4 replies to this topic

[Keithl]

Hi
I've been browsing the Forum over the last few days and come across a couple of "ingredients" that could do with a bit of explanation if possible.
I noticed a few comps include sugar and or Meal.

So ..... Sugar ... Tate & Lyle or what ?
Meal .......don't have a clue.

Sorry if this is really basic, but as the saying goes "I know nothing".

regards
Keithl

[Richard H]

Hello Keith.

Sugar does not really serve much of a purpose in pyrotechnics, apart from the use of lactose in some smoke mixtures. As with most materials, the finer the powder the better.

Meal is essentially black powder which has not been corned (granulated) and as such, appears as a fine black powder. It is used in many types of firework as well as for priming. Meal powder is however not good enough for lifting shells and units into the air, for that you need to granulate the meal powder.

[dfk]

Hey Keith, welcome.

Let me see if I can't answer you question.
This is more of pyro talk than general discusion but here it goes.
When you see sugar refereed to in pyrotechnic mixtures it does mean the sugar that you put in your coffee,( I guess its tea for others, then again I don't even know if you drink tea with sugar.) Anyway sugars purpose in a comp is to serve as a fuel. It has its problems but is used because it is cheap and available as I am pretty sure it can be substituted for other fuels in MOST compositions.

As for your MEAL question. Meal is arguably, the name given to black powder before its actually black powder. As it is refereed to in this forum it is the three ingredients in black powder, mixed intimately usually by milling. Commercial (or homemade commercial?) BP takes additional processing. This meal is the most common fuel and prime as richard said in pyrotechnic devices. Once you got this there is a WORLD of opportunity opened in the art of pyro.

Expiriment, be careful, and ask if you dont know.
Sorry richard if this message is redundant, I started writing it before you posted.

Marcus

Edited by dfk, 28 February 2004 - 07:05 PM.

[The_Djinn]

KeithL,

Have a look around the forum, there is references to some pretty good reading material that you will find very helpfull. Since you are starting from scratch, "Tom Perigrins - Introductory Pratical Pyrotechnics" would be a great first buy. Not only does it explain some of the terminology but teaches the basics and goes on to the construction of various items which are the base to most pyrotechnic devices.

As for sugar, icing sugar, castor sugar etc. is carbon at the end of the day just like the good old charcoal but I dont recomend charcoal in your tea of on your breakfast cereal. In some cases it can be subsituted, but not all, as with the different types of charcoal all forms of carbon have different burn rates and characteristics.

Good safety tip for all - watch out for grinding sugar in blenders or coffee grinders as it can and does explode with the slightest spark.

Mark

Edited by The_Djinn, 28 February 2004 - 06:27 PM.

[dfk]

Good safety tip for all - watch out for grinding sugar in blenders or coffee grinders as it can and does explode with the slightest spark.

tis a good tip.
Fuel air explosion I guess, I supose it could do the same with charcoal or any fine powder for that matter.