Gold Crown Comp

[Zmuro]

Thats Hardt’s Brocade formula if I'm not wrong.

[pyroguy1960]

Zmuro, you are correct.

[Zmuro]

The shell was really beautiful, I must say that. I had that formula for a while, but I never tested it. Good to know what's it's like

[Updup]

Now I wish I had picked up some FeTi ]= with my last order

 

That was a really nice shell!

[pogue1000]

Thats really beautiful. I think this will be my next project.

 

What size stars did you make and are they rolled, pumped?

 

About how many grams of comp going into an 8" shell

 

Mine will probably just be a 4"

So I've found the winning comp, this is an 8" shell and could have probably been a little better with larger stars, but still it was very nice. Sorry for the shaky camera work and the peanut gallery.

 

Thanks to Karlos & Gorski for comfirming the comp offline before I tried it.

 

KNO3 - 29

Pine C - 34

Sulfur - 6

FeTi (mixed) - 25

Dextrin - 6

 

[pyroguy1960]

These are 1/2 " pumped stars using a wolter star plate and a shop press. I have a pressure guage that I place directly on the plates when pressing and I used about 6,000 PSI on the comp when pressing. I also don't tamp down the comp in the plate before pressing, I just fill it to the top once, wipe the excess and then press, the wolter plates seem to be made for that because I end up with stars that are 1/2" long as well. I really can't say enough about thier star plates, I used mixed mesh FeTi and it didn't really scar the tooling at all.

 

As far as the comp usage for the 1/2" stars in an 8 inch shell, I used up about 40oz.

 

I think these stars would do well rolled or cut too though as the sizing doesn't have to be as exact as if you were doing colors that all had to go out at the same time.

 

Mine did burn out at the same time, in the video the one star you see burning in the upper left was what was left of the 1.75" comet I used from the same comp for a rising tail, it was a tad too long at about 3/4".

 

 

[pogue1000]

Guess I have never heard of a two stage prime, you just mix that in with the comp?

 

The best way to mix this comp to ball mill and then mix the FeTi in at the end?

[pyroguy1960]

I didn't ball mall anything, just mixed it all together in a plastic bucket, obviously the pine charcoal has to be airfloat and the oxidizer and sulfur through 100 mesh screen. Commericial airfloat won't due for this comp I reckon, has to be pine or willow to get the nice spark trails.

 

I didn't use much of a fancy prime either, first layer was green mix with 5% mgal to heat it up a little. Then the outer layer was just green mix. So to answer your question, no I didn't mix it with the comp. Although you could probably step prime it as well, first layer 50/50 comp/green, second layer green.

[pogue1000]

I didn't ball mall anything, just mixed it all together in a plastic bucket, obviously the pine charcoal has to be airfloat and the oxidizer and sulfur through 100 mesh screen. Commericial airfloat won't due for this comp I reckon, has to be pine or willow to get the nice spark trails.

 

I didn't use much of a fancy prime either, first layer was green mix with 5% mgal to heat it up a little. Then the outer layer was just green mix. So to answer your question, no I didn't mix it with the comp. Although you could probably step prime it as well, first layer 50/50 comp/green, second layer green.

 

Thanks for responses. I have only made D1 stars and I just primed those with bp meal.

[dagabu]

I didn't ball mall anything, just mixed it all together in a plastic bucket, obviously the pine charcoal has to be airfloat and the oxidizer and sulfur through 100 mesh screen. Commericial airfloat won't due for this comp I reckon, has to be pine or willow to get the nice spark trails.

 

I love the stars! They were awesome but I dont think that pine or willow have very nice sparks. Any chance you can do a small batch with commercial for reference?

[pyroguy1960]

LOL c'mon man I just spent 3 weeks chasin this comp, I got it the way I like it with the pine I'm using. You want better sparks chase it yo damn self.

