Microcontroller timed Salutes & some Shells (electronic ignition)

[Chuleo]

Hope you enjoy the vids

 

Unfortunately I had issues with my latest batch of lift powder. The grains got way too big and milling was not possible (because of KCLO4). Nevertheless, it worked very good for the bigger shells.

There are 3 types of shells: 3" round, 3" cylinder and 5" round shells. The 3" cylinder shells contained lift powder as burst, therefore it just made a little "plop". The 3" round shells were boosted with 0.5g hot flash and had coated rice crispies as burst charge.

 

In real life the times salutes were absolutely awesome, altough...10channels are too less. Maybe next time I'll expand it to 50channels .

 

https://vimeo.com/50075393

 

https://vimeo.com/50075394 (same video as the first, but different camera (cellphone))

 

https://vimeo.com/50075396

 

https://vimeo.com/50075395

 

https://vimeo.com/50075397

 

https://vimeo.com/50075527

 

(Sorry I dont know how to embedd the stuff so you can watch it directly)

[ivars21]

Amazing breaks! A bit too low lift, but still - great!

[Dean411]

Very nice!

[FrankRizzo]

The Michigan Pyro club did a full drum solo with salutes of various sizes during the PGI convention in Appleton in 2010, using a new firing system sold by Ace Pyro.

 

[ExplosiveCoek]

Chuleo, there's some really nice stuff in there. Did you make the Dragon Egg's yourself? How much, and what kind of priming did you use on those stars (the glitters for instance had excellent ignition rates).

 

Why do you use KClO4 in your lift, it's really not necessary .

 

 

Are you able to shoot fireworks in Germany without too many troubles, although you were someone far away in a forest I think? In The Netherlands we can get in a lot of trouble when shooting too much stuff.

[Chuleo]

Not all the dragon eggs were made by myself. One Shell was filled with stars from small dissected consumer stuff (the one at 2:10). The rest is made by me.

Priming: I use green mix (-80mesh) and add 7% Silicon and 5% Dextrin. The charcoal powder is made from the cheapest supermarket hardwood charcoal chunks. On round stars i use 0.75-1mm on 10mm pumped stars, the ones i mainly use, I roll them in a starroller until the edges are a little bit rounded.For stars like BaNO3/MgAL or KNO3 stars with a high metal content I use the same prime. But I step prime these stars. Works very well.

 

Of course it is not necessary to use KCLO4 in the lift. But I dont have a (finished) ballmill so it is much easier to use some KCLO4. I usually make just one big batch of powder, split it in half and use it as burst and as lift. That worked very well in the past. Only this time the ricing went wrong. I know you can make decent blackpowder without a ball mill but it takes a lot of time I dont want to spend. (Yes I know I'm extremely lazy )

[zvrh]

I love the gold glitter ones! Do you mind sharing the composition you used?

[thunderboy]

nice looks just need to lift them higher

[Chuleo]

I love the gold glitter ones! Do you mind sharing the composition you used?

 

Gold glitter is Winokur20 with mixed mesh magnalium (40-200mesh) pumped 10mm with 7% 75/25 water/ethanol

[zvrh]

Gold glitter is Winokur20 with mixed mesh magnalium (40-200mesh) pumped 10mm with 7% 75/25 water/ethanol

Thank you!