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Aluminum powder


murderskill

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There are alot of different kinds of al powder..German dark being the best for flash..Now which al powder do u buy for flash? Where do you buy it and what is the price per lb. Just wanna see the results of this. :D
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German Dark, manufactured by Ekhart from Germany seems to be the accepted stuff. There is some star shaped stuff that is also said to be good.

 

Price, usually around 20$ per lb, at 1lb quantity.

 

Nearly every legit pyro supplier carries it, but I buy mine from people who arent likely to get their door kicked in from the ATF and find my order for Al on the top...

 

Too bad it is becoming a rather hot commodity. In a few years, it could be the cocaine of pyros. ;)

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German Dark, manufactured by Ekhart from Germany seems to be the accepted stuff. There is some star shaped stuff that is also said to be good.

 

Price, usually around 20$ per lb, at 1lb quantity.

 

Nearly every legit pyro supplier carries it, but I buy mine from people who arent likely to get their door kicked in from the ATF and find my order for Al on the top...

 

Too bad it is becoming a rather hot commodity. In a few years, it could be the cocaine of pyros. ;)

Well, another way to look at it is that the legitimate pyro suppliers are not going to have their door kicked in, thier ATF enforcement officer is going to make an appointment or drop by unannounced, and for what you are worried about, deliver a subpeona to produce certain records. No action other than that well known ATF warning letter is likely to result to customers, and legal pyro's aren't worried about that letter.

 

The under the table ones are subject to having thier door kicked in. If thier sales constitute an illegal enterprise then you as a co-consipirator are almost guaranteed a disturbing visit possibly involving full S.W.A.T. gear, hazmat suit guys and news reporters.

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Not exactly like that, say, more like, a more discreet source that isn't obviously going to be an ATF target.

 

I phrased it slightly wrong the first time. :)

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Not exactly like that, say, more like, a more discreet source that isn't obviously going to be an ATF target.

 

I phrased it slightly wrong the first time. :)

So guess ur saying someone close by? Not very well known..cool like ebay..they sell german blackhead sometimes i see it..for about 22 dollars a lb..i think im not even gonna think about buying it cause alot of supliers have been asked to discontinue that item..for instance unitednuclear.. besides they are expensive anyway..but i really dont know of any other place that sells german dark anymore.. -_-

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I use Indian blackhead aluminum from disountpyro for my flash. It is flake particles and is practically dust....i've only ever had a pound of the german dark and I didn't see any noticeable difference. And the indian blackhead is about 14 a pound...so people paying 20 is just stupid for a chem that does the same thing.
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Contrary to popular belief, India Blackhead is just as fine, if not finer than German dark Al. they use similar manufacturing processes, but the idia becomes finer for some reason (I used to know, but have forgotten and don't know where I found out.) I think it is cheaper because it is a product from a place of a mass production economy, therefor cheaper than the pricy german economy. The stuff I have will self confine around a teaspoon which is 2-3 grams, tops, when used in flash.
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I got my german dark as cheap as blackhead, so I figured I would just try german.

 

I believe to manufacture, they pour molten Al on to a spinning disk that is going about 60-70000rpm, which flings the molten Al off and it cools before it hits the wall as a flake shape. I think.

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That is how they prepare atomised, or sphereoidial or something like that. Alternativly they spray molten Al out of a nozzle with a supersonic crystal in the head to break up the Al even more.

 

For flake, at least the dark flake process they take the Al, and make it into a foil. They glue it on a piece of paper. They ball mill it, or something, and then they burn off the paper. The charred paper is partially what give it it's dark color.

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wow the prices at discount pyro are cheap!! 30 dollars for 5 lbs of pot. perchlorate..thats cheap..but! once again..im not 21...and its sad..and sucks cause i noone i can trust over 21..so i guess im screwed.. :(
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What about parents?

 

I would love to see how Eckart makes they're aluminum powder. Maybe I should suggest it as a "How its Made" show on the Science Channel. They've already done aerial shells.

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What about parents?

