Eagle66 Posted August 29, 2014 Posted August 29, 2014 They say the Lord looks out for fools... I'm here to tell ya that's no lie. I had a close call today that could have come out much worse. I was making up some slurry for black match, using the variation of the CIP method Perigrin describes in Introductory Practical Pyrotechniques. For those who aren't familiar with his method, it involves mixing the regular BP ingredients with water and boiling the mix for a couple of minutes after the C & S is all mixed in. Then you let it cool a bit, wet the string with the slurry, and stretch it out to dry. Easy. Simple. What could go wrong. Well, let's see. Start with a pot that is too small + heating it up too fast on a small electric hot plate + in the basement shop = boiling over onto the hot element. OMG!! I grab the pot and move it several feet away while the couple of ounces of boil over sizzles & catches fire on the hotplate. No BANG, just lots of smoke and sizzle for half a minute or so. (Seemed like a lot longer) I made sure the hotplate excitement was over then rushed to open all the windows and turn on the vent fan before any of the smoke made it upstairs, where worse trouble loomed on the horizon. My wife is upstairs with no idea what's going on. If I was smelling brimstone now, I'd get a lot more of it if she found out what happened. Fortunately, the fans worked and she was none the wiser. I'm sure not gonna tell her. Results: My adrenaline spiked to the moon. I almost needed to do some laundry. No burns, no house afire. No angry wife. In a word, I got away with no more than a bad scare and a lot more wisdom. I don't know how the match is going to turn out, but I'll finish it outside. I'm telling this so maybe others won't make the same mistakes. I got several lessons out of this: Just because it's wet, doesn't mean it won't burn. Do it outside. Don't think you're immune to doing dumb stuff just because you're old enough to know better. If you're going to screw up, don't do it while your wife is home. And, maybe the most important, when it's over, drop down on your knees and give thanks that it didn't turn out worse. OK, now the line forms on the left, take a number for your turn at giving me my well deserved dummy slaps. I won't cry or run away, I'll stand up and take my licks like a man.
Bobosan Posted August 29, 2014 Posted August 29, 2014 Glad it all turned out ok for you Eagle. Bottom line - do ALL the pyro outside.
rogeryermaw Posted August 29, 2014 Posted August 29, 2014 glass houses and all that s**t, man. who here has never had a single lapse in judgement, regardless of how lucky we've been? glad it turned out with the best possible outcome. like the wise man, i will try to learn from the mistakes of others. thanks for sharing your story as a service to the community.
Arthur Posted August 29, 2014 Posted August 29, 2014 There are many videos of people doing firework manufacture, lots of vids of Chinese manufacture too. Find them on youtube and watch some. There is a LOT of cold working, and a lot of wet working, and a lot of water wetting -it's cheaper. We in the powered west find it convenient to work at electrical speed, and sometimes it bites back. Once you've seen acetone or ether vapours flash across a bench or seen BP flash in your face THEN you be careful
BurritoBandito Posted August 29, 2014 Posted August 29, 2014 ...don't do it while your wife is home. And, maybe the most important, when it's over, drop down on your knees and give thanks that it didn't turn out worseThis part is subjectively good advice. While yes, my wife was quite displeased with me when I had my accident, had she not been home I would've probably bled out and would not be here to make this post. It would be very hard to take your cell out of your pocket and call 911 with exploded hands. I'm happy everything turned out ok, but perhaps this should serve as a warning. There is no need to heat BP slurry to make good blackmatch. It seems to me that the payout is not worth the risk invloved. Please be careful in the future. Had you been outside, the fire wouldn't have been a major issue.
ddewees Posted August 29, 2014 Posted August 29, 2014 TR told me in February of this year to invest in a few good water extinguishers, and always keep them by my side while working. You never know when you'll need them.
rogeryermaw Posted August 29, 2014 Posted August 29, 2014 i would guess it has to do with the fact that you can't "choke" a pyro comp fire. they contain their own oxygen source so CO2 and dry systems would likely be less than effective or ineffective altogether. water may be used to lower the temp below the flash point and water leaches soluble salts out of a comp making it less likely to burn. again, just a guess on my part.
Bobby Posted August 29, 2014 Posted August 29, 2014 Why water, someone like me just have to ask... B! From what I have been told., only water will put out burning fireworks because the comps contain an oxidizer. Other types of fire extinguishers apparently smother and deprive the fire of oxygen. That won't work for something that has its own oxidizer. I have not confirmed any of this but all the pyros I know tell me water only. Bobby
Maserface Posted August 29, 2014 Posted August 29, 2014 Its probably more for paper/wood that is laying about in the shop, chances are, any live material you are working with has all burned up before you even shit your pants and reach for the extinguisher.
MrB Posted August 29, 2014 Posted August 29, 2014 From what I have been told., only water will put out burning fireworks because the comps contain an oxidizer. Other types of fire extinguishers apparently smother and deprive the fire of oxygen. That won't work for something that has its own oxidizer. I have not confirmed any of this but all the pyros I know tell me water only. Bobby I sort of asked, since i've been told nothing short of a fire-blanket, is a safe way to go. Simply since everything else will spread the stuff around, or not put the fire out, and not provide any containment. Blankets wont put the fire out, but it will contain it, and stopping it from spreading, just letting it burn it self out. Preferably without issues... Well, thats what i've been taught at least.I do agree with Maserface tho, in all likely hood what ever is on fire when you reach for the extinguisher is going to be stuff that can quite easily be put out by anything.B!
MrB Posted August 29, 2014 Posted August 29, 2014 Retreat should be the first option......If your car is on fire, and the trunk is full of fireworks... sure. If your work area catches light for what ever reason? No. That isn't, and shouldn't be your best option. You shouldn't have that much stuff around that can burn in the first place, and your course of action should be determined by how / what is on fire. Any open compositions will pretty much flash of on you, and if you survive that, preferably unharmed, or with "minor burns" as only damages, you might want to stop the surroundings from burning down. Of course, shock might make you downplay damage you did take, so care and consideration should be taken when deciding what to do, but just leaving something that could have been put out easy enough, to watch it burn down your property, might not be the best course of action every time...There are times when you should turn around and leave at once, for sure.B!
AzoMittle Posted August 30, 2014 Posted August 30, 2014 That could have turned out a lot worse than it did. Glad to hear you, your wife, and your home are all okay.
psyco_1322 Posted August 30, 2014 Posted August 30, 2014 I'll let you in on a little secret, you don't need that CIA method or milling to make serviceable black match. Just hand mix your 75:15:10, wet and go to town making match.
dagabu Posted August 31, 2014 Posted August 31, 2014 Sadly, Introductory Practical Pyrotechniques is regarded as a dangerous tome of fools notes by many. This method in particular has cost many burns and property damage. As Psyco says, no need for any of that nonsense, just make it with meal.
Ubehage Posted September 1, 2014 Posted September 1, 2014 I prefer this CIA-method. Of all the batches I have made, these have been the best.You just gotta be with the pot at all times, making sure it doesn't boil over or anything. And also, boiling KNO3-water is VERY HOT! Take it from someone who knows And I will also like to debunk an old myth, once and for all: Wet BP-meal will burn, if just there's enough heat.
MrB Posted September 1, 2014 Posted September 1, 2014 And I will also like to debunk an old myth, once and for all: Wet BP-meal will burn, if just there's enough heat.I don't think so. But then again, enough heat will DRY IT. and then, of course, it will burn.B! 1
rogeryermaw Posted September 1, 2014 Posted September 1, 2014 I wouldn't say wet b.p. slurry will burn, but I have gotten it to burn, albeit slowly, after granulating, while still wet.
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