22 replies to this topic

[Creepin_pyro]

Talking of melting...... I was thinking about it the other day - and remembered that old, unloved candy-floss machine in the garage....... My theory was that if I loaded it with some "special" sugar mix, I could create some crazy smoke-floss. I carried on regardless of any safety no no's and began my madness outside. Thouroughly pointless - no melting after leaving it in until I got too paranoid, and turned it off. So, guys.... should I try again, or leave it in the archive of whimsically inspired irresponsible pyro projects?

[pritch]

Flash candy floss. Somehow I think if you got caught making that, you would be getting a trip over to Guantanamo.

Do it anyway though! should be interesting.

[Creepin_pyro]

Flash candy floss. Somehow I think if you got caught making that, you would be getting a trip over to Guantanamo.

Hmmm..... not sure where you get the flash from - don't think I've seen any flash compositions involving sucrose...

[Stuart]

He means that because its so 'open' and there a huge gaps between the strands it would go up in a flash due to the huge surface area

[chim-chim]

Although I love the idea and fluffy smoke b**bs have an undenable humor value,
I don't think it will work. The machine is quite specificly set for the melting temp. of sucrose, but not KnO3. Can anyone think of an oxidiser that melts near 185*C?

[Phoenix]

According to Richard Nakka, The KNO3 doesn't melt. It just remains as solid particles in a sugar binder, so the smoke-floss should melt as well as candy propellant. The fact that the machine is set to no higher that 185* C should be a big advantage. However, it won't be as fluid as straight melted sugar, so that may be a problem.

On the other hand, this sounds great fun, if it does work. You could put red iron oxide in to make turbo-charged pink smoke-floss too! Just get the machine in the middle of a field on a long cord, and give it a try. Perhaps you could use a higher sugar to KNO3 ratio to help it melt, and improve fluidity once it does. Just at all times consider the result of the worst possible thing that could happen happening, and position anything you like accordingly.

[chim-chim]

Perhaps you could use a higher sugar to KNO3 ratio to help it melt, and improve fluidity once it does.

I agree that it will melt as well as candy propellant, but I don't think candy propellant get near as fluid as sugar that is being spun into fine stands. You may want to mill the bejeezus out of the KnO3 so it can be 'fluid' as possible and as Pheonix mentioned, the ratio could be quite sugar heavy. I've seen 50/50 listed for smoke mixtures. Mixing in a little KClO4 might let you shift that a bit further if you need to to make it work.
I'd be curious to play w/ some sulfur in the mix too, having a melting temp and several other properties in common with sugar.

[ash]

Can anyone think of an oxidiser that melts near 185*C?

The KNO3 has a melting point of 334*C so no it doesnt melt.

If you really did want one that melts you could use Ammonium Nitrate (melts at 170*C) if you are insane enough to heat it, let alone heat it with a fuel source. Id expect it would react with the sugar upon it being heated, in much the same way that NaClO3 does with sugar when melted. If anyones seen "The Jelly baby experiment" as my chem teacher used to call it then they'll know what Im refering to, for those of you that havent, it produces a 10-12" roaring flame when done in a boiling tube and lots of smoke from just one jelly baby - we filled the labs with smoke so many times