 

I would love to see how Eckart makes they're aluminum powder. Maybe I should suggest it as a "How its Made" show on the Science Channel. They've already done aerial shells.

ya my parents are crazy. Thats why i got a po box. Just for that simple fact. :(

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The problem with that is that no hazardous chemicals can be shipped to them. If you do find some place that actually will ship to a PO box, they are probably pretty shady in the first place, or just don't know the laws.
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The problem with that is that no hazardous chemicals can be shipped to them. If you do find some place that actually will ship to a PO box, they are probably pretty shady in the first place, or just don't know the laws.

everyone says they can ship to a po box. But ive held off because u said its against the law.. I'm assuming you know what you are talking about and this is why im trying to find someone older to help me out. Still no luck yet. :(

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  • 1 year later...
What is the difference between Atomized and dark Al or what makes it dark?
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Not to be overly rude, but seriously...

 

You bump a damn old thread to ask 2 questions about aluminum that they answer a couple posts up... Pay more attention.

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For flake, at least the dark flake process they take the Al, and make it into a foil.  They glue it on a piece of paper.  They ball mill it, or something, and then they burn off the paper.  The charred paper is partially what give it it's dark color.

 

I remember reading somewhere (I cant remember where), that it receives its dark colour partially due to the way light reflects off the particles.

 

Is this true?

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ok this thread really shouldn't have been bumped but.....dark aluminum (flake) is made by pressing aluminum to a super thin metal sheet in the process carbon is addedd anyone who has ever touched charcoal knows carbon is BLACK spherical aluminum like mumbles said they spray molten Al out of a nozzle with a supersonic crystal in the head to break up the Al even more. its all here in this very thread read it next time.
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-censored version- I meant to say that yes, the way anything appears is due to the way light reflects off of it (and as pointed out in the future, the perception of the observor also)

 

Sorry for the smart-ass post which apparently wasn't taken so well...in the future I mean. Got to love the edit feature.

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Ahahahahhaaaha ......... Wanker

 

I love it how some people on this forum love to flame people, so they look all tuff and intelligent infront of the admins.

 

I was making a point, and there is no reason to be such a "wanker" about that, I was making a point that it isn't actually a different colour, it only seems that way.

 

If I look at my lawn and it looks green does this mean it isnt actually green?

and yet merely due to the way the light the light shines off the grass?

 

Next time constructive critiscm only, instead of acting tuff like the "proud puppy" that you are.

 

 

REPLY: Okay, sorry about calling you a wanker. Just next time be a little more polite.

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If I look at my lawn and it looks green does this mean it isnt actually green?

and yet merely due to the way the light the light shines off the grass?

Nope, it's not actually green. Color only exists within one's perception. Just so happens that most humans have a relatively similar range of perception so there tends to be a standard in color perception. If say my vision were messed up and 500nm(roughly green wavelength) appeared red to me, the grass and trees would look as red as a fire truck.

 

Let me take care of people being "wankers" and what not. Feel free to learn and discuss, and I'll handle administration stuff.

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I would just like to say how Al powder is made:

 

In a 1 cubic meter "box" in an Argon atmosphere, Al, is melted and then it is ejected at high speeds... Just thaught that I would add that to the ejection matter, because if you would do that without an Argon atmosphere, the Al powder would oxidise forming Aluminium oxyde.And that's why it is so expensive.

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Ahahahahhaaaha ......... Wanker

 

I love it how some people on this forum love to flame people, so they look all tuff and intelligent infront of the admins.

 

I was making a point, and there is no reason to be such a "wanker" about that isn't actually a different colour, it only seems that way.

 

If I look at my lawn and it looks green does this mean it isnt actually green?

and yet merely due to the way the light the light shines off the grass?

 

Next time constructive critiscm only, instead of acting tuff like the "proud puppy" that you are.

I actually didn't mean to be offensive or sound cool or anything. I just typed in the first thing that came to mind.

 

I thought I was in the occasional happyness or some other non-serious thread...

 

My apologies.

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There is a thread with ideas on DIY approaches to atomized Al on RogueSci... Its a very good thread. VERY GOOD.

 

It seems very few people into pure pyro search/browse RS and SMDB... a pitty because aside from being very good chemistry based forums (several Ph.Ds)... and massive libraries of information... so many genius DIYers reside there... and often some of the apparatus and routes to chemicals are very useful to the pure pyro.

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