 

In all seriousness though i will say this, when I first stared out I made crysanthemum 8 with commercial airfloat and it sucked....bad. I made crysanthemum 8 with the pine charcoal I'm using now and it produced nice spark trails, or I guess what I consider nice. So that leads me to the conclusion that commercial airfloat is not good for spark trails.....hence the reason why I really don't want to spend the time making a comp I know will probably be crappy.

 

Not to mention I used the last of my commercial airfloat making the green mix for prime, so ball busting aside that's the real reason.

[pyroguy1960]

Also I though pine was the best to use for fire dust no?

[pyroguy1960]

oh and more reasons...I'm out of FeTi and it takes alot of comp to make an 8" which I think is really a good test for this type of star....if I made a small batch with commercial and tested it with a 4", I don't think it would be a good comparison, then we'd just be asking ourselves, well maybe it was the bigger stars that made it better ya know?

[Mumbles]

I might have a video of a mine of this composition using commercial airfloat.

[pyroguy1960]

My guess is you'd get the gold sparks but the orange fire dust in the tendrals would be somewhat lacking....I betcha that all commercial airfloat is not equal either though...

[dagabu]

LOL c'mon man I just spent 3 weeks chasin this comp, I got it the way I like it with the pine I'm using. You want better sparks chase it yo damn self.

 

 

My damn self aint to good at big shells, thats why I asked yo damn self!

 

I was just wondering, that's all. The Golden Crown is brand new to me but I did fine FeTi for $14.00 a pound though I would like to find it for $10.00 or so a pound. I just have to try this, it is my favorite effect by far.

 

Hmmm, I wonder what it would look like in a rocket?

[pyroguy1960]

Perhaps mumbles will set us straight here, but I'm pretty sure commercial airfloat is crap for spark trails....yea the FeTi is somehat pricey, another reason I want to try not to waste any. 14 bucks a pound is mega cheap compared to most places....I think it's like 30 bucks a pound at skylighter and like 20 a pound at rolling thunder pyro.

 

I just ordered 5 lbs from hobby chem supply...seems to definately be the cheapest around for just about everything.

[Algenco]

My damn self aint to good at big shells, thats why I asked yo damn self!

 

I was just wondering, that's all. The Golden Crown is brand new to me but I did fine FeTi for $14.00 a pound though I would like to find it for $10.00 or so a pound. I just have to try this, it is my favorite effect by far.

 

Hmmm, I wonder what it would look like in a rocket?

 

 

 

 

Karl has it for $12

[dagabu]

Perhaps mumbles will set us straight here, but I'm pretty sure commercial airfloat is crap for spark trails....yea the FeTi is somehat pricey, another reason I want to try not to waste any. 14 bucks a pound is mega cheap compared to most places....I think it's like 30 bucks a pound at skylighter and like 20 a pound at rolling thunder pyro.

 

I just ordered 5 lbs from hobby chem supply...seems to definately be the cheapest around for just about everything.

 

Just got the flu shot today, feeling a little weird so bare with me here...

 

The reason I ask is that in rockets, the crappier the charcoal, the better the spark. Crushed up Kingsford briquettes have MAD sparks and the hard wood charcoal I got from Humphrey's is pretty darn good too but the pine and willow have more of a fire dust look that does not hang for very long and pine has the branching sparks I like for senko hanabi.

 

I add 5% coarse crappy C and the tails are glorious!

[pyroguy1960]

I'm totally not qualified to even comment on that....so I won't. We need a charcoal expert to chime in here....

[pogue1000]

Ok this shell inspired me. I ordered me a cheap chinese plate, getting some FeTi and will be building up a 6".

If all goes well i will be shooting it at our club shoot in december!

[dagabu]

I have 5# on its way, $50.00 delivered, not too shabby!

[pyroguy1960]

Where'd you score it?

[dagabu]

Karl has it for $12

 

 

Where'd you score it?

 

See the post above

[Karlos]

OK, but make a round stars from this composition and make 5 - 8 " shell with KP bursting charge on cotton seeds, with perfect pasting. Effect will be wonderfull.