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Potassium Dichromate Question
21 August 2011 - 02:44 PM
Are there any compatibility issues with Potassium Dichromate (as a catalyst [Shimizu, FAST, pp145] in non-Sulfur Potassium Perchlorate polverone) and Potassium Chlorate based color star compositions? I've made some hot non-Sulfur Perchlorate/K-Dichromate catalyzed polverone as filler powder in my Chlorate color star rocket headers and need to be aware of any potentially dangerous or sensitive compatibility issues for same. Thanks -44RedHawk
Electric Blue Star Formulae
20 August 2011 - 05:08 PM
Here is a tried and true most beautiful electric blue star formula I developed in 1995 while working at Rockingham Fireworks Manufacturing & Display Co, INC at Seabrook, NH, U.S.A.
Percentage by weight
KCL04 -------------------------------------------.50
Aluminum, Granular 50-150 mesh -------- 12
Parlon --------------------------------------------10
Copper Oxide, Black --------------------------10
Red Gum ---------------------------------------- 8
Copper Oxychloride --------------------------- 5
Aluminum, Dark Pyro ------------------------- 5
Dextrin ------------------------------------------- +5
NOTES: This is a water/Dextrin bound mix for 9.5mm - 12.5mm cut stars utilizing a standard prime. Key ingredient here is the "granular aluminum" of 50-150 mesh which resembles sponge titanium. Produces a medium burn rich blue with gold electric tail.
-Enjoy
Percentage by weight
KCL04 -------------------------------------------.50
Aluminum, Granular 50-150 mesh -------- 12
Parlon --------------------------------------------10
Copper Oxide, Black --------------------------10
Red Gum ---------------------------------------- 8
Copper Oxychloride --------------------------- 5
Aluminum, Dark Pyro ------------------------- 5
Dextrin ------------------------------------------- +5
NOTES: This is a water/Dextrin bound mix for 9.5mm - 12.5mm cut stars utilizing a standard prime. Key ingredient here is the "granular aluminum" of 50-150 mesh which resembles sponge titanium. Produces a medium burn rich blue with gold electric tail.
-Enjoy
Speaking of Chlorate
11 August 2011 - 08:46 PM
Speaking of Chlorate, 29 years ago today Aug 11, 1982, at approximately 2:45 p.m. EST, a series of explosions leveled the Rockingham Fireworks Manufacturing & Display Co. at Seabrook, NH, U.S.A., taking the lives of workers and seriously injuring the GM. Cause of the blast was directly attributed to the mishandling of a Chlorate blue color star composition.
Workers were manufacturing cut stars out doors and placing trays along the factory's main driveway in the afternoon sun to dry. They were in the process of cutting Chlorate / Paris Green blue stars when just minutes after returning from break a worker proceeded to "scrape off" dried chlorate blue comp from his cutting knife by scraping action along the top metal rim of a 55 gallon fiber drum that was filled with a fresh batch of raw mixed blue composition being readied for processing. The scraping action produced an instantaneous flare that ignited and exploded the barrel of dry comp the flames of which spread to hundreds of pounds of co-located cut stars along the factory road which in turn spread to outbuildings and other live inventory causing massive explosions and loss of life.
The company had been making chlorate color stars, flash and water falls tubes without incident for many years prior proving once again that Chlorate compositions can be and have been made commercially for many decades when proper safety precautions are observed. There is a limit, however, to what one can get away with handling chlorate based compositions and this is yet one example of just how true that is.
Workers were manufacturing cut stars out doors and placing trays along the factory's main driveway in the afternoon sun to dry. They were in the process of cutting Chlorate / Paris Green blue stars when just minutes after returning from break a worker proceeded to "scrape off" dried chlorate blue comp from his cutting knife by scraping action along the top metal rim of a 55 gallon fiber drum that was filled with a fresh batch of raw mixed blue composition being readied for processing. The scraping action produced an instantaneous flare that ignited and exploded the barrel of dry comp the flames of which spread to hundreds of pounds of co-located cut stars along the factory road which in turn spread to outbuildings and other live inventory causing massive explosions and loss of life.
The company had been making chlorate color stars, flash and water falls tubes without incident for many years prior proving once again that Chlorate compositions can be and have been made commercially for many decades when proper safety precautions are observed. There is a limit, however, to what one can get away with handling chlorate based compositions and this is yet one example of just how true that is.
Barium Chlorate Green Star - Comp & Prime
11 August 2011 - 05:52 PM
First, a brief introduction: I am a new member from across the pond in New Hampshire, U.S.A., near Manchester, with a deep passion for all things pyrotechnic especially and most fondly for traditional Euro/American display fireworks shells and rockets. My fireworks interests were sparked about 1968 when I acquired a pack of 1-1/2 X 16's Black-Jack Pirate brand firecrackers and a package of small bottle rockets. Many years later I worked for various local commercial fireworks companies as a display operator from about the late 1970's until my last officially licensed show in 1997. I Started manufacturing as a hobbyist by the early 1980's then commercially by the late 1980's working for a local fireworks display & manufacturing company and eventually under my own licensed facility. I am no longer affiliated with any commercial operations as over-regulation and Asian imports have forced the closure of all fireworks manufacturing in this part of the country. I am, however, still an active hobbyist with a newfound added passion to "give back" and share my knowledge, experiences, trials and tribulations with those who may not ever have the opportunities I've enjoyed in a commercial manufacturing environment. The rest is history for another discussion.
