633 replies to this topic

[dr thrust]

hmm i made my first batch of d1 glitter today, and whilst making the composition i tested a couple grams (remotely at the bottom of the garden) to see how it would burn, and i was very impressed, the stars are made now but i cant help thinking... can d1, say minus the dextrin be used as a fountain comp? has anybody tried this?

Edited by chris m, 02 April 2008 - 10:32 PM.

[seymour]

D1 burns to slowly and gives off too much slay to work on its own in a fountain.

What I do is ram/press the glitter comp ( I have used D1 but I prefer glitters with bigger, coarser grain) and then a faster black powder type composition , then clay.

Then I carefully bore a hole through the glitter segment into the BP type comp. The BP type comp ensures that all slag is hurled into the air before it hinders the glittering.

Obviously the BP type composition should burn for as long as the glitter, and this must be synchronized by time tested trial and error.

If this is too complicated, there are glittering gerb compositions out there, which as long as the choke is the correct diameter will not block.

[Zinginex]

Potassium nitrate, Sulfur and Aluminium stars can be hard to light. Meal might not be hot enough. I'd step prime.

Well i just wet them a bit and sieved some meal onto them and well they ignite really easily but they don't burst into a "flash" star until right near the end. AT the start they just burn slowly like a little ball of potassium nitrate and sugar and then after a few seconds burst into aluminium flash. It's wierd... I haven't tested them in a star gun or starmine or anything yet so they might perform differently when ignite by lift powder but has anyone else experienced this?
Thanks

[MDH]

Your aluminum is too coarse. It takes a while for it to burn. Or the composition is still too damp and takes a while for the mass to heat up.

Add a few parts of a hot burning charcoal.

[Zinginex]

Ok thanks
jsut anotehr quick question
I assume all flash powder star mitxures are OK to pump or press when dampened? Or not?
thanks

[portfire]

Ok thanks
jsut anotehr quick question
I assume all flash powder star mitxures are OK to pump or press when dampened? Or not?
thanks

IMO,flash powder is used for one thing, making salutes, or flash-core stars

What effect are you trying to achieve?

I'd also advice staying away from flash mixes for the time been !

Dean

Edited by portfire, 02 April 2008 - 06:27 PM.

[Zinginex]

IMO,flash powder is used for one thing, making salutes, or flash-core stars

What effect are you trying to achieve?

I'd also advice staying away from flash mixes for the time been !

Dean

Err like for example KNO3,S and Al give a nice sparkly star and maybe magnesium might give an effect? I like experimenting lol

[portfire]

Err like for example KNO3,S and Al give a nice sparkly star and maybe magnesium might give an effect? I like experimenting lol

Well, if your after a simple star w/silver tail, then 'Reaper silver' will do the job.You'll need a hot BP with 10-20% Al added...Atomized Al works well.

Try something like
Meal-90%
Al-10%
Dextrin+5%

Dean

[Zinginex]

Well, if your after a simple star w/silver tail, then 'Reaper silver' will do the job.You'll need a hot BP with 10-20% Al added...Atomized Al works well.

Try something like
Meal-90%
Al-10%
Dextrin+5%

Dean

Oh ok thanks very much I'll try that tonight Would willow meal be hot enough? Or would it then need a prime?

[dr thrust]

yes willow's hot, if you've milled it for a good few hours! have you got a mill yet? just mixing kn03,C,S, then Ali, dextrin, boric acid, water, alcohol, without the proper equipment makes sh@ty stars

[Zinginex]

yes willow's hot, if you've milled it for a good few hours! have you got a mill yet? just mixing kn03,C,S, then Ali, dextrin, boric acid, water, alcohol, without the proper equipment makes sh@ty stars

Ok thanks and nope haven't got a ball mill yet I'm still trying tpo get it all together lol.
Yeah well I'm just grinding the meal in Mortar and Pestle for a while then screen al and dextrin in and pump it with a 10mm syringe
I made some willow stars yesterday and they turned out nice from the syringes

[portfire]

Ok thanks and nope haven't got a ball mill yet I'm still trying tpo get it all together lol.
Yeah well I'm just grinding the meal in Mortar and Pestle for a while then screen al and dextrin in and pump it with a 10mm syringe
I made some willow stars yesterday and they turned out nice from the syringes

You really need to mill the willow formula for several hours to get it to burn correctly,if you've just pumped the screened chems, i'd be supprised if they light. If they do they'll just fizzle and keep going out. Thats what i found anyway.Because you've not got a mill i'd suggest a wet process, CIA for example.

Is your method using a Pestle&Mortar producing an acceptable fast burning powder for lift? The only REAL way of testing stars is seeing how they preform in the air, (coz thats where their going ) so you'll need to test them with a 'star-gun' .

Dean

[Zinginex]

You really need to mill the willow formula for several hours to get it to burn correctly,if you've just pumped the screened chems, i'd be supprised if they light. If they do they'll just fizzle and keep going out. Thats what i found anyway.Because you've not got a mill i'd suggest a wet process, CIA for example.

Is your method using a Pestle&Mortar producing an acceptable fast burning powder for lift? The only REAL way of testing stars is seeing how they preform in the air, (coz thats where their going ) so you'll need to test them with a 'star-gun' .

Dean

AH rigght
Yeah i have well its worked for aerial salutes and starmines so its alright i guess for M+P after its been granulated.
I'll pump some tonight and tell you how they turn out.
Thanks

[Zinginex]

You really need to mill the willow formula for several hours to get it to burn correctly,if you've just pumped the screened chems, i'd be supprised if they light. If they do they'll just fizzle and keep going out. Thats what i found anyway.Because you've not got a mill i'd suggest a wet process, CIA for example.

Is your method using a Pestle&Mortar producing an acceptable fast burning powder for lift? The only REAL way of testing stars is seeing how they preform in the air, (coz thats where their going ) so you'll need to test them with a 'star-gun' .

Dean

Ah well I just mortar and pestled the meal powder and screened in the dextrin, aluminium and ended up with a fast burning star
Gives off nice aluminium sparks but next time ill add bout 15%-20% aluminium as it could do with a bit more silver lol
Thanks for the formula

[portfire]

Ah well I just mortar and pestled the meal powder and screened in the dextrin, aluminium and ended up with a fast burning star
Gives off nice aluminium sparks but next time ill add bout 15%-20% aluminium as it could do with a bit more silver lol
Thanks for the formula

Glad i could help ..Did you notice at the end of the tail the sparks became kinda golden? Theres a formula called 'silver flitter' quite simple and gives bright long lasting white sparks, but it depends on the chemicals you have.It's difficult to ignite, the 'veline style' prime work well, but would suggest step priming.

How did the willow stars go ?