48 replies to this topic

[BigBang]

... Must... Resist... Urge... To make flash...
You expect seeing that to stop someone from making flash?

Yes i do actually - and in fact it has. It obviously wont stop everybody, there are always going to be idiots who wont listen, and have to realise the dangers the hard way....from your sarcastic comments, sounds like youre one of them.

[BrightStar]

... Must... Resist... Urge... To make flash...
You expect seeing that to stop someone from making flash?

I guess it depends on whether or not you value having all your fingers in later life...

One thing the video demonstrates that hasn't been commented on above, is just how sensitive to ignition many types of flash are. I have been surprised to see the smallest imaginable glowing paper ember (no visible smoke or flame, everyone thought it had gone out minutes before...) initiate <1g of flash (a red mix in this case) causing it to self confine and report...

Please believe that the mods here are not joking when they warn about these comps.

Edited by BrightStar, 09 January 2007 - 08:15 PM.

[karlfoxman]

Burning embers can easily ignite flash, as soon as it touches the comp it will go. Bigbang showed us the power of flash and he did so with intent to put people off, a few of us know how deadly this stuff is. But no one should take this as a joke, I just hope no one finds out after an accident. One day im sure we will recieve a post from someone who has had a near miss, unfortunatly I feel the temptation to make it will still be there.

All we can do is try to put people off, when we say its dangerous were not kidding its not just the mods/admins trying to let people know its most of the members here. It is such a sore subject and there are many people amazed with its huge power, some of these people will only give the real pyrotechnics a bad name.

Stay safe and dont mess with high power flash compositions, if you do im sure oneday you will be the subject of future tropics.

[TCblastmaster]

The demo graphically demonstrates the destructive capability of a tiny ammount of flash. Imagine a large pile of that detonating when mixing it! Also note the limited energy applied to instantly set it off - striking your fingernail against it or knocking a container on to it when mixing would probably do the same.

Having made small batches of whistle mix (to break smaller shells) and despite safety precautions I still get nervous.

I have some 2 micron atomised Mg and have never been tempted to combine it with an oxidizer. In a fire Mg will even extract the oxygen from sand or water - just imagine if it were combined with a ready source of huge amounts of oxygen.

My quest has been to find a safer alternative to using traditional flash compositions, namely in the form of what Shimizu terms as a Negative Expl*si*e ( when a substance with a very large reduction capacity, in combination with a substance considered to be inert in pyrotechnic terms, forms a higly reactive pyro composition).

A while ago I did some experimentation with Mg/MgSO4 and the results were encouraging but further work is required to fine tune it. It is also considerably more stable.

Sadly, I think there are people out there who will view this site and other less suitable ones with the express intention of making flash, regardless of the risk. A suitable and safer alternative would be a good thing.

TC