28 replies to this topic

[boris_73]

could anybody help me i have tryed to make some firecrackers but at no success all that happens is the black powder burst's in to flames and shoots out of the hole it does not go of with a bang, i am gathering that the hole is too big but when i make the hole smaller the fuse does not burn through, so if you have any information it would be a great help

[alany]

What are you using for a fuse? They should be reliable enough to burn through a tight hole.

Is the blackpowder granulated? Rice it like pulverone if it isn't. You can try underfilling the case so there is plenty of slack space in the tube and surface area for even scaresly better than greenmix to burn fast enough to make a bit of a bang.

Also, try palomas, they are easier to make while you are experimenting with different compositions are fuses.

[boris_73]

it's a homemade fuse using black powder and cotten string i think its called a black match fuse and my black powder is made the cia method watering the KNO3 adding the other ingridents including ethanol and then squeezing it through a mesh

Edited by boris_73, 11 September 2004 - 03:43 PM.

[Stuart]

Describe the design of the firecracker. You may also consider using electrical ignition as this will mean that the case can be completely sealed thus ensuring a report

[boris_73]

firstly i seal one end using epoxy clay then once it has dried i drill about 3-4 mm hole in the end then i insert the fuse and fill the case about 3/4 full then ipack it down using tissue paper and fill the end with epoxy clay and allow to dry the measurements are about 17/20mm wide 60mm long and the tube walls are about 4mm thick

Edited by boris_73, 11 September 2004 - 03:58 PM.

[alany]

Making good blackmatch is a bit of an art. I've tried many techniques, but it is still kinda hit and miss sometimes. I test a short piece of each length of match I make before using it to ensure it burns well.

I generally do the "dip and dust" method, which involves dunking a hank of cotton into a meal slurry then pulling it out and shaking it with some dry meal to produce a thick dusty coat.

Cracker fuse is quite reliable, especially if well made. I rather like using it for small BP salutes, or anywhere where the case penetration is long and capable of sinking much heat from the burning composition (say running it through hot melt glue).

Another option is a bit of priming around the casing penetration. A bit of meal slurry, or meal and NC lacquer put into the hole before the fuse will do the trick. I also tend to drip a bit down around the match/case transition using a toothpick or something similar like a bamboo skewer.

[boris_73]

ok ill try that method to see if it works thank you! i have also seen you web site so i have the information to make a good fuse there

Edited by boris_73, 11 September 2004 - 04:02 PM.

[alany]

Sounds like you are over-engineering the salutes a bit though.

The simplist cracker would have to be the paloma, just a strip of paper, some paste, a fuse, and a break charge. I can make palomas much faster than tube salutes, but that is probably just a practice thing.

Tieing off each end of a paper tube is another expedient method. Matt in particular likes it. I make my mines in a similar manner, just larger. It is just like the traditional manderin cracker.

You can also just crimp the end closed like a shotgun shell. A sharp stick is all that is needed, I use a metal BBQ skewer. You can then ram in a bit of clay to make a really good end seal that is quite expedient.

Hot-melt glue is good too, but more expensive.

Epoxy always seems to me to be overkill.

[Patrick]

Here is my first firecracker.

Just rolled kraft paper around a 1/4" wooden dowel and glued it together with elmers glue. Added teh salute mixture (little over half full which was around a gram) and sealed the ends with a hot glue gun.

Doesnt' look pretty, but it was a prety decent bang. Made the wife jump.

http://www.teamfha.c...stFirework1.wmv

Edited by Patrick, 12 September 2004 - 05:08 PM.

[boris_73]

your address does not work i typed in the web site but could not find modules to follow up to the pictures

[alany]

It does if you copy the string, the [ in the URL confuses the regexp used to map the URL string into an anchor tag. It is usually a bad idea to using them in URLs, in fact I am pretty sure they need to be URL encoded rather than used literal, but I can't be stuffed looking up the RFC.

[boris_73]

i know i tried it that way but it said could not find source when it tried to play in windows media

[Patrick]

i know i tried it that way but it said could not find source when it tried to play in windows media

Fixed it now.

Sorry about that.

[boris_73]

i'll try that method in future at least i have evidence that it work's by the way what type of fuse was that.

[Patrick]

i'll try that method in future at least i have evidence that it work's   by the way what type of fuse was that.

3/32" American Visco purchased from Cannonfuse.com.