garyrapp55 Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I want to make some Blue Steel fountains. I cannot find the stearic acid needed at pyro suppliers. Turns out it's also used for making soap and candles, and it's in stock. Will this stuff be an acceptable quality? Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Yup, that is the same stuff, even the scented stuff works fine in fountains. -dag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrapp55 Posted May 23, 2012 Author Share Posted May 23, 2012 Thanx man. Now what about the copper oxychloride, does it make a difference, black or blue/green? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Thanx man. Now what about the copper oxychloride, does it make a difference, black or blue/green? I get mine locally from Continental Clay, I use the Aqua colored stuff for whistle, it works as good as the stuff from the pyro suppliers. -dag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrapp55 Posted May 23, 2012 Author Share Posted May 23, 2012 What type of store is Continental Clay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I don't know of any form of copper oxychloride that is black. All the stuff I'm familiar with is somewhere between a sky blue and turquoise hue depending on the exact composition. Are you thinking of copper oxide with regard to the black? That isn't to say that copper oxide wouldn't work just fine in the formula of course. Copper Carbonate is also listed as an alternative in the original formula. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrapp55 Posted May 23, 2012 Author Share Posted May 23, 2012 (edited) Mumbles you're right, I must have been thinking of oxide. Glad you chose to post on this, I already have copper carbonate I can substitue for oxychloride. The formula I have doesn't show alternatives. Any chance boric acid can be used as substitute for stearic? Edited May 23, 2012 by garyrapp55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potassiumchlorate Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I don't know of any form of copper oxychloride that is black. All the stuff I'm familiar with is somewhere between a sky blue and turquoise hue depending on the exact composition. Are you thinking of copper oxide with regard to the black? That isn't to say that copper oxide wouldn't work just fine in the formula of course. Copper Carbonate is also listed as an alternative in the original formula. I'd say it's not blue at all. Copper(II)chloride with crystal water is lovely turqoise. Copper oxychloride on the other hand has a rather dull pale green colour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seymour Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Any chance boric acid can be used as substitute for stearic? You can not. Stearic acid is a waxy long chain organic acid, and is a rather dense fuel. Boric acid is inorganic, and does not do much in the burning reaction at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potassiumchlorate Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Does anyone know whether stearine burns hotter than shellac and red gum or not? Some sources say that it burns "cooler" than resins and was therefore used in old blue compositions, other say that it burns very hot. A stearine candle burns at 900-1000oC, but I have no idea of the burning temperature when mixed with powerful oxidizers. I also have no clue about the burning temperature of resin fuels, although I suspect them to be pretty high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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