mikev's Blog

Save for next year and put towards making stars, and any other more artful solutions than salutes.

For small firecrackers KClO4 Al S 50 40 10 flash powder are the best with 3-7 micron dark aluminum powder. For large firecrackers (ground salutes) using 50:50 3-7 micron dark and 30-40 micron blue aluminum are important to get huge effect. Here does not necessary to use boric acid to protect the aluminum see the Shimizu book.

 

KClO4 Ba(NO3)2 Al S 30 30 30 10 with mixed 50:50 3-7 micron dark and 30-40 micron blue aluminum (the stun granade composition) are a high quality extreme loud bright effective composition for large ground salutes. Here must protect the aluminum powder with 2% boric acid H3BO3 what completely dissolved in small amount of water and fully dried at room temperature.

 

The paper tube

 

For small firecrackers i use 40% sodium silicate as glue with copy paper. This gives hard, rigid, strong paper tubes which are very ideal for firecrackers. For large firecrackers i use wood glue with water cc 3:1 ratio and brown craft paper (masking paper) from paint shop. The wall thickness are 8-10% of the internal diameter of the tube.

 

The flash powder if you make it in several doses must mixed and sift through a sieve before use to get a loose powder. The combustion of the powder should be even to get a stable effect.

66% KClO4 / 34% Al

59% KClO4 / 41% Mg

73% KClO4 / 19% Al / 8% Charcoal

68% KClO4 / 24% Mg / 8% Charcoal