Flashpowder out of plaster of paris/magnesium

[Polumna]

hello Guys

 

Im New Here,

 

Im 14 years old and Pyro has become my favourite hobby since years(im from germany,dont wonder about my english)

 

and I want to know wether i can use Caso4 for Flashpowder with magnesium.

Which Ratio, and should I use the Anhydrous form etc .etc.

Help would be great,

 

thanks

 

Polumna

[aquaman]

"Plaster of Paris, or simply plaster, is a type of building material based on calcium sulfate hemihydrate, nominally CaSO4*0.5H2O." -wikipedia.

 

CaSO4 is a high temp oxidizer. So even if it does work it will be hard to get it to light. Like thermite. I've never tried it but I can tell you that it isn't going to be anything special.

[pa_pyro]

It will probably be like a flare with. I REALLY Doubt that it would burn fast enough to be used as flash powder.

[Mephistos Minion]

On Mr Cool's page I believe it is, he has "Thermite blocks" made from CaSO4 and Al, that are oven dried. They burn with a large flame and are very hot. I cannot find a link to it, perhaps someone else remembers this?

[pa_pyro]

I remember seeing that site. He made "rods" of it, and when it burned it made a few feet high flame and lots of sparks. I also remember the aftermath of the things he set them on...I'll try t find a link.

[aquaman]

I found a link to a plaster of paris thermite mixture HERE.

 

It's listed as "Cast Thermite". It can be formed into molds.

 

Anyways I don't see any chance of this being used as flash.

[Polumna]

hi dudes

 

thanks for help me

 

I´ve heard of this Caso4/Al mix,

but the resulting CaS is a little bit(or a lot Toxic), because of the H2S that comes out if CaS

comes in contact with water I think.

 

Polumna

[Polumna]

hi dudes

 

I´ve got the right ratios

 

the stuff is awesome,

the ratio is 2/1 Magnesium(hand-filed!!!)/plaster of paris(Caso4X2H20)

 

It burns a little bit quicker then Kno3/mg

and it gives an light-red flash

I´ve got a video from this stuff but it is too big(2,6 mb)

for uses in Polumnas(NOT AGAIN!!!! )

You need a first fire mix out of BP/mg-Shavings.

you can compare the bang with a good Kno3/mg salute(5g)

 

Now, i must stop here I need to make my charcoal.

 

See-U-later

 

 

polumna

[Mardec]

I had been thinking about this mix too, + some parlon for orange flash for in aireal salutes.

 

CaSO4 is one of the only cheap Ca oxidisers that is commonly available that isn't water soluble.

 

My main fear was auto ignition since there is H2O present and it can bind up to CaSO4.2H2O

 

That is why I never tried it.

 

It should ignite pretty easy from a normal flame. Think BaSO4 + Mg.

Now I think of it, BaSO4 does bind water too BaSO4.H20 if I am not mistaking..

 

So gues it should be allright?

[Polumna]

hi dudes

 

I think it would be necessary to dry the plaster of paris with an kitchen burner,

beacause the cristall-water will went out.

And then, it should be much much easier to light the flashpowder.

 

BTW:Where can I get Baso4 or Mgso4(the first one is better because it is non toxic)

 

has anyone else tried the caso4/al thermite(I think the endproduct is higly toxic for the human body, just because of the H2s, that will went off, if the Cas would come in contact with water)

 

I made my fine Mg-Powder with an dust-mask and a drillbit with sandpaper-drum.

the result is very fine powder that can be used for flare´s and so on

 

Her is a short video from Kno3/mg(hand-filed)

 

 

polumna

[Mardec]

That kitchen burner thing is a good idea, but the flash will have to be stored air proof. Easier to light.. maybe but not much difference I think.

 

I got my BaSO4 at the pharmacie, It was used to make animals crap. No I am not joking it is used for animals that have constipation..

But not anymore since it still is slightly toxic. MgSO4 .. don't know, but this binds way to much water. MgSO4.12H20 and it is hygroscopic.

