16 replies to this topic

[BradC94]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and this is my first topic.

I am just wanting to know, what the best way is to make 'Flash Powder'? I have read some books that show great little projects (e.g small fireworks, stars, mini cherry bombs etc) but they require you to make up some Flash Powder first ( but strangely it doesn't say how too). So i thought i would come on here and ask for your help.

So what is the best way to make flash powder for small projects?

I have heard the most common and probably best way is potassium perchlorate and aluminum mix, but what do you think.

Cant wait for replies

Cheers

[portfire]

Ok, first off your new to the hobby and should NOT be "playing" with flash at this stage, seeing as you don't know the safest way to mix it!

Start small-Fountains, Wheels, Rockets. There alot more fun and you will learn the basics....READ, READ, READ and then somemore

Yes a nice bang is ok but you have to understand the dangers of this hobby, if your not careful even making a Fountain can lead to a accident!

[blasterbert]

please dont make this stuff yet you are not ready and would not want to here of you blowing your hands off.try the basic bp first.dont want to put a dampner on things i would would rather you live a full life.take care

[rocketpro]

I would echo what has already been said. The top priority in this hobby is safety. The first thing you should do is learn all you can about chemical sensitivity and reactions. There are some very good books around on the subject, and you can find useful information here on the forum. Remember, a little knowledge in pyro is dangerous, you can easily end up losing fingers, limbs, or even worse if you don`t fully understand what you are doing. Take your time and learn slowly, if you`re seriously interested in this hobby there`s a lot you can do without the need to make flash powders so early.

[BradC94]

Hi folks,

I have been making small projects for about a year or so now and the classic smoke bombs and black snakes etc are getting a bit dull. So now I feel I am ready to start some new projects, which is why I came here, to speak with the experienced.

Hope you can help

[digger]

We can, but try perfecting your BP first. This alone will make you learn a great deal and improve your skills no end.

[pyrotechnist]

If you want bangs without mixing dangerous flash then just make small rip-raps or get paper tape put some black powder down the middle of the tape and fold it over and seal one end up. When lit they will make a loud crack!

Like the others have said start small and make black powder, then fountains, then wheels etc etc and work your way up and read books and literature online oooh and this forum! Smoke bombs and snakes are not in the pyrotechnical sense basic projects but more novelty quick fun items and themselves can be very dangerous. If you haven't made a proper pyrotechnical device I wouldn't advice you to make any sort of highly energetic powder like flash as it sounds like you haven't even yet made black powder though I may be wrong. At least with smoke bombs and snakes you will still have a hand and the rest of your body but with flash you are taking that chance that you may just not be so lucky.

[BradC94]

Thanks for the replies guys,

Yes, I have made some black powder in the past, not large amounts though. Can anyone give me some ideas for projects though, specifically ones that involve BP, it will give me an excuse to make a badge up.

Also does anyone know the name of any books that contain projects (like a pyrotechnic recipe book)

Cheers guys

Keep it coming

[Guido Fawkes]

Brad I know how you feel, but every thing thats been said is dead right. That said if your like me and are going to do it anyway The most important thing is keep any Quantitys small
and grind or stir nothing. you can ease things together on a sheet of paper rolling it from side to side corner to corner. I was once arrested for causing a major incident in a northern town. I was interviewed by the military and C.I.D charges were finally dropped but it wasn't much fun and I caused a lot of people a lot of grief. I managed this shamefull situation with about a gram of a similar substance you are proposing its not just injury you should worry about. Make some good B.P first its damn near as fast as flash and the process and patience to make the fastest is what pyros about.

[pyrotechnist]

Make a basic fountain using a small tube with a thick enough wall, add clay for the nozzle (bentonite clay or kitty litter), make a batch of black powder with excess charcoal e.g. 60 BP 30 C and mix well, then lightly compress this into the tube layer by layer and add another clay plug once you feel your near the end (about 1" or so away maybe) and hand drill an exhaust whole in the first clay plug. The first clay plug btw should be around the same thickness as the inner diameter of the tube. Once done add some black match and test it out. If you do not have black match then this is the first thing you should be making.

