spectrum

I'm not sure if this has ever appeared here before but can anyone provide information on the quantity of gas generated by one gramme of gunpowder at ambient temperature and pressure?

 

 

Some years ago I proposed this and I will do so again now.

 

It is clear to me that much of what occurs oin this forum is simply not in conformance with the law. You can argue your case but I don't write the law and cannot be blamed for simply pointing that out.

 

Experimentation simply does not allow an individual to make a device - please correct me if I've got that wrong. To put together a firework or device you need a manufacturing license (as well as other permits) and as such, the experimentation that takes place simply should not, at least when the resulting composition is manipulated into stars for example and then assembled into a shell take place.

 

No matter what specification you build your garden shed to, it will not become an

assembly building / process shed / laboratory  until you successfully license it - whether you are operating for private research or not!!

 

For the experienced and well qualified out there, a nosey neighbour will, with the involvement of the authorities, outwit you and prove this point. The red face will be the least of your worries!

 

I originally proposed that the society should collectively establish a factory, share the costs and use it for both private R&D as well as agreed commercial activities, I know there will be many ready to correct me with complaints of cost etc. The biggest cost - apart from land - will be licensing. I will take this opportunity to confirm here and now that I am prepared to write the license draft for anyone wishing to make the move and at no charge. Dismiss it if you want but I know that certain of my contemporaries would do the same for a fee stretching into 5 figures - and they do already. I have 32 years experience in this business, licensed (and amended several times) my own factory as well as others in the business. The offer is more than an idle brag.

 

The position we face now is more prohibitive than it has ever been at any time - you face more obstacles and red tape than your predecessors ever did (and having researched then directly I am able to make that statement quite definitively!)

 

There are real advantages to getting together and making this work - with the new CE regs coming into play sooner than you think, classification being what it is and the effect that lot is having on the trade - which I predict will diminish substantially when the deadlines hit - unity is strength. You lot have that and a deal of passion driving you.

 

In practical terms, here is what I would propose:

 

1. Establish the availability of land at points about the UK within reach of all members, i.e. places in the south, midlands and north. 

 

2. Establish a generic (or close) license footprint - I will produce it.

 

3. Agree what you want to make - portfires, painball smokes, shells if you dare try!

 

4. Establish a membership forum which would cover all costs.

 

The last bit will be a sticking point, after years in this business I can safely say there are more talkers than doers. but.....

 

5. If you have reasonable prospects for commercial sales, say for example you decide to include Portfires in a society portfolio, then approve them - for production at all three sites - and sell them. The trade uses them so supply them.

 

Don't respond with objections listing difficulties please, 20 years ago I did this with a dole cheque and created the Paintball and Airsoft market in pyrotechnics from scratch. It can be done.

 

Start thinking about it - to the extent you can't sleep! One or two of the individuals who once worked for me tried and succeeded in copying what I did, believe me they were far from bright and did not compare to the talent I see contributing to these forums - technically speaking. It really is possible.

 

When I made a similar proposal some years back another contributor rebuked me - he has since disappeared unsurprisingly for me. If he hadn't you could have had something up and running by now.

 

Paul M.

 

Hi Steve,

 

I've sent you a private message.

 

Your proposal is, I would say, the most significant one I've ever seen posted on these forums - and knowing you as I do, I recognise it is a worthwhile and trusted proposal. Steve is a man of enormous integrity and honour, anyone who knows him takes him seriously.

 

I keep a back seat position in the society, I operate a licensed factory myself and whilst I understand the interest, enthusiasm and passion voiced in these forums I have to say the activities posted really do often fly in the face of the law - Please do not use this post to challenge my views as that would detract from Icarus's proposal - criticise me in another post or privately if you want/need to.

 

Private experimentation outside a lawful and properly established place just isn't going to work. I fail to see how it could be legal within the constraints of the law and in line with the ambitions and wishes of the participants. The authorities have tied things up (although they were fairly clear in the first place) and in any event, domestic property is really not the place for energetic materials. 

 

Enough about that, if I've offended anyone I'm sorry.

 

I proposed an offer along the lines of Icarus's post some years back, it went no-where. I had some criticism from a poster who messaged me to say this was underway (when it clearly wasn't), I gather another company jumped on my idea afterwards but was shown to be full of hot air, nothing since. This proposal - take it from me - is the best you guys are going to get and should be taken very seriously.

