GBthriller

So the other night, I was trying to test a shell. Three times the rocket motors blew the nozzle out. the motors are:

1) E9-4 was stored outside through the winter.
1) E9-4 stored inside.
1) D12-0 stored outside for an extended time.

I feel that it must be something I did to cause three to fail that way, as it has never happened to me before, and I dont know anyone that has ever had that happen either.

The only clues are; we use fuse instead of electric igniters, and we cram a small wad of masking tape in the nozzle to hold the fuse. The tape is wadded sticky side out.

Also worth mentioning; the rockets lift-off normally and about 1/4 to 1/2 second after firing they spit the nozzle. The E9-4's didnt even fire the eject charge upward, saving the shell. Not so with the D12-0, she blew on the ground.

Anyone else have a guess or experience with this? It is very disheartening. You should be able to bank on something in this hobby.

Thanks for the help.

Edit: I hot glue the motors to cat-tails, if thats any clue.

Please help, only experience answers these questions:

Binding parlon with acetone or in my case MEK, is quite a mess, but for the sake of ever precious time, I'll take it any day over water based binders. Question: To avoid driven-in problems, what outer layers should be avoided with various core/ outer/ prime combinations??

Example:

Ruby Red star, omited the dextrin and bound with MEK. Dried 100% in two days (just to be sure). Now what to prime with? A hot modified BP dextrin with water/ alc. O.K.? (Not for ignition purposes just answer to the binding quiestion). Or how about a red gum, pot perc. bound with a high percentage of alc. going to work?

Again, not looking for formula, ignition temp, decomposition, or reactionary chlorate/ sulf. issues, just the binding questions with specific NO GO combinations. Its my understanding that Starpol is a no-no as an outer layer.

Can anyone add here? A binding/ solvent thread would be useful. My search turned up bits of info, not a complete picture.

Thanks for the love.

From across the pond again!

Greetings- My name is..My name is..My name is GBthriller. Local display master of 20 acres known as mine. I'd like to tell you more about where home is but that is information only Homeland Security cares about, I wont bore you.

I'd like to say what a privilidge it is to post here. Thanks tons (metric tons if you prefer).

I need to go right to an issue I'm dealing with now:

The wife says make em white, I like white stars. O.K. what could be easier? Hmmm.
3 days later now and my stars wont stay lit in the air fer nothin. Yes they are dry. A 3/8 by 3/8 pumped (sorry no metrics) star burns for about 4 to 5 seconds on the ground. The 3F equivelant size dried powder prills runs about 2 to 3 seconds in a one gram pile. Nice white, but not fast enough.

Here's the formula:

Potassium Nitrate 51
Antimony Trisulfide 17
Sulfur 18
dextrin 3

I think its Davis' formula. I got it somewhere around here. The batch contains all my Antimony Trisulfide, the pressed bunch is only about 20% of the mix, so its not too late to fix this.

Tried already: adding BP meal, C, more nitrate, Barium nitrate, Zinc, Brass, Magnalium, and combinations of those things.

What worked: meal obviously, C helped considerably, Zinc helped, but added a green cast, Mg/Al and C really increased sensitivity and rate, and was perrrdy.

The desire is to save my Kilo of white mix, and get useable stars. OR should I use it in lances (too smoky zi think) or fountains?

Any suggestions? Thanks for the ears. Looking foreward to helping you all some day!!!