Now on topic - Barium Chlorate Green Stars.
Barium Chlorate has often been unfairly demonized by various Internet tongue cluckers and self proclaimed safety experts who provide little or no evidence to substantiate their fantastic claims. Conversely, there are those with similar lack of knowledge and experience whose cavalier attitude toward high energy materials and compositions give credence to the aforementioned safety faker's claim when such indifference lends itself to a sudden workshop launch into orbit or worse, their own or a neighbor's serious injury or untimely demise. This is not to say that one must take extra precautions with Chlorate compositions as common sense would dictate, but going to either extreme severely limits ones willingness to enjoy various & sundry established pyrotechnic compositions, chief among these are the Chlorate based colors.
That said, extra caution must be taken when mixing Chlorate based pyro compositions.
1. Avoid contact between Chlorate compositions and Sulphur and Sulphur compounds especially highly acidic "Sulphur Flowers," i.e. sublimated sulphur.
2. Avoid using fine metal powders in any Chlorate based color compositions especially with Barium Chlorate. Such compositions have a history of spontaneous combustion and IMHO, are simply not worth the risk when much safer Perchlorate / Barium Nitrate / Parlon / mag or aluminum color compositions exist.
3. Avoid priming Chlorate stars directly with standard black powder meal although such was the practice in at least three commercial fireworks manufacturing plants with which I'm familiar having produced an aggregate in the thousands of kilos annually for decades without incident. It is always best practice to use a non-Sulpur prime for added safety when dealing with Chlorate color stars.
Other than that, Chlorate stars were produced commercially in very large quantities with relative safety for a century or more here in the U.S. and but for over-regulation by zealous government bureaucrats and some reckless mishandling that lead to horrific explosions, Chlorate colors are a viable and economical option for the safety conscious fireworks hobbyist.
A tried and true Barium Chlorate Green Star formula and hot (non-sulphur) prime:
NOTE: This is a water soluble composition utilizing dextrin as a binder.
Chemical % by weight
_____________________________________________
BARIUM CHLORATE -------------------------------- 50
POTASSIUM CHLORATE -------------------------- 28
SHELLAC (orange powder) ------------------------ 12
AIR FLOAT CHARCOAL ---------------------------- 4
DEXTRIN ------------------------------------------------ 4
PVC ------------------------------------------------------- 2
Hardt # 4 Prime for Chlorate stars:
_____________________________________________
POTASSIUM NITRATE ------------------------------ 35
POTASSIUM PERCHLORATE -------------------- 35
AIR FLOAT CHARCOAL ----------------------------- 25
DEXTRIN ------------------------------------------------ 5
Enjoy
Now on topic - Barium Chlorate Green Stars.
Barium Chlorate has often been unfairly demonized by various Internet tongue cluckers and self proclaimed safety experts who provide little or no evidence to substantiate their fantastic claims. Conversely, there are those with similar lack of knowledge and experience whose cavalier attitude toward high energy materials and compositions give credence to the aforementioned safety faker's claim when such indifference lends itself to a sudden workshop launch into orbit or worse, their own or a neighbor's serious injury or untimely demise. This is not to say that one must take extra precautions with Chlorate compositions as common sense would dictate, but going to either extreme severely limits ones willingness to enjoy various & sundry established pyrotechnic compositions, chief among these are the Chlorate based colors.
That said, extra caution must be taken when mixing Chlorate based pyro compositions.
1. Avoid contact between Chlorate compositions and Sulphur and Sulphur compounds especially highly acidic "Sulphur Flowers," i.e. sublimated sulphur.
2. Avoid using fine metal powders in any Chlorate based color compositions especially with Barium Chlorate. Such compositions have a history of spontaneous combustion and IMHO, are simply not worth the risk when much safer Perchlorate / Barium Nitrate / Parlon / mag or aluminum color compositions exist.
3. Avoid priming Chlorate stars directly with standard black powder meal although such was the practice in at least three commercial fireworks manufacturing plants with which I'm familiar having produced an aggregate in the thousands of kilos annually for decades without incident. It is always best practice to use a non-Sulpur prime for added safety when dealing with Chlorate color stars.
Other than that, Chlorate stars were produced commercially in very large quantities with relative safety for a century or more here in the U.S. and but for over-regulation by zealous government bureaucrats and some reckless mishandling that lead to horrific explosions, Chlorate colors are a viable and economical option for the safety conscious fireworks hobbyist.
A tried and true Barium Chlorate Green Star formula and hot (non-sulphur) prime:
NOTE: This is a water soluble composition utilizing dextrin as a binder.
Chemical % by weight
_____________________________________________
BARIUM CHLORATE -------------------------------- 50
POTASSIUM CHLORATE -------------------------- 28
SHELLAC (orange powder) ------------------------ 12
AIR FLOAT CHARCOAL ---------------------------- 4
DEXTRIN ------------------------------------------------ 4
PVC ------------------------------------------------------- 2
Hardt # 4 Prime for Chlorate stars:
_____________________________________________
POTASSIUM NITRATE ------------------------------ 35
POTASSIUM PERCHLORATE -------------------- 35
AIR FLOAT CHARCOAL ----------------------------- 25
DEXTRIN ------------------------------------------------ 5
Enjoy
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