5 replies to this topic

[Dan]

i was wondering if any one new a way to make green stars without using barium salts? i know that cobalt carbonate creates a blue like copper salts. i am sortof an amatuer and i dont think i should start messing with barium yet. is there any thing like that to make a green without barium salts?
thx
Dan

[Stuart]

Zinc stars produce green. There is a mix in the PFP Database, Zinc Spreader Stars

Zinc Spreader Stars (Pumped, 25% Alcohol)
Potassium Chlorate......7.5
Charcoal (36 Mesh)......6
Zinc Dust.....................36
Potassium Dichromate...6
Dextrin.........................1

(http://members.shaw....stars.html#Zinc spreader electric)

There are a few threads on the forum which mention them
http://www.ukrocketr...owtopic=480&hl=
http://www.ukrocketr...owtopic=888&hl=
http://www.ukrocketr...owtopic=819&hl=

Enjoy

Stuart

Edited by Stuart, 05 August 2004 - 04:45 PM.

[Dan]

Zinc stars produce green. There is a mix in the PFP Database, Zinc Spreader Stars

Zinc Spreader Stars (Pumped, 25% Alcohol)
Potassium Chlorate......7.5
Charcoal (36 Mesh)......6
Zinc Dust.....................36
Potassium Dichromate...6
Dextrin.........................1

(http://members.shaw....stars.html#Zinc spreader electric)

There are a few threads on the forum which mention them
http://www.ukrocketr...owtopic=480&hl=
http://www.ukrocketr...owtopic=888&hl=
http://www.ukrocketr...owtopic=819&hl=

Enjoy

Stuart

cool thx Stuart
Dan
I just have to order some zinc powder now.

Edited by Dan, 05 August 2004 - 04:46 PM.

[Phoenix]

Potassium dichromate's pretty toxic too, and according to Ofca's chlorate advice, this formula isn't too great either. Don't granite stars produce a green colour? They don't use any particularly hazardous chemicals, or combinations thereof, so would perhaps be a better choice for someone avoiding barium for safety's sake.

Weingart's Granite Stars:

Potassium nitrate.......14
Zinc dust.....................40
Fine charcoal................7
Sulphur.....................2-1/2
Dextrin.........................1

[BigG]

Both stars will produce sort of blue-green colour ? simply because zinc burn blue-green. Before we get flooded with: ?where is the chlorine donor questions?, the answer is, you don?t need any ? it?s not the same ?colour mechanises? as the one in organic fuel. Asking: ?why zinc burn green-blue?? is like asking: ?why iron burns orange?.

Stay away from the Chlorate formula at the top. It?s an old formula, and not a very safe one. The last formula is much better.

Zinc is dangerous when wet ? use a larger percentage of alcohol then usual ? 50/50 is safer. Leave to dry in a large open space ? your stars can ignite when wet for no good reason (yes, I talk from personal experience).

Last but not least ? Zinc stars are much heavier then other stars and need to be compacted better and lifter using more lift powder then other stars this size. They are called ?spreaders? because then break up leaving a very pleasant visual fragmented effect ? they also slow burning and as some parts break early on ? then fall to the ground still burning. Some members call then ?fire spreaders?. Don?t shoot them in a dry straw field.

I consider spreaders a more advance effect ? something you do after you master glitter, and colours (But before taking on colour changing stars and flitters) ? but that?s just a personal opinion. I would not advise them for green colour because as far as colour go ? it is very poor compare to real green.

Edited by BigG, 06 August 2004 - 12:18 PM.

[dfk]

That's weird, I've never got much green from zinc stars but am left with a nice shower of soft orange spray.
Green is a tuff color. Pretty much all the green color agents are especially dangerous, poisonous or both. Don't worry about messing with barium salts as the best ones are mostly unavailable.
Barium carbonate is one of your few exceptions and isn't terribly toxic yet gives a reasonable green. Give the skylighter radiant green a try, I think its quite nice.