Best aluminum for flash?

[SamGurdus]

I am looking to order some aluminum to make flash powder for use in shells, but am lost between the different options. Right now I am looking at Aluminum German Dark Pyro, Aluminum German Flake 10890 Eckart, and Aluminum Indian Blackhead Dark Pyro, all from Fireworks Cookbook. Could someone fill me in on the differences between them and how they affect the end result? Thanks.

[Mumbles]

For a booster, 10890 is my favorite.

 

Indian blackhead and German dark pyro are both very fine, and mostly used for salutes. Others may disagree, but I find them more or less interchangeable. 10890 is somewhat coarser, around 30 micron vs. single digit micron. I find it a little tamer, and easier to dial in for boosting shells. I use something similar to the Spanish booster for my shells. It also makes nice streamers and has some uses in other effects.

[Dom13c]

Well, I personally prefer the Indian Blackhead Dark Pyro for making flash composition . It gives a damn good result (at least for me) and a 1:1 mixture of it with either Bariun nitrate or Strontium nitrate gives a safe and quite powerful flash powder which may find its use in shells and salutes.

[Carbon796]

That's a waste of barium or strontium nitrate, to use them as a booster or for salutes. Edited January 9, 2019 by Carbon796

[dlking59]

a 1:1 mixture of it with either Bariun nitrate or Strontium nitrate gives a safe and quite powerful flash powder which may find its use in shells and salutes.

Do you use anything other than the 2 chemicals to calm down the AL/nitrate mixture

[GrassyKnollShooter]

Using flake Al is really the only necessity.

This is by far the best aluminum powder I've used.

 

Eckart German Blackhead 5413 Super H Aluminum Powder, 3 Micron

[WSM]

I am looking to order some aluminum to make flash powder for use in shells, but am lost between the different options. Right now I am looking at Aluminum German Dark Pyro, Aluminum German Flake 10890 Eckart, and Aluminum Indian Blackhead Dark Pyro, all from Fireworks Cookbook. Could someone fill me in on the differences between them and how they affect the end result? Thanks.

 

 

 

I suppose the question begs the question, for what use in shells? If making aerial salutes, I'd say courser aluminum flake would be safer for handling and production with minimal degradation in the effect noticed from the ground. If used as a booster, I agree with Mumbles, though I'm unfamiliar with the Spanish booster.

 

The finer, dark aluminum powders are particularly effective in small salutes or shell inserts, but are wasted in larger salutes while also adding unnecessary risks in the handling and manufacturing phases of the operation.

 

The above are opinions expressed through experience and observations from many decades of experience in high energy chemistry research.

 

WSM

Edited December 29, 2019 by WSM

[Muslickz]

Personally I use American Dark at a .325 Mesh

 

But I would never go big if they needed to be handled and moved a bunch.

 

-Mus

[Bourbon]

I'd say courser aluminum flake would be safer for handling and production with minimal degradation in the effect noticed from the ground

 

How coarse do you prefer? Is this sticking with "dark" flake? Would the ratios remain the same?

 

Hope you don't mind 3 questions right in a row.

 

Thanks.

[davidh]

Hell, for bottom shots bright AL will work. The smaller the salute, the more critical the AL. I personally ALWAYS use a mix with sulfur.

Think like a manufacturer: Go with the cheapest AL that will work.

[WSM]

How coarse do you prefer? Is this sticking with "dark" flake? Would the ratios remain the same?

Hope you don't mind 3 questions right in a row.

Thanks.

 

 

No, I don't mind. The questions were beginning to get answered by davidh (thanks dave), and he's right.

 

The next part is about using dark aluminum. The answer is No, you don't have to use dark aluminum at all.

 

A finer aluminum helps with ignition, but costs more, so mixing it with cheaper aluminums works fine in larger aerial salutes with less added hazards. You need to work out the ratios for the safer and less costly blend. You can mix flake aluminums with atomized or even fine filings if you want. Just avoid getting sensitizing contaminants in there ("pure" aluminums are best).

 

Finally, the ratio of fuel to oxidizer can remain the same, OR you can fine tune it depending on your desired end result.

 

I hope these responses help.

 

WSM

Edited August 19, 2020 by WSM

[Bourbon]

 

I hope these responses help.

 

WSM

 

They do, Thank you very much!

 

[Bourbon]

Hell, for bottom shots bright AL will work. The smaller the salute, the more critical the AL. I personally ALWAYS use a mix with sulfur.

