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Go-Getters


BigBang

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Go-Getters are essentially rocket propelled stars. Usually bound with parlon, these devices whip across the sky in random, unpredictable directions. They can be used as shell inserts, rocket headers, and many more ways.

 

How do the rest of you whom have made these, make them? Do you need any special tubing? And what composition do or have you used? I have heard of blue comps on passfire but can't back this up, seeing as I have no account. If someone could post the comp, I would gladly test it.

 

This is the only go-getter tutorial I have found, so those unfarmiliar with these can better undersand exactly what go-getters are.

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20030415130909/...r.com/goget.htm

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Go-Getters are essentially rocket propelled stars. Usually bound with parlon, these devices whip across the sky in random, unpredictable directions. They can be used as shell inserts, rocket headers, and many more ways.

 

How do the rest of you whom have made these, make them? Do you need any special tubing? And what composition do or have you used? I have heard of blue comps on passfire but can't back this up, seeing as I have no account. If someone could post the comp, I would gladly test it.

 

This is the only go-getter tutorial I have found, so those unfarmiliar with these can better undersand exactly what go-getters are.

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20030415130909/...r.com/goget.htm

 

Blue Go-Getters:

Name: Supercharged Blue

Source: Richard Ogden

 

Chemical Name: Parts:

 

Ammonium Perchlorate 50

 

Saran Resin 16

 

Aluminum, atom, spher, 325 mesh, 32 micron 10

 

Parlon 9

 

Copper(II) Carbonate 7.5

 

Copper Benzoate 7.5

 

 

 

WARNING:

Make sure acetone and xylene have been dried using damp rid to remove any water from the solution.

 

 

NOTES:

Mix 90% acetone with 10% xylene as the wetting solution. Mix with comp until the consistency of pancake batter has been reached, then quickly transfer into a squirt-top applicator container. Fill each go-getter to the top and insert a piece of thermolite or KP black match into the cavity that forms as it starts to dry.

 

Make only what you can use in one sitting, as it does not maintain the correct viscosity over a period of more than a few hours.

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Well now I really need to make some copper benzoate. I spose it is off to Home Depot to get the materials. This seems to be an intersting comp. I wonder if it burns as vigorously as the usual, Mg containg getters. I guess it will just have to be tested.
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I am duly intregued, the Mg fueled go-getters idea sounds like fun. Do you have any compositions that you have messed around with? I am interested in these, they seem like something that could be fun testing in my top secret backyard testing site.

 

If they are primed, and the whole star catches fire at once, do they still go crazy? It would seem that if a corner was ignited with no prime, they could happily fly around, yet if the whole thing was ignited...

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They're not normal stars. This is where I got confused at first too. They're actually tubes of composition, more similar to pillbox stars, but with only one end open. Essentially they are weak coreless nozzleless rockets.

 

However you do bring up something interesting. What if they were formed as comets, and pasted over on one side. Would they still fly around since they're only burning on one end. Well, just something for someone to try.

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I think you are wrong mumbles.

I once opened a bought roman candle, I thought the stars in it are just normal and I light one of them on a rock. This star went all the way up and passed my house roof. the second one I light did it too.

 

So from this I presume they where Go Getters, and they were round like every normal star.

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You both may be right. Quest you have brought evidence that they do look just like normal stars. But supporting mumbles, the only tutorial I have ever seen concerning go-getters did use the one-end-open method.
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I've only ever seen true go-getters used in high-alititude effects. Shooting them out of candles would be a little dangerous as they can change direction at random and travel quite far...

 

Some 'normal' stars are self-propelled due to their burning characteristics. For instance, GE Silicone/Ammonium Perchlorate blue stars have an almond-shaped flame that propels them around, but I've never seen any with nearly as much thrust as stars made with this kind of method.

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I've tried that blue strobe propellant and can vouch that it does like to move around alot. As optimus said, some stars do "self propel" themselves and are mistaken for go getters. Go getters are like these but on speed. They have much more power to them.

 

I have everything needed so I shall try a few this weekend. I just picked up some CuSO4 so I'll make some benzoate and try that blue go getter.

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What about much smaller tubes? Would those work for go-getters too?

 

I figure it is important to have thick walled tubes, because the Mg burns so hot. I was thinking about a 1cm ID tube that is 4cm long and has rather thick walls. I think this would allow for a lot more go-getters in a device. Still, I have no idea if a small one would even work. Who ever tries out the go-getters you should see if smaller ones work well too. An M80 tube seems really big and kinda a waste of chems. Maybe I'll try it out.

