36 replies to this topic

[MDH]

If you want to talk about safe use a calcium sulfate flash powder.

[CCH Concepts]

not heard of that, whats the chemistry there?

[cooperman435]

the problem your having CCH is that your using nitrate flash which is in the flash world very slow stuff. It still relies heavilly on case confinement to enable it to reach a decent burn rate.

If using this sort of thing for shell boosters it almost is negotiable if it helps

If as I suspect canadianpyro is referng to what we call real flash (70/30 perc and REAL dark ali) then it will self confine in 1g quantities with no casing whatsoever. I have shreaded printer paper with 1.5g pile simply put in its centre.

[CCH Concepts]

actually I'm yet to use nitrate flash. i had assumed those that did didn't have perchlorate. but from what he was saying, because of it slower burn rate it produces a low boom, rather than a higher cracking sound. i haven't used dark Al yet, thinking of buying some.

[seymour]

Cooperman, I think you are bein a bit harsh about nitrate flash. It can behave just like a typical flash powder (self confining ect), with the right metal. For it to have no effect as a booster you would need to be using such a coarse metal that it's not really a flash powder.

That said, yes, it is less reactive than perc flash.

CCH, the chemistry of sulfate flash is much like other flash powders. Aluminium (or other suitable metals) is going to vigorously and energetically get at all that oxygen out there. Typiclly this would be gained from the decomposition of Potassium nitrate, Potassium perchlorate ect. However, there is no reason why another high oxygen salt like CaSO4 cannot be used.

CCH Concepts Icon

Posted Today, 12:32 AM
i've always found that if i didnt have really strong end plugs they would just blow out. any tips?

So, you are not talking about Nitrate flash? Not talking about perchlorate flash? What are you using?

If it's black powder, you need to make these salutes differently. You need to use spiking to get the required confinement.

If you are using Chlorate flash and are getting such results, then firstly stop doing chlorate flash, and secondly you must be using some very unsuitable metal.

[MDH]

It's also very safe to work with compared to other flashes. The only minus is that it needs to be initiated with black powder dust. CaSO4 flash in 50/25/25 ratios and potassium perchlorate / sorbate in 1/1 ratios are all I have been using lately, just because I do not have an affinity for working with standard 7/3.... too scary for me.

The kind of confinement you have as said will depend on your composition. I spoke about it some time ago, but there is a type of salute design common in India where a simple paper tube 1/2" to 1" wide is rolled and is cut into 1" long increments. The bottom is plugged with a ball of craft paper rammed in, the tube is filled with a flash of any quality (Such as my ultra safe sulfate flash). A fuse is inserted and the top is then plugged as well, the device then being wrapped around the ends with tape or craft, then wound over the ends and then the sides with string making sure there is no weak point.

Personally it is my favorite design for small shells and occasionally salutes when I am running low on powder.

Of course, please also do not invest in the actual Indian products. They will kill you .

[CCH Concepts]

Cooperman, I think you are being a bit harsh about nitrate flash. It can behave just like a typical flash powder (self confining ect), with the right metal. For it to have no effect as a booster you would need to be using such a coarse metal that it's not really a flash powder.

That said, yes, it is less reactive than perc flash.

CCH, the chemistry of sulfate flash is much like other flash powders. Aluminum (or other suitable metals) is going to vigorously and energetically get at all that oxygen out there. Typically this would be gained from the decomposition of Potassium nitrate, Potassium perchlorate ect. However, there is no reason why another high oxygen salt like CaSO4 cannot be used.



So, you are not talking about Nitrate flash? Not talking about perchlorate flash? What are you using?

If it's black powder, you need to make these salutes differently. You need to use spiking to get the required confinement.

If you are using Chlorate flash and are getting such results, then firstly stop doing chlorate flash, and secondly you must be using some very unsuitable metal.

i was talking about KClO4 70 / MgAl 30 that what i mainly use, although i have used benzolift and some fast star comps. i have used a chlorate flash, i made a 10g batch and made a few salutes and tested them all that day. i haven't made any since.
i am interested in other comps, mainly from a chemistry point of view, but also from an effect point of view.
do some have more power but over a longer amount of time, do some have less power but in a shorter amount of time, what effects to these have?
also color, i would imagine sorbates can produce good colored flash? although i know very little about sorbate chemistry.

what about organic fuels?

It's also very safe to work with compared to other flashes. The only minus is that it needs to be initiated with black powder dust. CaSO4 flash in 50/25/25 ratios and potassium perchlorate / sorbate in 1/1 ratios are all I have been using lately, just because I do not have an affinity for working with standard 7/3.... too scary for me.

The kind of confinement you have as said will depend on your composition. I spoke about it some time ago, but there is a type of salute design common in India where a simple paper tube 1/2" to 1" wide is rolled and is cut into 1" long increments. The bottom is plugged with a ball of craft paper rammed in, the tube is filled with a flash of any quality (Such as my ultra safe sulfate flash). A fuse is inserted and the top is then plugged as well, the device then being wrapped around the ends with tape or craft, then wound over the ends and then the sides with string making sure there is no weak point.

Personally it is my favorite design for small shells and occasionally salutes when I am running low on powder.

Of course, please also do not invest in the actual Indian products. They will kill you .

i like the idea of the paper plug, is this soaked on pva or anything like that. the main way i have done plugs has been clay. but i was advised to have a wooden plug and why this worked very well, i decided after a few time that i was to scared of the plug becoming a projectile. the only times i did use it they were buried underground, but still i haven't used them since.

finally i had i have been wording these posts better, it was made clear to me that i had worded some post badly that put my intension's in bad light. any advice here if I'm still going wrong would be appreciated.