 

I am happy to support Steve, I licensed my own factory back in 1996 and have amended the license three times since, we are currently amending the license for the fourth time. My services are freely available to Steve - I am very much in his debt and cannot think of anyone I would rather work with.

 

I would offer some advice to all actively involved in pyrotechnic research. The world is changing - I have worked in the industry (not trade) for 32 years now and have seen many changes - non of these I have to say moving in a relaxed direction. Site licenses for manufacture are not given out readily. This could be the last and only chance for this society to legitimise its activities and, take it from me, the offer is VERY generous and of considerable value. 

 

Please consider Icarus's offer in that context - logistical issues, travel etc. are irrelevant really given the scale of the subject of pyro development. The hobby needs to be re-evaluated in line with what it actually is in todays political and legal climate.

 

I may have niggled some contributors - that will hopefully lead to some entertaining posts - but please NOT at the expense of Steves offer.

 

Paul M.

Boron based compositions featured to a lesser degree in defence formulations developed by the MOD principally from the early 1950's through to the mid 1960's. The high cost of the element presumably precluded it from use in any area where common sense economics had any influence. The mixtures from memory and experience were used in primings, developed at Woolwich and later Fort Halstead they were listed in the low numbers of the SR register from SR 41 to SR 44. Further entries up into the SR 90's reveal the continued use of Boron but with other oxidising agents and almost exclusively in delay compositions - these entries relate to delays, either gasless or near gasless 

 

For the nostalgic of us all, they really do hark back to a golden age where they competed with bakelite for inclusion in the approved materials list.

 

The compositions were employed in high altitude functioning stores. Besides one "prick sensitive composition" I never recall these being that exciting - other than to the purchasing department!, I rescued the last of the stock from the bonfire before Astra disappeared - came across it a little while back with notes I made on the label at the time "washed and dried". At a fraction of the price R.O. / MOD favoured Silicon having explored throughout the same period Zirconium (£!!) and various oxidising agents.

 

Safety certificates were issued which did not make for exciting reading, depending of course on the choice of Oxidant - as I write this I am reading the entry on SR 61 which shows an F of I - 20-35 and F of F 100-100-60. Three Shredded Wheat before mixing that one maybe!

I apologise. I am very embarrased at my inability to calculate the most modest tube quotation I have ever attempted.

I developed the firebird composition for the present owner of the company, the composition is a matter of public knowledge since we patented it at the time and I'm sure it would be revealed on a patent search.

 

I didn't do the coloured smoke version for two reasons, firstly the individual I worked with (in his infinite wisdom) insisted that colours and noise would not appeal to the market (!) and secondly, as we were at the time seeking to use the products on clay pigeons, the same effect was achievable using coloured powder which would be dispersed on strike by the forward motion and spin of the clay - this was already in use and cheaper.

 

We were going to go into production but the partnership fell apart when my opposite number revealed that he couldn't meet his financial obligations and wanted us to sell our shares to fund his commitments - I decided to take a pay-off (money miraculously appeared) and we walked away satisfied with a healthy profit from a days R&D.

 

I did look at re-entering the market but decided there wasn't really a market to re-enter and ended up leaving Firebird to try and recover their investment from what few sales were around. 

 

Technically it's quite elementary, if the patent search fails PM me

This is a visitor to the forum from overseas, let's please give him a welcome and some respect! It's not a competition. I recall the first Chinese shells coming onto the market, they were dreadful. Fireworkshell has had a pretty unfriendly reception here and doesn't really deserve it.....think on.....Chinese shells may be available for a few pence....at the moment. Don't bank on that in the future. China is suffering a crisis. The workers there in the firework factories have to suffer disgusting conditions to provide us with the cheap fireworks we enjoy. I am not comfortable with that myself and for that reason have always resisted the temptation to outsource my own production there. As for quality, they cannot match our standards in Europe (I refer to my own product range) or even come close.
India will, I am certain, learn the lessons they need to learn and will eventually replace the Chinese when the workers there return to their farms where the wages are better, the conditrions are not life threatening and the demand for food in this developing country seduces them.
The Indians are a lovely, warm and friendly people, please lets give them the welcome on this forum they deserve.