Aerial Shells

[joe609]

Why don't you just add BP to all the spaces around the stars this way when the break goes off it will ignite all the BP around the stars and set them off.

[Pretty green flame]

Does anyone know the best type of paper to seperate stars from the breaking charge? Ive been using coffee filters for my 3" shells and i dont think all the stars are igniting properly. I know they are primed good, i just think that the coffee filter is to thick.

I split a tissue into several layers and use that, hasn't failed me, yet.

Your problem may also lie in the stars themselves, how are you priming them and which stars do you use.

[Mumbles]

Usually tissue paper is used. I have been using kneenex lately though. It's not very strong when you split it into individual layers, so be warned. Coffee filters should be fine though. They are porus, so the hot gasses and flame should have no problem going through.

 

Do the stars ignite without the paper in there? That is something to check.

[Frozentech]

Does anyone know the best type of paper to seperate stars from the breaking charge? Ive been using coffee filters for my 3" shells and i dont think all the stars are igniting properly. I know they are primed good, i just think that the coffee filter is to thick.

I use thin tissue paper, the sort that is used to wrap gifts, etc usually found in any craft store or section of larger stores. I have a lot of red and green left over every christmas. They also use it to pad things in boxes, like shoes, etc or shirts in clothing stores.

[Guest pyrokid00000]

I've been using d1 glitter sense its cheap, easy, and nice looking. I roll the stars with a wak. I prime them with commerical 4f.

[Pretty green flame]

Maybe your problem is that you use 4F for prime, such a fast powder will flash through the whole star. Try something slower burning like green mix.

[PyroJoe]

Well I just tested some 1/4" cut stars from a 100 gram batch of the #2 Blue star, here is the composition:

 

Potassium Perc. 67

Copper Oxide 13

Parlon 6

Red Gum 10

Dextrin 4

 

It is a pretty decent blue for those of you who havn't used it. Although I can't seem to find a good prime for it. The first time I made them last year they were 1/4" cut stars again and primed with just a layer of meal powder. They wouldn't take fire at all! Maybe 1 out of 15 would take fire when fired from a star gun, but that was it. Now I made them again and I made my own little prime comp.

 

Meal Powder 80

325 mesh aluminum 10

Hardwood charcoal 20

Dextrin 5

 

I used a 50:50 step prime for the first layer on the stars, then the second layer was pure prime. Well now they are much more reliable than before, but only about 6 out of 10 stars lit when I shot them from my star gun... I like this comp a lot and want to use it, but its so hard to light!!

 

Does anybody have experience with this composition, and a good prime that works every time?

 

Im afraid to make a large batch of stars that "don't always work" because Im going to be making a bunch for some 3" shells. Got to start getting ready for the 4th!

 

P.S. Once I find a good prime im going to probably roll a 3-4 pound batch of them, so that might make a difference in how well they ignite since my cut star prime is a little "sketchy".

[Douchermann]

I love this kind of star, its a very nice blue color. I always roll these, and then coat them with a perchlorate based prime followed by a roll of green mix. Lights every time. They also burn fairly fast so you don't have to worry about them catching the ground on fire.

[dragonman586]

Could you share one of these perc primers. I would like to hear what you yourself use.

[Frozentech]

Could you share one of these perc primers. I would like to hear what you yourself use.

For the hard to light stars, I have never had the Veline Super Prime fail. It does give 100% on Veline stars, and other metal heavy stars as well.

 

Potassium Perchlorate -------------- 55

Charcoal, Airfloat --------------------- 20

Wood Meal ----------------------------- 6

Iron(III)Oxide -------------------------- 6

Potassium Dichromate --------------- 5

Magnalium, granular, 200 mesh ----- 5

Dextrin ---------------------------------- 4

 

For wood meal, very fine sawdust, from sanding (not cutting with a saw) works fine.

 

I make this up in a 200 gram batch, so I don't have to do it as often, since I don't really

like working with dichromate.

 

Another one that gives high success rates is the 'standard' Veline prime, I think Painter has gotten 100% with it.

 

Potassium Perchlorate ------ 62

Charcoal Airfloat -------------- 22

MgAl, granular, 200 mesh ---- 7

Dextrin -------------------------- 4

Aluminum, flake, dark pyro --- 3

Copper(II) Oxide --------------- 2

[Douchermann]

The prime I used was

 

Potassium perchlorate - 68

Airfloat charcoal - 20

Aluminum flake, -325 mesh - 9

Dextrin - 3

 

This prime of course needs a layer or two of greenmix to initiate.

