Kit Visco Machine

[Eyegasm]

That is awesome.

[Twignberry]

I know its been a while but its surprising how much time goes into R&D.

 

I've been working up a new smaller, lighter and more reliable unit plus everything that goes with setting up a shop.

 

I present the new and improved machine. Flat pack in design, cut with Lazors and assembled with glue of choice, I'm using hot melt for the prototypes.

 

It packs up to a neat 330x200x160mm; about the size of an A4 sheet and is about 1.5kg

The spindles slide out the front in seconds with a press of the locking latch

The pulling mechanism is now a direct drive that packs up at the rear like a backpack.

Downside; you can't do a continuous run until the thread spools are empty

Upside; Much more reliable and simple. Besides, how many hobbyists will be making 250m+ from each run of visco

Diameter comes out to a nice consistent 2.4mm diameter

Very fine, clump free and bone dry powders only should be used. To adjust for the flow characteristics of the powder, move the tracer threads in and out. Use the inner notches for free flowing powders and the outer notches for more sticky material

I'm looking for a few Aussie locals to do some beta testing @250 AUD per unit +shipping; it will fit in a 2kg satchel. For the first few early adopters, I will offer a full kit including all fasteners, electronics, printed and cut components. I'll even throw in the NC coating parts if you supply the PET bottle. Complete with instruction/drawings, all you will need to source is 26 spools of thread (china) and BP. I will provide personal support to clarify and improve instructions and if there are any functional or quality issues that I didn't run into during my testing.

Once the first few units are cleared, I will offer the kit at the original price of 270 USD for a complete kit including coating tool. Shipping now is around 45USD to get to most places in the world but I am working on lining up pyro suppliers to stock to minimise shipping.

 

[memo]

mk2 looks good, you have got the size right small and the shipping is a lot better. still wanting one.

 

memo

[Maserface]

I've got some time and bp, id love to do some testing for you. I'm in the states though.

[zan89]

Twignberry, if you are selling first kits for 250AUD plus shipping for testing, you can send it right away.

Send me pm.

[MrB]

Once the first few units are cleared, I will offer the kit at the original price of 270 USD for a complete kit including coating tool. Shipping now is around 45USD to get to most places in the world but I am working on lining up pyro suppliers to stock to minimise shipping.

 

 

Nice. I'll be wanting one. As I'm in Sweden, i wont sign on as one of your testers, you wanted more local peeps for that...

 

First glance, the 3D printed stuff was neater. second and third glance... This cut look, with the burnt edges... it's cool. I'm just worried about how it will hold up over time. Once i get one i would probably end up making templates just so i could use the plasma cutter to make a replacement part in case the wood warps, or delaminates, for any reason.

 

Very cool, very cool indeed.

B!

[lloyd]

I'm curious as to WHY it won't run continuously until (at least one of) the spools goes empty.

 

Other than that, even I might want one of those, even though I have a source for commercial visco. That's a neat machine!

 

Lloyd

[MrB]

 

I'm curious as to WHY it won't run continuously until (at least one of) the spools goes empty.

 

 

I'm just guessing here, but the main reason would probably be the winding spool for the finished product. From how i read that, it doesn't hold "more then" approximately 250meters.

 

I wonder if the coating thingy is still 3D printed... And how it fits to the machine, seeing as it would add drying time before you can spool it up.

B!

[ivars21]

Great work, any video of your baby in action?

[chuckufarley]

Great work, any video of your baby in action?

I agree. Very cool, clean design.

 

Even though I can readily buy visco, I'd be very interested in a machine like yours.

 

Also a video of it in operation would be great, but I understand it is in pre-production stages, so no pressure.

Edited July 8, 2016 by chuckufarley

[zan89]

I agree, even you can get visco everywhere, you just need to have one of those, toy for the big ones.

[OldMarine]

I don't care what anyone says, that machine is a work of art I'd love to have just to watch it run.

Amazing stuff.

[chuckufarley]

Twignberry,

 

A few general questions about making Visco on your machine.

