Hints and tips for Australians

[AustralianPyromaniac]

Hey RocketMaster, welcome to the forums, great to have another Aussie! Hardened lead media is something I have also looked extensively for in AUS to no avail simply because there is no use I know of that isn't pyro. Can I ask, 15kg! How big is your ball mill and how much BP are you planning on making? :-) We live in Australia remember, our government isn't exactly crash hot on fireworks.

 

You should take a look at Woody's Rocks Milling Media if you are looking to buy it. Caleb ships worldwide and is always happy to work to get us the cheapest shipping. If you wanted to cut shipping costs I would be willing to buy 10lb with you as my media is kinda shit but that's all I need for my small Lorton mill. Currently, I just use $50 worth of lead shot from the local gun store. It might wear out quick, but I don't sniff my black powder smoke, it's cheap and easy to get.

 

If you were interested in buying it and split the shipping a quick calculation estimates it would cost you around $425 AUD. $25 more and at the end of it you don't have all the equipment, is it worth it for you?

 

Casting it would work but its a lot of effort, have you ever cast lead before? I did some sinkers once and it's not fun, especially the heavy metal fumes.

 

Finally, on less related topics. Where you located? What is your experience level and what type of rockets/ shells do you make. I infer you make rockets ;-)

 

Regards, AP

[stix]

Hey AusPyro - I was posting as you were.

 

I couldn't agree with you more. It's best to keep things on the low side here in Aus.

Making large amounts or having large amounts of chems is not a good look.

 

[EDIT]

I'm in Melbourne - where abouts are you guys?

Edited November 2, 2017 by stix

[rocketmaster]

I used to have a mill that would do 1kg of BP at a time... pretty nice amount to measure out and work with. But maybe I have over estimated how much lead was in it... I just remember it was heavy.

 

Bullet casting lead is pretty easy to get hold of, I have found one supplier that has 800kg of it in their warehouse! And its 2% Tin, 6% Antimony, 92% Lead (which is hard enough for small scale milling). But your right, its not in a round form haha.

 

I'll see how I go casting it, I like trying new things and I'm sure its an interesting skill to have. I'll see how much fun it is and maybe I'll make a bit extra to share about at cost(might be a few months away is all).

 

 

I would be willing to divest 4 kilos if you are interested.

 

Thanks for the offer Stix, but I can find what I need for now.

Edited November 2, 2017 by rocketmaster

[rocketmaster]

 

Finally, on less related topics. Where you located? What is your experience level and what type of rockets/ shells do you make. I infer you make rockets ;-)

 

 

 

I have about 10yrs of amateur experience and worked for a pyro company in NZ doing shows every few weeks. Building shells, rockets, fountains, cakes from scratch... medium level, nothing crazy. But all safe and good fun!

 

I'm in West Aus... so its going to be a winter hobby for me.

Edited November 2, 2017 by rocketmaster

[AustralianPyromaniac]

Well RM, compared to the majority of members that's a fair bit of experience especially when it's with a professional company. Unrelated, I've never seen any rockets in professional displays, maybe they do it differently across the Tasmin. In any case, with that kind of time in any industry, I'm sure you've developed quite the repertoire of knowledge. It's great to have you in the community; before long I'm sure we'll have you hook up with the contacts you need to get up and running again.

 

Oh, and I live in Brisbane QLD Stix along with three other pyros I know.

 

Regards, AP

[Arthur]

Rockets are disliked in UK professional firework shows because 1/ they fly into the wind (so the debris goes towards the crowd) and 2/ the sticks must land somewhere -risk of damaging a car or a roof once the sticks get big.

[Mouse]

For some reason I thought you were SEQ stix, I'm an hour and a bit southeast of melbs!!

[rocketmaster]

We never used rockets in shows... they are just great fun in a wide open space. And I have done a bit of High Power Rocketry as well.

 

I'm not that experienced by any means, I only made pyro as a hobby. 10yrs ago the information was a lot harder to come by, the internet seems to have changed things in a big way! Can't believe how much information there is to get my hands on these days and all the tools available online

 

Doing shows was all about stacking mortars & cakes, wiring them up, chasing nosy people away and then cleaning up the mess. Just a part time gig on the odd weekend, but great way to meet the pros and get any left over goodies.

[MrB]

15 bloody kilos!!...

 

If i ever get around to buying a Rebel 17, that i can actually afford to keep, then i'll need as much media. And would cast twice that much, just to make sure i had it.

[Col]

With 12mm your looking at roughly 512 balls per litre of mill jar. You can do 20kg of lead over a weekend pretty easily, my mill jars take 13.5kg of 12mm lead or 5.5kg of 10mm alumina

[rcp]

Best website to get 2mm and 3mm visco from?

