9 replies to this topic

[neo]

Hi!

I've tried searching but without luck

I've two forumlas, one using PVC and the other parlon:

Purple Organic (Bleser)
68 Potassium Perchlorate
11 PVC
9 Strontium Carbonate
6 Copper (II) Oxide
5 Dextrin

Blue Organic (Conkling KP #1)
65.00% Potassium Perchlorate
14.00% Copper (II) Oxide
9.00% Parlon
7.00% Red Gum
5.00% Dextrin

My question is, I neither have PVC or parlon and I only want to buy one of them.
I've read that parlon is a bit better so I think I'll go with that one. Which is to perfer?
Are there anything to think about when substituting PVC with parlon?
And lastly is there anyone who has tried these comps? Good colors?

Neo

[chris17]

Hi!

I've tried searching but without luck

I've two forumlas, one using PVC and the other parlon:

Purple Organic (Bleser)
68 Potassium Perchlorate
11 PVC
9 Strontium Carbonate
6 Copper (II) Oxide
5 Dextrin

Blue Organic (Conkling KP #1)
65.00% Potassium Perchlorate
14.00% Copper (II) Oxide
9.00% Parlon
7.00% Red Gum
5.00% Dextrin

My question is, I neither have PVC or parlon and I only want to buy one of them.
I've read that parlon is a bit better so I think I'll go with that one. Which is to perfer?
Are there anything to think about when substituting PVC with parlon?
And lastly is there anyone who has tried these comps? Good colors?

Neo

I tried that blue organic using PVC instead of Parlon. The colour did not turn out as supposed. I made a series of test batches with increasing and decreasing amounts of PVC from the orig. formula. None worked for the blue. The purple is a nice color on the ground, but for some reason my batch did not look good in the air. I used ceramics grade CuO. Maybe that's the reason?

That's my 2 cents worth.

Edited by chris17, 17 February 2008 - 07:45 PM.

[BrightStar]

I'd go for Parlon as I have both and rarely find myself using the PVC.

The Parlon releases more Chlorine than the PVC (about 70% by mass versus 56%) but the PVC has more fuel value. To modify the Blesser purple, I might replace the 11% PVC with 9% Parlon and 2% red gum.

Conkling's Blue Organic is one of my favourites. It gives what I would describe as a 'sky blue', a bit pale but still very definately blue. It's cheap-ish, easy to work with and you can cut it or pump it and it holds together well. To get the blue colour, you will need chems of good purity, particulary the CuO (Inoxia stuff is great) and avoid contamination. Dampen using deionised water with 25% isopropyl alcohol.

If you download my blue peony rocket vid here you can get some idea of the colour. As always, it's better in real life...

Edited by BrightStar, 18 February 2008 - 12:25 AM.

[neo]

Thanks to both! Then I guess I'll go with parlon

I liked the look of that blue, maybe not the deepest blue but it was nice! (Nice rocket and shell to!)

How pure does the CuO has to be? I was hoping to make it from copper sulfate by heating (which I can get very cheap and pure). Or will ceramic quality work?
Pyro quality CuO is quite expensive in Sweden, around 19£ for 500grams

Edited by neo, 17 February 2008 - 10:28 PM.

[MMMMMM Pyro]

Parlon, definately parlon.

Can be bound with propanone to make very strong, lovely coloured stars!

[GalFisk]

Pyro quality CuO is quite expensive in Sweden, around 19£ for 500grams

Cheapchemicals.eu (swedish supplier) has pyro grade CuO at less than half that price. Still a bit more expensive than the pottery stuff, but not prohibitively so. I don't know how much of a difference it makes though.

[neo]

that is very nice! anyone who has any experience with that supplier? are they reliable? never seen it before..

[GalFisk]

that is very nice! anyone who has any experience with that supplier? are they reliable? never seen it before..

I've ordered from them once (about 8 kg of chemicals total), everything was packaged in nice plastic buckets with airtight lids, shipped with Bussgods. Other people have ordered from there without trouble as well. They reply quickly to emails.
I think they started about a year ago, I found them by word of mouth on the Flashback pyro forum (http://www.flashback...splay.php?f=108)

[pyromaniac303]

I tried the Purple organic formula last summer and was impressed with it, though if your not planning to order both PVC and Parlon I would definately say the Parlon was the better option, as its more widely used and you'll more than likely want to be using the Veline system in the near future.

[BrightStar]

How pure does the CuO has to be? I was hoping to make it from copper sulfate by heating (which I can get very cheap and pure). Or will ceramic quality work?
Pyro quality CuO is quite expensive in Sweden, around 19£ for 500grams

I know that some people have had success with ceramics grade CuO (quoted as 99%). The purity of the other ingredients is also probably fairly important, as is the solvent (hence the deionised water).

The orange spectral line from calcium is many times brighter than that of copper and the yellow from sodium many times brighter again. These will completely swamp the blue and wash out the colour given even moderate contamination.

Maybe our friendly resident chemists on the forum (YT ? ... ) could suggest where chris17 is having problems...

Edited by BrightStar, 18 February 2008 - 10:49 PM.