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I had some time today, so I made a 100g batch of the red comp. I used 5 micron Mg dust as the Mg powder. I loaded a pen cap, a pen tube 2" lond and .25" ID, an M-80 tube described before, a coat hander tube about the same as described by skinflint, and a 4 inch long piece of /5" PVC.

 

Though the comp was still wet, it burned VERY well. The penn cap, lit on the ground with a stick taped to it, roared with a footlong flame and moved about a foot. Not all to impresive. When a .5" ball was ignited, it didn't go anywhere, so that idea was "busted." It burnt in a second with a large flame envelope.

 

In about 3 days, I'll try the rest. They should be dry by then.

 

EDIT: I stand corrected. One that was dry was lit and took off, melting my socks. This was another ball, but had a pit in it where it took fire.

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  • 1 month later...
Anyone have any experience with these? I finally got some hexamine so I was looking into making some of these for this 4th. Unfortunately all the comps have parlon and cryolite in them which I don't have on hand right now. Would anyone happen to know a good composition?
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  • 1 month later...

I went see you my shells with tourbillions and "flies". Tourbillions are small tube with two plugs and hole alongside top of tube (Best of AFN III).

Fly is small tube with two plugs. In one plug is hole who is nozzle.

I used comp:

Pcz 75g

Al bright 600mesh 5g

Titan filings 20g

On the tourbillions i used glitter mix from Best of AFNIII.

Tourbillions withs reports contain also flash powder.

 

http://www.apcforum.net/files/P2_shell_tourbillions.mpg

 

All shells are 2 inch canister. Burst is BP on the puffed rice. Lift powder is my homemade black powder amount 6g.

I have to do bigger shell (3" can) because 2" is too small.

 

Regards

Pyroman2

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Tourbillions have wings. What you described is a spinner. I think there is another term for them, but I don't know it. I found it interesting that your flies spun more than your spinners.

 

Also, if you are going to abbreviate chemicals, please use understandable abbreviations. I have no idea what Pcz is. Potassium chlorate would be my best guess.

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Omg.. I forgave .. that Pcz is Black powder.

That's a habit (because black powder is " proch czarny " in Poland)

 

In the Best of AFN III tourbilions don't have wings.. :| author that project (page 29) called these tube "tourbillions" .

I don't know what they are specific name.

 

I'm sorry again for my stupid mistake.

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Yeah, your right about toubillions not having wings. Mumbles, I believe you are thinking of helicopters/buzz bombs.

 

Either way, this is about go-getters, not tourbillions, as there is another thread already dedicated for them.

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Ummm guys, tourbillions have wings. Consult Lancaster, wouter visser's site, or Alan Yates' site if you don't believe me.
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Even though this isn't the place for it wouter vissers page is about buzz bombs not turbillions. Yes true turbillions do have a guide "wing" if you will to get it spinning on the right axis the difference is that buzz bombs have one vent which can be used to force an angular thrust to place a horizontal and vertical force causing it to spin and fly. But a turbillion has 4 holes 2 on the sides to cause it to start spinning and 2 on the bottom to create upward thrust. If I'm not mistaken.
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Okay. Im gonna lay it out once and for all. "Tourbillion" is french for whirlwind. It refers to all items that spin vertically, lifting it self off the ground at the same time. The device can be with wings, without, with few to many vent holes, different comps, different sizes(in the old days they had 10" long 1" bore ones!), as long as it spins around its own axis. It is more a name of a group of items than an item in itself.

 

"Buzz Bomb" and "Helicopter" are really old brand names that have become generic with time.

 

And oh, it is not the stick that does any lifting, its only the vent holes.

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  • 5 years later...

 

Blue Go-Getters:

Name: Supercharged Blue

Source: Richard Ogden

 

Chemical Name: Parts:

 

Ammonium Perchlorate 50

 

Saran Resin 16

 

Aluminum, atom, spher, 325 mesh, 32 micron 10

 

Parlon 9

 

Copper(II) Carbonate 7.5

 

Copper Benzoate 7.5

 

 

 

WARNING:

Make sure acetone and xylene have been dried using damp rid to remove any water from the solution.

 

 

NOTES:

Mix 90% acetone with 10% xylene as the wetting solution. Mix with comp until the consistency of pancake batter has been reached, then quickly transfer into a squirt-top applicator container. Fill each go-getter to the top and insert a piece of thermolite or KP black match into the cavity that forms as it starts to dry.

 

Make only what you can use in one sitting, as it does not maintain the correct viscosity over a period of more than a few hours.

 

I follwed your process to the T they work great in a shell soon good color thrust around,also used damp rid its great for hydroscopic comps like winokurs also

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