help us get some ideas together, and help us share information amoung each other. windows live messenger is my prefered live messaging service, so perhaps those of us who use it can start addition each other and we could get some conferences scheduled. just an idea, any of you who use msn already, send me a message with your email address and i will add.

wishing you all the best,
Techohead

[seymour]

! ATTENTION ALL AUSTRALIAN SHELL BUILDERS !

There has been a Southern Shell competition started. Details as per this website:
http://chemnpyro.awa...m/homepage.html

I agree, the chemical restrictions are tight - I would love to throw in some Ammonium perchlorate purples, but most Pyro's down this end don't have the chemical stash I do and we need to level the playing field.

So far all the competing pyro's are either from Australia or New Zealand, but for those who belong to the thirty or so other Southern Hemisphere Nations, you are welcome to join.

The Youtube site has been created, and if you are serious about competing please contact me or reply to this thread, or talk to one of the Australian pyro's who are organising/competing this event with me.