Willem

Well - what can I say - the Firebreath Red worked like a dream!
- slight trouble with lift height though -

They seem to have dried very quickly - so I thought I'd try one and see if it would ignite or blow blind.
I have left them drying - as I am sure they are probably not entirley dry yet I only made them yesterday..

I tried one in a Roman Candle type test - although I think there was a bit too much of a gap around it - star was 15.2mm O/D (pumped) tube was 17.1mm ID leaving a gap all around it of nearly 1 mm

The star I tested weighed 2.2 gms and I used 1/2 tsp of lift powder under and 1/4 tsp on top shaken round then 3 scoops of delay pressed gently, long visco fuse, I used an 8" long tube to maximise lift - as star was quite big.

The delay ignited, burnt for 3.5 seconds then the lift ignited and a wonderful bright red sparking and sparkling star was lofted (although to a punny height of only 17-20 feet ) - the star burnt and burnt landed back on earth and continued to burn in my wet grass (it was raining most of the day here) for a further 3 seconds

I think the lift powder is good - as I have tested closer fitting stars with the same batch of lift and had a much more pronounced woomph and heights of around 40 to 50 feet reached - so I guess I just need some smaller ID tubes - shame as I have quite a few 17mm ID..

I will make a proper RC during the week (with the correct tubing) and test it next weekend - and try to post a vid.

Thanks again Sizzle - fantastic stars!

Any advice or help on the above greatfully received
(just another thought - maybe it was because the star wasn't dried enough?)

[quote name='sizzle' date='Jan 6 2006, 04:06 PM' post='22654']
Ok, the answers:

1. Don't drop the dextrin at all, use the 4% dextrin as reccomended by Blesser in the original formula.
2. You use the 35% Alcohol 65% water solution (again as reccomended by Blesser).
4. (I assume you meant 3) I myself am unsure of how to test for coating but I don't believe mine were.

Hope this helps.

Yes - Great
Thanks to both you and Richard - glad I can use the Dextrin and not go down the messy route
Yes - my third question was almost 4 - I joined the second question to the third and forgot to edit the last number!!

I shall report back my hopeful success with your modified Blesser / new Sizzle formula soon!

Will

Hi Sizzle
I am going to make some of your "Firebreath Red" Stars tonight - just looking through your posts and you say you modified Blesser Red #1, this original Blesser formula is in percentages and lists 4% Dextrin (as the binder I assume?), which you have replaced with 15% Magnesium Shreds (2-4mm).
I Hope you don't mind here is your formula again:-

Sizzle's Firebreath Red

70 Potassium Perchlorate
10 Red Gum
15 Strontium Carbonate
1 Charcoal
15 Magnesium Shreds 2 ? 3 mm

"Makes a fantastic red star with white crackles that fly off"

I have a few questions for you before I dissapear into my shed, hope you can answer them...
1) If you drop the dextrin does the red gum work as a binder?
2) Do you drop the water in the wetting mix (I normally use 33% alc 66% H2o), I am assuming that if the quantity is small it won?t create a problem as these are for pumping or cutting - not rolling?
4) Last question - related to the Mg shreds ? how can I be sure/test they have been coated as I purchased them ready shredded ? does this matter for this formula?

Thanks for all the great info

Will

Didnt think of waterfalls or lances, those too!!!!! Are waterfall tubes 1/2" x 12"? The ones i have seen are around this size so we also would like various lengths, or long 12-24" ones that we can cut down? Seems your 'smaller' tubes are getting larger

Hi Guys,
I made the tubes for my waterfall - not finished it yet - but it sounds as though 1/2 inch diameter tubes shown in this tutorial? http://www.unitednuc...m/waterfall.htm should be sufficient for a reasonable effect. They are 4.5 inches long and it takes roughly 300 grams of comp tp fill a dozen.
It only took me 30 minutes to make these from standard A4 sheets cut down the length.

I am very interested in 1/2", 3/4" and 1" tubes - preferably 3 - 4 mm wall thickness.

Sorry if this post is a bit untidy - my first post here - although I have been reading lots and experimenting a little over the last 2 years or so..

Thanks for all the info & Help

WillM