Thudkaboom

Hi,

David and I have been discussing Khoom Fay via email and decided it would be better to strike up a new thread for this topic.

Sky Lanterns are almost as popular in the uk as they are in their native lands now. I have been experimenting with various materials with varying degrees of success. It's certainly a fine art creating a floating orb of light and it gives a great sense of satisfaction to watch your own creation hanging hundreds of feet in the air to be seen for miles around.

We hope to spark off this thread with the view to sharing ideas, designs and knowledge of this art form.

I am currently working on a 100% biodegradable, organic design to overcome any environmental issues. Also, the use of metallic salts dissolved in alcohol to create coloured flames is something I have never seen used in Sky Lanterns and it would be great to discuss this along with other alternative fuel sources.

My current design uses craft tissue paper. Not crape! It comes in a myriad of colours, is inexpensive and 100% biodegradable. Fuel sources I am using range from wax soaked paper, fire lighters, wax soaked cotton cloth, paraffin soaked cloth and alcohol.
The shape also plays a fundamental role. I've tried cylinders, tear drop/balloon shapes and cubic shapes. It's not as easy as I first imagined and has therefore become a little obsession of mine.

One thing I would like to do is launch 10 lanterns all using salt/alcohol fuel to give a hanging blanket of coloured lights.

Welcome to the world of Koom Fay.

I've trawled the various forum topics only to be shocked that pattern shells do not get their own slot!

For me this is one of the most fascinating areas of pyrotechnics. In my experience, you can wow crowds with spherical and bouquet burst effects but with a bit of artistic vision via shells exploding into geometric shapes, asymetric patterns and recognisable objects, you can blow their minds.

Here I am hoping to spark off the disgussion of pattern shell designes, physical properties and influences and the developement of new ideas.

So.... put yer pestle and mortars away and bring out yer ready rolled stars. It's time to get creative!

example: http://www.santamari...002-08-2007.wmv

(it's a long show but keep watching)

I have just recieved 10 packets of Mystical Fire purchased from www.satinafield.com .
It's a product designed to change the colour of wood fires.
The contents are Cupric Sulphate, Cupric Chloride and PVC all in powder form.
I am getting some beautiful blues and greens but would love to have some reds, violets, yellows etc etc.

Could anyone suggest some simple salts I could source and use to create my rainbow campfires?

I bought some Lithium Carbonate and Strontium Carbonate from Inoxia but they are very poor at releasing excited ions into the flames of a bonfire.
Sodium Chloride works to some extent for yellow but a better suggestion is welcome.
Does Calcium Carbonate work well for orange flickers?

Bearing in mind I will not be using any oxidizing agents to get my colours, just tossing them into a toasty campfire at festivals etc etc.

( I know not to cook food over such fires)