 

1) How much bp does it take to make fuse? Just a general approximation( grams/meter--ounces/foot)

 

2) Can you use ball milled 75/15/10 for the core powder? Does the sealed (nc coated) wrap act as a quick match tube with a hot bp? Or do you have to alter the bp mix, or use a different comp for the core powder?

[dagabu]

If I had the disposable cash, I'd get one in a heartbeat! Think of it, Mg/Al and perc based, slurry string pulled through the core... SPARKLER fuse!!

[Twignberry]

Thanks for all the kind words and input.

 

I had hoped to get a video posted today but the weather conspired against me, I've got it all set up so should hopefully be able to get something recorded tomorrow.

 

All I meant by not running continuously is that the spool will reach capacity and you will have to shut down and unload it.

 

I have been running the machine until I run out of powder at hand and then unwind while running the fuse through the coater. It would be slick to have the coating integrated but this works well and it really does not take long to make more fuse than you can use.

 

I want to start playing with a few different flavours but for now I'm flat out getting the first machines ready.

 

Chuck,

 

I haven't recorded the mass but it really is quite minimal. 100g of powder will make ALOT of fuse.

 

 

You can use just about any safe pyrotechnic powder 75/15/10 included, it just has to be very fine and free-flowing. The thread wraps consolidate the powder so it acts more like a spollete; you don't have to worry about it flashing over

Edited July 10, 2016 by Twignberry

[chuckufarley]

Twignberry,

 

Thanks for the replys.

 

Looks awesome, definitly something I'd be interested in when you get them ready for shipping to the states.

[memo]

i have been trying black match coated in nc doesn't work well enough. so i would buy twigs machine for sure.

 

memo

[dagabu]

i have been trying black match coated in nc doesn't work well enough. so i would buy twigs machine for sure.

 

memo

 

Have you tried to wrap a length of masking tape around a single strand of stiff black match yet?

[MrW]

At a stretch I have used a couple of strands of bm and used hot glue to seal. Works 90% of the time. Looks cool when burning (if using the clear glue). Sorry off topic. That machine looks cool. Once its been tested, I'm keen. Edited July 11, 2016 by MrW

[memo]

 

Have you tried to wrap a length of masking tape around a single strand of stiff black match yet?

 

not yet, what a 10 inch piece of black match and a 10 piece of 1 inch masking ?

Edited July 11, 2016 by memo

[dagabu]

EZPZ, just lay the masking tape face up on a table, curling the very ends under to stick it to the table, pull the black match tight and lay it down on the edge of the tape and curl the tape over the black match.

 

Repeat the rolling all the way down the length.

 

Many nooks have done this over the years to simulate fuse but BEWARE! if it's not consistently tightly wound, it becomes Quick Match!

[MrB]

Many nooks have done this over the years to simulate fuse but BEWARE! if it's not consistently tightly wound, it becomes Quick Match!

 

Never did this, so, just thinking out loud here. IF you leave a pocket of air, it behaves as quickmatch, but does it also inflate the rest of the fuse, and make it all go up as fast, or does it just jump the airpocket?

B!

Edited July 12, 2016 by MrB

[memo]

mr b it jumps the air pocket, still makes it unreliable for me.

[j3cub]

I am also interested in that machine. Very cool indeed. Let me know when its ready to ship to US

[Twignberry]

Finally got the Video done!! Still need to show the coating stage but this should answer most questions about the operation of the machine itself.

Quick note: I have both a USB and 12V cable running from my machine. The final product will only require the 12V line as it will utilise a newer board than I am testing with for the video.

To fill the spool took a few minutes I guess, I was too busy with running it and taking video to time it precisely and took roughly 4-5 teaspoons of powder.

Whilst reliable, it is not something that can be "set and forget".

A: The spool could fill up

B: About once every 2 minutes, the spool encounters more resistance than it can overcome. Not a big issue if you are standing by as you should be, just give it a quick bump and away she goes again. Otherwise the spindles will continue spinning around a stationary thread and jam.