 

CaSO4 + Al thermite won't be that poisoness since CaS isn't that soluble and it will probably be burned with air since thermite is extremly hot.

 

Your flash will yield the same CaS btw..

But don't worry about that.

 

Btw I can't load your movie

 

 

I tried CuSO4 in flash before, I know you can't store it because of the Penta hydrate but I was curious. It was lame, not even a bit blue and very poor in power. Hope CaSO4 works better.

 

And you are pretty smart for a 14 year old, Most people will never have tought to use CaSO4 as an oxidiser. So don't be stupid and try to make the biggest M80 ever build or anything oke?

[Polumna]

hi mardec

 

 

I´m using use this oxidisier, because it is non toxic and easy obtainable.

I´m half-english BTW.

 

And If you are going to your local wal-mart, they will never ask you what you would like to do with

plaster of paris.(with kno3 they´ll ask stupid question to you)

 

I and my Friend tried caso4/al

in loose form(2:1). He took his burner and light the powder.

(You can imagine what happened???)IT FLASHES

The mix was caso4/Al 2:1, cast and dried and then we´ve grind that stuff with a mortar&pestle

 

That stuff is pretty awesome, because the Al-powder was hand-filed!!!

It is totally blinding and it made a loud PPPPPOOOOPPP

with fine Al-Powder at 3g,(Ignition source was a first firemix BTW)

 

The mix neither work with Cas04*1/2H20 nor Caso4,

just with caso4*2h20, I dont know why

 

Try it out for yourself

 

polumna

[pa_pyro]

There is a thread on using MgSO4 as an oxidizer, and from what I saw It doesn't work very well. If you wanted to try using it you would have to bake it for awhile and use any comps you made with it within a short period of time(strobe comps if I recall correctly). As mardec said it is very hygroscopic.(which means if baked, it can be used as a dessicant) You can ge MgSO4 as epsom salt in drug stores. The "flash powder" I was testing with it was with indian black and dehydrated MgSO4. After about 10 seconds with the torch on it it finally burned, shooting out a few sparks. I'll start doing test with this comp soon, although it is kind of a waste of good flash grade Al.

 

update: Found on a site that MgSO4 may be used with Mg for torch /salutes. It said something about reacting to form hydrogen, And Mg being a reducing agent, it might be able get those stubborn O molecules to come out at a lower temp...

However, US Patent 2,885,277 claims to make use of the

waters of hydration in magnesium sulfate heptahydrate,

MgSO4-7H2O (Epsom salts), to produce hydrogen gas when the

sulfate is reacted with magnesium. It is further claimed

that this combination will function as either a torch or a

salute. It would be well to note that Ellern (1968, p. 272)

expresses doubt concerning the safety and utility of such

mixtures.

[Polumna]

hi

 

 

is it a good idea to add some BP to Caso4/Al or caso4/mg???

 

PS: A good source for pure magnesium is a sharpener!!!

 

 

polumna

[itwasntme]

hi

 

 

is it a good idea to add some BP to Caso4/Al or caso4/mg???

 

PS: A good source for pure magnesium is a sharpener!!!

 

 

polumna

Huh? What kind of a sharpener, pencil, like the ones in schools with a crank handle, or a hand held one. I still think that a firestarter bar is better.

[Pretty green flame]

hi

 

 

is it a good idea to add some BP to Caso4/Al or caso4/mg???

 

PS: A good source for pure magnesium is a sharpener!!!

 

 

polumna

Huh? What kind of a sharpener, pencil, like the ones in schools with a crank handle, or a hand held one. I still think that a firestarter bar is better.

Well, pencil sharpeners are not pure magnesium. They are an alloy of Mg and Al, magnalium if you will. But the aluminium percentage is around 5% so it's pretty pure but not exactly a suitable source of Mg as they cost money and you don't exactly get a lot of it.

 

I think heater rods from water heaters are pure magnesium or car engine blocks but i'm not 100% on that one.

