71 replies to this topic

[Yugen-biki]

I don?t think wisco will ignite thermite.... Using some shaveings of Mg and matches did the trick when I first lit some thermite. In order to light themite using a fuse of any sort you will need a "priming comp.". BP and Mg shaveings useing something like 50:50; BP:Mg (...guessing) will probably be lighted using a fuse and then lite the thermite.

I have tried sparklers (the ones with a "iron stick" coated with greyish comp. (BaNo3, Fe... )). And they did not work for me. Sparklers are often said to light thermite in "hand-books" and "cook-books", but Mg (ribbod is good) is the best.


By the way: I have tried a gold star made of "Thermite and BP". The star first burns fast and leaves a hot lump of molten Al and FeO. When a large enough ammount of Al+FeO have formed it reacts and "explodes" leaving a cloud of glowing iron. I never tested it in a shell but in a rocket. I think it was Lancaster?s.

EDIT: Spelling ;-)

Edited by Yugen-biki, 25 March 2004 - 05:22 PM.

[Phoenix]

Sounds great! Do you have the formula (hint hint )?

Apparantly copper thermite in particular makes quite a bit of UV, although I don't know how this compares to a sunny day, but I would be cautious about igniting large quantities too close. Remember that even if it is no more than sunlight, your irises will have opened much wider in the dark so you will get a lot more hit your retina anyway.

[Yugen-biki]

It?s like welding. Don?t look into the flame!

Formula later... maby to day...

[Yugen-biki]

Found it: page 151 GLITTER EFFECTS "Aluminium Glitter" Table 6.2.

Weight %
Potassium Nitrate 50,0%
Pine charcoal 6,9
Sulfur 20,0
Atomized Al 17,3
Ferric oxide Fe2O3 5,8

The Fe2O3 is the black one right? I have tried using the red and it works.

[Phoenix]

Thankyou I don't have any iron oxide of any kind at the moment (yes, I know it's easy enough to make etc etc - but I can't be bothered) but I'll have a go next time I run into some. I think Fe2O3 is the red one, so it would have worked. Fe3O4 is black, I think.

[Stuart]

Fe3O4 wont be it, oxidation numbers don't add up. FeO will probably be Black

Stuart

[dfk]

I was under the impression that thermite was supposed to be HOT and burn through things.

I used the comp found in the site from my previous post.

The mix burnt somewhat slow and in a strobing manner that sprayed a lot sparks. The resulting iron solidified immediately after the burn stopped and the metal plate the reaction took place on didn't even get red hot..I was pretty disappointed.
Are there hotter thermite mixes?

The above glitter comp looks interesting, seems simple but lacks delay, how was the effect Yugen?
have you tried others to compare it to?

My recent project has been to find a glitter I like, to eventually commit to some bigger shells. I have been making a lot small batches, I will probably give this one a try as well.

[Yugen-biki]

I have not tested any other glitter stars. I made this one quite some time ago. When makeing stars out of that comp I found out that the star size is important. To large and they will not work properly. On the other hand, when I first made this star I had just started with pyro. You will have to try it your selfs.


dfk

The mix burnt somewhat slow and in a strobing manner that sprayed a lot sparks. The resulting iron solidified immediately after the burn stopped and the metal plate the reaction took place on didn't even get red hot..I was pretty disappointed.
Are there hotter thermite mixes?

My first thermite burnt very fast! When I had gotten my eyesight back I got my crappy APS camera out of my pocket and snapped the lumps of still glowing iron! The day after i got back to the tesing-ground to collect a sample. After giving up fiddeling with my fingers to losen a iron ball from the rock, I bent lose some iron using my keys. After that I made only one more thermite mixture. This time larger on placed on grass. I never found any big lumps of iron. Maby they vere sprayed around or it digged it self down in the soil.
I never intend to destroy life or property so I can?t find any reason to make more?. Now it?s something like 4 years ago i tested it.

[Demented Ferret]

Sounds very interesting...I haven't been able to get hold of some Magnesium as of yet to ignite my compounds, which is dissapointing. I've checked Labpack, and the prices seem reasonable, but they won't let me buy anything without spending a set amount of cash. I've also checked e-bay, which is far too expensive. If anyone has some ribbon to spare, I'll pay a few quid for a few snippets, as a whole roll is overkill at this stage [contact me: d_ferret @ hotmail.com] . I'll also take pictures and observations for those who are interested.

Thanks.

Edited by Demented Ferret, 01 April 2004 - 03:00 PM.

[adamw]

I have come across an interesting formula. Not very practical but amusing...

It was created while I was dreaming up glitter comps. I dont have the exact forumla on hand but here is what it does..

When lit (with ease) it burns calmly and without much 'energy' and melts into a glowing red blob. When 'poked' (maybe 'disturbed' is a more scientific word) - from a good distance away may I add, it explodes into crackling, strobing red molten drops / sparks.

[Demented Ferret]

Wow. Sounds pretty good. If you remember/find the formula, be sure to post it .

[Demented Ferret]

Hold on - Y'can get hydrous Iron oxide (which is yellow), I'd check it out, but my guess is (if it even works), is that the extreme heat would atomise the h2o and explode?

[crazyjim]

I've set a few thermite reactions (more than 12), and they are very difficult to ignite. ( Using 80 mesh Al, and LR grade powdered red iron oxide)I prefer the glycerine and Potassium Permanganate wet fuse, as it lets you get away a bit (Anti freeze works almost as well as glycerine, but you don't get the nice purple flames, for some reason. But generally I now use a first fire mix under the permanganate, as it is much more reliable. My fisrt fire mix contains sulphur/KNO3 and AL, in a rough diaper mix, so far no misfires.

The best effects are seen putting the thermite inside TWO flower pots, the inner one will generaly crack vioently, and the moulton iron pours out the hole. I like to use DRY sand in a box to catch it. It is a nice effect, as the there are three distinct phases, the purple flames, followed by sparkles and them whomp, the thermite burns and lites up the whole garden, for a second or two, and then you get the glow of the iron for a few minutes. The outer flower pot also means you don't get that annoying dot in your vision for the next two days...

I doubt visco will work reliably, as thermite needs to be heated yellow-white hot on its surface before it goes. This incidentally takes about 6 minutes with one of those creme brulee torches, and I do not recommend being anywhere near it when it catches, unless you have a ponchant for being sprayed with moulten iron.

-Jim

[spawned]

Nice, i will try the thermite rection when my iron oxide arrives.

Can you use sparklers to ignite these , if so reliably?

[Demented Ferret]

I have pure Glycerin (It says 99% Glycerin/Glucagon on the bottle) and some potassium permanganate...The problem is, the PP was from an old chemistry set, would that stop it from being as pure [I've tried the reaction without success].