9 replies to this topic

[pyroduck7]

well,

iv made what i think is a mix of a sun and planets and a Chrysanthemum shell. i have 4 1" shells in the top hemi-sphere there tigertail stars and tigertail, but with some magnielum and aluminum added (for extra sparks)

and stats (tigertail and tigertail with the metal powder added) in all the gaps, then a tissuepaper ball full of bp lift and a bit of wistle mix, on the bottom hemi-sphere its just stars, (same as before) then a tissuepaper ball full of bp lift and meal, i snaped it shut (it only just mannged to fit together) the fuse is 3 peices of 2mm visco (3 peices because its a gaint fuse hole!) and then papertape round that untill its in the break, and hot guled in place.

the lift (its not going to be in lift cup yet because its hydroscopic) is going to be gold powder and black powder, its been milled and i have done some tests and im useing it as a verry fine grains and it launched a 6.3g thing (i used a tomattoe with a fuse in it) it launched that abbout 25ft - 30ft with abbout 2g so i was thinking for my 100.5g shell i was going to use 35 - 40g lift?

iv only ever done a 2" shell and thay where going up on rockets , other that the only shells iv succeffley launched are 1"' shells

my lift seems to work on them - but it is a lot different

im useing a 3" morter from pyroworx (its a profettional one)

please ANY comments or tips on how to improve would help me iv tryed to put in as much detail as i can (oh its a plastic shell by the way)

[Arthur Brown]

3inch shells need a slower lift than 1 inch shells, or they will get smashed in the tube with bad results. Bigger granules is the usual way.

[Creepin_pyro]

Any particular reason you're using gold powder as lift? And what kind of granulation is it?

[seymour]

Long fuse and a large field...

Just be pedantic about sealing around the timefuse and the seam. I'd paste it personally, though personally I'd be using paper anyway. If you want to get your lift right you could try firing dummy shells until you have your lift reliable.

Because you are using three pieces of visco in a bunch your time fuse is likely to fail. The gap between the pieces is a WONDERFUL passage for lift gasses to give the burst a fiery welcome. You could try squirting glue into this gap, but that might not do it. I personally think that you should try and remove the timefuse in some way, which will not be easy, considering that you must be very careful to prevent an ignition of the shell. I'd try cutting/digging the fuse out with a box cutter/stanley knife/other sharp knife. Wrap one piece of visco with many layers of tape to bulk it up a bit.

[pyroduck7]

im useing gold powder because my bp lift is absoutly crap. err, i might try wetting the gold powder and bp mix, and useing a cheesegrater to make it quite big.

with the fuse problem, there wuite tight - verry tight. and i willl put some glue round it thanks

these are exactly the kind of comments i need

[Mortartube]

In future if you use this method, I would suggest a good blob of hot melt glue around the fuse BEFORE shell assembly. Please don't try it now your shell is assembled.

[pyroduck7]

yea, il probbley use paper tape.

[seymour]

ASs long as you are expecting the worst to hapen you should be ok. Hopefully you will get a nice shell. Maybe you will get a nice mine. Hopefully you will not loose your tube. Good luck.

[pyroduck7]

im almost certain i wont loose the tube, my bp isnet that good haha

[portfire]

im almost certain i wont loose the tube, my bp isnet that good haha

I think what seymour was saying, is the shell bursting in the mortar, but good luck and try and get it on video