jointluver Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 ok i hear people say 4 parts of nitrogen and stuff, what does that mean!@?!?!?!? or like this Composition Type: colored starsCreator: unknownColor/Effect:green/redThe Composition: (by weight) Strontium nitrate...............50Potassium perchlorate.........8Parlon..............................18Magnalium (-325 mesh).....12Charcoal (airfloat)...............5Sulfur................................5Red gum...........................2Dextrin..............................5 Bind 75/25 water:alc is that all in grams or something? do i just mix it all together? how do i measure plz help.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nejc@ Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 ok i hear people say 4 parts of nitrogen and stuff, what does that mean!@?!?!?!? or like this Composition Type: colored starsCreator: unknownColor/Effect:green/redThe Composition: (by weight) Strontium nitrate...............50Potassium perchlorate.........8Parlon..............................18Magnalium (-325 mesh).....12Charcoal (airfloat)...............5Sulfur................................5Red gum...........................2Dextrin..............................5 Bind 75/25 water:alc is that all in grams or something? do i just mix it all together? how do i measure plz help.. Hi!50+8+18+12+5+5+2=100If you count all numbers together you get 100, that means 100%. So every number tells you how many grams of each chemichal should be in 100g of composition. You must give 5g of dextrin on 100g of composition, which is binder and "holds" the composition together, when wet and shaped into stars. I hope that will help you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick2354 Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 If you come across some formulas that are dont add up to 100. Just keep doubling each ingredient until you get your desired quantity. e.g 18 dirt 365 salt 101 clay 2 The measurements would ALWAYS be in grams, unless otherwide indicated. I am no admin, but this basic question should be in the Newbie section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSidewinder Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 Correct, and it's now in the right section. Feel free to continue it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jointluver Posted May 17, 2008 Author Share Posted May 17, 2008 thz guys, that helped but do i add all the chemicals together with water or something>?>??? i hope you can answer this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nejc@ Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 You can use mixture of water and ethanol in ratio 75:25. Just slightly wet the mixture. It has enought water when the composition stays together when squeezed. Then mould them to stars.You can use only water too, but stars will take little more time when drying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 There is some not entirely correct advice here. Firstly, yes all the compositions are by weight. That does not mean it has to be in grams though. You could use ounces, pounds, kilos, metric tonnes, micrograms, etc. Any weight unit will work as long as it's consistent. Secondly, you can add up the masses of everything in the forumla. In the one you posted it is easy because it adds to 100. You can then divide the amount of chemical in your composition by the total mass and get a percentage. This makes it easier to convert between masses. For instance, there 5 parts out of 100 dextrin on that comp. Say you wanted to make 798g of comp for some reason. 5/100 is 5%. Muliply that by 798 and you have 39.9g. Thirdly, to mix the compositions, generally you screen them. Add all your chemicals to a bowl, and mix them up with your hands a bit, and run them through a screen 3 or 4 times, until completely homogenous. It helps break up lumps, and gives better mixing. For future reference it takes more than "slightly wet" to cut stars. If you want to pump stars, it will take about 8-12%. (8-12g per 100g of comp). If you want to cut them, it will probably be more in the 25-30 range. The best way I find to do it is to add water via spray bottle to the comp and mix it around until all the water is distributed. Keep doing this until you can squeeze a clump in your fist and you can cleanly break it apart into 2 halves, no crumbling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jointluver Posted May 17, 2008 Author Share Posted May 17, 2008 thz a lot guys, one more question. what does this ratio mean -- 72:45 or something like that with the : between it, plz explain :bigjoint: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskarchem Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 The ":" is just the separation between two ratios for example 75:15:10 means: 75g KNO3 : 15g Charcoal : 10g Sulfur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSidewinder Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Jointluver, A little suggestion: Ditch the overt references to drugs. I won't give you a 25-cent lecture about it, but some "hobbies" don't go hand in hand with others. Recreational Drugs (of which alcohol is one), and Pyrotechnics absolutely do NOT mix well at all, as some have discovered to their sometimes-fatal dismay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jointluver Posted May 22, 2008 Author Share Posted May 22, 2008 umm i am aware of my name being "jointluver" but i dont even smoke, i just had to come up with a quick email and name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSidewinder Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 The emoticon you tried to use in your post, ":bigjoint:", coupled with your choice of username, gives the wrong first impression. Around here first impressions are everything, given the nature of the hobby. And you'll find that to be true at all legitimate pyro websites, as well as in all pyro organizations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLAST420 Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 as far as water alcohol mixtures does 91% isopropyl alcohol work as far as mixture for stars...it doesnt have to be 99% isopropyl does it??? can it be lower than 91% ??? Thnaks I have looked everywhere havnt found a sure answer I assum ut doesnt really matter alcohol is just there to speed dry time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozentech Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 as far as water alcohol mixtures does 91% isopropyl alcohol work as far as mixture for stars...it doesnt have to be 99% isopropyl does it??? can it be lower than 91% ??? Thnaks I have looked everywhere havnt found a sure answer I assum ut doesnt really matter alcohol is just there to speed dry time! Alcohol as a solvent in making stars can have several functions - faster dry time, but more importantly, reducing surface tension and helping a small amount of liquid wet the comp better, and even more importantly, it activates binders such as red gum. Using OTC Isopropyl should work fine to mix up a 75:25 mix though. Remember it contains water though if you ever use it to make comps that are water sensitive ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_au Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 I don't know about where you are, but around here IPA is fairly expensive. I use methylated spirits, much cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLAST420 Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 as far as water alcohol mixtures does 91% isopropyl alcohol work as far as mixture for stars...it doesnt have to be 99% isopropyl does it??? can it be lower than 91% ??? Thnaks I have looked everywhere havnt found a sure answer I assum ut doesnt really matter alcohol is just there to speed dry time!Alcohol as a solvent in making stars can have several functions - faster dry time, but more importantly, reducing surface tension and helping a small amount of liquid wet the comp better, and even more importantly, it activates binders such as red gum. Using OTC Isopropyl should work fine to mix up a 75:25 mix though. Remember it contains water though if you ever use it to make comps that are water sensitive ! ok but will the 91% work.....should I figure in the 9% water with the rest of the water.. which specific mixtures are water sensitive.??? I have seem to have seen all start comps with a 75:25 water alcohol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSidewinder Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 There's one thing about alcohol though. It's fine for Red Gum, but not Dextrin. If the Star comp is bound with Dextrin, you do NOT want to use more than about 20-25% alcohol, and even that much is way high. Alcohol deactivates Dextrin (or at least interferes with its binding properties badly). I use 10% alcohol for most stars, and only go above that if there is a lot of charcoal in them. Every time I've used 75-25 (water-alcohol) and didn't have high-charcoal content, the stars left much to be desired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLAST420 Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 hey thanks alot for the word of advice there, I think Ill go with a lo alcohol content to start...as is what I preferred (one less think I have to buy all the time ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskarchem Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 I use 95% ethanol 5% methanol alcochol, I find that binding charcoal streamers with water is quite troublesome, so I just add like 15% alcochol, and then the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLAST420 Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 I use 95% ethanol 5% methanol alcochol, I find that binding charcoal streamers with water is quite troublesome, so I just add like 15% alcochol, and then the water. so you apply the alcohol first to help bindig then the water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskarchem Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 You can mix the water with the alcohol in a spray bottle so you have the mix ready, you can add the acohol first and then water or vice versa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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