17 replies to this topic

[c.brad]

hey all
i am wondering the best way to coat crispies for the burst charge has anyone got anny basic ideas as i have just started making shells

[starseeker]

hey all
i am wondering the best way to coat crispies for the burst charge has anyone got anny basic ideas as i have just started making shells

I would have thought that this is one of the things that you would have read up on/perfected before making shells

[dr thrust]

as stated before shells are a advanced pyrotechnical device to build, don't run before you can walk, if your starting out in pyro , work on your black powder making technique as this is the key to successful pyro, theres a "useful website " thread on the forum just search, then read , read and read a bit more

[Arthur Brown]

Please read this whole forum carefully for a year or so, read everything! In that time buy a real book (not an e torrent!) of Lancaster, Weingart, and Shimizu's well regarded texts. While you are reading here notice several other sites giving pyroguides of various qualities.

There is so much to learn before you put your health and liberty on the line, it's much better to learn before you play rather than learn why your hands went off in a surgical waste disposal yellow bag. Mistakes do cost and hurt.
Remember that rice hulls are NOT rice Krispies - not even nearly like each other.

Rice hull is effectively the bran that is taken off the rice grain in polishing, it is dirt cheap as a reused waste product in China. Simply because we don't grow rice here, it's scarce and expensive in the UK. Rice Krispies are a commercially expensive material which can form a substitute for rice hulls.

Edited by Arthur Brown, 09 October 2010 - 05:28 PM.

[Atom Fireworks]

In all fairness i started out pyro just to make my own shells as i could not get hold of them. I have never made a fountain and only just started to experiment with rockets. The one thing i will say is you should of read well over half your questions on the forum and on sites like pyro quide. Thats where i got my advice from threads from the past.

I am only now after 1 years constant " experimenting" that i can honestly say my shells are just as reliable as commercial ones without a shadow of doubt. My only problem is every chance i get to make a 200grm batch of bp its gone within 2 weeks in a few shells so i simply cannot be botherd with it now. Oh and still my priming needs more work as only 75% of my stars light.

In a nutshell you need to do more research before you jump in the deep end.

[dr thrust]

you've never made a fountain? shame on you.
how about this to inspire you
conking white glitter "used in fountains"
kno3 55
sulfur 10
charcoal 10
atomized ali 10
iron oxide 5
barium carbonate 5
barium nitrate 5

Edited by chris m, 09 October 2010 - 10:26 PM.

[Atom Fireworks]

you've never made a fountain? shame on you.
how about this to inspire you
conking white glitter "used in fountains"
kno3 55
sulfur 10
charcoal 10
atomized ali 10
iron oxide 5
barium carbonate 5
barium nitrate 5

Lol shame on me ? i can buy fountains from a firework shop i cannot buy shells. However i am intregued as to see what i may be missing out on. Do you have a video of that said formula ?

JAy

[darkfang77]

hey all
i am wondering the best way to coat crispies for the burst charge has anyone got anny basic ideas as i have just started making shells

Your meal powder should have 5% dextrin in at least to help it stick to whatever medium you're using, Rice Krispies are really fragile so you would have to be careful not to crush any of them whilst you're sifting it through, at careful when you're loading it into shell, mines, etc.

[Potassium chlorate]

I have some problems with my rice hulls too. According to Shimizu, the ratio burst powder/carrier should be 52:48 i.e. almost 1:1 for 4" and bigger, and I suppose that's in weight % counted on dry weight of rice hulls, corn cobs etc. However, I find that too weak, even with H3. At least 75% should be burst for it to work well in my experience. Or?

[MDH]

Lol shame on me ? i can buy fountains from a firework shop i cannot buy shells. However i am intregued as to see what i may be missing out on. Do you have a video of that said formula ?

JAy

I find that the glitter effect is typically drowned and the fountain turns into a white flare since the glitter effect doesn't seem to work when faced with a fierce, continuous flame envelope... The amount of delay agent needed is huge.

What self produced fountains can do, that consumer fountains cannot, is create a significantly larger sized spray. There is nothing quite like a 3" fountain with a 1.25" nozzle containing shimizu firedust or another such composition. Incredible height...

I'll post more in the fountain composition thread as to not derail this.

Edited by MDH, 10 October 2010 - 06:28 PM.

[Potassium chlorate]

I'm not very good at fountains myself after more than 2 years as a "serious" amateur pyro. I'm pretty skilled at organic Bengals, BP, flash and making small and medium shells, but I'm still not very good at rocketry, fountains or stuff like that. Have never made a Roman candle.

[Atom Fireworks]

My first and last roman candle just blew up on the first shot !!!!!!!! since then ive concerntrated on the one thing i love best, shells !!

[Peret]

Has anyone ever tried wheat or barley chaff as a substitute for rice hulls? It strikes me they're pretty similar, maybe just a bit larger.

[RFD]

Try whole dried peppercorns,they pick up composition burst/effect or colour really well,especially if used with a star roller.

[drtoivowillmann]

hey all
i am wondering the best way to coat crispies for the burst charge has anyone got anny basic ideas as i have just started making shells

Dear Friend:

here's the professional's way: 1 Kg rice hulls + 10 Kg composition

composition: 10 Kg Meal Powder (having 75% or 70% nitrate)
100 g white Arabic Gum micronized (don't use Kodorfan)

Make within a comun star pan (also called star mill), like making coloured stars

Rinse with water. Dry it. That's all !

Greetings from Brazil:

Toivo

Edited by drtoivo, 19 October 2010 - 07:54 PM.