Darkstar

Is it possible to get some recommendations from you guys on pourable nozzle substances?

The material needs to be able to withstand very high pressures, 400-600psi, so I would assume this would not permit the use of clay due to its brittleness, but maybe I am wrong.

Thanks a lot.

Phenolic *is* castable if you use the component parts, but I think epoxy would
be easier - you need to add a refractory component to make it sufficiently heat
resistant, however.

The cast nozzles I used on my 3 inch "Clarke's Giant Steel Fountain" PGI competition
entries were made from a combination of high compressive strength plaster, "ciment
fondu" - a high alumina casting cement (or "secar 71") and 30 mesh fireclay grog.

This will need a masonry drill to bore out, if you cast solid as I did on my gerbs - and
carbide files to shape the nozzle. It's hard!

Visco using a perchlorate based core is available and has roughly the same 1"/sec burn rate as PIC, takes fire quite easily and burns hot. However the stuff I have although admirably flexible is NOT waterproof in any shape or form, but if this was overcome it could be a partial replacement.

Maybe a light, cheap heat shrink sleeve would work? It may confine it too
much however - and would not help with taking fire. I did try some very
fine BP in heat shrink once - it flew well!

Paul

I think AEL / Orica do a range of igniter cords, I seem to remember asking a quote for them, around ?600 a case IIRC, and it's 1.4S so can go by air, which is just as well as they are based in NZ.

The AEL (African Explosives Limited of South Africa) product line certainly looks
interesting! I think Tom (Essex) has tried to make contact, but not received
a reply.

The Orica product line just appears to be ICI stuff. I didn't know there was a 4th
type of PIC - "Special Slow" (red). I doubt these are actually available, unless
manufacturing continues in New Zealand, which seems unlikely as the website
links are for "UK and Ireland".

I'd really love to find a reel of PW6 somewhere! ICI gave me a contact a few
years ago, but like a fool I never followed it up....

Darkstar, if you refer to using Mantitor as a replacement for PIC, it seem like quite a few people have been trying it lately. From what I hear (and in this case, I do not talk from personal knowledge), it has a problem taking fire from other fuses. Some companies used PIC as a "quick" delay to fire lines of shells or mines (when punctuation was not critical). It seem like Mantitor is not doing well in that department. There were a few other remarks as well, but it was all over the phone so I can't remember it all...

PIC and Mantitor share a common heritage, I believe, due to ICI's ammunition manufacturing
interests in Brazil via Kynoch (click the link below to read some history of Nobel/ICI/Kynoch etc.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kynoch

However, they do differ in several areas. The central copper wire is the same
diameter - 0.5mm - but there is about 1/3rd less composition adhered to it.
(I don't have exact figures for comp mass per metre, but could obtain them
when I next have access to a lab balance - or maybe they are on the spec
sheets).

The plastic sleeve is thicker than on PIC, which might account for the reported
difficulty in taking fire. The composition is dusted with a fairly coarse metal
powder, most likely aluminium. A second wire of .45mm diameter, probably
stainless, runs between the comp and the sleeve. This may also account for
the difficulty taking fire, as it may act as a heat sink.

ICI's once mighty empire extended further than Brazil and possibilities exist
elsewhere. Watch this space!

Paul

I've only made one batch of crossettes with the thermolite, and frankly it kicks ass. First ever attempt at crossettes and they worked flawlessly. I would me interested in making a product at home that could replace the impossible to find thermolite.

Have you tried Mantitor instead of Thermalite?