composition super bright white flare

[val77]

hello all

I am calling you because I was looking unsuccessfully for a super light illuminating flare composition

I wonder if there is one that works with magnalium?

thank you for your answers

[mabuse00]

If you can live with a yellow tint, get some sodium nitrate and do a 50/50 mix with magnalium, I prefer 150µm.

I had some very nice results with that.

If you don't like the yellow, you can also swap the sodium nitrate for barium nitrate, this will be really white, but not as bright (but still a killer).

 

In general, magnalium is more convenient to work with compared to magnesium, that's why I prefer it. But magnesium will be brighter.

 

 

Ideally use a water resistant binder system and dry your nitrate (especially sodium- ) before use.

[val77]

you have the formula for the white flarecomposition? Edited August 14, 2012 by val77

[Peret]

According to Hardt,

 

The choice oxidizer for high-energy white flares is sodium nitrate. It fulfills several important functions: the reaction with magnesium forms magnesium oxide; the heat of reaction per gram of components is high because of the high oxygen content of the nitrate and the low equivalent weight of the sodium; and the sodium exhibits luminescent properties that add significantly to the useful light production.

 

Hardt white flare #1:

 

Magnesium 30-50 mesh: 58

Sodium nitrate 37.5

phenolic resin * 4.5

bind with alcohol

 

* vinyl alcohol-acetate resin in the original, but it's just a binder. You could try pvc or saran, but the chlorine is unwanted and phenolic resin dissolves in alcohol. Maybe red gum would substitute.

[taiwanluthiers]

So what about potassium nitrate? wouldn't it be better because its not hygroscopic for one thing, and you don't get the dreaded yellow. Edited August 15, 2012 by taiwanluthiers

[val77]

I will test with potassium nitrate video when I get my chemicals

[Mumbles]

So what about potassium nitrate? wouldn't it be better because its not hygroscopic for one thing, and you don't get the dreaded yellow.

 

Potassium nitrate makes an inferior flare to sodium nitrate. The sodium nitrate ones are so bright that it will wash out your retina and you'll have a hard time seeing the yellow anyway. As has already been said, if you really want to avoid the yellow, use barium nitrate.

[mabuse00]

So what about potassium nitrate? wouldn't it be better because its not hygroscopic for one thing, and you don't get the dreaded yellow.

I think it will radiate lot's of energy outside of the visible spectrum and will appear less bright.

 

Barium Nitrate about on par with potassium in therms of hygroscopicity.

Sodium is worse of corse. That's why I recommed a water free binder system in this case.

 

 

For brightness use sodium, for the nicest white barium nitrate. Use Potassium nitrate if you don't have the others

[val77]

what should be the mesh potassium nitrate?

[Seymour]

So you don't have/can't get Na or Ba nitrate?

 

Make the K nitrate (or preferably other nitrate) very fine. No need for an exact mesh size (though I could pull one out of a hat... -200 mesh will be nice).

 

Basically ball mill it of coffee grind it up really fine until it looks smooth and consistent, and feels smooth between the fingers. rubbing a bit between your fingers is a good way to test for gritty feeling coarse particles.

[val77]

ok

I can get barium nitrate but not sodium nitrat .. But I'll do it with

[Arthur]

Sometimes it's good to get the chems that you need before starting! Few people really have the knowledge and space to experiment with unknown substitutions. just occasionally a substitution behaves in an unexpected way -which isn't good if it surprises you or the neighbours.

[val77]

does not make it your arthur I do not test my comp at home

[AirsoftSmokeScreen]

Hello, this is my first post here so be gentle please

I'm relatively new to pyro, meaning I started with the simplest "legendary smoke mix" and now I want to go a little further.

I'm attracted to ground/handheld type of pyros, I don't like firecrackers, salutes etc, I'm into visual effects that last long and are " safety"

So my question is: can someone tell me please how to make a long lasting white flare/torch and if it's possible with the ingredients that I already have?

Right now I have this: KNO3, sulfur, aluminium powder ( made by myself by filling down a block of aluminium so it's actually flake/coarse), paraffin wax.

And if I can make some ground strobe pots with the same ingredients?

 

Thank you and sorry for my bad English

 

P.S. My homemade legendary smokes:

http://youtu.be/ROi9lP1fY-E

http://youtu.be/FmH3XwhVD30

Edited January 25, 2013 by AirsoftSmokeScreen

[AirCowPeacock]

Good luck on strobe pots with those ingrediants. As for a flare, carefully pressing 5:3:2 KNO3:Al:S into a tube should yeild you a bright flare. How coarse is your Al?

[AirsoftSmokeScreen]

Thanks, I don't know what coarse is my Al but I have an image with it so maybe you can have an idea

http://s9.postimage.org/97n0rdya7/IMG_3220.jpg

I have about 380 grams of this kind of aluminium manually grinded by me in a week, it is hard work but I like it

For the 5:3:2 ratio isn't it the same for the flash powder? Because I don't want a bang, I want a long lasting flare.

And there is something that I don't understand, you said Carefully pressing into a tube but there is no need for a binder to coagulate the powder?

I was thinking that a modified " legendary smoke mix KNO3-sugar-paraffin 4:3:3" might work. For example mixing this: Kno3:sugar:Al:paraffin into the ratio 4:2:1:3.

Basically the legendary smoke with adding Al and reducing the sugar.

Thanks and sorry again for my bad English, I hope you understand

[AirCowPeacock]

That won't be effective. That 'flash' is hardly flash atall. Even good flash won't have such a reaction if well pressed into a tube.

[AirCowPeacock]

what size are those squares?

[val77]

for my flares, spherical or atomized AL is used, 300 mesh powder, in the origin, the powder is fast, but if your bind with mineral oil, the burn rate is slow (3% or 4% of oil)

 

press in a strong tube with a press, minimum 1000 psi for press the composition

 

and you have make your flare

Edited January 25, 2013 by val77

[AirsoftSmokeScreen]

Those squares are 4/4 mm

what size are those squares?

 

So only with KNO3, sugar, my aluminium flakes and a paraffin wax binder won't work?

I was thinking the nitrate/sugar will be enough for the flare to ingite and the aluminum for the colour so I don't need the sulfur in the mix

Edited January 25, 2013 by AirsoftSmokeScreen

[AirCowPeacock]

Your Al might work. You can make dextrin really easily, go look up how. Try a 5:3:2 mixture with 5% dextrin, by weight of course. Bind with water into a small tube, press with a dowel of same size as tube to consolidate it. Start with a small test. A 1/4" x 2" tube would make a nice start. The tube should be very thin walled, 4 turns of #30 kraft should be great. Make sure your KNO3 and S are very very finely powdered. It will probably make some bright sparks too, but with your Al that is inevitable. Do you understand how to do all the procedures I am suggesting?

[AirsoftSmokeScreen]

Yes thanks, I understand and " safety" is my first option so I won't make anything stupid

I tried the Kno3:Al:S in the 5:3:2 ratio about 10 grams on a piece of paper and it was a nice bright bengal light/fountain that lasted about 10 seconds

My issue was the binder and how to keep the powder coagulated so it won't fall from the tube.

Thanks again

P.S. I found that my homemade Al flake is the best for what I want to do

[val77]

airsoftsmokescreen for bind the composition use mineral oil and press for a strong composition grain

[AirCowPeacock]

Mineral oil might be the better option anyways, slowing down the burn rate. Try 2%. Do you know what it meams to press into a tube?

[AirsoftSmokeScreen]

I know to press only with my hand .....

And another question: with charcoal instead of Al can I make a yellow/white flare? I think about altering the BP ratio

Edited January 26, 2013 by AirsoftSmokeScreen