823 replies to this topic

[paul]

do you add water or something to make it go up in a flash

Not a good idea. Avoid water as much as you can. In fact, water can cause the mixture to heat up and ignite.

[alany]

Yeah I was part-way through a reply too, basically: "Don't you ever search?"

It scares me too that you had to ask the BP question and are trying to make flash... Bad news mate, do some research before you kill yourself.

[missileman]

Safety glasses is another must.  Some type of shock resistant type with UV protection if working with the more sensitive and powerful Mg flashes, which should not be tampered with until years upon years of building up safety habbits. 

Read Lloyd Sponenburgh's book on ball milling and about his accident with Mg.  It was a small sized batch of Mg and Cab-o-sil just mixing.  I believe only 100g.  He could have been blinded if his regular glasses did not have the UV protection.

Guys when working with this stuff you have to think of every possible little thing that can go wrong and then ways to prevent that one thing from going wrong.

Yes this is very powerful when compared to most AL mixes. If one follows all the usual proceedures that are used when making flash then using MG makes no difference. I always thoughly mix the non oxidiser ingreediants before adding the metal powder. Diaper mixing is the safest but not the most thorough on its own . Having mixed with metal powder you can run through a fine mesh seive by just tapping on the edge thus avoiding friction.I have found that the screen used in anti splatter guards used over frying pans to work well. Cheep and usually made of non sparking Alluminium.Good formula on request.
Regards Missile man

[italteen3]

Diapering method with a large sheet, not too large, for mixing is perfect. When I am usually done mixing I have no white spots at all. How large of a batch is it that you are working with that it is not a thorough mix?

Screen your Perc with a 60 mesh screen. I can diaper a small batch in a couple minutes and is very well mixed.

[BigG]

Interesting. Your thread dissapered.

Guess why.

Also, I read through this thread a few times now - and seem people ask the same questions and get the same answers over and over again. How about having a browse?

[seymour]

I know why exactly. I just find it amusing and interesting that it lasted less than twenty mins.

That must bu a UKR record!

Just wondering, why ball mill Al foil to make flash Al when you could just mill painters grade Al into an even finer powder or crush the grains into flake? It'd save a few days milling time.

Edited by seymour, 01 April 2005 - 08:10 AM.

[Rhodri]

I know why exactly. I just find it amusing and interesting that it lasted less than twenty mins.     

That must bu a UKR record!

Just wondering, why ball mill Al foil to make flash Al when you could just mill painters grade Al into an even finer powder or crush the grains into flake? It'd save a few days milling time.

Painter's Al is oil based. Smell it and you'll see. Also try doing a 'grease spot't test too - you'll see what I mean.

You'll need to remove the grease then mill down.

A lot of hassle. It's best to use this material for added sparks etc. and not for FP.

[alany]

You can wash it in acetone, which helps a bit.

Hammer mills are ment to make the best flash Aluminium, but they are too noisy for me to try making one at home.

[BigG]

In the UK - Bronzing Powder made of pure aluminium is not longer supplied as powder... HSE regulations

They are provided as long silvery snake that can be crashed back to powder - contain some sort of binder. God knows.

[seymour]

I had just heard someware that someone used painters grade Al as a fuel in a perc colour comp.

[italteen3]

I have some concerns about accidental ignition that I myself am unaware of and would like to practice to prevent any incident. I feel my practices are good but not good enough.

In aapua's thread on the 8th Symposium in Japan he briefly mentioned some safety concerns about flash. He said simply carrying the Al in a plastic bag can also carry a static charge which can prove to be extremely dangerous. My Al is in a plastic tub. I am extremely concerned about any accident occuring so any solutions?

Any other small problems that can cause major accident?

aapua any other things you learned from the symposium I would be more than happy to know

[Yugen-biki]

I have been thinking about how to store FP. Even though I never strore FP more than a few hours or maby one day before I load it into a shell or a salute.
The alternatives are: Plastic contaier, Metal container, ceramic container, glass contaier and paper contaier. All but paper and plastic will kill you ar hurt you badly, so they are not options!
We stand with paper or plastic. I use plastic (thin LDPE ("Low" insteda of "High"?)). I'm not sure I like the plastic, so I have a thin aluminium foil in the contaier connected to the spoon, woork bench (metallic surface) and me with a copper wire. In this way we all have the same electric potential and a spark forming is theoreticly impossible.
I use all cotton clothing and groud myself before any work is done. And most important, I use small ammounts and neves make more than I know for sure I'm going to use. And potassium perc + German Black is the only mix I use, (60:40 and not the stochiometricly over oxidised 70:30. I have made tests indicating a better effect with the 60:40 mix, but it is harder to ignite)

[italteen3]

I too dont store FP. Only FP ever stored is in a finished device. No loose FP is ever stored, I just dont like all the possibilities that pop into my head.

What I meant was, sorry for not being as clear as possible, any other better ways for storing my German Dark that can aid in less static electricity besides the plastic container it was shipped in?

What method do you use for effectively grounding yourself and how?

Ofcourse 100% cotton clothing is a must.

Do you wear latex gloves when mixing flash? I do for the lessened chance of a static discharge but I really want to wear thick leather gloves. I work with small batches (never more than 30g most of the time, 99%, it is 20g) so flash would just go up in a ummmm flash instead of detonating. With a pair of thick leather gloves if an accident unfortunately would occur a burn would be very minimal when compared to having latex gloves on. Which would you recomend?

Edited by italteen3, 27 April 2005 - 03:38 PM.

[RegimentalPyro]

There's no doubt that small quantities help in reducing risk, but please do not think that it will stop it detonating instead of just "flareing". I've heard of very small [5g?] quantities of flash detonating with minimal confinement [piece of paper folded in half]. Also this would be devastating at close quarters. We're talking possible loss of limbs etc - much more than just a burn!

Care, Care - Care please!

To reduce static I use a grounding strap. You sometimes get these with items of computer equipment [which is also static sensitive]. One end goes round your wrist. The other end is attached to whatever conductive surface is most readlily available on your equipment.

[italteen3]

There's no doubt that small quantities help in reducing risk, but please do not think that it will stop it detonating instead of just "flareing". I've heard of very small [5g?] quantities of flash detonating with minimal confinement [piece of paper folded in half]. Also this would be devastating at close quarters. We're talking possible loss of limbs etc - much more than just a burn!

Care, Care - Care please!

To reduce static I use a grounding strap. You sometimes get these with items of computer equipment [which is also static sensitive]. One end goes round your wrist. The other end is attached to whatever conductive surface is most readlily available on your equipment.

Im not going to disagree or doubt that what you heard is false. I just want to find as many methods already discovered or not that have kept people's limbs on.

Personally I have done tests with flash in the open and ironically with a piece of paper folded in half. 10g of FP in a folded piece of paper resulted in a slight thumping sounded, almost similar to that of 20g unconfined. No destructive force or loud boom. Was what you heard a different more sensitive type of flash with a lower critical mass or 70/30?

Im not going to dismiss what you have heard as this likely could lead to a sense of false safety.

My question still stands latex for reduced static or leather for more protection?