Mix 95 BP with 5 dextrin thoroughly and dampen it with 75 water and 25 alcohol solution. Keep mixing and adding the solution until you get a soup like consistency. After this get one or two strands of cotton string (not plastic) and add it to the solution. Slowly work the black powder mix into the string with a gloved hand or stick and then get one end of the string and pull it between your fingers to get rid of excess black powder mix and then hang to dry. If using two strings then twist them around each other before drying. This is the basic method of making black match and there are many more methods for making more reliable and better quality black match and I am sure you can find them by searching Google or this forum.

I am in no way responsible for anyone having accidents using the above methods and am just stating how you can make basic pyrotechnical items for experimentation uses only. The making of the above items is down to the person and is at his/hers risk.

[digger]

Make a basic fountain using a small tube with a thick enough wall, add clay for the nozzle (bentonite clay or kitty litter), make a batch of black powder with excess charcoal e.g. 60 BP 30 C and mix well, then lightly compress this into the tube layer by layer and add another clay plug once you feel your near the end (about 1" or so away maybe) and hand drill an exhaust whole in the first clay plug. The first clay plug btw should be around the same thickness as the inner diameter of the tube. Once done add some black match and test it out. If you do not have black match then this is the first thing you should be making.

Mix 95 BP with 5 dextrin thoroughly and dampen it with 75 water and 25 alcohol solution. Keep mixing and adding the solution until you get a soup like consistency. After this get one or two strands of cotton string (not plastic) and add it to the solution. Slowly work the black powder mix into the string with a gloved hand or stick and then get one end of the string and pull it between your fingers to get rid of excess black powder mix and then hang to dry. If using two strings then twist them around each other before drying. This is the basic method of making black match and there are many more methods for making more reliable and better quality black match and I am sure you can find them by searching Google or this forum.

I am in no way responsible for anyone having accidents using the above methods and am just stating how you can make basic pyrotechnical items for experimentation uses only. The making of the above items is down to the person and is at his/hers risk.

I am not a fan of using a drill near any pyro comp (I know some do), no matter how insensitive. Why not just make a nozzle former? It should be easy enough, there are plenty of simple easy ways to do it.

[BradC94]

If you do not have black match then this is the first thing you should be making.

Cheers, I have never made 'Black Match' before as I've always had plenty of visco fuse kicking around. I was watching a vid on it last nite and read a section in a book about it, but what I need to know is, the funnel used to draw the mixture onto the string, do you put the holes in that yourself or can you buy ones like that.

Also, does anyone know a supplier of Visco Fuse (last few metres left) so its a good thing I decided to make my Black Match today. Any info would be great.


; Is this the best way to make it, take a look and tell me if you find a better way.

Thanks

[CCH Concepts]

one comment i would make as I'm sure a lot would agree, i jump straight in with flash and didn't know what i was doing. i was advised against it by members of this forum, i had a small accident with a energetic mixture and I'm lucky i didn't get hurt and this stuff wasn't as powerful as flash, if i had listen at the start and realized what i was dealing with it wouldst have happened.

there is more than enough to read on this sight about flash to get across the power you are dealing with. took me a while to realizes,, but a bang is easy and can get you into trouble, its everything else that is hard colors, effects, fountains, roman candles rockets etc. Ive not come close to getting these right yet.

[Arthur Brown]

Flash is simple, it's a two component dry mix with almost NO technique needed. Flash effect is instant it WILL annoy your neighbours with sudden noise, and it may cause you personal injury. Some flash mixes are ridiculously sensitive and can initiate on hand friction.

Seriously flash is a bad place to be and an even worse place to start.

[dr thrust]

Cheers, I have never made 'Black Match' before as I've always had plenty of visco fuse kicking around. I was watching a vid on it last nite and read a section in a book about it, but what I need to know is, the funnel used to draw the mixture onto the string, do you put the holes in that yourself or can you buy ones like that.

Also, does anyone know a supplier of Visco Fuse (last few metres left) so its a good thing I decided to make my Black Match today. Any info would be great.


; Is this the best way to make it, take a look and tell me if you find a better way.

Thanks

the method on the video looks sound, you'll have to drill the hole in the side of the funnel yourself, alternatively there's a page on it here pyroguide black match this method is fine for 4/5 foot lengths, i use it myself.

although blackmatch itself isn't an ideal substitute for visco as the flame can jump along the length of the fuse giving a unpredictable burn rate, the main use to blackmatch is the the production of quickmatch which incredibly fast burning, ideal when you want to light a succession of fireworks at the same time

Edited by chris m, 04 April 2010 - 01:49 PM.