nath0r Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Well i've just completed my first shell. It's a 2 1/5" D1 glitter shell. http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/8804/shellnx9.jpg The only thing i am yet to do is attach the visco to the end of the quickmatch where the blackmatch is currently hanging from. It's not the best looking but hopefully as i gain more experiance building shells they will turn out a little better (i hope anyway ). I'll post a video of the shell when i get to fire it. As i live in the good ol' UK the weather is somewhat unpredictable, in the last 2 days we've had rain, sleet and snow. Anyway, i'm drifting beyond the point of the post, please let me know what you think of the shell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraafVaag Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Good looking shell! At least it's round! (Cant say that 'bout my first 2" shell) But well, pasting shells is very easy once you've got the hang of it. What's the star size? (And about how much stars are in it?)And, well, will you film it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nath0r Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Thanks for the reply. there's just under 25g of 1/2" pumped D1 glitter stars. Overall shell weight is (if i remember correctly) 84.3grams so im using 9 grams of pulverone as lift. I will be filming it once the weather picks up a bit. i'll be sure to post the video when i do get around to firing it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraafVaag Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Hi, Just fired another 2" ball shell. My best one untill now I can say. Filled with over 100 veline red stars, primed with my GraafVaag's Prime #1.Burst was pulverized H3, using KClO4. (I banned KClO3 from my workplace)Lift was 7.5g of pulverized meal. (approx. 5h milled) Pics:http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff7/graafvaag/DSCF2640.jpghttp://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff7/graafvaag/DSCF2648.jpghttp://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff7/graafvaag/DSCF2656.jpg Well, I told my mother, little sister and my dad, and they all wanted to come and watch. My dad even wanted to take it on film. They stood about 30m away from my mortar, so the effect would fit the film. (Also to have them on a safe distance)Anyway, clever as my dad is, he thought "oh, we're standing really far away, i'll zoom in somewhat." Well, he didn't expect a 40 meter effect width.I did. Video See Ya,GraafVaag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesH Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Excellent shell GraafVaag! Good job. Keep up the good work!Where those commercial hemis you used? how many layers of paper did you use to paste the shell and what kind of paper was it?Whats the formula for the prime you used?Do you know what granule size you H3 is? I tried H3 on wheat husks as a burst in my 2" shells and got very, very poor star ignition every time. I pasted them with various amounts of paper from 3 layers to 10 layers of potato sack kraft, same sesult each time. The stars were 1/4" round D1 glitter, so should have been very easy to ignite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskarchem Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Very nice shell GraafVaag. JamesH, the stars that don't ignite isin't a problem of the pasting, maybe prime them ith some meal for example... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraafVaag Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Hi There, Yes, I used commercial hemi's. Pasting was kraft-gomtape, about two layers overlapping pieces. (so 3 to 4 layers actually) The H3 was granulated through a 12 mesh screen. The prime composition was improvised, but worked quite well. Here's the comp:75 Meal10 fine MgAl7.5 Aluminium 250#7.5 Red Gum It's the priming that made those huge tails, I did not expect that! (However I liked it) The stars were primed by rolling them through the priming composition, when still wet from the cutting process. However it's nice, I'd like to prime my stars with a less visible and faster burning composition. Any suggestions? I thought of using finer metalpowders. (Dark alu and >250# MgAl) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskarchem Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Well if you want to prime with LESS visible powders I don't think that MgAl or Al powder will do that... They would probably make a sparkling tail... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
''' Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 If the stars are not extra hard to ignite jo can just use meal powder . It works just fine for most stars. If you need a hotter prime you have a lot of compos on PFP. edit: Nice shell bytheway. The prime actually makes the effect much more interesting. I personaly don´t like only colour bursts too much. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesH Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Oskarchem, my stars were primed with meal powder. GraafVaag, what type of charcoal did you use in your H3? I used willow charcoal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraafVaag Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 I used regular BBQ charcoal. The same I use for stars etc.. I'll be using willow for my meal powder this spring, but for H3 I'll stick to BBQ charcoal. It's just fast enough. And indeed, the prime makes it MUCH more interesting. However, I made this shell to see how Veline red performs high up in the air.