6 replies to this topic

[pritch]

I thought it would be a nice idea for some experienced members to write down where you can actually buy tried and tested equipment to be used for pyro.

The process of reading through all the different information and the conflicting suggestions and then having to track down what has been mentioned has certainly been the most difficult part of pyro for me.

So so far I have the chemicals, scales, paper and all purpose filler. I know how to get a mill through buying one or making one. My problem is finding mesh screens, safety gloves and goggles.

So I will start off with what valuable information I have learned.

Firstly for suppliers of chemicals
http://www.gardenchemicals.co.uk
Their Kno3 is pure and costs
?2.50 per 100g
?9.50 per 500g
They also sell flowers of sulphur which is not as good as regular quality sulphur. I ordered from them and it took 1 week to come.

http://www.gardendirect.co.uk/
I havent tried these people but theres lots of other information on the forum because apparently they are the best for value, although you have to buy a 25 kg bag off them but it's allot cheaper per kilo.

www.labpakchemicals.com
I haven't tried these people either. All I know is they sell a wide range of chemicals that would be useful in pyro.

Right now for a ball mill. There's loads of links on this forum about making them but personally I think I will just buy one to save the hassle.

http://www.mancheste...dle

http://www.littlegem...r_machines.html

You then need some balls to put in it. Lead seems to be the most popular and you can buy them from
http://www.sutlers.c...ssories_39.html
Im not sure which callibre you need to purchase yet. So if somebody could tell me that would be apreciated.

You also need safety gloves and goggles. I think I have found a good place but im not sure what to get.

http://www.diynot.co...p/Safety/Gloves
So far the welders gauntlets look best.

The safety goggles and many other safety devices are here
http://www.diynot.com/shop/Safety/

After that I think all you need is the obvious casing materials, ie cardboard, paper and glue but I will let someone more experienced write about this.
You also need something that fits the inner diameter of your cases so you can ram the propellant and nozzles. Instead of a press you could use a bench clamp.
A safety screen would also be very nice to have so if somebody can tell a place where you can purchase them, then please do.

The only other thing I can think of right now is screen meshes for sorting out your final product into grain sizes for different uses. I don't know where to get these online so if someone could say then again that would be apreciated.

So that's all I have now why don't some experienced users correct me and add anything of use.

Edited by pritch, 26 April 2004 - 07:36 PM.

[adamw]

Wilkinsons for PVA glue and a whole host of other tools and bits (bowls etc etc). If you can get masking tape that is good and a 99p tape dispenser from Wilko's is also money well spent.

Scales. This is one thing you shouldnt skimp on. Digital, 0.1g accuracy up to servral KG is a must.

Sieves - make your own or get materials / ready made screens from pottery suppliers.

Ball mill - How is one supposed to get by without one? Make one or get a good commerical one with rubber barrels.

Paper, string etc. Essentials. Kraft paper is your best friend. Invest in some good stuff instead of the 'fall apart in your hands' stuff that you sometimes get. Wilko's again for twine. They also sell green garden canes which are great for small rockets.

[Richard H]

Also, don't use flowers of sulphur, it contains much more free acid and is inferior to proper sulphur.

[paul]

You can wash flowers of sulfur with a less concentrated (ca. 5%) sodium bicarbonate solution. So the acid remaining in the sulfur gets neutralized. Then wash with clear water and you get neutral sulfur....

Edited by paul, 26 April 2004 - 07:16 PM.

[Richard H]

A good tip! Although sulphur prills / chips from garden direct can be used by ball milling to a fine powder,and these contain very little free acid . The resulting blackpowder is superior in performance to a powder made with flowers of sulphur.

[pritch]

Ah right. I read somewhere last night(can't remember where) that flowers are the best quality. I thought they seemed very acidic because if I burnt a small clump they sort of bubble and burn into the wood.

So are flowers much worse than normal sulphur or will I still get some decent bp? I don't want to start complicating things at this stage and im not too worried about performance. I'm guessing when you say washing you just mean mixing some bi carb in water, adding the sulphur to neutralize acid then drying it out. I'm probally completely wrong.

[Phoenix]

I _hate _ milling sulphur. It clings to everything. The acidity won't affect the quality of your BP, it's just that it can increase the sensitivity of some comps.

A tool that I have found very useful for pyro is a lathe. I have the ?120.00 Ferm one in the Screwfix catalogue. It's great for making rammers, cylinder shell formers, mortar plugs and ramming bases, (and anything else that can be turned between the centres), as well as things you can turn on a faceplate, for example I made a pestle and mortar and ball mill pullies and jar end caps. However, what it isn't very good for, which more expensive lathes would be, is drilling out holes in things like rocket rammers. This is mainly because the lathe as a whole is not construced with a lot of precision. The tailstock is slightly out of line with the headstock. Whilst this doesn't really affect spindle or faceplate work, it does mean that you can't effectively mount a drill chuck in it and drill out a central whole. However, I've managed by drilling out the centres of my rocket rammers with a drill press.

Whilst the lathe is good on the whole, you'll notice that in the catalogue there is also a 4 jaw chuck. Looks handy, so I got that too. It broke about the third time I used it (not for anything excessive, just regular spindle work). Basically, the parts of the body that the jaws tightened against were very thin, and sheared off. I got my money back, and have since just used the centres or the faceplate to hold things.

I wouldn't reccommend buying a lathe (and chisels, of course) just for pyrotechnics, but if you into general making stuff as well, it's a handy piece of kit, and wooden bowls and boxes are a good standby Christmas present for Grandmas etc.