 

PGF

[Polumna]

hi

 

i mean these ones who looks silvery.

 

Make some shavings from the sharpener and light it;)

 

I take a file, make some powder, put it on my spoon, close my eyes(a little bit>>because of the UV emission) and tje result is a white flash.

U can use the powder for FP like in my video i made and post here in this thread.

 

 

Polumna

[Polumna]

hi dudes

 

in the next time, I´ll record some videos

with Caso4/mg flash powder.

 

I´ll show you the awesomeness

of this flash-powder.

I think thats a very cheap flashpowder, bacause plaster

of paris is easy obtainable in most hardware-stores.

You just need a kitchen burner or something like that to dry the

plaster of paris.

BTW:after looking around google.com I found

the right mixing-ratio for this flash:

 

1.3g caso4

1.0g magnesium-powder

 

enough for today( or not???

 

 

stay green

 

 

 

Polumna

[shadopyro]

I've tried BaSO4 with german dark AL before, 50:50.

a slightly greenish flash, i ignited the pile using a big of meal BP. Definatly fast enough to be used in flash i think, just rather annoying trying to get the barium sulphate.

I preicpetated the barium sulphate by adding barium nitrate to a solution of Alum (in my case aluminium potassium sulphate). the rsulting white precipetate of barium sulphate was dried then baked and mixed in a pestle and mortar( its a rather safe flash powder- more energy required to ignite it).

 

About the engione blocks, if you can find the engine block of an old beetle car then thats magnalium i believe...i remember seeing it in some chemistry textbook about it...

[pa_pyro]

I'm back with the MgSO4 "flash". That stuff is a huge pain to light. I used finely powdered mag sulfate that I baked for about 2 hours(not long enough I think)and slightly coarse mesh Mg. it sparked for awhile while I was holding my pentorch to it, then it finally caught and burned like half-decent flash. I think I have some plaster of paris, I'll test that if I find it and post a vid.

[Polumna]

hi

 

are Mg-fillings

fine enough for flashpowder???

 

please tell me the mesh size if you can.

 

have you got some photos about difrent mesh sizes???

 

BTW: A good source for priceless papertubes is your local walmart:

ask the teller wether he has got some empty receipt-rolls.

They´ve papertubes.

Ive got mine from "Marktkauf"

in general i´ll get 100-200 tubes per week

 

They´ve got different size, from 0,5cm ID to 1,5cm(5.5cm in length).

the tubes are good for the Caso4/al thermite

 

polumna

[Polumna]

hi dudes

 

I´ve made some Caso4/al thermite with my tubes.

I´ll test it tomorrow and post a video.

 

here is a picture of my tubes(they are nice,aren´t they;))

 

bye then

 

polumna

[itwasntme]

hi

 

are Mg-fillings

fine enough for flashpowder???

 

please tell me the mesh size if you can.

 

have you got some photos about difrent mesh sizes???

 

BTW: A good source for priceless papertubes is your local walmart:

ask the teller wether he has got some empty receipt-rolls.

They´ve papertubes.

Ive got mine from "Marktkauf"

in general i´ll get 100-200 tubes per week

 

They´ve got different size, from 0,5cm ID to 1,5cm(5.5cm in length).

the tubes are good for the Caso4/al thermite

 

polumna

No. You need 500 mesh+ and it has to be flake, so filings aren't good enough. I really don't think you're experienced enough to be making FP. Don't do it. The mesh of filings depends on what kind of file it was grinded with, and at what speed.

[Mardec]

Pff you talk bull shit.

 

My magnesium powder is 75 um (around 200 mesh right?) and I can make very good flash powder with it. A 2 gram cracker of with tis magnesium made my ears ring at 10 meters and blinded me for 20 seconds.

 

Even people 50 meters away said it was enormously loud.

 

Mg Fillings will give very crappy flash tough..

[pa_pyro]

If you want to shrink pics, email them to yourself and click the option decrease picture size.