259 replies to this topic

[BrightStar]

I'm trying to figure out the formula for the green twinklers, my buddy made it and put his stars in my comet. They were more green in person but really beautiful.

I'd second that - you could sell the CometGT to Disney! Very 'Magic Castle'...

The delayed release of microstars actually works really well here. The GT formula would be great please if you can get it.

Edited by BrightStar, 28 April 2008 - 06:24 PM.

[pyromaniac303]

I'd second that - you could sell the CometGT to Disney! Very 'Magic Castle'...

The delayed release of microstars actually works really well here. The GT formula would be great please if you can get it.

I found that with coarsely mixed matrix stars, its best off to have a low sulfur content, after all you need a mix that will break up such as chrys#8 rather than stay as a molten blob, surrounding the microstars. Avoid ingredients that become 'sticky' if possible. I found this with several batches of 15mm matrix stars using bleser organic violet microstars, and lancaster perchlorate red microstars with a fairly coarse mix of BP ingredients (I don't remember the ratios, but I do remember they were higher than usual sulfur). The other strange thing was that crackling microstars were ejected cleanly, without clinging to the 15mm star.

[t1tan]

1/4" ID 2" length saxon: http://homepage.ntlw...ove/AlSaxon.MOV

D1 Glitter Starmine (cut stars): http
://homepage.ntlworld.com/edward.holsgr...erstarmine.MOV

Small C6 Shell: http
://homepage.ntlworld.com/edward.holsgr...c6%20shell.mov

1/4" 2" length rocket with tiny
flying fish fuse and d1 star header: http
://homepage.ntlworld.com/edward.holsgr...fuserocket.MOV

Small D1 glitter shell: http://homepage.ntlw...ove/d1shell.avi

leftover stars starmine: http://homepage.ntlw...mixstarmine.MOV

10mmID, 45mm long rocket: http://homepage.ntlw...ove/rocket1.MOV

Most are first tries so not to bad

Edited by t1tan, 28 April 2008 - 08:23 PM.

[cplmac]

That D1 glitter shell was real nice, what was the diameter? It seemed like a small shell, those are real hard to get to work right and that one looked great. The last rocket looked and sounded like it blew the nozzle out.

On the green twinkler, I made three batches up today, Bleser, Shimizu, and Meinhart. The Shimizu composition looks more like the composition in the matrix stars but the Bleser burns the closest. It's hard to say for now, going to have to wait a couple days for them all to dry. The Shimizu and Meinhart should be dry pretty quick as one was bound with cellulose acetate and the other with parlon, the Blesser could be a couple days though it was bound with water and dextrin. The Bleser stars were pumped with a quarter inch star plate just like the stars I used in the matrix, the other two I made as cut stars because I didn't want to put CA bound stars or parlon/acetone stars in the plate.

Edited by cplmac, 28 April 2008 - 10:44 PM.

[portfire]

I was just thinking.
Would it be possible to have a green star with micro-stars rolled in a dark delay, so you'd have a green star with green flashes, or do the same,but use a matrix comp that emits very little light. The micro-stars would have to be really small, so the matrix comet would have a large amount of them in there. This might give a colored glitter or sorts. ..Just a thought

[t1tan]

That D1 glitter shell was real nice, what was the diameter? It seemed like a small shell, those are real hard to get to work right and that one looked great. The last rocket looked and sounded like it blew the nozzle out.

Thanks, The D1 shell was 3/4" OD with spiking, and about 1 1/2 - 2" long. And yes the last rocket did blow the nozzle out, i havent recorded a successful rocket of the same size as of yet but will very soon.

[cplmac]

That was really impressive for a shell that small, not easy to get much out of those. I would probably just cheat and make a 3/4" crossette and put a shatter break charge in it. With those rocket failures, are they all blowing the nozzle out?

[t1tan]

Yea i think so, i was just using my willow meal un-altered so i guess it was a tad fast, opening the nozzle slightly should solve that.

[maxman]

A few Vids here for you all. Taken from Mark Williams big bangs on Sky One. First saltpetre production Then charcoal production Last of all a bit of fireworks factory anyone know who this is? A member on here maybe? Might upload some more later if anyone wants.

[portfire]

A few Vids here for you all. Taken from Mark Williams big bangs on Sky One. First saltpetre production Then charcoal production Last of all a bit of fireworks factory anyone know who this is? A member on here maybe? Might upload some more later if anyone wants.

Riposte!!! http://www.pyrosocie.......=2103&st=15

[maxman]

Doh!

[pyrotrev]

The 76/23 was so much stronger that I am changing the fuel for the big rockets. It's hard to tell by the video but the 70/30 labored to achieve the inferior altitude that it did, it had a large arc almost from liftoff whereas the 76/23 actually went straight up and did so in a hurry by comparison. Surprisingly they had very similar burn durations.

That's interesting. I'd always though that whistle mix for whistles was about 75/25 whilst "whistle mix" for burst was 70/30. Total explosive force isn't that much different I guess, since the 75/25 burns hotter but 70/30 makes more gas, hence will perform better under pressure. It would be interesting to try 70/30 with a bit of a wide nozzle to see how much it increases the burn rate and lift (at a distance of course )

Edited by pyrotrev, 03 May 2008 - 12:13 PM.

[cplmac]

Looking for some consistancy I made another girandola last night. I think I've got the wrinkles ironed out.

Last night's girandola

[dr thrust]

nice girandola! thanks for the pre flight pic at the beginning, and what whistle mix ratio did you use on them

Edited by chris m, 04 May 2008 - 11:28 PM.

[cplmac]

The first one was 70/30 the last one was 76/23. I'm making another for tonight, but this time I'm going to make sure it has a decent header. I've also decided to build a large one for the club shoot next weekend at WPAG. It should have 22 1lb Ti Whistle drivers and I think the diameter is 18" or so.