stug161 Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 I am doing some very basic beginner testing in my back yard. For now, I am using 9/16 cardboard tube with a bentonite clay plug to test shoot some stars. The problem is I am having to use almost 3 grams of my un-milled lift powder to shoot my little 3 gram stars thirty feet or so into the air. It is actually very exciting to me, since I have made everything from scratch!! But it is making me think my powder is pretty weak. I am about to get a ball mill from cannon fuse. I am sure it will help out. Is there a basic formula for star lifting, not shell lifting? The stars fit pretty tight into the tubes, and I am using a snug wadding on top. Thanks, Robert! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xtreme Pyro Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 (edited) I am doing some very basic beginner testing in my back yard. For now, I am using 9/16 cardboard tube with a bentonite clay plug to test shoot some stars. The problem is I am having to use almost 3 grams of my un-milled lift powder to shoot my little 3 gram stars thirty feet or so into the air. It is actually very exciting to me, since I have made everything from scratch!! But it is making me think my powder is pretty weak. I am about to get a ball mill from cannon fuse. I am sure it will help out. Is there a basic formula for star lifting, not shell lifting? The stars fit pretty tight into the tubes, and I am using a snug wadding on top. Thanks, Robert! No, the ratio's are the same.. It should lift it fine especially since it has a tight fit inside the tube. It should not take 3 grams to lift a single star out of the tube. After you get a ball mill you will notice a great improvment. EDIT: You know that you can get the same mill at a Harbor Freight store for around $29 for the single drum one, and about 39$ for the dual 6lb mill. I have a dual drum tumbler, with a few turns of electrical tape around the drive shaft works great. Link: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=65838 (single barrel) http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=65840 (dual drum) Edited August 15, 2009 by Xtreme Pyro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 Good BP will lift well with 1/10 of the projectile weight oc lift, assuming that your stars are a fair fit in the tube. If your tube is 9/16 bore then the star should be 7/16 minimum, better half inch. Powder that hasn't been milled is usually a waste of time for lift or break, it's OK in fountains or rockets. Good reliable BP is the FIRST stage in good pyro. It doesn't matter how many layers of fancy stars you put in hemis, if they don't lift then the shell is no good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEskimo Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 Are you plugging your tube? It should go like this: put in some BP, then fuse, then your star. Grab some paper napkins, Kraft paper, etc, and form a small wad of it. Make sure it fits tightly into the tube. Push it in with a dowel, or somesuch, until it's barely touching the star. This will create greater pressure, so the star will go farther. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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