What powder do you suggest for the best fireball effect. Specifically please mention any commercial product that works really well.
We always used to use a mixture of lycopodium powder and napthalene - you get a nice burn from the lycopodium, and black smoke and more flame from the napthalene. A bursting charge is needed to kick the whole thing off, but it looks OK. Lactose based smokes are all right for smoke generators but the smell used to confuse the heck out of the cows that grazed the proofing field If really intent on using a lactose for the effect, you will probably need a bigger and longer burning bursting charge to start everything off IMHO.
Of course, you guys (and girls) may well already know all this already, but hey, if I don't contribute, I won't learn, and things have probably changed a bit in the last 30 years lol.