 

Think like a manufacturer: Go with the cheapest AL that will work.

Thanks David, much appreciated!

[TheEngineer]

 

 

 

I suppose the question begs the question, for what use in shells? If making aerial salutes, I'd say courser aluminum flake would be safer for handling and production with minimal degradation in the effect noticed from the ground. If used as a booster, I agree with Mumbles, though I'm unfamiliar with the Spanish booster.

 

The finer, dark aluminum powders are particularly effective in small salutes or shell inserts, but are wasted in larger salutes while also adding unnecessary risks in the handling and manufacturing phases of the operation.

 

The above are opinions expressed through experience and observations from many decades of experience in high energy chemistry research.

 

WSM

[tenneyguy]

That's a waste of barium or strontium nitrate, to use them as a booster or for salutes.

 

Why? Forgive my ignorance; I'm trying to learn as I go along. I gather Strontium and Barium compounds are relatively more expensive than others?

 

What is the relative safety of Magnesium Nitrate?

[Carbon796]

Imho, they're better used for colored stars. Than the substandard slow flash example given. They are also generally more expensive than better choices. Depending on where you source chems from.

 

Magnesium nitrate is hygroscopic. You probably won't see it called for, in any mainstream formulas.

Edited June 15, 2021 by Carbon796

[SharkWhisperer]

Imho, they're better used for colored stars. Than the substandard slow flash example given. They are also generally more expensive than better choices. Depending on where you source chems from.

 

Magnesium nitrate is hygroscopic. You probably won't see it called for, in any mainstream formulas.

Shoot, just use the magnesium nitrate by itself! That stuff's already got Mg in it and the nitrate radical all together. Just show it a photo of a flame and it'll go nuclear on ya!

 

Sheesh, who needs flash powder when you have magnesium nitrate? I thought everybody knows that.

 

Where can I gets me some???

[SharkWhisperer]

 

Why? Forgive my ignorance; I'm trying to learn as I go along. I gather Strontium and Barium compounds are relatively more expensive than others?

 

What is the relative safety of Magnesium Nitrate?

Hey! Dr. Jones!!! Edward is it? You're back!

 

How've things been since you left here and then got sidelined on Ned's site?

 

Your patterns are unmistakable.

 

How's fundraising going for your rocketry institute?

[mx5kevin]

The worst:

 

The worst aluminum are the firefly paint grade flake aluminum which is shimmering bright. It flies heavily in the air, sticks to everything, goes into the tools like the electric balance, need to refine because for flash powder burns like thermite. And in ball mill absolute not recommended to mill it.

 

What doesn't work:

 

You need a very fine particle size under 20 micron to get it work. Aluminum is a hard metal and hard to refine it. For refining need to use with special tools (without ball mill). Like stainless steel plate and bar (or granite), poppy seed grinder, and a mortar, refining a small dose 20-40g several hours of work. What you can buy in paint shop are very coarse for flash powder and burn like thermite. Without ball mill not possible to refine it easy was with household materials.

 

Which works:

 

From aluminum foil or a cheaper coarser not firefly gray matt aluminum possible to make easy way aluminum powder for flash powder with ball mill. Or directly need to buy 3-7 micron aluminum powder. What's coarser than 3-7 micron that won't work. For large salutes need to mix it 50:50 with 30-40 micron aluminum like 30 micron blue aluminum. But the particle size must keep under 40 micron in this mixture! Just with 3-7 micron aluminum the aluminum particles burns too fast and the flash effect will be poor above 10g salutes. Above 10g in salutes the difference in mixed Al and pure dark Al are meters in flash effect! In a 30g salute the difference in flash was 4 meter in my tests by the mixture and pure dark Al. But without KClO4 when less effective oxidizers are used dark aluminum with blue can be week. With them pure dark Al are always works the best. Aluminum with KClO4 works the best if power are the point.

 

If only the power matters 3-7 micron dark aluminum are the best. There is no difference between brands or 3-4 or 4-6 micron. 1-3 micron are too costly for flash powder and there is no point in buying it. Indian dark, super dark, german dark, in 3-7 micron category all the same.

