73 replies to this topic

[BigBang]

Hi guys, anyone have any tried and tested coloured flash comps?

Ive searched a fair few data bases, and have quite a few formulas, but due to a very busy workload, havent got the time to test them all.

The only ones ive tested so far are Mg+BaNO3 (50:50) and Mg+SrNO3 (50:50). Powerful comps, but the colour is very weak. Ive tried adding a little parlon, this does improve the colour, but slows the reaction down too much.

Ive also tried KClO4 (6) BaNO3 (4) Al (3) but again the colour is very weak.

Any help would be appreciatd

cheers

[cplmac]

I've done a pretty decent amount of testing on red and blue flash comps, and the one conclusion I have come to is that if you are looking for a report color will suffer. The more confinement, the less color survives. Blue flash is all but impossible because of the heat generated even as just a flash composition, red however can be done just not with strong confinement.

This is my red flash formula:
Strontium Nitrate.........30
Strontium Carbonate.....20
Magnesium 250 mesh...35
Parlon........................15

Wrap it in some Kraft paper, just fold it over on itself and tape it closed. This is what it will look like.
Red Flash Pot

I made a dozen of these for our show this summer and they all worked spot on.

[Creepin_pyro]

I agree with cplmac - if you want a good report, colour saturation is going to suffer... If you look at footage of commercial coloured reports (usually green and red), there seem to be two types; one with relatively poor colour that makes a large report, and ones with MUCH better colours and almost no noise. These ones tend to be on the verge of jetting from what I've seen, but I do prefer them.

On the subject of blue flash, while I haven't done much confinement testing, granulating a fast AP blue composition can create a very vivid blue flash, and report. Having only tested this with a small amount of confinement, I'm not sure if it will meet your needs, but it's certainly another option instead of going down the chlorate/Paris green route!

I think I posted the formula here a while back actually... if you're interested I'll track it down...

[MDH]

I prefer the flash over noise personally.

I have used a red star formula before and added a metallic fuel to it (I believe it was a chlorate/carbonate composition). The report was nice and ignited the flying fish.

You may want to also try Sodium Nitrate / Dark Aluminum (with boric acid of course), which will burn a white-ish yellow, or Zinc/Sulphur which will burn a nice lime green.

There is a Flash thread in Pyrotechnic Formulas you may want to post this query in.

Edited by MDH, 06 September 2007 - 08:23 PM.

[BigBang]

Thanks guys. I wanted these comps to make aerial salutes, so they'll need to be fairly loud, theres nothing more dissapointing than a maroon that just goes pop! I'll give the red comp a go, that was a nice strong colour. I presume i can directly substitute the strontium for barium to give green??

I have seen quite loud maroons with really vivid reds/greens/blues, so it must be possible!

One of the few chems i dont have is AP, so im looking to create blue using CuO, so if anyone has any good comps using this, i'd appreciate it

Looks like this isnt going to be as simple as i thought!

[cplmac]

Couple things, first maroon implies this is for daytime use, if that is true you can use any flash and just add some colored smoke. I don't know about swapping one for one barium for strontium, they all have different properties and oxidation ability. Lastly, good luck with blue, it's hard enough to get a cool burning blue star much less flash.

[karlfoxman]

I have also been testing some colour beraq, I know formulas for good colours but they use Chlorates. Im trying some new formulas using perchlorate, the red beraq sometimes do jet, and make little noise but the colour is very good. The green will give good colour and a decent report. I have also made yellow reports, all these reports use very fine magnesium in the mixtures. I will get some beraq made and video them, the colours are best viewed from a good distance. Granulating some fast star mixtures is a good place to try too.

[paul]

I have also been testing some colour beraq, I know formulas for good colours but they use Chlorates. Im trying some new formulas using perchlorate, the red beraq sometimes do jet, and make little noise but the colour is very good. The green will give good colour and a decent report. I have also made yellow reports, all these reports use very fine magnesium in the mixtures. I will get some beraq made and video them, the colours are best viewed from a good distance. Granulating some fast star mixtures is a good place to try too.

Remember the idea to use the same ammount of perchlorate instead of chlorate in formulas?!
I got (at least with some red star comps) very good results from that method. Mabye you could try
one or two of your chlorate comps. with perchlorate!?!

[BigBang]

I have also been testing some colour beraq, I know formulas for good colours but they use Chlorates. Im trying some new formulas using perchlorate, the red beraq sometimes do jet, and make little noise but the colour is very good. The green will give good colour and a decent report. I have also made yellow reports, all these reports use very fine magnesium in the mixtures. I will get some beraq made and video them, the colours are best viewed from a good distance. Granulating some fast star mixtures is a good place to try too.

Karl - Im quite happy working with chlorates, and ive just aquired some very fine Mg (70micron), so if you have any good formulas, i'd appreciate them!

Im just finishing off some cases, once theyre done, i'll go down the Mg+BaNO3 & Mg+SrNO3 route. In tests, like i said previously, very fast reaction, but weak colour. But as you mentioned, viewed from a distance, the colour may look better.

I'll try to do the tests this week and post the results

[MDH]

Alright fellas. I have a favourite pyrotechnician who I visit on vancouver island.

Here's what he had to say about strong coloured flashes.

The best blue flash formula incorporates paris green, perchlorate and magnesium... needless to say it's pretty dangerous to your health!

He has made red flash before with strontium nitrates but they are not incorperated very often in bangers.

A neat effect if you want good colours is to use shells with smoke stars in them and incorperate those into your display. That will make the flash much more "visible".

Edited by MDH, 11 September 2007 - 01:44 AM.

[Creepin_pyro]

The best blue flash formula incorporates paris green, perchlorate and magnesium... needless to say it's pretty dangerous to your health!

Interesting - I would've thought that Mg was a little hot for blues though!

That's a great idea about using smoke shells. Never seen this done commercially, but I'm sure it would look really great.

[BigBang]

yes i would have thought that the Mg would be to hot for blue, but if you say it works, it works. If i can get my hands on some paris green i'll give it a go. I'll try it with Al as well. Do you happen to know the exact ratios?

The only colour im happy with so far is yellow/orange, Mg (45) NaClO3 (50) Parlon (5). Very fast comp, and strong colour.

[MDH]

I do indeed have the exact ratios. Here you go!

4.5 Grams Perchlorate
3.5 Grams Magnesium
2 Grams Paris Green
+150 milligrams PVC, Parlon or Saran

Apparently this can be ajusted.

Today I discovered an extremely similar composition on the PFP and I'm sure that's where he got it from (but he wouldn't tell me...). It has less paris green though.

Additionally, it would be great if you could post a video.

Edited by MDH, 12 September 2007 - 02:00 AM.

[MMMMMM Pyro]

Quoting from Degn...

Blue Flash:

Mg Powder 10
KClO4 10
Paris Green 3
PVC 1.5


Also, something that may be interesting:

Violet Flash:

Mg Powder 10
KClO4 10
CuO 3
Sr(NO3)2 3
PVC 1

Mg Powder is at least 100mesh or finer.

I can't say I have tried either but am tempted to try the violet.

Regards,

Mike

[cplmac]

I tried the Degn Blue formula you posted, but I had to sub in Copper AcetoArsenite because that is what Firefox sells as PG. I don't know if the Copper was junk or what, but it flat out sucked. Pretty much no color at all but the report was satisfactory. With perch and Mg I'm not surprised there was no color, that's just to much heat for blue.