[AustralianPyromaniac]

You know already but for anyone who may read this in future; my pick would be http://visco-fuse.co.uk/. Reasonable pricing, fast dispatch, and good communicational skills. Purchased from them twice and both times the fuse came well packed in an 'inconspicuous' package with no indication of what it was, just in case it is ever inspected or even opened you should be fine ;-)

 

Regards, AP

[Lozzard]

Hey all ,I been a member here for a while now ,I live in Sydney and I'll be fucked if I can get KC104, I rang chemical suppliers ,laboratory suppliers,I have tried everything,what I need is a contact here in Sydney to help me out ,I've pmed blokes here ,I was so keen for one of them visco machines old mate was selling a while back ,I never got a response so I built my own ,I will reward anyone who points me in the right direction to get some KC104 and if you can get other chems ,oxidisers etc ,bonus ,I got heaps of cool stuff I be willing to part with or cash ,I just someone to hook me up ,please help somebody

Regards Lozzard

Ps pm me on here if you can help me out ,cheers

[AustralianPyromaniac]

Hey all ,I been a member here for a while now ,I live in Sydney and I'll be fucked if I can get KC104, I rang chemical suppliers ,laboratory suppliers,I have tried everything,what I need is a contact here in Sydney to help me out ,I've pmed blokes here ,I was so keen for one of them visco machines old mate was selling a while back ,I never got a response so I built my own ,I will reward anyone who points me in the right direction to get some KC104 and if you can get other chems ,oxidisers etc ,bonus ,I got heaps of cool stuff I be willing to part with or cash ,I just someone to hook me up ,please help somebody

Regards Lozzard

Ps pm me on here if you can help me out ,cheers

 

Your certainly very keen to get your hands on some perc, what comps are you planning on making with it?

 

Regards, AP

[MrB]

KC104? Yes, we can tell you've been around for long, long time, and made some significant research.

Try with KClO4 instead, you know, uppercase KC, lowercase L, uppercase O and the numerical figure for four.

 

Anyway... Lots of places now restrict sales of (per)chlorates, your best bet might be making it on your own.

[rocketmaster]

What did happen to old mate (Twignberry) making the Visco Machines? Looked like an awesome piece of kit! I'm to lazy to make my own.

Edited November 22, 2017 by rocketmaster

[lloyd]

I don't know. He even offered to me to become a U.S. outlet... but then nothing.

 

I wonder if he just lost the 'drive' once seeing what the profits might be. It's a pretty-complex machine, even for 'tinkertoy' type construction.

 

Lloyd

[stix]

I don't know. He even offered to me to become a U.S. outlet... but then nothing.

 

I wonder if he just lost the 'drive' once seeing what the profits might be. It's a pretty-complex machine, even for 'tinkertoy' type construction.

 

Lloyd

 

Yeah, but I don't really buy that Lloyd.

 

I don't think he lost the "drive" because there was a hell of a lot of work that went into it. Perhaps as suggested previously (can't find the post) he got nabbed doing other things.

 

There are apparently limitations to what we can do here in Aus. with regard to pyrotechnics. What those limitations are, I have no idea... your honor.

 

[Knock, Knock . . .]

Edited November 29, 2017 by stix

[rocketmaster]

What tissue paper do people use for shell building? I can't find anything specific.

 

Would the below work or is it to thick?

 

http://www.giftpackaging.com.au/p/tissue-paper-ream-440mm-x-660mm-500-sheets-white/TISR-E11 (works if you copy & paste)

Edited December 3, 2017 by rocketmaster

[lloyd]

For what purpose do you intend to use tissue paper? Except (perhaps) for separating 'halves' when making spherical shells, what other use would you have for it? it's not used in shells for much else but that.

 

Lloyd

[rocketmaster]

Yes for shell building - keeping the burst out of the stars, petals etc. And making it easier to close shells hahaha... keep spilling BP and stars everywhere.

 

Just wondering what is the right type/weight? Don't want to ruin a few shells with the wrong sort if its to thick.

 

Thanks

[stix]

You may already be aware, but Officeworks has lots of different papers for the pyro.

 

https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/c/education/kids-art-craft/craft-supplies/kids-construction-paper/tissue-crepe-paper

Not sure how suitable it would be for your needs.

 

They also sell rolls of virgin kraft at reasonable prices.

[lloyd]

Rocket,

Regular 'wrapping tissue' is adequate. Sometimes for larger shells, you'll need two layers.

 

The stuff is effectively 'transparent' to a black powder explosion.

 

Some folks also use polyethylene film (like LIGHTweight 'scrap bags').

 

I cannot find it on this computer, but I wrote an article for AFN News called "Closing oddly-filled shells". The method uses thin kitchen scrap bags as the membrane, and a household vacuum cleaner to essentially 'vacuum-bag' the contents of a shell half before inverting it over the other half. It's a useful method always, but particularly helpful if you have a shell half with features or contents that project past the equator of the shell.

 

Lloyd

Edited December 3, 2017 by lloyd

[Lozzard]

I recognise sarcasm when I see it,I'm sorry that I forgot to cross my eyes and dot my tees.I realise now there is a clique here ,no probs

[lloyd]

Jeesh, Lozzard! What he wrote was completely in order. It wasn't sarcastic, but helpful. At the most, it might have been a slight tease. But, if you had been searching for KC103, there's every possibility that you'd change your luck writing it correctly!

 

More especially, many beginners don't know chemical terminology and nomenclature. You DO appear to be a beginner -- and such a response as his should have been accepted graciously as help, not criticism.

 

Last, I can't think of many endeavors AS SENSITIVE to "dotting your 'i's and crossing your 't's" as pyrotechnics. Getting one thing wrong can cause a life-changing accident.

 

This isn't a 'clique', my friend. It's a bunch of folks sincerely interested in fireworks. I just happen to also do it professionally, but it's from a true love of the art that I also frequent as many hobby sites as I can afford to.

 

LLoyd