Occasional Happiness

[dagabu]

A test of a 3" dry fuel lampare went very well last night. I have two 6" cans ready to be filled as soon as I get home from work today.

 

And could it be? Have I finally figured out a method for consistent senko hanabi? It looks promising. More testing required.

 

Details and video please

[NightHawkInLight]

Details and video please

Just uploaded the video file of the lampare. It's napthalene based, but my own special blend. I'll likely reveal my process, but I'm not sure I want to just yet.

 

For senko hanabi, I'm experimenting with binding the composition to the end of a cotton string, just like black match. I've only experimented so far with a 55/15/30 ratio simply attempting to get the manufacturing down before messing with the comp. I haven't achieved a good ball of slag just yet, but with the process I'm playing with I can make 50 sparklers in 5 minutes, and most importantly, very consistent. I'll be playing with changing the comp starting tonight. I have a few other thoughts as to why bound comp on the outside of a string may be more suited to the effect than unbound inside a roll of paper, but nothing is proven yet.

[dagabu]

Saweet!!!

 

I still have some of my comp left from last year when I abandoned the hunt. That string makes way more sense. Is it a wet dip?

[NightHawkInLight]

Saweet!!!

 

I still have some of my comp left from last year when I abandoned the hunt. That string makes way more sense. Is it a wet dip?

What I have been doing is adding a capfull of StaFlo liquid starch to 10 grams of comp. If you would like I'll measure that in mL. A capfull dampens it enough to knead the comp onto the ends of 50 or so strands of string I hold in one hand and work with all at once. The strings seem to have their limit for the amount of comp they can gather in a first coat. All of the strings come out very similar regardless of their initial positioning in the bundle. I haven't experimented enough to know if that is the ideal amount of binder or not. I have also not yet tried adding a second coat.

 

I have tried to avoid wetting the comp more than the consistency of honey, as I think wetting the comp to the point that the strings could actually be dipped would cause the components to separate - not to mention dissolve much of the nitrate.

 

I am curious however if the strings will do better to be pre soaked in nitrate solution. That's an experiment for after I get the sparklers working under normal conditions I think.

[dagabu]

50 at once, even better!

 

Thanks NHIL!

[NightHawkInLight]

50 at once, even better!

 

Thanks NHIL!

Like I said, they don't work just yet, but they're looking good so far. I'll keep you posted. Let me know if you give it a shot.

 

Update: I have gotten a few balls of slag to develop using a 50/15/35 ratio. The sparklers are not yet dry, but I attempted to dry a few from the heat of the match before ignition. We'll see what it looks like fully dry.

Edited September 3, 2010 by NightHawkInLight

[NightHawkInLight]

Update again: Still playing with the damp sparklers. I have already had one work very well, so at least I know for sure this string method has potential to preform just the same as paper. I for one am very excited that I could in a half hour make enough senko hanabi to burn for days, rather than one in five minutes.

 

What I am noticing so far is that the sparklers work better if there is not a buildup of comp on the end. The tip of the string frays slightly and tends to hold on to a lot of extra comp. If I cut that end portion off before lighting I am so far noticing that the slag forms much more consistently. I still need to blow on the ember to get the ball going most of the time, but maybe that will change when the sparklers are dry, or with an adjustment of the comp.

[AprenticeChemist]

Just got some Indian Black head Al and 400mesh atomized Al. Sadly I was out riding my motorcycle all day so it was waiting for me when I got home but tomorrow we shall play. All I have to say is blackhead Al looks so damn sexy they should make the slogan for that fine(or finer) mesh of Al to "Its finer than cocaine and more sexy than two lesbian midgets playing with a waterbottle"

[dagabu]

"Its finer than cocaine and more sexy than two lesbian midgets playing with a waterbottle"

 

Oh yea, thanks for that one!!! Grape nuts hurt coming out the nose! LOL!

[Skycastlefish]

Man, today has been a great day. Mumbles logged in and seems to be in good spirits. I finally tracked down and received my turbo pyro tools without having to buy the whole kit. Upgraded my respirator to one with replaceable filters plus I got some extra filters. I finally found a pair of disposable gloves that I like so I bought a couple hundred. Found a bunch of red manilla folders, going to roll some tubes soon (red is a menacing color though, might do an outer layer of kraft ) Tomorrow I plan on grinding my KNO3 and sulfur, separately and far away from any comps. With any luck I'll be working on my first black powder rockets by the end of the week. Oh yea, and stingers! Ahhh, I love small scale pyro projects.

[Pretty green flame]

Successfully finished all my exams for first year of Uni. which is always a reason to be happy

Also went to a hockey match last night, heh, all my frustration from studying so much came to the surface, damn, I never knew I had so many curse words in my vocabulary

After that, I had the best 10 hours of sleep in the last couple months.

[NightHawkInLight]

This leaves me breathless:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6JTvzrpBy0

I've been hoping for this game ever since I played the first Deus Ex back in 2002. It goes down as one of only two of my all time favorite games - The other being the Mass Effect series.

 

Anyway, I'm excited to say the least.

[TheSidewinder]

Oh yes, yes, yes... Deus Ex!

