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Gazza

Member Since 04 Sep 2007
Offline Last Active May 21 2008 11:56 AM
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Posts I've Made

In Topic: Kp Break Charge

21 May 2008 - 09:08 AM

I tend to use H3 (sulphurless potassium chlorate/willow charcoal) or Al/perch flash for my smaller shells (1-3inch).
For medium shells, I use H3, KP on rice hulls or BP on rice hulls with a small amount of flash 'booster', depending on the strength of break that I desire to achieve.
For my 8-12 inch shells, I use BP on rice hulls or KP on rice hulls, with optional flash 'booster'. In my experience, flash booster is not required for a KP/rice hull burst charge.
Go very easy on the flash booster- only a small amount is needed. You'll be barking mad to use any more than 2 grams of flash powder! Unless you want your stars pulverised to dust, or blown blind.
I gonna be testing one of my 10 inch chrysanthemum shells tonight. I can't wait! :rolleyes: I'll treat you all to a video of my shell; hope it's not a dud! :ph34r:

In Topic: An interesting read...

18 May 2008 - 09:49 AM

Might aswell ban fireworks altogether! These annoying 'Health and Safety' killjoys.
What about the nitrogen oxides, sulpur oxides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH's) being pumped out of automobile exhausts on a DAILY basis? Hang your head out of the car window on the M25 and take a deep breath- you see what I mean (cough, cough, cough).
Much of pyrotechnic smoke consists of metal particulates (oxides and sulphides) which eventually settle to the ground and become absorbed harmlessly into the soil and vegetation. The concentration of these particulates dispersed over a wide area must be very small indeed- neglible.

In Topic: Lampare

29 April 2008 - 07:43 PM

My objective is to produce a green fireball effect by reacting boric acid with an alcoholic fuel (methanol) to form a volatile (easily vaporised) borate ester which burns in air with a greenish flame. The chemistry dictates that I can not use conventional lampare fuels, like petroleum or diesel for the green fireball effect I am trying to produce.
Boric acid is popularly used among fire jugglers and fire spinners dissolved in methanol to give a deep green flame, so it might indeed be possible to create a green lampare effect from this chemical, using a flash formula to atomise the liquid into tiny droplets before ignition. Obviously, the flash formula and the liquid methanol-boric acid mixture will need to be held in separate compartments and never be allowed to mix!

In Topic: Type Of Burst Commonly Used In Cat 4 Shells

18 November 2007 - 03:02 PM

What about H3- is it commonly used in commercial cat4 shells, given the friction-sensitivity issues surrounding chlorate?
From my experience with H3, it is not exceedingly sensitive to friction, but definitely more so than BP. Just as long as sulphur (and BP) is kept away from it, there should be no problems.

In Topic: Advice On How To Set-up My Own Pyro Chemicals Supply Business

06 November 2007 - 03:23 PM

Keten and Skylighter sell a vast range of pyro chemicals- everything that a professional and amateur pyro could possibly need. Unfortunately, Skylighter can not ship overseas; and with Keten, there's the expensive shipping costs.
I might be able to fill a niche in the UK amateur and professional pyro market if I set-up a UK-based pyro chemical company stocked with a vast range of chemicals comparable with the likes of Keten and Skylighter.