Jump to content
APC Forum

Strobe stars


Zumber

Recommended Posts

hey friends,

I have found 3 strobe stars formulas

Strobe Stars-

 

Bleaser Green Strobe-

 

Barium Nitrate…….53

 

Magnelium………12

 

Sulphur……….17

 

HCB…………13

 

Dextrin……..5

 

 

 

Bleaser White Strobe-

 

Barium Nitrate…….51

 

Potassium Nitrate…7

 

Magnesium(100mesh)….18

 

Sulphur……..19

 

Dextrin…..5

 

 

Hall Strobe-

 

Barium Nitrate…26……27

 

Magnesium(60mesh)……17………18

 

Aluminium(flake)…..6…0

 

Sulphur……..51…….55

 

1)my question is that in 1st formula can i replace MgAl by Mg and HCB by PVC trying reducing the value of Mg and increasing the value of PVC..??

2)third formula will works..??it has excess amount of sulphur...

 

3)what would be fine for coating metals...?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

#1 No, that would kill the reaction on both levels. Using Mg alone will make it stop strobing, and probably turn into a flare. Replacing HCB with PVC will probably do the same. There are some that can work with parlon. do a search here in nitrate strobes, and you will probably find some red formulas at least. Replacing the strontium nitrate with barium nitrate should yield something that resembles green.

 

#2 I kind of doubt it. That formula has at least twice the amount of sulfur as in any other formula I've seen. You never know until you try though.

 

#3 MgAl typically isn't coated with anything. For magnesium, linseed oil or dichromate should both work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would advise to start with AP/sulphate/MG based stars. There is no problem to get sufficient strobe effect with such type of formulas. Please note, that Mg protecting in AP based formulas are obligatory.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok mumbles..

the second formula would be fine..??using 100 mesh magnesium..??

Please give me the detail procedure for coating mg with linseed oil...

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I have very good experience with Bleaser White Strobe formula.

This is several years old video of 70mm shell containing this stars(I think they were 5mm cut). I just replaced part of dextrin with shellac and used alcohol to wet the composition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What about static electricity hazards..??also friction sensitivity while passing through sieve..??

pls tell me how do I coat Mg using linseed oil..??

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
what prime must i use in Bleser 26 White Strobe stars? Edited by pyrogeorge
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I'll just fill in some more formulas you can use for strobe stars/rockets

 

Ammonium Perchlorate based:

Pink

 

Ammonium perchlorate 57%

Magnalium, 200 mesh 15%

Strontium sulfate 11%

Strontium carbonate 8%

Parlon 4%

Potassium dichromate 5%

 

White

 

Ammonium perchlorate 57%

Magnalium (80-200mesh) 24% - 200mesh is usually used

Barium sulfate 14%

Potassium dichromate 5%

 

 

 

 

Barium Nitrate based strobe mixes

 

White strobe # 2

 

26% Ba (NO3) 2/II 17% Mg powder 6% Al bright 51% sulfur

 

White strobe #1

 

27% Ba (NO3) 2 18% Mg powder 55% sulfur

 

White strobe#4

 

60% NH4ClO4 25% of Magnalium fine powder 15% BaSO4 5% K2Cr2O7

 

RED STROBE #1

 

60% Sr (NO3) 2 20% Magnalium 10% sulfur 10% dextrine

 

RED STROBE #2

 

50% NH4ClO4 30% Mg powder 20% SrSO4 5% K2Cr2O7

 

Yellow strobe#1

 

50% NH4ClO4 40% Mg powder 10% NaSO4 +5% K2Cr2O7

 

Green strobe#1

 

60% Ba(NO3)2 20% Magnalium 10% sulfur 10% dextrine

 

Green strobe#2

 

60% NH4ClO4 23% Mg powder 17% BaSO4 +5% K2Cr2O7

 

 

 

Depending on the size of the metal powder the fuel will burn different. With large particles it will flash less often and with small particles it will flash more often...

 

 

 

Edited by TheEvilGod
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 years later...
Bleser recommends priming the white strobe with 1/2mm layer of his strobe igniter, below:


#28 Strobe Igniter - Bleser

Potassium perchlorate 74

Red gum 12

Charcoal 6

Aluminum dark 3

Potassium dichromate 5


I don't think the potassium dichromate is needed for this to work. I made some 6mm round Bleser white strobe stars with -100 mesh magnalium, primed with the igniter above (without dichromate) - although they seemed to light in the air they appeared to then blow out without strobing at all, on the ground they also struggled to get going and only flashed once or twice. I think 100 mesh magnalium is probably too coarse.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would like to add a few questions to this thread:

 

Mr. Mike Swisher writes:

 

 

 

It is customary to use a non-aqueous binder for ammonium perchlorate strobe
stars, on the principle that rigorous exclusion of water from these compositions
is necessary (because water facilitates the ammonium perchlorate/magnesium
corrosion reaction, even in the presence of ammonium dichromate). It is my
observation that uptake of humidity is the usual cause for deterioration of
strobe stars of this type.

Almost everyone who works with this type of star employs a solution of
nitrocellulose in acetone or some other suitable vehicle ("NC lacquer").

