5 replies to this topic

[Pyro Harold]

Just curious do any members use much zinc in there formulas? A number of years a go I got a few kilograms of zinc powder and made granite stars (Weingarts formula) and I thought the end result was spectacular especially when used in rocket burst, the the green tinge colour is amazing and you just don't see this type of green in commercial fireworks these days. The only problem I had from memory was they were very hard to ignite and there was quite a few stars that would fail to ignite, I can remember adding tiny fuses to the stars which solved the problem. I also found another solution was to fashion the stars into pyramids and forming the sharp edges aided in ignition. It was especially rewarding for me as it can be difficult to source decent chemicals here so it was my first colour formula.

[a_bab]

Zinc does indeed gives a unique "electric" aqua color. The best use is IMO as a core for a rolled TT star; it's a really delicate and unexpected ending.

Granite stars are easy to ignite if properly primed with a hefty coating of good meal. Also the zinc spreaders are a unique kind of stars. Worth a try for sure.


What I don't like about these stars is the difficulty to cut them as the wet mix easily gets thixotropic.

[dr thrust]

tried it, didn't like it, i thought the Green tint wasn't the best to be appreciated from afar.
there's not many formula that lend them selfs to zinc as its the poorest performing over all
with aluminum, magnalium,titanium having higher light and heat output

[Steve]

I quite like the flame from zinc. The stars often end up quite heavy as well as hard to light, so a touch more lift helps.

[Mumbles]

I think zinc streamers are kind of like the nice "cool" chlorate colors. They've been passed over in favor for these insanely bright colors, and streamers in the case of zinc. It's probably all about what you're used to, and what it is being fired with. If you fire them with much brighter metallic colors or streamers, they'll probably not look as impressive in comparison, being a much more delicate effect. If seen with a number of organic colors or charcoal streamers, they may seem more appealing.

The thing I don't like them is how heavy they are.

[MDH]

I use them in as cores to roll other star compositions in for 1" bombettes or insert shells since the weight provides them with the ability to make spherical bursts. My friends thought I was just obsessed with green...