10 replies to this topic

[Pyromaster2003]

can APAN be used to produce the effect of a ground hit?maybe a small amount in a small conatiner like a yoghurt pot with a layer of stars on top and then placed under ground and electrically detonated.

p.s. just trying to get this forum started!

[Richard H]

hmmm.

1) A yoghurt pot is not very professional

2) Any stars would probably be shattered by the immense shock wave

3) High explosives are used sometimes to simulate a ground hit. They used a lot in the film 'Saving Private Ryan'.

[leniol]

I've been trying to detonate (I think this term can accurately be used here) KClO3 & Sulphur with the substance found in party poppers. the whole mess is ignited with b/match attached to the detonator, though it doesn't work. Any ideas? Ps the whole idea is to build an 'unconfined salute' with a nice bright flash, just in case anyone gets the wrong idea

[Pyromaster2003]

i said 'like' a yoghurt pot because it would be easier to describe what im after. was just an idea anyway, need someone good with this stuff to explain how this affect would be done and if HE would actualy be needed.

[adamw]

Like Mr H said - the little delicate stars will get mashed into oblivion. HE can be used, but flash or even confined whistle mix or BP can be used, depending on the size of the effect, weight of the material to be lifted, noise problems, safety distances etc etc etc. (ie a lot of things need to be considered). To give an impression of more 'power', talc (french chalk), fullers earth, cement powder, lamp black etc can be used to create a dust cloud ('heave') of the required colour and texture. If trails of smoke, 'burning debris', sparks etc are needed, a small diameter shell (fused to blow instantaneously) or mine can be used. Comets can also be used and directioned as needed. A nice effect is to use little pots (pref. biodegradable, such as fibre potting aids for plants) filled with the effect's dust powder and positioned on top of the pile. When the charge goes, the pots of powder get shot up, trailing their dust as they go. This makes the effect look bigger and more impressive.

In the picture, fullers earth and paper cups of powder are used to provide the effect. Also, as if it wasnt obvious, these effects should be 'dug in' to the ground where possible, not only will it conceal the effect, it will make it safer as any fragments will be projected upwards using the shape of the hole. For certain effects, metal pans, of different shapes and sizes (called 'directional mortars') are used. No point using these with a HE effect though, becuase it's the last time you'll use the mortar, and you get the added 'bonus' of free metal shrapnel!!

Anything else you want to know??





Grr... the smileys are kicking the ass out of my punctuation! :mad:

[Edited on 7-7-2003 by adamw]

[Pyromaster2003]

omg that is amazing, didnt realise you were that good. thanks a lot for the help and advice and safety and tips and pictures, anything i missed?cheers, Chris

[Steve]

Got a good effect from a crappy mill of bp. My freind milled 500g of bp, but he wasn't happy with it for a reason i can't remember ( probably big lumps of charcoal ). So he decided to waste it. His idea was to just fuse it on the ground and set fire to it for a sort of fireball effect.
I had a better plan.
Just a simple bag of bp meal buried about 1 foot under loose soil exploded and through loads of dirt up, looked quite impressive. Got a vidio of it as well and some stills.

Steve

P.s. Adam - How do you stick pictures up on the forum?

[Pyromaster2003]

il answere for him if thats ok, you need to first put the picture up on a website and then you click on the 'Insert a Hyperlink' button (little pic of the earth with a little link under it) and then copy and paste the site address where your picture is at;)

[Rhodri]

I few years ago I made a great effect - a sort of 'fire ball' effect using an empty 35mm film capsule and BP/napthelene.

A wonderful effect but too large for the garden!

Great smell too.....

Adam, do you use napthalene professionally?

[Richard H]

Rhodri, Could you please edit a post if you make a mistake instead of posting a new reply.

Thanks

[adamw]

Yes, naphthalene (commonly mistaken for 'Napalm' for some reason by foolish public mortal sorts) is used extensively in the trade. By day I work in pyro, by night I am a one man moth destroying machine. I actually like moths though, and by night I also do firework displays, sometime with naphthalene. Woohoo.