thechewy Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 you need.. 1disposable camer with flash/flash button,1 wire cutter,brillo pad "the mettle wire in a ball type stuff"... Forst open the camera up,find the capacitator. Touch a scew driver to the 2wires on the cpacitator. This will most likely make a spark and discharge it so you dont get shocks will touching it. Hook a wire to each of the wires on the capacitator. Next tape the camera back together leaving the two wires running out of it. Connect an on off switch to on of the wires. Hook 1 small strand of the brillo to connect the wires at the end thats exposed. Charge the flash,turn the switch on and almost immediately the brillo wire will go bright red. Maybe to the point itll make a big park and melt the brillo wire.. It works because i just made and tested one on a mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warthog Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) you need.. 1disposable camer with flash/flash button,1 wire cutter,brillo pad "the mettle wire in a ball type stuff"... Forst open the camera up,find the capacitator. Touch a scew driver to the 2wires on the cpacitator. This will most likely make a spark and discharge it so you dont get shocks will touching it. Hook a wire to each of the wires on the capacitator. Next tape the camera back together leaving the two wires running out of it. Connect an on off switch to on of the wires. Hook 1 small strand of the brillo to connect the wires at the end thats exposed. Charge the flash,turn the switch on and almost immediately the brillo wire will go bright red. Maybe to the point itll make a big park and melt the brillo wire.. It works because i just made and tested one on a mineMaybe this will make it a bit easier to read and understand. I hope you will not take this as an insult as it isn't intended as such. I think you may have something interesting here so I wanted to help people get the point. you need.. 1 disposable camera with flash/flash button,1 wire cutter,a brillo pad "the mettle wire in a ball type stuff" (by this I would guess you mean steel wool?)... First open the camera up & find the capacitator. Touch a scew driver to the 2 wires/leads on the cpacitator. This will most likely make a spark. This is to discharge it so you don't get shocked when touching it. Hook a wire to each of the wires/leads on the capacitator. Next tape the camera back together leaving the two wires running out of it. Connect an on/off switch to on of the wires. Hook 1 small strand of the brillo/steel wool to the wires coming out of the camera. Charge the flash, turn the switch on and almost immediately the brillo wire will go bright red. Maybe to the point it'll make a big spark and melt the brillo wire.. "It works because i just made and tested one on a mine" Would you also share what purpose this will serve the pyro community? I see the obvious, it will light a fire or firework device, was there a specific use you though this might facilitate? I look forward to your reply. Edited July 15, 2012 by warthog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Would you also share what purpose this will serve the pyro community? I see the obvious, it will light a fire or firework device, was there a specific use you though this might facilitate? I look forward to your reply. This is a poor mans CD (capacitive discharge) E-match firing mechanism. There is really no reason to use steel wool with this homemade blaster box since it had so much juice. -dag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nater Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Thechewy - are you using the steel wool to heat up and ignite a fuse in place of an e-match? How long of lead wires have you tried? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankRizzo Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 (edited) The capacitor in a camera flash charges to over 300V, so runs of over 100' of 22Ga wire are possible when using commercial matches. Indeed, the ODA Blaster Box (http://www.oda-ent.com/Products.htm) is based on nearly identical circuitry. Note that the circuit should be put into a small plastic project box to protect you from the dangerous voltage. If discharged across two opposite hands, the current will flow right through your chest, and could cause death. The steel wool idea is nothing new, but is not especially reliable. Steel bridge-wires corrode quite readily in contact with the oxidizers in pyro compositions. It will work for something field-expedient (i.e. fired within a day), but I would suggest a bulb from a holiday light string as a more reliable e-match. This may be helpful:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M2uwiaOVxo Edited July 17, 2012 by FrankRizzo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkokpyro Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Steel wool is how Thais ignite their giant rockets. A small ball of steel wool in contact with a couple of gms of B.P in a plastic bag. Couple of wires running directly to a 12 volt car battery and bingo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taiwanluthiers Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Is there a reason why they use bp for the giant rocket instead of something with a higher isp like sugar or AN? Do their rule specifically require bp to be used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechewy Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 no insults are taken;) . Yes steel wool lol i couldnt think of the name. Basically i cut 2-2inch wires"depending on what im using it for" and stip the plastic off of the tips of each wire. I cut a small strand of the steel wool and connect it to the wires. ......i really wish i could use photobucket or youtube on my phone,its my only enternet source. Its hard to explain in words how i set up the wires and steel wool. But when i do not have any fuse, i just put the steel wool end of the setup into my rocket or mine. Charge the camera flash,and just hit the switch to set off the firework instantly. If some one is willing to let me email pics then post them for me. It would be a very big help:) sorry for the messy spelling and grammer,im on medication being i got into a car wreck yesterday;( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potassiumchlorate Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Is there a reason why they use bp for the giant rocket instead of something with a higher isp like sugar or AN? Do their rule specifically require bp to be used? Money, I'd guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechewy Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 it is pretty much poor mans ignition box"i dont have money to spend like i wish i did so i have to make due with what i have" i try to enjoy all the little things. To me a 5$ camera setup is better than spending hundreds of dollars just to have extra ignition lines. Its nice when setup is done right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkokpyro Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Is there a reason why they use bp for the giant rocket instead of something with a higher isp like sugar or AN? Do their rule specifically require bp to be used? I don't make rockets and have never heard of Ammonium Nitrate/Sugar propellant. Is there such a thing?They can use whatever fuel they like but when building a cored rocket containing as much as 1000kg of comp the only comp that is not going to CATO (most of the time) is a modified very coarse B.P mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nater Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Thechewy - I do not want to discourage your DIY firing system, if it works and you are happy, go for it! However, you do not have to spend hundred of dollars for a firing system. I have a couple of these single cue boxes, and they work great. http://www.e-madeinchn.com/1Q.html . I use them with e-match, but you can make something else that works easily. When I get the chance, I will try making an ignitor with a piece of steel wool to see if it keeps the current long enough to make it get hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potassiumchlorate Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 1000 kilos - I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Thechewy - I do not want to discourage your DIY firing system, if it works and you are happy, go for it! However, you do not have to spend hundred of dollars for a firing system. I have a couple of these single cue boxes, and they work great. http://www.e-madeinchn.com/1Q.html . I use them with e-match, but you can make something else that works easily. When I get the chance, I will try making an ignitor with a piece of steel wool to see if it keeps the current long enough to make it get hot. This is the latest version of these modules, dead shorts on any version older then version 5 will blow out the board and will not work. I have had a dozen of these blow due to too long of a scab wire (6 meters max) before they were fixed. They now have protection for dead shorts and can be used for steel wool if you wish. These modules in conjunction with the 12Q or 12QS remotes will give you a full quarter mile distance (open line of sight with no power lines). Our club uses them on very wide fronts where the show is spread out over several hundred feet. A ziplock baggy works well to weather shield them even in driving rain. Email Echo @ service@RFRemotech.com with questions. -dag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetalNeko Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 If you need cameras for this, I once went to walmart and asked them what they do with the disposable cameras once they develop the film, and they handed me a garbage bag full of them at no cost. Just go to their film development department. On the other hand, if you can't find free disposable cameras; another cheap electrical system is to get one of those large flashlight batteries (usually 6 volts, about the size of a human fist) and some xmas tree light ignitors and a spool of wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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