54 replies to this topic

[crystal palace fireworks]

Can`t wait to see more!

[dr thrust]

a wondrous sight indeed!,may i ask how you made the top for the jack-in-the-box

Edited by chris m, 30 October 2009 - 08:08 PM.

[concept]

The top as well as the bottom on the jack in the box mine are the plastic ends from a postal tube. The bottom of the mine is glued in firmly but the top has a light layer of PVA to hold it on. The earlier Standard mines had a pressed paper cup, however the later mines used these plastic cups. The Jack in the box I "dissected" contained 8g of around 10# BP and 12g of pumped stars, it dated from around 1990, maybe a little later.

Cheers Doug

[Rip Rap]

Those are absolute beauties mate! You can look forward to a very nostalgic display!

You mentioned that you used some original comps - you wouldn't be kind enough to share them with us would you?

I have been making a few more rockets for bonfire night -

[sky rocket]

very good reminds me of the rockets in standard fireworks aerial box ,can almost smell the gunpowder ! make some airbombs next that would be ace !

[concept]

The legendary Standard snow storm mix is as follows;

Barium Nitrate 50

Potassium Nitrate 10

Dark Pyro aluminium 15

Aluminium flitter 10

I haven’t had much luck with it, as it burns very hot and will slag the nozzle rapidly causing the tube to catch fire. It may have been one of those fountains that were manufactured by simply pouring the comp into the tube, then sealing it with the resin and saw dust method. This comp will require a very hot prime to ignite it if you wish to use touchpaper.

[dr thrust]

thanx for shareing the formula,care to divulge any more ?( traffic lights!!) lol

[pyrotechnist]

How did you manage to obtain the formulas Concept ? I would be happy to see anymore to. It would be good if we had pictures or vids of some of the old stuff going off so that we can replicate it as best as we can.

[concept]

Unfortunately I don't have the formula(s) for Standard’s traffic lights (although I think I have Benwell’s), I took the colored gerb compositions of off skylighter’s website, the red is perhaps the best I've ever seen. I'll post some more originals up soon, Standards "Silver fountain" is nice a very intense silver, also used for retro jet as well I believe.

[phildunford]

thanx for shareing the formula,care to divulge any more ?( traffic lights!!) lol

I believe the formula was obtained from the mouth of a horse

The horse may be persuaded to divulge more in the future...

BTW Concept, lovely work! I know how much time and effort it takes - did they fire well?

Edited by phildunford, 08 November 2009 - 09:52 PM.

[concept]

Most fired well, although I had some issues with touchpaper based ignition. Will put some videos up soon.
Here is a nice formula for the carnival spray that does not have too many ingredients, this particular formula is Astra's;

Charcoal 20# - 8 oz
Charcoal 60# - 1lb 8 oz
Kno3 crystals - 8lbs
Sulpur - 2lbs
Titanium fines - 2lbs
Gunpowder meal "A" (very fine meal) - 2lbs
Gunpowder F.0.A (around 50#) - 9lb

I don’t recommend making the quantity describe here but adjusting the quantities into parts or converting to grams to make small batches. It does not burn too fiercely and requires consolidation with either ramming or pressing. The effect is very nice shimmering orange sparks with bright white titanium sparks that attain I height of about 10ft, interestingly the cost to make the quantity described (11.567Kg) was £6.83. Sorry for the mixing of units, the formula itself is typed but there are hand written notes on it detailing price, final quantity manufactured ect. Enjoy

Doug

[pyrotechnist]

Nice, how many devices could that amount make?

[phildunford]

Most fired well, although I had some issues with touchpaper based ignition.

I sometimes sneek a stick of black match into the comp and let it be twisted into the touch paper.

Although not authentic this usually ensures ignition...

[pyrotechnist]

As anyone thought of dissolving the potassium nitrate like normal when making touchpaper but then taking the touch paper out of the dissolved kno3 solution and adding it to a freezing cold bath of alcohol to stop the potassium nitrate from re-crystallizing out of the paper which in turn breaks off leaving the paper with very little oxidizer?

[Mortartube]

If you soak the paper in cold alcohol, you're just making work for yourself. I have used newspaper to make touchpaper and it works fine. No large crystals to break off. Just dissolve KNO3 in hot water, dunk your paper for about 5 - 10 secs and hang up to dry. Incidentally if you hang newspaper on the washing line then fold it up when dry and put it in an empty washing basket, the neighbours are comvinced you are a nutter. They were convinced when I did it anyway. Lol.