1569 replies to this topic

[seymour]

I need to work on a lot! But the more times I make stuff the better I will get. I know that compared to any other shell my shells are completely crap and are riddled with problems but I am proud of them none the less. And they can only get better!

[paul]

Thats certainly the best way to think about it!

Keep it up!


greets,

paul

[Kembang Api]

Seymour: You will get into it soon, I can tell from the way you explained.

I think you need to spend more time on your spoilette. I made my spoilette and time them before I put it on my 3 inches spherical shell. I always work on 3 second spoilette, but it all depend on the lifting charge (I used 25 grams). Mortar tube is also play an important role, keep a good spacing of 2.5 to 3 mm each side in my case.

Good luck and don't stop until you get them right. man!!!!

Edited by Kembang Api, 08 April 2005 - 07:58 AM.

[seymour]

For my Spoilettes I used my fast willow Bp. In a test it seemed all right but I think it behaved slightly differently in a shell due to lift pressure/shock ect and they were also undoubtoubly inconsistent. I think I will try slowwer comps tonight and see if I can get some consistent results. I will aim for three secounds. Thank you for sharing that piece of info as it is wonderful to have a set time that works in real life and will save me a lot of time fiddling around. The same aplies to the lift powder weight. I think what needs the most improvement though is my stars. Everything else is inconsistant but can work. My stars where charcoal streamer but burnt way too fast, in less than a second! I used ordinary meal with+20% mixed mesh charcoal. I just threw the whole batch in the ball mill, milled the charcoal fine and use it as rocket fuel, it works exelent! Tonight (now) I am going to try a batch with +40% charcoal of a slowwer burning kind (mixed hardwood barbeque stuff, not fast homemade stuff) and try a batch of stars with that.

Thank you Kembang Api, and I will never give up ...Never!

[Kembang Api]

Spoilettes composition that I used is just a normal BP. the inner diameter of my spoilettes 6 mm and the BP is rammed to about 30 mm length. The rest of it is fill with 3 to 4 stick of black fuse till the end.
Test it with a video camera and see if the timing is correct. That's how I do my testing.
I hope the image will give you a better view and understanding.

Is best that you spend the time to get the shell up with a good timing, before putting stars in it, just get the BANG. I hate to see stars flying above the ground or around you.

[al93535]

What do you guys use for colored star prime? I am getting only about 60-75% star ignition with one layer of slow BP with 10% aluminum. Any suggestions? Should I roll an additional layer, or use a different prime?
Thanks!!

[Creepin_pyro]

This prime works very well. It ignites hard to light stars such as veline's very reliably. Seems to work without a final meal prime.

"Veline style prime"

Source: pax

Potassium Perchlorate 62

Charcoal Airfloat 22

Magnalium, granular, -200 mesh 7

Dextrin 4

Aluminum, flake, dark, American dark. -325 mesh 3

Copper(II) Oxide, black 2

[al93535]

I don't have any magnalium. I do have 2 micron dark aluminum, but I don't want to use that on a prime! What about step priming? 50% star comp 50% of my prime, then another layer of prime. That should ignite the stars more reliably right? Humm, I may have to just use the 2 micron if I have to. I may try that prime without the magnalium if the step prime doesn't work.
Thanks,

[Creepin_pyro]

Step priming is a good idea if you're only using meal as a prime. If you can get some Silicon powder, it works great as an addition to meal priming. It has been discussed before, I think.

[al93535]

Is a 3 second burn time for stars on a 4" shell, which will rise for 3 seconds too long? Do you think they might reach the ground burning? I don't really think so, but I would like your opinions.
Thanks,

[Yugen-biki]

Probably to long. Try 2 seconds first. Stars in a 4" shell are about 9mm i diameter as a rule of thumb, but this depends on the comp they are mane out of.

EDIT: 9mm, not 19mm!

Edited by Yugen-biki, 23 April 2005 - 07:13 AM.

[Phoenix]

Beware that with some stars, most notably charcoal streamers, the sparks produced by the star can continue burning long after the star itself has burnt out.

I don't really know the answer to the original question. If everything was out after three seconds, I doubt it would get to the ground. However, depending on the visual effect you want, three seconds might be a bit too long (they may have drooped a bit).

[al93535]

My stars are 8 mm (5/16") in diameter, color stars, not charcaol. I want a crysanthemum look. So I think I will cut them down to 1/4" and about 2 seconds or a bit longer.
Thanks

Edited by al93535, 19 April 2005 - 08:25 AM.

[1145climber]

Hey. Not sure if its off-topic, sorry if it is... but its a cylindrical shell, so hey.

i just finished making a cylinder shell as per the instructions on "pyroteknix"s site. I have used a paper towel tube, and a small, thin, 3-layer, self-rolled, printer paper inner tube for the burst powder. my question is, will my stars ignite even though they are separated by the paper tube from the burst powder? i have not primed them or anything, but they seem to be fine when i launch them from a small star-test-tube with just a little bit of lift powder and one star. any comments?

EDIT: heres a pic to illustrate what i built

Edited by 1145climber, 22 April 2005 - 08:57 PM.

[Yugen-biki]

What do you use as burst and what kind of stars do you use?
The stars looks like charcoal stars and should not be a problem to ignite if you use BP burst. KP and H3 would probably work to.

I would think that the burst bag works fine. If the shell does not work properly (a week burst), I would use a stronger burst charge (or a booster), OR used smaller stars (or less of them). An other factor would be the shell itself. More paper on the outer tube and more properly glued ends increases the preasure in the shell before it bursts, and can propel the stars further. Stringing the shell is an alternative thet is often used.