Star comps as time fuse

[808goboom]

Ok, so I want tails on my can shells but they are very small shells, about 1/2" in diameter. I planned on using 3mm visco as time fuse but the fuse would take up most of the casings diameter leavin no room to glue on a star as a tail...,therefore, I was wondering if I could pack the bottom of my shell casing with star mix and use that as the time fuse....basically, the lift will ignite the hardened star mix in the shell tube, the star mix and break charge will be separated by a layer of bentonite clay,and a small hole will be drilled through the bentonite so as the star mix reaches its end burn, a few sparks will seep through the hole in the bentonite layer and ignite the main break for the shell....btw, these 1/2" can shells aren't gonna be big,only plan on making flying fish, salute and strobing parachute type shells....not big burst shells with stars inside.

 

Help me FAM!!!

[Dean411]

In a sense yes if you plan on using a colored comp you will need a good prime to ensure ignition.

a bp based comp will ignite much easier But you then need to make them so they time correctly or they will break early or fall back down before breaking. Timing is everything!

 

you really need a fuse of some sort to ensure timing as the process is much easier this way.

look at 2 minutes and 22 seconds of the video below there were 80 inserts and all broke at the same height and had rising glitter tails this was timed with visco.you will need to make tooling of some sort which also helps i actually made all 80 of the inserts clay plugs with visco and the rising tails in an hour then I just had to fill them and cap them off.

 

 

Dean

[808goboom]

Nice bro...could u make a tutorial on how to make these inserts....can I just use 3mm visco fuse and then pack star mix around the fuse to create tail effect.

[brimstoned]

I've seen a similar construction in some small, commercial shot batteries; there appears to be just primed comp at the bottom of the shots.

[Seymour]

It is indeed a common commercial technique in bombettes. A clay plug, with some fuse or a hole running through it to pass the fire, is usually used behind a thin layer of coloured or other effect mix. Generally being a few millimeters a second in burn time and only desiring two seconds or so of delay, you need the clay there because the star mix is insufficient alone as a plug, with the exception of fast mixes and long delays, of course, where the plug is thicker.

 

May I suggest you make shells of a larger size? I'm not suggesting you build a 6" shell (yet), but 1/2" is impractical, unless your aim is to push the limits of small size fireworks, which is worthy as a pursuit. It's just that such sizes are really difficult to build and even harder to build and get something great. Most of my stars are about 1/2".

 

4" is about the holy grail for best shell to build as a beginner, so long as you have some space to shoot it. You have enough room to do things properly, and they don't use too much in the way of materials (compared to 6" and above, for instance).

 

In some cases (like not having somewhere to shoot a 4") I can see why you'd want to go smaller, but half inch is a serious handicap. You can do so much more so much more easily with an inch and a half or two inch bombette canisters, while being able to fire them relatively easily.

Edited July 9, 2013 by Seymour

[ollie1016]

It is indeed a common commercial technique in bombettes. A clay plug, with some fuse or a hole running through it to pass the fire, is usually used behind a thin layer of coloured or other effect mix. Generally being a few millimeters a second in burn time and only desiring two seconds or so of delay, you need the clay there because the star mix is insufficient alone as a plug, with the exception of fast mixes and long delays, of course, where the plug is thicker.

 

May I suggest you make shells of a larger size? I'm not suggesting you build a 6" shell (yet), but 1/2" is impractical, unless your aim is to push the limits of small size fireworks, which is worthy as a pursuit. It's just that such sizes are really difficult to build and even harder to build and get something great. Most of my stars are about 1/2".

 

4" is about the holy grail for best shell to build as a beginner, so long as you have some space to shoot it. You have enough room to do things properly, and they don't use too much in the way of materials (compared to 6" and above, for instance).

 

In some cases (like not having somewhere to shoot a 4") I can see why you'd want to go smaller, but half inch is a serious handicap. You can do so much more so much more easily with an inch and a half or two inch bombette canisters, while being able to fire them relatively easily.

 

I agree with what you are saying, I'm in the process of making a 25shot 1/4" cake. It's very tedious! I'd of thought 2-3" would be good for beginners? 4" for more advanced beginners? Ill upload a few pictures of my cake in the making:)

[Oinikis]

for such a size i would better make inserts. a tube, with C6 rammed , clay plug with a hole, break with stars, and hot glue-disc seal. people make inserts up to 1". i started at making 30mm spherical shells, and i was able to hot glue up to 3 stars. i suugest at starting at 2" in shells. these tube comet to report thingies are quite easy to make, and looks good. also makes decent report.