(Conclusion: quite well, but there are better reds. Ruby red is one of them) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmarley5780 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Made some 1.5" dia by 2.5" long cylinder casings from a paper grocery bag. This was my first time rolling my own, and I think I made them to strong! Is 6 turns of this paper along with wood glue to strong for a shell casing? They are alot harder then I thought they would turn out! -Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Oh no, probably not too hard or thick. When I make small insert shells I roll them on a 1 1/4" former, and use 2 turns of manilla file folder, and 2 turns of 70lb kraft. It's approximatly as thick as yours. They break just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmarley5780 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Ok, good! Made 4 of them. I find that using a hacksaw, so far, is the only way that makes a good cut on these... Was very, very surprised at the strengh of them after drying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I guess there is really only way to find out. I make mine with slightly different methods, so who knows, that may make a difference. I don't really glue my casings at all, just enough to hold the pieces together and flaps down. They do get pasted in at the end. so it might be rather similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskarchem Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Right so here is my first shell: It flowerpotted but well I don't mind evryone liked it... so here is the video and a pic of my mortar...shredded so too much lift... http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/3028/shreddedmortarnc7.jpg And here is the vid: Flower pot vid EDIT: Now that I wach the vid it didn't actually flowerpot... since I wasn't actually waching the shell just filming didn't see it... Ah so it actually worked I am very happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmarley5780 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Hey guys- Last night I made a 1.5" dia. x 3" long cylindrical shell. I did work fine, but the burst needs to be better. I was thinkin that I needed KCLO4 flash achieve this... Upon read around tonight, I found that a nitrate flash might be alittle better suited to my experience level at this time. Thess are the ratio's I am talkin about:------------------------------------------Potassium nitrate 50 Aluminum powder 20 Sulfur 30 Miller - Bangor powder 1 Potassium nitrate 60 Aluminum powder 30 Sulfur 10 Miller - Bangor powder 2 Potassium nitrate 67 Aluminum powder 16.5 Sulfur 16.5 ------------------------------------------ It does not say anything about the mesh size needed or recommended for the aluminum powder. I have 30 micron atomized aluminum. This should help the break out abit right? Should the sulfer and KNO3 be milled togather or seperate before diapering in the Al? Does anyone have anything to say on these ratios? Anyone used any? -Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Generally speaking, flake aluminum is prefered for flash powders. For breaking shells, I like to use a bit weaker slower flash powder. The formulas above using bright or dark flake Al around 325 mesh would probably be pretty close it ideal. I don't think the atomised product ou have will work terribly well. If you can get some finer atomised, say 5 micron or less you may be able to get by with it. When using nitrates and Al, the addition of a percent or two boric acid never hurts. I know it wont be intentionally wet, but it will help to reduce just one extra source of accident. How are you breaking your shells currently? If I knew this, I may be able to better help you? Are you using a canule type of break, or just mixing in burst powder with the stars? With shells this small, I will normally just burst the shells with the stars mixed into the burst, sometimes called "poka" style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmarley5780 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Mumbles- I think I am using the canule type style break. With a inner tube filled wit the break charge. I know this picture doesnt show the innerds but this is the shell. http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/8890/1stcylindricalshellun4.jpg The canule was rolled with thin kraft paper, and thinned wood glue that was not nearly as strong as the shell. The length of the canule was 1/4" from the top disc. I say about 3/4" dia. Filled with pulverone BP. The canule was capped with a small disc and hot glue. I am goin to try and use my corned BP next as break and see what that does.?! On a side note would the atomized Al in the formulas above make a decent fountain? Boric acid sounds familiar...poison?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubenE Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 No, boric acid is not a poison. It's added to compositions that contain both aluminium (flake) and a nitrate to prevent spontaneous ignition if it gets moist/wet. I'd recommend this flash formula: 50% KNO3 - 30% Aluminium flake dark - 20% sulphur.Personally I like to ball mill a quite large amount of the sulphur and nitrate (for 30min or so), and just diaper in 3g of Al to every 7g of S/KNO3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmarley5780 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Hm- Thought it was used to kill roaches... -Is there anywhere local to get this acid? Lowes? Farm supply? -I am still goin to see what the atomized does in the ratios above... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwezxc12 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Hm- Thought it was used to kill roaches... -Is there anywhere local to get this acid? Lowes? Farm supply? It is. I ran across some roach killer (can't remember the brand) in a local True Value. It was in a shaker can, the same sort that bathroom scrubber (Ajax, Comet) comes in. I seem to find useful chems only at smaller hardware chains - the local Home Despot doesn't have anything useful, except maybe KOH and CaCl2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Boric Acid is indeed a poison, just not to humans. I don't remember any brands, but make sure to check the label. I made the mistake of assuming all boric acid roach killers were 100% pure. Turns out I have 40% boric acid, 60% inert, and like .0001% German Roach Pheromones. I don't really want to be attracting roaches to my stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GalFisk Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 You can synthesize boric acid by reacting borax with hydrochloric acid, the resulting boric acid will be contaminated with sodium though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmarley5780 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Mum's- Can you give any tips/hints/tricks on my construction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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