34 replies to this topic

[portfire]

Here is a good tutorial on making BM. Note using the KNO3 solution, very important in making a reliable match! I will post a video of my quality match later, and show just how much punishment it can take and still have a consistent burn rate.

http://www.thegreenm...ects/bkmat.html

[Burtgummer]

You didnt know what it was then!

You were referring to sticky match but calling it Quickmatch and state in your second statement "or thought I did" so you didnt!

to make satisfactory quickmatch just make thin strands of blackmatch and make a 3 or 4 layered paper tube 1/4" ID to put it in.

Whilst some will say that many paper turns are unnecessary and I agree that 2 layers are enough it does makes it faster and especially so with poor blackmatch

Thicker paper wraps will be of comparitable speed to thin commercial quickmatch.

Please take a look at this website for why I was considering it a variation of quickmatch. http://www.pyrounive...kquickmatch.htm

Thanks for that link portfire. I'll be making that nifty little machine tomorrow. I've hated making previous batches of black match, but it looks almost fun with that method. I used to only make about 10 feet of black match at a time, because so much slurry would get on my hands, nd and I would just get annoyed with it.

Edited by Burtgummer, 24 June 2008 - 08:32 AM.

[cooperman435]

Sorry Burtgummer I wasnt having a go just pointing out the diference, Sticky match does have its uses definately but is usually applied to lance work and un restricted work due to the exact problem you have mentioned of it not being good at passing fire through confined places.

You could however try placing something inside your sticky match to make a gap as it will only take a mm to allow burning gasses through. a wire or something un crushable would be best but could cause problems if left un burn.

[Burtgummer]

Yea, I was thinking of using a small piece of visco to open up a gap, and in the worst case, the visco itself would ignite creating a few seconds of delay. I will try my hand at true quickmatch after reading that website that portfire linked. I just put a 100g batch of BP on the ball mill, and I'll use it tomorrow for some blackmatch.

1 question about the blackmatch while we're at it. How thick does the cotton string need to be? the stuff I have is rather thin. It isn't thread for a sewing machine, but it doesn't 'seem' as thick as the stuff I see on the website portfire linked. Should I possibly double back the strong before running it through the BP? Or does size not matter that much? hehehe.....

[portfire]

1 question about the blackmatch while we're at it. How thick does the cotton string need to be? the stuff I have is rather thin. It isn't thread for a sewing machine, but it doesn't 'seem' as thick as the stuff I see on the website portfire linked. Should I possibly double back the strong before running it through the BP? Or does size not matter that much? hehehe.....

It doesn't really matter that much, but IMO the thinner the better. If your string is around 1mm think, then pull it through a 3mm hole. A couple of strands of this in the pipe should work fine, BUT remember to test it. What you could do is pinch one end with string, if it blows through, thumbs up It would be wise to test this a few times aswel, also on new batches.

Dean

[Bonny]

I use string that is about 1/16". It works well as QM with 2-4 strands inserted in a 1/4" match pipe. I found it performed much better when I flattened the pipe before sliding the BM strands in. I have noticed that some commercial shells have QM made up from about 4 strands that have been passed through the slurry together side by side, resulting in more of 1 pc flat ribbon.

[portfire]

I found it performed much better when I flattened the pipe before sliding the BM strands in. I have noticed that some commercial shells have QM made up from about 4 strands that have been passed through the slurry together side by side, resulting in more of 1 pc flat ribbon.

Indeed, thats why I came up with a method of making flat match pipe, I also found it much faster. I used to spiral roll the pipe, instert the BM and then flatten it, but wanting the pro look I now make flat pipe. It takes a little longer, but it's worth it.

If i'm not mistaken, they are 2 types of commercial QM, 5 strand flat, and as you've noticed ribbon QM

[dr thrust]

hello!, may i ask how you make your "flat pipe quickmatch" dean

[portfire]

hello!, may i ask how you make your "flat pipe quickmatch" dean

Hehe. Maybe it's one for the next meet, and I'll show you. It's a bit fiddly the first few times, but getting quicker and neater at it now. It's quite simple really, if there's enough interest I'll get my brother to video me making some.

[Bonny]

I spiral my pipes (usually out of approx 4" wide strips of newspaper) and then just flatten it out as best I can on the workbench or table.

[pudi.dk]

A good tip is to use the thick aluminium foil used for BBQ, giving it one turn on the forming rod so the inside of the quickmatch tube have a shiny fireproofed surface (note: not as fireproof as if the quickmatch tube was covered in aluminium tape, but it's much better than not using at all).


These are 6mm ½ meter long parallel wound using gummed tape.

Edited by pudi.dk, 24 June 2008 - 07:39 PM.

[pudi.dk]

(Oops, please delete this post)

Edited by pudi.dk, 24 June 2008 - 07:38 PM.

[Vic]

Glowing quickmatch pipe
Just when you think you have mastered something Murphy’s Law takes over. I made another wheel and modified it somewhat from my last. I angled the drivers to 60 degrees and increased the wheel size (Oh and thanks to whoever asked the question on Passfire). In my original post here with the first wheel I lit the visco fuse leading to the quickmatch and it worked as it should have. However, with this wheel instead of the usual crack from the quick match there was just glow spreading along the inside burning at the rate of blackmatch. Luckily it still ignited the drivers. The only difference with the way I did the quick match was I joined two lengths of blackmatch in the middle where the visco entered with an overlap of about 2” and tied together. Any ideas to the cause or solution of this? Oh and I used clove hitch knots on nosings this time
Vic

[phildunford]

Vic - I've had just this thing happen, for no reason I can think of...

I do find the quality of the meal/BP you use is very important and I have had slow batches down to this. Damp (in storeage or on the firing site) is another possiblility.

If I make something that has to go fast, I put two bits of match in the tube and this always improves things, even if the match is not of the best quality. If you look at the commercial 'red' black match (!?) it has several cores, so this is probably a commercial problem as well.

Never tried it, but I wonder if an additional core of thin bare copper wire might help the burn rate as well (as in PIC).

[portfire]

Hi Vic.
In the past I have had the same problem, It could be down to 2 things. The first my be that your BP is not hot enough, dont forget that QM relies on hot gases, which force the flame front down the pipe. The second could be down to your match pipe, if you spiral roll your pipe it's possible that when bent, could cause the gases to escape slowing down the QM. One solution to this would be to apply about a 10mm strip of PVA down the full length of the outer edge of your strip of Kraft before rolling.