36 replies to this topic

[maxman]

Dont know yet. I was told on rec.pyro not to make them more then 5mm. I have just pumped 100g 6mm! I'm not sure what prime to use at this point but I dont think they are much good for a star mine. Better use in a shell I'm thinking. I was told any bigger than 5mm and I'd have "strobe hail" infact adamw made some a while back here and described three strong flashes out of a bit the size of a pen nib. Maybe someone can help with what prime is best??

[wielder of fire]

i could imagine that you could make some prety awsome roman candles with them

[treefingers]

Dont know yet. I was told on rec.pyro not to make them more then 5mm. I have just pumped 100g 6mm! I'm not sure what prime to use at this point but I dont think they are much good for a star mine. Better use in a shell I'm thinking. I was told any bigger than 5mm and I'd have "strobe hail" infact adamw made some a while back here and described three strong flashes out of a bit the size of a pen nib. Maybe someone can help with what prime is best??

I'm reading Shimizus The Art Science and Tecnique and came across the chapter on strobe stars today. Anyway he gives an 'Ignition composition for twinklers' which is as follows......

Potassium Perchlorate - 74%
Rosin/Accroides Resin - 12%
Hemp or Paulownia coal - 6%
Fine flake aluminium - 3%
Potassium Bichromate - 5%

I cut about 100g of these stars to about 3mm today and made up some of this prime composition (minus the Bichromate and with willow charcoal). I'll test a few tomorrow to see if it makes any difference.

[Draco_Americanus]

manglum can indeed be used in flash, it has a nice and diffrent report, I forgot the fomula and my note book was lost in my house fire, i am trying to contact the vendor that gave me the ratio to use, i can post that if i get feedback from him.

[fishy1]

IIRC they were 1/2" pumped and yea they do seem to have quite a long burn time. I also found them quite hard to ignite so I had to use a step up prime as meal prime didn't seem to work.

The problem with this is i'm finding there is a delay before ignition and combined with thier slow burn rate they more often then not end up hitting the floor. For example below is a star mine I made with these stars...

http://www.youtube.c...4...ser&search=

Is there anyway around this? I was thinking of mabey trying a perchlorate based prime but i'm not sure if would be hot enough. Anyone have any ideas?

Why not just make smaller stars and use more of them?

[dr thrust]

sorry if this sounds stupid! what are magnesium alloy car,bike parts made from is it magnesium,aluminium,but not 50-50 but close for cheap magnalium,?

[RangerOfFire]

It might be close, the only way to tell is to either use it and find out, or find the part number/info and try to look up the metal content.

Just make a star for example using real MgAl and then one with the cheap MgAl and compare the differences.

The only thing is if you cant find the content to make sure it has adequate protection, eg: boric acid with nitrates or dont use it for flash as you won't know if it is mostly aluminium or magnesium.

EDIT: I know cooperman does some nice magnalium. I bought some recently but havn't used it yet.

Edited by RangerOfFire, 05 July 2007 - 07:55 PM.

[dr thrust]

thanks i'll treat myself to a bit of mag type car,bike parts off ebay

[FIZCRACLE]

thanks i'll treat myself to a bit of mag type car,bike parts off ebay

Hi there hope you don't mind me butting in , but if you would like some magnilluim ,I have been making it for a little while now and have a few different grades ,from the large lumps t the 100 # + smaller ,if you let me have your email address I can send you a sample, say 100 grams for £2 inc P+P. what size would you like ? I have plenty of 40 # which you could ball mill down if you want.
and if you like the sample , you can order more kind regards FCL

[dr thrust]

Hi there hope you don't mind me butting in , but if you would like some magnilluim ,I have been making it for a little while now and have a few different grades ,from the large lumps t the 100 # + smaller ,if you let me have your email address I can send you a sample, say 100 grams for £2 inc P+P. what size would you like ? I have plenty of 40 # which you could ball mill down if you want.
and if you like the sample , you can order more kind regards FCL

hi fizcracle no i dont mind you butting in!thanks for you kind offer where are you based,and what else have you been up to pyro wise,weve not seen many posts from you! fill us in

[FIZCRACLE]

hi fizcracle no i dont mind you butting in!thanks for you kind offer where are you based,and what else have you been up to pyro wise,weve not seen many posts from you! fill us in

Hi there well I used to mess around 30 years ago but life Bla Bla became al consuming,
life changes and now I am having funwith those big boys toys,
so now I have discovered how much fun it all is again.
making a furnace was quite simple , I was inspired bya great guy who will remain private for the time being. I have been experimenting with trying to get the best results with this alloy ( Magnillium)
it grows a thick black what looks like mould on the top when it gets air to it , and tends to waist a % age of the valuable alloy.
at he moment I am still experimenting , and will get back to you all when get it just right.

At th moment I am collecting as many interesting Chems as I can / half the fun is finding and obtainning them , as a layman it's a chalenge.
some sulpyers take the micky on profit side of things,
I am bassed in lincolshire,( I shall keep my ananimatty for now )
but look forwards to interesting new posts in the future, althoe I have a few years under my belt I am lerning all the time and don;t want to look too dumb for now, but I am startting from scrach in many aspects , just made some pretty good black match , string pulled through silicone tube with good willow bp + dextrin , dryed and doubled then rolled into water proof tape , if too tight it bgs as it burns through, but genarally burns instantaniusly, ( BLOODY FAST )
and has neve failled (YET)!?!?!?!? am amkeing stars at the moment and mortar tubes ,( Can't wait!)
to let a few big ones off. I will put some picks on thepost as soon as I am able , cheers for now folfk's FCL

[sasman]

Hi Fizcracle

I have made my own magnalium it is very easy...altho the resulting product seems more reactive than commercial stuff i have tried . here is a video of how some magnalium i made a few weeks ago..about 8 kg worth .. Clip of making Magnalium

[dr thrust]

great vid,but 8kg! have you won the lottery

[sasman]

Making magnalium is not expensive?.. i bought my magnesium from USA a few years ago i think it worked out at about $10 kilo? i paid more for the postage? from the USA..I think even at today's prices Magnalium works out at about £10 Kg using scrap Al & Mg..

[dr thrust]

sorry my bad!,erm on your vid i notice when you are scraping the slag/crud off the top and it touches the crucible and it catches fire what is stopping the whole lot going up?ps whats the black stuff you put on it at the end,thanks chris