 

Which i use, an how:

 

3-7 micron aluminum under 10g salutes, and 3-7 micron+30 micron blue aluminum 50:50 mixture for larger salutes than 10g. 80:20 Blue/Dark for less powerful but more brighter photoflash effects. Buying dark and blue aluminum people who using lot of flash powders and big funs of ground salutes, large firecrackers for them this 50:50 combination are required. This 50:50 Blue dark Al mixture are used for perchlorate based flash powders! I using 50/40/10% KClO4/Al/S mixture with dark Al, and blue dark Al too. For booster this flash powder burning hot and powerful. For ground salutes the high metal powder ratio gives brighter flash effect, and in power close KClO4/Al ratio in presence of 10% sulfur gives the most powerful ratio, and the first ratio what will be work when the metal powder are homemade and coarse, refined.

 

Videos:

 

Making Super Fine Powdered Magnesium or Aluminum Powder (without ball mill):

 

https://www.bitchute.com/video/HNRzJUuZqVEb/

 

Making Aluminum powder for flash powder using ball mill:

 

https://www.bitchute.com/video/xj5xbdVKU3TW/

 

Differences in particle size of aluminum for flash powder when making aluminum and making aluminum powder without ball mill from foil:

 

https://www.bitchute.com/video/aElYEUtifJZB/

Edited May 5, 2022 by mx5kevin

[UnfairWash682]

The worst:

 

The worst aluminum are the firefly paint grade flake aluminum which is shimmering bright. It flies heavily in the air, sticks to everything, goes into the tools like the electric balance, need to refine because for flash powder burns like thermite. And in ball mill absolute not recommended to mill it.

 

What doesn't work:

 

You need a very fine particle size under 20 micron to get it work. Aluminum is a hard metal and hard to refine it. For refining need to use with special tools (without ball mill). Like stainless steel plate and bar (or granite), poppy seed grinder, and a mortar, refining a small dose 20-40g several hours of work. What you can buy in paint shop are very coarse for flash powder and burn like thermite. Without ball mill not possible to refine it easy was with household materials.

 

Which works:

 

From aluminum foil or a cheaper coarser not firefly gray matt aluminum possible to make easy way aluminum powder for flash powder with ball mill. Or directly need to buy 3-7 micron aluminum powder. What's coarser than 3-7 micron that won't work. For large salutes need to mix it 50:50 with 30-40 micron aluminum like 30 micron blue aluminum. But the particle size must keep under 40 micron in this mixture! Just with 3-7 micron aluminum the aluminum particles burns too fast and the flash effect will be poor above 10g salutes. Above 10g in salutes the difference in mixed Al and pure dark Al are meters in flash effect! In a 30g salute the difference in flash was 4 meter in my tests by the mixture and pure dark Al. But without KClO4 when less effective oxidizers are used dark aluminum with blue can be week. With them pure dark Al are always works the best. Aluminum with KClO4 works the best if power are the point.

 

If only the power matters 3-7 micron dark aluminum are the best. There is no difference between brands or 3-4 or 4-6 micron. 1-3 micron are too costly for flash powder and there is no point in buying it. Indian dark, super dark, german dark, in 3-7 micron category all the same.

 

Which i use, an how:

 

3-7 micron aluminum under 10g salutes, and 3-7 micron+30 micron blue aluminum 50:50 mixture for larger salutes than 10g. 80:20 Blue/Dark for less powerful but more brighter photoflash effects. Buying dark and blue aluminum people who using lot of flash powders and big funs of ground salutes, large firecrackers for them this 50:50 combination are required. This 50:50 Blue dark Al mixture are used for perchlorate based flash powders! I using 50/40/10% KClO4/Al/S mixture with dark Al, and blue dark Al too. For booster this flash powder burning hot and powerful. For ground salutes the high metal powder ratio gives brighter flash effect, and in power close KClO4/Al ratio in presence of 10% sulfur gives the most powerful ratio, and the first ratio what will be work when the metal powder are homemade and coarse, refined.

 

Videos:

 

Making Super Fine Powdered Magnesium or Aluminum Powder (without ball mill):

 

https://www.bitchute.com/video/HNRzJUuZqVEb/

 

Making Aluminum powder for flash powder using ball mill:

 

https://www.bitchute.com/video/xj5xbdVKU3TW/

 

Differences in particle size of aluminum for flash powder when making aluminum and making aluminum powder without ball mill from foil:

 

https://www.bitchute.com/video/aElYEUtifJZB/

[Richtee]

 

Making Aluminum powder for flash powder using ball mill:

 

https://www.bitchute.com/video/xj5xbdVKU3TW/

 

 

 

While we’re recommending things..get your grill AWAY from the vinyl siding