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You'll put your eye out...

A blog by Swede in General

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Thanks APC!

Swede

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:wub: With the new software fully installed, we now have the option to BLOG! How cool is that? Now, I have a proper destination for my verbose ramblings related to all things pyrotechnic, and also for, perhaps, other topics not necessarily related to Pyro.

 

Note the title. Be sure to mentally overlay your best nagging Mom voice... "WHAT is THAT??!! WHAT are you doing! You'll PUT YOUR EYE OUT!" Note that it is almost always "eye", singular, not "eyes." I guess Moms in general cannot even conceive of total blindness... they leave a bit of mental wiggle room, assuming the worst-case damage will be one eye, not two, and life will continue, despite a glass eye that would be a constant reminder of how "Mother knows best."

 

If a Mom says "You'll put your eye out," it usually means you are attempting something that will be fun. Maybe a little dangerous, but definitely fun. Obligatory Disclaimer - You actually MIGHT put your eyes out (or worse) if you don't approach energetic chemicals and pyrotechnics with a real sense of respect. I respect a venemous snake; I also respect high voltages. All of these can be safe when sound judgement is applied, but woe unto the haphazard, the careless, the shortcutter. Don't be one of those. Don't be the guy we read about, and mourn, and wonder the hows and whys of his or her demise. Please be safe.

 

About me: Who cares? I'm a middle-aged man with a boy's wondering fascination, which is a good combination. I can tap mature judgement from my man-brain, yet appreciate sights, sounds, and smells, like a boy. And I know I am not alone here. I am in good company. I will say this - I started my adult life as a degreed chemist (B.S.), took a side-trip into the Air Force and Aviation, which has lasted 25+ years now, and has put food on the table, and a roof over our heads. My ride in the Air Force:

 

http://www.5bears.com/f15.jpg

 

The chemistry was pushed aside, and while a bit rusty, I still feel the same love that took me down that road in the first place. The sights and smells in an organic chem lab, especially, are things you simply cannot forget, or let go of. Back I come, full-circle.

 

What I hope to do: I enjoy research. Published compositions and procedures are great, and I am definitely on a path that will, one day soon, see some nice work launched skyward. But in the meantime, I tend to dive into fiddly processes, such as chlorate and perchlorate production, finding new energetic mixtures (polyurethane glue + perchlorate) and love every damned minute of it.

 

Yesterday, I put some freshly harvested potassium chlorate crystals under a Meiji stereo microscope, and was asonished (there's the boy again) at the beauty of the crystals. Pictures don't do them justice. Moving the crystals about under the lens produces iridescent rainbows, refraction, eye candy galore - such fun from a pinch of crystals no bigger than a pinhead. The knowledge that "I made this" from a common salt, KCl, made it even more fun.

 

http://www.5bears.com/perc/ns20.jpg http://www.5bears.com/perc/ns23.jpg http://www.5bears.com/perc/ns24.jpg

 

What's next - Construction of a PbO2 anode. And this is definitely enough for a first blog entry. We'll leave it at that. Thanks again, APC!

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Arqwat

Well written articles Swede. (I have a problem calling these posts "blogs" . . the New Age !)

I can relate - many of us middle-agers have used life's common sense lessons combined with the curiosity of a teen to re-approach experimentation with more organized & better planned methods.

Translation - I'm living my second childhood !

I come from an aviation background as well - US Navy.

(no - I don't hold it against you for being in the Air Force . . :rolleyes:

We flew the old A-7 Corsairs on the "big boat".

(you know . . the old jets with steam engines).

I'm currently employed at a major aerospace company as a technical writer/maintainability analyst.

My passion is Experimental Amature Rockets more so than pyro, but I've picked up quite a good bit of information from APC. (I'm mostly a lurker).

Will look forward to reading more of your articles.

 

Arqwat

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Swede

Thank you Arqwat. Somehow I missed your comment until today. Sounds like you have a good gig... I've always admired good technical writing. It is an art. My wife has worked for texas Instruments, Lockheed, and now works for Sikorsky on the new Marine helicopter. She deals with technical writing on a daily basis.

 

As for Navy vs. Air Force (throw the Marines and Army aviation somewhere in the mix) I have long since outgrown interservice rivalry beyond a friendly jab now and then. Some guys take that stuff way too seriously. I'll buy the drinks when we meet one of these days.

 

Second boyhoods rule. I know if I look deeply into HP rocketry, I'd get hooked. I can't afford to do that, not enough time, not enough $$ :P

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Arqwat

Here Here . . . I'll buy the second round & we'll drink to all of our servicemen !

I've been discharged for 22 years now . . .

Interservice rivalrys were all in fun & games for me.

I've hung with the best of all of em.

It's interesting to see the differences in what life in the different services were like.

At the end of the day, we "common sensers" know, we were all part of 1 team - & proud of it !

 

I operate on budget as well - have become quite handy at fabricating my rockets out of easy to find materials.

I've had a couple of 3 - 5 lb. rockets over 2500 feet now.

Not a record by any means, but an accomplishment to me !

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