8 replies to this topic

[Potassium chlorate]

The guy inventing it is a member here as well as on Youtube but has been inactive in both places for months.

Anyone tried it? It seems very promising. A Swedish pyrotechnician has a similar system but not that simplified.

I don't know why he uses parlon and PVC, though. Less residues with PVC perhaps? Because parlon has a much higher chlorine content.

As far as I can see, you could also substitute Mg for MgAl and KClO₃ for KClO₄ in it.

Kcnkickthecat colour system

Edited by Pyroswede, 16 June 2010 - 08:21 AM.

[shellbreak]

looks a bit complicated to me. 7 or 8 different chems in each formular and half a doz dif oxidizers! the parlon stars and velines system is a lot better i think keep it simple i say,

[Potassium chlorate]

Yes, but you have the base mix, and once you have that you know that you always have 30% of the base and 70% of the oxidizers. And you need at least one oxidizer for every colour anyway.

The Swedish pyrotechnician has a similar system with Mg, parlon and red gum as a "base". Then he uses either chlorates or perchlorates as additional chlorine donors.

Look here how one single 10 mm star I made with it looks:

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=xL8Mne7uJqw

The composition is:

Potassium chlorate 30
Strontium nitrate 37
Mg 14
parlon 14
red gum 5

Is that a bright star or what?

[Potassium chlorate]

Except for when it comes to chlorates or metallic fueled compositions, you will need at least two chlorine donors anyway. If you use perchlorates you will either need both potassium and ammonium perchlorate or a chlorine donor like parlon. One simply won't do for really good colours.

And for stars way up in the sky metallic fuel might also be needed if you don't want them to look pale.

Edited by Pyroswede, 16 June 2010 - 04:43 PM.

[Mumbles]

I've found some proportion of chlorine donor noticeably improves chlorate stars, but not as much is needed as with perchlorates. 5-6% with chlorates vs 10-12% with perchlorates.

[Potassium chlorate]

I've found some proportion of chlorine donor noticeably improves chlorate stars, but not as much is needed as with perchlorates. 5-6% with chlorates vs 10-12% with perchlorates.

Here in Europe potassium chlorate is much cheaper than perchlorate. It also performs much better in most compositions. So you save money both when using a chlorate instead of a perchlorate as well as when you just need to add a few percents of parlon.

[digger]

Here in Europe potassium chlorate is much cheaper than perchlorate. It also performs much better in most compositions. So you save money both when using a chlorate instead of a perchlorate as well as when you just need to add a few percents of parlon.

This is not the case any more. Maybe from hobby suppliers the price of perc is more than chlorate. They are just taking advantage of the hobby supply market. Actual pyro suppliers to industry now charge about 40% more for chlorate over perchlorate!!!

[Potassium chlorate]

This is not the case any more. Maybe from hobby suppliers the price of perc is more than chlorate. They are just taking advantage of the hobby supply market. Actual pyro suppliers to industry now charge about 40% more for chlorate over perchlorate!!!

I don't have a VAT nr. If I had, I'd buy from NitroParis. That would be the cheapest source of all.

Edited by Pyroswede, 17 June 2010 - 04:37 PM.

[digger]

This maybe true, but the problem lies with the quantities that need to be purchased. Don't forget to factor in transport costs, they can be very high. For example if you ordered perchlorate, magnesium powder, aluminium powder and charcoal they would have to go as 4 separate pallets! Due to the compatibility issues. The magnesium can't even be shipped with the aluminium! So you will find that it is not as cheap as you think if you are only ordering single drums/sacks of each. It does start to get advantageous however when you are ordering large quantities.