 

Due to cost and complexity reasons I find it desirable to avoid the use of NC lacquer in binding my strobe stars. Does anyone have experience with the aqueous binding of ammonium perchlorate/MgAl stars? The red strobe formula listed at

 

http://www.skylighter.com/fireworks/making-fireworks-projects/cut-star-formulas.asp

 

seems to indicate that an aqueous binding system is used, but I haven't tried the formula so I don't know how well it works. Furthermore I have doubts about the present viability of the formula due to the necessity to substitute some other chlorine donor for HCB. I believe that the use of MgAl instead of pure Mg should reduce degradation of the stars. I am further concerned that the presence of dextrin in the formula would interrupt the desired pure strobing behavior. Is there some maximum percentage of hydrocarbon content which still allows for strobe behavior?

 

Another idea I had is to try to use acetone/parlon to bind them. As far as I know, the parlon doesn't undergo any chemical changes through solvation and subsequent recrystallization (?), so I can't see why this wouldn't work.

 

 

 

Please share your thoughts!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

fence post prime ignite blesser strobes?

That's all i use and have no problem

 

I'll just fill in some more formulas you can use for strobe stars/rockets

 

Ammonium Perchlorate based:

Pink

 

Ammonium perchlorate 57%

Magnalium, 200 mesh 15%

Strontium sulfate 11%

Strontium carbonate 8%

Parlon 4%

Potassium dichromate 5%

 

White

 

Ammonium perchlorate 57%

Magnalium (80-200mesh) 24% - 200mesh is usually used

Barium sulfate 14%

Potassium dichromate 5%

 

 

 

 

Barium Nitrate based strobe mixes

 

White strobe # 2

 

26% Ba (NO3) 2/II 17% Mg powder 6% Al bright 51% sulfur

 

White strobe #1

 

27% Ba (NO3) 2 18% Mg powder 55% sulfur

 

White strobe#4

 

60% NH4ClO4 25% of Magnalium fine powder 15% BaSO4 5% K2Cr2O7

 

RED STROBE #1

 

60% Sr (NO3) 2 20% Magnalium 10% sulfur 10% dextrine

 

RED STROBE #2

 

50% NH4ClO4 30% Mg powder 20% SrSO4 5% K2Cr2O7

 

Yellow strobe#1

 

50% NH4ClO4 40% Mg powder 10% NaSO4 +5% K2Cr2O7

 

Green strobe#1

 

60% Ba(NO3)2 20% Magnalium 10% sulfur 10% dextrine

 

Green strobe#2

 

60% NH4ClO4 23% Mg powder 17% BaSO4 +5% K2Cr2O7

 

 

 

Depending on the size of the metal powder the fuel will burn different. With large particles it will flash less often and with small particles it will flash more often...

Are you sure these formulas will work. There is another thread on here on Nitrate strobes and i couldn't get the red ones to strobe, but i never tried them in the air..

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have very good experience with Bleaser White Strobe formula.

This is several years old video of 70mm shell containing this stars(I think they were 5mm cut). I just replaced part of dextrin with shellac and used alcohol to wet the composition.

What did you do different from the formula? I use Blessers and mine seem to have a longer hang time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

You can roll anything with tor method. The only issue is that strobe is mostly used as a core, and therefor will be hard to start up/roll with toro. They tend to be really sticky with toro. I would only recommend toro from >6 mm stars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

explosivecoek, lets say for a 3" or 4" shell how big should strobe stars be? I think I read somewhere they are slow burning and should be 3/16 to 1/4 but cannot remember

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1/4" - 3/8" + prime should work for a 4". depends on how long you want to see your effect in the air really. you are the artist here :) i find 5mm to be a little small. only get 2-3 strobes out of each depended on mesh of MgAl you use. 5mm sounds about the right size for 2-2.5" but that all depends on the composition you are using.

 

You can use toro method for any star you are binding with water. However i would strongly recommend against toro for any solvent based binding. That is unless you love using excess solvent scraping your roller to clean it out.. Solvent flashes away too fast along the sides of your star roller caking the sides and doesnt really allow enough time to distribute the moisture evenly through your stars to get a consistent roll.

 

As ExplosiveCoek mentioned toro is best for larger stars.. ill generally start toro on stars 1/4" or larger if you have a large batch. ive started toro at 3/16" with larger batches 2000+ cores and used a thinner toro for them. those worked great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Correct, you can make them larger, but mostly I use them as cores, hence the 5-6 mm + decent priming. Priming should be really hot, 1 mm hot prime + 1-1.5 mm regular prime. Rounds them up quickly to 10 mm, and that is about how large most of my stars are for 4''..

 

I use a quite rough MgAl too, so it's a bit slower burning/strobing than the fast shimmering ones you normally see. I like it like that, but maybe in the future I'll speed them up a bit and roll 'm larger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are so much prettier with the slow strobe but such a pain in the as to light... I lost about 4kg of red so strobe because I couldn't get thenlm to ignite consistently even with the hottest primes... Ended up tossing them all into a large shell and putting them in the air. Only 60% lit but it was still beautiful. Edited by CrossOut
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yea the red and green are hard to light. I am fixen to prime some with .5mm fence post + 1.mm BP and silicone and see what happens, if I can ever get caught up.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...
  • 6 months later...
Another composition of the strobe star

Composition is extracted from Chinese products by Yus


Composition:

Barium nitrate - 68%

MgAl - 23%

Bismuth oxide - 17%

Binder - 3%



  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...