22 replies to this topic

[Rhodri]

Hi

Recently I've been making up some glitter formulations and pumping these into stars.

I find the glitter effect to be quite amazing but quite difficult to reproduce accurately each time.

Has anyone any information to share on this topic?

[BigG]

Procedure. It is unfortunate but if you divert from your procedure and the material then the result might be different. Because amateurs change base material and work in small batches, the restuls can be different every time.

It’s a good practice to keep a small log book with details of compositions, procedures and summery of the results so those can be repeated as accurately as possible. Even so, in some cases it will be of no help. For example, strobe is hard to get right even by commercial manufacturer. Lancaster details in his book a conversation he had with a manufacture. He asked the fellow about the factors that create good strobe effect. The respond was something like: “it depend on the day. Some days it’s better and some days it’s not as good…”

BigG

[Rhodri]

This sounds familiar.....I make small batches only (< 50g). I try to use the same C each time and do takes notes.

I've found that 'over mixing' the powders seriously affects the 'glitter' factor.

Too much mixing and those little 'sparkles' don't appear and one gets a comet. Too little mixing and the star is difficult to ignite even with priming.

From my findings, glitter is one of the most elusive of the pyro. arts to master yet the effect is well worth the effort even if it's only captured once.

[Creepin_pyro]

With the permission of the publisher of "The Firemaker" (many thanks to Bonnie Kosanke for obtaining it for me) I'm pleased to present a short but rather interesting article on perchlorate glitter (which I previously thought didn't exist...) by Baron Eric Von Baum.

You can download the PDF here:
http://creeper.250free.com/VonBaum.pdf

Discuss : )

[Frozentech]

With the permission of the publisher of "The Firemaker" (many thanks to Bonnie Kosanke for obtaining it for me) I'm pleased to present a short but rather interesting article on perchlorate glitter (which I previously thought didn't exist...) by Baron Eric Von Baum.

You can download the PDF here:
http://creeper.250free.com/VonBaum.pdf

Discuss : )

Perhaps it was just me, but that came as a blank pdf file ? I'd sure like to read it.

[karlfoxman]

Just you i think, i can read it. Thanks for that Creepin its really interesting to read up on stuff like that. I recently read up on the theory of whistles and its very complicated stuff but really useful to know.

[paul]

Very interesting input!!! Although it was an short excerpt only, it was very very interesting to read.
Most of all, as I read through alanys page today (keep it up guy! great work!!!!) I asked myself what the other glitter compositions are that alany doesn?t mention.

Then this link answered to all my questions!

many thanks,

paul

[seymour]

It comes up blank for me too.

[paul]

www.kkpaul.rpgames.de/VonBaum.pdf

I just upped it to my space to give everybody the chance to access it. If I am not allowed to do this, please contact me. I?ll delete that file then.

with best regards,

paul

[maxman]

Can anyone tell me if I could substitute strontium carbonate for the barium carbonate used in Winokur 39 glitter?

Kno3----------------------- 51
Charcoal--------------------19
Trisulfide--------------------12
325 mesh spherical al--------9
dex -------------------------4
barium carb -----------------5

[pyrotrev]

I'm sure you could - perhaps you'll need to slightly adjust quantities for the different atomic weights of Sr and Ba - maybe you'll get slightly pinkish glitter? I'm sure I've seen formulations that use strontium carbonate elsewhere

[Mumbles]

It'll be fine. You probably won't even be able to tell the difference.

[YT2095]

if you`re using Grams per part so that 5parts of BaCO3 = 5g
then to replace with the Sr analog you`de need roughly 3.7g

BaCO3 g/mol = 197
SrCO3 g/mol = 147


hope that helps a little

[Bonny]

Can anyone tell me if I could substitute strontium carbonate for the barium carbonate used in Winokur 39 glitter?

Kno3----------------------- 51
Charcoal--------------------19
Trisulfide--------------------12
325 mesh spherical al--------9
dex -------------------------4
barium carb -----------------5

I'm curious, is the carbonate added to this formula to neutralize a potential reaction between the aluminum and nitrate? I know many formulas call for boric acid when Al and nitrates are present...

[maxman]

It is used as a delay agent for glitter in that formula, however my substitution of strontium carbonate in this case didnt work! Maybe something else cause the fact that I couldn't get this comp to glitter. (see my post on Sunday in cylindrical shells thread)