roger's pyrotechnic offerings and experiments

[enanthate]

It normally says 10% NC lacquer. Is this by weight or volume? Never figured that one out, been googling it since I started doing this.

Got NC-prills, if that makes any difference. I assumed it's 10g NC prills in 90g Acetone, but it does seem a little thin. The lacquer is qhite thick IMO, but the stars don't bind very well (especially the prime peels off quite easily).

[jessoman]

What mumbles said about soup consistency, while seemingly may sound like an exaggeration, is spot on the money. Don't be stingy. Your 80 mesh should be fine. In MY personal experiences inconsistency in particle size isn't a problem, just needs to be dialled. Some people believe the complete opposite, but there is a hell of a lot of different compositions out there, so your comparing different things. I use different comps for different crackles, pop, bang.

[Mumbles]

I'm not sure if you're talking about the lacquer itself, or how much to add to the composition.

 

The lacquer is usually w/v in my experience. So 10g of NC in 100mL of acetone (79g). If you want to be technical about it, dissolve it in 90mL acetone and top off to 100mL, but most people just assume the NC takes up no volume. If you go w/w, you're still at around 8%, so it's still in the right ballpark. It's more important to know what you have, than have exactly 10% concentration.

 

As far as how much to add to the DE composition, it's far more than 10%. I'd guesstimate somewhere around 40mL per 100g of composition. You really can't add too much NC. You definitely want a sizable amount in the final comp. Don't be afraid to use a thicker lacquer than 10% or top it off with more NC lacquer once it get crumbly again. It probably depends on the particular grade of NC you have, but you'll have to find what works for you.

[rogeryermaw]

 

same d.e. comp, cut 1mm, unprimed, 75/15/10 b.p. gerb

[enanthate]

Holy s*** that's loud.

Thanks for the comp Roger, and for your tips Jess!

 

Edit: Do you need to prime these when using them as cores for tigertails/etc?

Edited December 2, 2014 by enanthate

[schroedinger]

Yes you will need to prime them with an ethanol bound prime

[rogeryermaw]

no problem, enan, but this formula isn't mine. it's from wichitabuggywhip: http://www.wichitabuggywhip.com/fireworks/dragonseggs.html

[rogeryermaw]

 

D1 glitter, 5/16" cut. 1.25" bag mine. 4.5g 3fa lift.

[Bobosan]

Looked real good, Roger. My D1 looks the same.

[rogeryermaw]

 

thanks bob! think i'd like to try adding a % of NaHCO3 to see if the spritzels will flash a bit after the star burns out...

Edited December 7, 2014 by rogeryermaw

[BurritoBandito]

Just making a post here so it'll show up in my content when you add new videos. Glad to see you've got your dragon eggs working... Triangle is not a color.

[rogeryermaw]

No. But green is my favorite shape.

[BurritoBandito]

Touché

[braddsn]

Roger, AWESOME D-1. I just rolled some D-1 Glitter stars, and they look exactly like yours there in your video. I don't know about you, but in person I LOVE em!!! I couldn't believe how awesome they are. I will be making a TON of them. I also made some Bleser Blonde Streamer stars. I don't know if you have tried those yet, but I HIGHLY recommend them... absolutely breathtaking.

[rogeryermaw]

thanks brad! D1 is one of my favorite effects so far. a bit more delay on the spritzels and i'll be good with these. i haven't tried any of the Bleser comps yet but i have the white strobes on my list. coming up soon i'd like to get into a couple of firefly formulas. anyone have any advice before i get into those?

[Mumbles]

The barium nitrate based white strobes tend to burn a lot longer than you'd expect. Keep them small at first.

 

There are two types of firefly aluminum around. One looks like coarse little rectangles or needles of Al foil. The other looks like very coarse bright flake. It will be a little floaty and sort of soft, and probably smell a little like wax/crayons. Either way, make sure to screen out all of the fine pieces, say anything smaller than 30 mesh. Leaving the fine stuff in sort of ruins the surprise in my opinion. The large bright flake stuff has more fine material and is a little harder to screen out than the chopped up foil stuff.

[rogeryermaw]

thanks Mumbles. i think the stuff i have is the 18ish? mesh foil looking aluminum from pcs. the firefly effect is really pretty...wish i had more time...having to work and be all "adult" is no fun.

[rogeryermaw]

i guess since some people name comps, i'll call this razorback red.

 

 

potassium perchlorate--------46%

strontium nitrate ---------------18%

hexamine------------------------10%

magnalium 200-325 mesh--- 4%

strontium carbonate---------- 9%

parlon--------------------------- 13%

 

acetone solvent, cut 1/4", primed with sulfurless kp +6% silicon +7% red gum. finished with mill dust.

[rogeryermaw]

[rogeryermaw]

The flaming sh*t firefly formula from skylighter.

 

Edited December 23, 2014 by rogeryermaw

[rogeryermaw]

The brilliant citron yellow per the formulary database.

 

[rogeryermaw]

lemon yellow:

barium nitrate------------44%

strontium nitrate---------10%

mgal 200-325------------19%

parlon---------------------17%

hexamine-----------------10%

 

acetone bound, hot igniter prime, b.p. outer prime.

this is modified from the citron formula...it wasn't quite yellow enough. removed the red gum due to it's tendency to add red to the flame and adjusted the ratio of Ba:Sr.

 

cam does no justice to the intensely bright yellow of this formula.

 

Edited December 24, 2014 by rogeryermaw

[rogeryermaw]

K benzoate whistle 7:3 + 1.5% vaseline dissolved in acetone. case is 1.5" long by .25" i.d.

first attempt at whistle effects.

 

[BurritoBandito]

Sounds like it works.

[Col]

just needs a catalyst and a stick now