Crackling Stars
#1
Posted 28 September 2003 - 08:34 PM
Stuart
#2
Posted 28 September 2003 - 08:44 PM
#3
Posted 28 September 2003 - 09:32 PM
Commonly Mg / MgAl, Lead tetraoxide, Bismuth oxide / subcarbonate etc. They arent too easy either...
#4
Posted 29 September 2003 - 07:55 AM
Went to a party on Saturday night - lots of purchased fireworks from "Millenium Fireworks" - anyone heard of these?
Anyway, we hade x1 HUGE crackiling fountain cone - approx. 0.7m in height!
It was big - fantastic golden sparks layered with loud crackling stars. Lasted for around 1 minute 30.
Very cool.
I'd love to me able to make these.
#5
Posted 10 January 2004 - 08:59 PM
How are crackling stars made or what chems are used to make them?
Stuart
Crackling microstars:
____________________Best AFN 3___Best AFN 3____Best AFN 3
Lead tetraoxide____________________70__________81.8
Bismuth trioxide________75
Magnalium, -200 mesh___15__________17.5__________9.1
Black copper oxide______10__________12.5__________9.1
Aluminum,_____________+5__________+5_______________200 mesh atomized
type_________________cut____________cut_________Rolled or cut
solvent:______________10% NC lacq.__10% NC lacq.__10% NC lacq.
Notes: PBO3 is nasty stuff , Proper safety gear, (Long sleeves, Respirator, Goggles, etc.) as red lead will go "EVERYWHERE" when you open container or grinder, work outside, you upwind, chemicals downwind. No Eating or drinking until you change clothes and shower. I learned the hard way and have a slight lead level in my blood as the result... ...Caveat Emptor..... Bismuth trioxide works nearly just as well and is not "As" toxic.
Quick and easy microstars by me......Choose formula. Place ingredients in ziplock bag, Shake rattle and roll until ingredients are well blended ( Purists will be screaming Static, Plastic, Static....(Work on a day that humidity is about 55 to 60 and use static gard spray OK)), now then...dilute N/C Laquer to 10% (Assuming you have 25% stock) concentration, spray in bag and wet comp and knead gently until a putty-like consistency results, reserve some of the dry comp in case you over wet, or just leave bag open and acetone will evap quickly. With gloved hands, remove putty from bag form a ball and gently scrape ball of compound across a window screen mesh size sieve, again, not rocket science here, use what you have, allow putty to drop onto kraft paper through sieve, forming small stars, do not layer, but move sieve around to form a single layer of the small "Stars". If putty comes through sieve in the form of "strings" putty is too wet, just knead some more and it will become the right consistency, go back to screening process. Acetone will evaporate in a day easily, sooner if it's warm out side. These can be placed in fountain comps and will give you some cool effects, to use them as real stars, they will need a prime, straight Meal-D just put some in a suitable bowl, spray micro-stars with 10% N/C Laquer and drop onto Meal-D, give em a shake, spray again give another shake and you should have great layer of prime that will take Fire easily.
Hope that answers your questions Stuart,
Regards, Stay Green,
Bear
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#6
Posted 10 January 2004 - 11:54 PM
Chris
#7
Posted 11 January 2004 - 07:37 PM
Edited by Yugen-biki, 12 January 2004 - 11:47 AM.
http://www.freewebs....biki/Index.html
#8
Posted 11 January 2004 - 07:56 PM
I know that a small pile of Mg:KCLO4 will explode unconfined, in the open in small amounts...
#9
Posted 11 January 2004 - 08:15 PM
I have heard crackling star may be made from some comp using BaNO3, Al or Mg and maby chlorate. I dont really remember but if lead and bismuth is hard to get it might be worth testing. But crackling stars are dangerous due to friction and shock problems...
A safer way may be to make a number off small salutes with safer flash comps... Multi salute shell...
http://www.freewebs....biki/Index.html
#10
Posted 11 January 2004 - 08:38 PM
#11
Posted 11 January 2004 - 08:58 PM
Stuart
Edited by Stuart, 11 January 2004 - 09:11 PM.
#12
Posted 11 January 2004 - 09:35 PM
Products vary but I once wittnessed automobile body putty used in a micro star demo. Red lead I presume. If the lead compounds are difficult to obtain it might be worth some investigation. Bismuth is the way to go.
#13
Posted 11 January 2004 - 09:58 PM
Stuart
#14
Posted 11 January 2004 - 10:16 PM
Some excerpts from Wagners Chemical Technology (1872)
"Red lead of excellent is largely manufactured near Newcastle-on-Tyne, by carefully heating oxide of lead in a reverberatory furnace expressly built for that purpose, the access of air being limited so as to prevent the fusion of that portion of the oxide which cannot be converted into minium. "
"sulphate of lead is heated with Chili saltpeter, and after the mass has been exhausted with water the red lead is left, while sulfate and nitrate of soda are dissolved."
Edited by bernie, 11 January 2004 - 10:34 PM.
#15
Posted 11 January 2004 - 10:23 PM
EDITED 12/01/03 9:09AM:
Oh actually I think I was thinking of making iron oxide quickly for use in thermolite.
I found this on good old dictionary.com though:
A poisonous bright red powder, Pb3O4, used in paints, glass, pottery, and packing for pipe joints.
So you might be able to get it from potterycrafts, thats where I get my strontium and barium carbonates... (They don't have their entire catalogue online though)
Tris
Edited by tajmiester, 12 January 2004 - 09:19 AM.
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