16 replies to this topic

[neo]

Hi!

I have, at least what I think, a very weird problem with my chrysanthemum stars.
They burn nicely and send out a nice shower of sparks. The problem is that after they have burned the stars continues to glow. And that they'll do all the way down to the ground.
The stars are dry screened together, then dampened and cut.

Any clues on what’s wrong? Why won’t they pass out after they've burned?

//Marcel

[Bonny]

Hi!

I have, at least what I think, a very weird problem with my chrysanthemum stars.
They burn nicely and send out a nice shower of sparks. The problem is that after they have burned the stars continues to glow. And that they'll do all the way down to the ground.
The stars are dry screened together, then dampened and cut.

Any clues on what’s wrong? Why won’t they pass out after they've burned?

//Marcel

Did you test by firing them with a star gun or in a mine? Stars like that need to be travelling through the air to burn up properly. If simply burned on the ground, they will just turn into a glowing ember.

[neo]

i've both tried on the ground and small mines.. but maybe they don't travel fast enough to burn then.. I'll give it a try with more lift tonight and see.

thanks for your reply

[dr thrust]

hi, aswell as screening, did you mill for 3-4 hours!!?

[cooperman435]

sounds like they were still damp in their core as this will help to slow down the burn rate so much that they will not "send out" the burnt composition but rather allow it to stay in a clump.

[starseeker]

Hi!

I have, at least what I think, a very weird problem with my chrysanthemum stars.
They burn nicely and send out a nice shower of sparks. The problem is that after they have burned the stars continues to glow. And that they'll do all the way down to the ground.
The stars are dry screened together, then dampened and cut.

Any clues on what’s wrong? Why won’t they pass out after they've burned?

//Marcel

You will need to ball mill streamer comps or use the CIA method to incorporate the Kno3 into your comp,or you will get the problems you are describing and a poor star,

[neo]

You will need to ball mill streamer comps or use the CIA method to incorporate the Kno3 into your comp,or you will get the problems you are describing and a poor star,

yea.. that might be the problem. guess I'll have to try a new batch and see. I tried shooting them with a higer speed, same thing happend.

thanks all!

[Pyro-pal]

Chrysanthemum stars werent meant to be made as cut stars, the excess water needed to squish it into a loaf also displaces some of the oxidizer. If you want a better burn try ball milling the comp first then roll it into round stars or use a charcoal star formula that was intended to be made into cut stars.

[seymour]

Chrysanthemum stars werent meant to be made as cut stars, the excess water needed to squish it into a loaf also displaces some of the oxidizer. If you want a better burn try ball milling the comp first then roll it into round stars or use a charcoal star formula that was intended to be made into cut stars.

Really?

Unless I am rolling a streamer composition over a core of a different effect, for example, a colour, I always cut Charcoal streamers. Correctly dampened cut stars cannot be much more damp than rolled stars!

As many people have said, the problem is most definitely that they have not been ball milled. I have always had this problem with un-milled charcoal streamers, even when they are prepared using the wet method.

[Pyro-pal]

Really?

Unless I am rolling a streamer composition over a core of a different effect, for example, a colour, I always cut Charcoal streamers. Correctly dampened cut stars cannot be much more damp than rolled stars!

As many people have said, the problem is most definitely that they have not been ball milled. I have always had this problem with un-milled charcoal streamers, even when they are prepared using the wet method.

Stars high in charcoal or aluminum content need up to 30% to 40% water to make cut stars. The same formula when formed into round stars by misting the dry mixture in a star roller I doubt would ever get any higher than 8%. Why buck tradition? I have a couple of round star formulas that are ruined by adding excess water to cut them. Chrysanthemum 6 or 8 from Shimizu are Japanese in origin and were intended to be made as round stars.

[Pyro-pal]

Note:
As cooperman said the stars were most likely still damp inside anyway. If you insist on making cut stars from Chrys. 6 or 8 try ball milling the comp for a few hours then dampen with 70-30 water alcohol (by volume) for faster and more complete drying. Charcoal stars have always needed an extra amount of time to dry.

[seymour]

I just realized, no one has actually asked what the composition is. Some compositions do give off very long burning sparks even when they work correctly. What Comp are you using Neo?

[MDH]

I would simply take advantage of this and create smaller stars.

Longer burn is a plus in a world of small shells for me.

[neo]

It is chrys 6 stars.. and well,, MDH the stars are less then 1cm squares and maybe 0,5 cm thick and glow for half a minute
And it's not the sparks that glow, it's the star itself that glows after all the sparks has been "send out"...

I'll try making them using the CIA method as soon I have time, and hope it works better

[seymour]

By what process did you powder the chemicals?