[dragonman586]

Damn those are a bit out of my grasp. Looks like I'll have to deal with bp for prime.

[TheSidewinder]

Dragonman,

 

You can use the "50-50" method. Apply the first layer of prime which is 50% BP and 50% comp that you've made the stars out of. Let this layer dry, then prime again with straight BP.

 

You *MIGHT* have to do it in 3 stages:

First prime: 25 BP, 75 comp

Second prime 50-50 as above

third prime straight BP

 

I used the 50-50 method last year, although I did so only once, and it worked great.

 

M

[Pretty green flame]

Good evening everyone

 

Returned from a succesfull shoot and......enough chit chat, let the movies do the talking.

 

1.5.2006 Shells (1 canister and 1 round shell)

 

#1

- Canister shell, 2-1/2" variety

- White charcoal streamer stars

- Burst: BP on grass seeds

- Weight: 120grams

- Lift: 15grams

 

#2

- Round shell, 3" variety

- White charcoal streamer stars

- Burst: BP on grass seeds

- Weight 180grams

- Lift: 20grams

 

Comments please

[Givat]

Very nice shells, bad timing for the first.

 

Do you press your BP? and did you used only BP as a brake or put some flash bag too?

[justanotherpyro]

What would be the ideal length for a 4" mortar? Pyrogear sells a 4" mortar that is 24" long, and I'm guessing they know how long they should be. I remember seeing it somewhere on the board but I can't find it.

[Mumbles]

6" for every inch of ID is standard. The fiberglass ones are a bit shorter usually. Don't know why though.

[Pretty green flame]

Very nice shells, bad timing for the first.

 

Do you press your BP? and did you used only BP as a brake or put some flash bag too?

Yeah i know, the timing was way off for the first one, used crappy BP istead of the high quality so it burned a bit longer.

 

Yes, i press my BP. For the break i only use BP, no flash.

 

EDIT: Does ~260feet sound right for a 3" shell? Do i need more height?

[Mumbles]

Oh no, 260 feet is just fine. It was odd, the shells I fired at a recent club meeting went so much higher than my 3" shells. Perhaps it had to do with the fact they were fired in the day as to why they looked so high.

[justanotherpyro]

Is there a major difference when you use a flash bag? Does the flash powder migrating throughout the shell cause a problem? I am debating using them when I make a bunch of 4" shells, but why bother if there really isn't a difference. Perhaps a flash bag is just personal preference?

[Mumbles]

With a flash bag, the flash doesn't migrate. It is just what it sounds like, a bag of flash. I have heard it does make a difference. Perhaps make some with and some without and compare.

[Frozentech]

Is there a major difference when you use a flash bag? Does the flash powder migrating throughout the shell cause a problem? I am debating using them when I make a bunch of 4" shells, but why bother if there really isn't a difference. Perhaps a flash bag is just personal preference?

I've used flash as a booster for the break on 3" and 4" shells with and without a flash bag. With a bag gives a more symmetrical break, probably due to uneven migration of flash without bags.

 

Watching Tom Rebenklau's rocket video, I just learned a new way to do the flash bag (new for me, anyway). Instead of the traditional coupette paper flashbag nosed onto a spolette or time fuse, he just puts 2 grams of flash in some saran wrap and makes it into a little "bubble", and places it in the center of the shell. I guess there's no need to actually pipe fire to the flash to start the break, it goes off fast enough from the fire flashing through the rest of the break charge to still give that poweful 'kick' for a symmetrical break. I plan to try this method ASAP.

[justanotherpyro]

That would be a great piece of information to know. It would save a lot of wasted time and effort if you could just pour some flash in a baggie and stick it in the middle. Let us know how it goes. I'm sure a piece of toilet paper or similar could be used as well.

[Pyrohawk]

Watching Tom Rebenklau's rocket video, I just learned a new way to do the flash bag (new for me, anyway). Instead of the traditional coupette paper flashbag nosed onto a spolette or time fuse, he just puts 2 grams of flash in some saran wrap and makes it into a little "bubble", and places it in the center of the shell. I guess there's no need to actually pipe fire to the flash to start the break, it goes off fast enough from the fire flashing through the rest of the break charge to still give that poweful 'kick' for a symmetrical break. I plan to try this method ASAP.

This is the way I do it. I have a roll of saran wrap and use it for all my whistle or flash bags. Hehehe I figured I was the only one who did it that way....

[millhouse]

Hey,i really want to know how much of delay do i need for a 4" shell?