d3v

well guys I'm going to be using a narrow cardboard tube solely for the fuze assembly and a separate tube for the charge compartment.

I had an excellent suggestion from someone here to use party popper squibs with a BP slurry. I will be trying this first hence the reason for a totally separate fuse compartment to ensure the unit will not buckle under the pulling force required to pull the string on these little buggers.
I think I'll use a clay cap akin to a rocket nozzle in order to choke the squib so it can be pulled and activated at the top of the tube where the BP/fuse head is. I'll need to cap off about 2cm down from the tube to create an empty cavity to ensure the BP dosn't crumble away down the tube.

Any suggestions on the type of clay to use? I want something fast drying...

I'll also try a match/BP slurry as I originally planned. I'll give each method about 10 tests and pick the one which is most reliable. I'll report back here with my findings.

thanks for the info but where can you get potassium chlorate from in the UK?

seems like the striker comps arn't worth the trouble.

I've tried taping several "strike anywhere" matches to sides of a visco fuze but it is unreliable at best. I'm going to try and smother the whole head in damp BP to increase ignition reliability and try it when it it's dry.

Would the dampness render the matchead unfunctional or can it dry and become flammable once again like BP can??


I remember when I was very young crushing match heads up into powder that the comp easily separated from the wood so maybe that's another option. But again I would need to damped it in order to mould it around the visco head.... again, can strike anywhere match head comps come "back to life" after drying from being wet?

thanks for the link. how come sulpher on it's own won't ignite by friction? Isn't it only sulpher that makes up match heads?

Point taken, I realise now the dangers are after all realistic and I will be exercising much more caution from now on. I won't be mixing on a carpet anymore that's for sure. I honestly thought the whole safety debacle regarding flash was highly unrealistic but I have been convinced otherwise from you guys. Thanks.