dangerousamateur Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 I finally got my parlon stars to light, but still about 20% fail. Is it feasible to use KClO3 for MgAl fueled stars? I already tried several chlorate compositions including flash and I don't find them THAT much sensitive. If I can handle the incompatibilities - why not? Since Oxidizers are hard to get these days, running a chlorate cell is an option and in few years might be the only way to do pyro. Since PERchlorate is much harder to produce an all-chlorate system whould be my choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyrojig Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 (edited) I finally got my parlon stars to light, but still about 20% fail. Is it feasible to use KClO3 for MgAl fueled stars? I already tried several chlorate compositions including flash and I don't find them THAT much sensitive. If I can handle the incompatibilities - why not? Since Oxidizers are hard to get these days, running a chlorate cell is an option and in few years might be the only way to do pyro. Since PERchlorate is much harder to produce an all-chlorate system whould be my choice. I believe that some of the Chinese used chlorates in metal stars. I dont think it is a huge diff. , but it was enough to be banned from entering the States. I believe that there where just too may accedients that arose with the use of chlorates and the ruff handling or dud's returning to earth and going off from impact . If I where to suggest anything, Id say use other salts to obtain color with your chlorate and maybe stick with a H-3 burst( if your making your own chlorate. ) It should be fairly cheap to make your stars and burst for the most part, just the metal salts and binder or resins are gonna be the cost. Edited November 27, 2011 by pyrojig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan999ification Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 try pinball prime for the veline stars mine light evry time. i see no reason to ommit the perc for chlorate either make a chlorate star or prime the veline well. dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
50AE Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 It's possible, but remember:-chlorate has less oxygen, so balance. 1,18g of KClO3 are needed to replace 1g of KClO4-chlorate is more reactive, comps will burn faster. Faster burn will impart some colors, because at one time more speed is equal to more energy, thus more heat. This will wash out blues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyrojig Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 It's possible, but remember:-chlorate has less oxygen, so balance. 1,18g of KClO3 are needed to replace 1g of KClO4-chlorate is more reactive, comps will burn faster. Faster burn will impart some colors, because at one time more speed is equal to more energy, thus more heat. This will wash out blues. This also makes for a larger looking star in the sky( with a more energetic burn,) . Might be worth trying a carbonate and lactose blue to see if you can somewhat match a perch star .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 It might be worth trying to make a new series of stars using Chlorate with all the incompatibilities sorted out. Come to think there are a lot of chlorate comps from days of old, just pick some good ones! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyrojig Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 It might be worth trying to make a new series of stars using Chlorate with all the incompatibilities sorted out. Come to think there are a lot of chlorate comps from days of old, just pick some good ones! I second that ... It seems that we may have to dig up the old books and knock the dust off of them. Ill do some diggin myself to see what good ol stuff is Safe or unsafe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 I'd suggest Hardt, or looking for posts from Mike Swisher. They both are treasures for modern information on traditional practices and formulas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyrojig Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I'd suggest Hardt, or looking for posts from Mike Swisher. They both are treasures for modern information on traditional practices and formulas. I need to get that gem of a book! Hardt. I have been eyeing it for a long time. Any ideas where it is cheapest to buy from>? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helix Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I need to get that gem of a book! Hardt. I have been eyeing it for a long time. Any ideas where it is cheapest to buy from>? I ordered my copy from Prometheus Publications who were pretty cheap from memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerousamateur Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 Well, I asked because I cant find no chlorate/metal stars on sites like "the green man" or "pyroguide". There are lots of formulas from Mister Hardt though. And lots of chlorate stuff too. So why did the guys behind these pages left chlorate/metal stars out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Chlorate/metal stars for the most part don't exist or at least are not well established, at least as far as colors go. By the time metallic fueled stars became popular, chlorates were long gone as the standard oxidizer in commerce. By using metals you lose some of the benefits of chlorates (ease of ignition and color purity) while gaining some additional hazards. They may be easier to light than perc/metal stars, but will still require step and/or hot primes. This is not a solution to your problem. Proper priming is the solution. If you want metallic chlorate colors, you'll have to devise the formulas yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
50AE Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Mumbles has a point in there. Chlorates are best for organic formulas. Using chlorate with metals for colors will not give much better colors. You will benefit only of a slight ease of ignition and speed increase. It's just pointless. It's also an unneeded increase in sensitivity, especially if using fine powders like Mg or MgAl. The formula gets nasty then. I find chlorate is the best oxidizer for organics - ease of ignition and reactivity, more chlorine, more heat thus more molecules excitement. If you want to be a chlorate guy, these are the stars for you. Shellac and Red gum/Iditol is a great fuel combo for colors. Easy ignition - BP only, no fancy primes needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyrojig Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 (edited) Well noted MUMBLES on the metals and chlorates . It is why organic stars are about mostly all your gonna find. There are some metal ones out there, but as stated above loose some of their qualities in trade for undesirable effects. It would be nice start a page of organic star formulations based on chlorates ... I think this will be a winner by far. It would answer many Q.'s that seem to be a mystery or unobtainable to others. Edited December 1, 2011 by pyrojig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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