 

I played that, too. Still have the CD's (yes, *CD's*) somewhere around here, lol.

[dagabu]

Got my Kindle today!!

 

I got the pocket version with wireless, no 3G, no need.

 

Pretty darn nice machine.

[erid]

I'm going to see Nile on halloween! its gonna be so crazy I'm so happy!

[Skycastlefish]

Got my Kindle today!!

 

I got the pocket version with wireless, no 3G, no need.

 

Pretty darn nice machine.

 

I got my kindle about 2 months ago and I love it. I use an FM transmitter and have it "read" the news to me on the way to work. You get used to the voice, which is perfect if you like reading hawking. Of course, I forked out the 10 cents to upload turbo pyro. Lots of good free books, and 99 cent stuff out there. Lately I've been diggin the old pulp fiction shorts. Especially those by one of the most convincing fiction writers, L. Ron Hubbard. Check out The Dangerous Dimension.

[50AE]

Passed my theory driver exam yesterday, the driving exam remains, and I get my license

[Cookieman]

Passed my theory driver exam yesterday, the driving exam remains, and I get my license

 

 

Congratulations 50, good stuff!!

[dagabu]

I got my kindle about 2 months ago and I love it. I use an FM transmitter and have it "read" the news to me on the way to work. You get used to the voice, which is perfect if you like reading hawking. Of course, I forked out the 10 cents to upload turbo pyro. Lots of good free books, and 99 cent stuff out there. Lately I've been diggin the old pulp fiction shorts. Especially those by one of the most convincing fiction writers, L. Ron Hubbard. Check out The Dangerous Dimension.

 

I have a blind (almost) friend that gets ebooks and blows them up to 1000% to read on his 32" flat screen (braille drives him crazy), I get his copies when he is done. The wife stole mine last night, she is reading Dennis Prager.

[Updup]

Anyone else notic that we have 1,900 members now? Kinda cool [=

 

I think we need to do somthing special when we hit 2,000. Any ideas?

[NightHawkInLight]

Anyone else notic that we have 1,900 members now? Kinda cool [=

 

I think we need to do somthing special when we hit 2,000. Any ideas?

Maybe a compilation video.

 

Just a side note, but this forum is great.

[spitfire]

Just wanted to share some happy pyro-feelings with you guys.

 

Most pyro's make fireworks in a certain ''style'' like Italian, Maltese, Spanish, or professional fireworks... I always like to make 'em look like they came straight out a factory in China. Not only the special feelings i get when seeing and smelling Chinese fireworks make me wanna do this but -more important- efficiency of producing. The Chinese have perfected their working methods for so long, nothing can beat them in efficiency AND using traditional materials. They do it with really cheap stuff. Today i made a bunch of rockets, exactly like the Chinese make them. That means including the way of construction as the used tools and materials.

 

Now these little things make me a happy pyro!

[dagabu]

Today i made a bunch of rockets, exactly like the Chinese make them. That means including the way of construction as the used tools and materials.

 

Share your methods please!

[spitfire]

Share your methods please!

 

Well, to start with the rocket motor, for the type i am making now i use simple PVC pipe, 18mm I.D. (80mm long). Before ramming the nozzle and powder, i glue a few turns of heavy kraft paper around them. This is easy, fast and reliable. It serves two functions: make the tube stronger, more heat resistant and it is easy to glue the heading and stick to the motor. These rockets are small, they carry only 20 grams of BP. The Chinese rockets don't use an end plug. Just ram in a little bit more BP and it holds the pressure very well. But in my case, i do ram an endplug, just to be sure. The fuse is secured in place with a big drop of BP/dextrin slurry. A small passfire hole is drilled on the top. Then i use a wooden case former 2'' O.D. with a centered hole of 1'' I.D. 1'' deep. A few turns of heavy kraft paper well glued together and i have the beginning of a heading. On the case former's hole side i leave an excess of paper, and place a cardboard disk inside. the excess is folded to the 1'' hole, and folded inside the hole. I firmly glue this paper and place the rocket motor inside. They fit together nice and snugly, exactly centered. After drying, the payload is charged. (when i need a heavier burst, i place a stronger tube inside the whole heading) The payload exists of stars made with a Chinese starplate and the burst is usually 80/20/10 KNO3/Al/S. This is placed in a small plastic bag together with the stars, and dropped in the heading. Not the whole heading is filled, so i close it with a cardboard disk. Next, the conical cap is glued on top. Unfortunately i don't have a method yet to make my own plastic caps, (i roll them from kraft or use old ones from last year's shoot) although i am considering making a mold for it, just like some pyro's make plastic hemi's in the oven with a mold. At last the stick is glued to the engine with one turn of colorful paper (i prefer yellow, don't know why) and the baby is ready to go sky high! (and the neighbours won't see any difference between my rockets and the ones they bought in the store.... untill mine burst in the night sky... ehehehe..ehee....

[Mumbles]

You may want to try to get rid of the PVC casings. Just because nothing has gone wrong yet doesn't mean it never will. Cardboard tubes have the same dimensions, so there is no need to change your process.