46 replies to this topic

[Pyromaster2003]

hi people.

just wondering if anyone could help me?

im trying my best to make pyrotechnics but its hard when i have to improvise some things. i can make rockets and fountains etc no problem, but these are now getting a bit boring since all that comes out on the rockets is some orange sparks and the same for the fountains. firecrackers are about the only pyrotechnics im making at the moment since the rockets and fountains have become boring, plus its fun watching things blowing up.

could some experienced pyro PLEASE inform me where they get the chemicals and supplies which i havn't got, iv got potassium nitrate, sulphur, dodgy sodium chlorate, charcoal, aluminium powder(tiranti)......errrr thats it. iv tried plaster of paris as a nozzel mix put it burns and has ruined a lot of my rockets:(.oh...iv got ammonium nitrate aswel...i hear its becoming popular in rocket compositions?red gum, parlon, pyro aluminium, pure potassium perchlorate, acetone, tubes and basic things like them and ANY chemicals or equipment which can be useful pyrotechnics.

[lord_dranack]

For nozzles use powdered, clean cat litter. It is pure clay. It just needs to be rammed hard. Try searching the web for UK chemical suppliers. I have found school suppliers the best, eg. timstar on 01270 2504549. However i can't find reasonable KClO4 anywhere, although one place did have analitical reagent grade for ?50 a kilo.

[bernie]

I have used bentonite clay with a % of grog. Not that kind of grog. Old broken up bits of ceramic pieces. It helps to make it 'bite' good. All available at your friendly ceramics shop. The bentonite comes powdered and ready to use. Cat litter seems to work.

[Steve]

I'll just post somewhere up in the forums my list of chemical supplieres i have hunted down over the years when i get home. It should be stuck on the main web site soon.
Also, try making a hummer. Short thick walled card tube bunged both ends with clay, Tamed down BP mix inside (unless your bp is not fantastic, then just use neat bp) Drill a hole in the side at a tangnet (do this first, before packing with bp) So the thrust causes the tube to spin. Hang this lengthwise from a tree or suchlike and stick a fuse thru the hole. Really good effect and sound. Bit more effort than firecracker but worth it.

Steve

[Pyromaster2003]

iv tryed quite a few times to make a hummer but each and every time i have failed to succeed:mad: they end up being realy nice fountains instead:)

[hewettn]

Is DardenDirect Potassium Nitrate pure enough for BP mix as in there cat it states (rarely used due to its high potash content) or do the have other Potassium Nitrate thats not listed in the Cat that I should order? Also what about there Sulphur Powder(fine grade) is that pure enough for BP mixes??

Thanks

[Steve]

Sorry to take the piss, but that made me giggle.
You have to remember this is a gardening catalog not a pyro catalog. Its high potash for gardening (fine for pyro). The stuff from garden direct is fine and makes excellent bp. Don't buy their flowers of sulphur (fine powder) buy the chips and grind them down, i'm not sure why but they burn a hell of a lot faster, and also it is safer as there is less free acid.

Steve

[BigG]

Originally posted by hewettn
Is DardenDirect  Potassium Nitrate pure enough for BP mix as in there cat it states (rarely used due to its high potash content) or do the have other Potassium Nitrate thats not listed in the Cat that I should order? Also what about there Sulphur Powder(fine grade) is that pure enough for BP mixes??

Thanks

Okay. I understand you are new ? so that?s fine. Just think of the similarity of the word ?potash?, and ?potassium?. The agriculture name for Potassium Nitrate is Nitrate of Potash. Same similarity can be found in ?nitrate of soda? and sodium nitrate. Potassium (or potash) happens to be an element that is very important for the growth of all things alive. Too much potash is like having too much vitamins ? it is not good for you ? or to plants. Potassium nitrate contains such a high level of potash (or potassium) that it?s hardly used any more. The only plants that actively need high amounts of potassium nitrate are strawberry and tomatoes (I grow some ridiculously delicious strawberries this year!!! Must be that accident of the dog running away with my potassium nitrate bag all over the garden while I was mixing the iron#1 formula from my secret black book

Agriculture potassium nitrate is almost as good as the real thing. Agriculture potassium nitrate contains 13% nitrate and 46% potassium and about 0.5% of other things while the pure thing should contain 13% nitrate, 46.5% potassium (or is it 13,5% nitrate and 46% potassium??? Can?t remember) and only trace of other things.

To summaries ? the agriculture stuff is very close to the real thing.

BigG

[hewettn]

OK thanks for that - another one for you guys - how pure is reagent grade nitrate - as we are on a learning curve what other grades are officially available in rank of purity.

Nigel

[Delmar]

I have some of these myself.

I'm sure other UK folks can be of more assistance with purity of KNO3. In the long run though for pyrotechnic use agricultural pot. nitrate will suffice quite nicely. If it turns out you are not getting the effects you want then I would think it is another element somehow. In black powder type compositions it is generally the charcoal that is the huge variable.This is just repeating what Mr. Big has said but rest assured he knows what he's talking about.

[adamw]

In chemical catalogues there are usually two grades of chemicals, with prices which reflect this, Technical and Reagent grade. Technical is the 'bog standard' stuff and is plenty fine enough for pyro, it's much purer than the agricultural version of the chemical. 'Reagent' grade is purer still, thats why it costs a lot more.

[phildunford]

From lab suppliers AR (analar reagent) high purity (for analysis) very expensive, LR (Laboratory reagent) Very pure but much cheaper (most lab chems fall into this grade) Tech (technical quality) some impurities but cheapest of all.

any of these grades would be fine for pyro, but AR would be a big waste of money!

[hewettn]

Thanks for that info - And finally back to the sulphur lots of chem supplies sell the flowers variety I have read that this can be good and can be bad due to possible high acid content - would the really matter with a BP mix as mentioned above that charcoal is the main component.

Out

Nigel

[BigG]

Flowers of Sulfur can be used for the creation of BP. The issue is that you will use your BP as an ingredient in other composition or it will come in contact with other composition. Then, problems can happen.

A simple source of Sulfur is ?yellow dusting sulfur? that can be bought in most mid-large size garden centres. This is 95% Sulfur and 5% manganese or calcium carbonate. While this might effect colour in connection with high temperature composition (those containing parchlorates.) ? for most it will do fine.

And as always ? my word of safety for the day ? make sure Sulfur NEVER comes to contact with Chlorates.

BigG

[phildunford]

You can also get suphur chips that you can grind up from garedn centres as mentioned elsewhere. They were mentioned on 'Gardeners World' last night, so everyone will be asking for them - they are for making you soil for acid so you can grow ericatious (??) plants;)

Does anyone know the real difference between 'flowers of sulphur' and 'sulphur flour'? - is it the same thing misnamed - I know generally 'flowers' is meant to be inferior and more acid but it generally works for me. As sulphur is an element and we are dealing with one allotropic form presemably any difference can only be down to impurities introduced in the manufacturing process??

Anyone know the facts??