AzoMittle Posted June 13, 2016 Posted June 13, 2016 I need to rebuild my drying and mixing screens; they were some of my first woodworking projects, and it shows. I'm thinking of making a single frame (for mixing and star sizing) with a groove so the screen can be swapped out as needed. Drying screen tore on me too, going to replace the window screen with something more sturdy, probably stainless steel mesh. Mikeee, do you have any more pictures? How did you attach your screens, are they nailed on?
lloyd Posted June 13, 2016 Posted June 13, 2016 Azo,Plastic-coated fiberglass-reinforced window screen is probably the BEST thing you can use for drying pyro... but it is easily damaged, and not very strong.So... we put a layer of it above a layer of 1/2" hardware cloth. That reinforces the window-screening, but still gives the non-stick properties of the plastic. LLoyd 1
AzoMittle Posted June 13, 2016 Posted June 13, 2016 The more you know.... thanks Lloyd that is a great idea. I had no idea what that was called, it is (more or less) the same thing as chicken wire correct? The current mixing screens are simple butt-joint frames with screens nailed to the bottom (terrible design). I'm thinking of using clamps to sandwich a screen in between two of the existing frames, either that or doing it like a pane of glass in a picture frame. Current design is a PITA to clean and a full set of mixing and sizing screens--each with 3" frames--quickly takes up a lot of space.
lloyd Posted June 13, 2016 Posted June 13, 2016 No... "chicken wire" is lightly-galvanized, VERY thin wire that is twisted together (after galvanizing) into hexagon shapes. It's JUST barely strong enough to be a barrier to stupid birds who figure anything in the way must be un-passable. http://7411-presscdn-0-22.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_0328.jpg"Hardware cloth" is the material you see that is thicker than 'chicken wire', usually has welded (or soldered) joints, looks to be 'woven' in a rectangular pattern, and is usually generously-galvanized over its entire surface AFTER weaving. (This picture shows a VERY poor Chinese brand that is galvanized before welding) http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-2-in-x-2-ft-x-5-ft-Hardware-Cloth-308221EB/2043318791/2" hardware cloth has the wires spaced 1/2" apart.LLoyd
lloyd Posted June 13, 2016 Posted June 13, 2016 Azo,It's hard to make a screen that's both easy to clean, and has replaceable screens. You're right that the best way to fasten a screen is to sandwich it between the frame and some "screen molding" (either bought or made). But the problem remains of that gap where the screen, moulding, and frame all come together. The only way to keep it uncontaminated is to seal it up with some sort of caulk. But that makes it almost impossible to disassemble. So, for us, the lesson was to build the screens well out of the most durable materials (including GOOD brands of screen wire) so they would last years in commercial service, seal that gap well, then just replace them when they (finally) wore out. LLoyd 1
AzoMittle Posted June 15, 2016 Posted June 15, 2016 Drew up some plans in autocad and got my supplies ready. Going to build tomorrow hopefully. http://imgur.com/a/L5cmi 1
styropyro Posted June 15, 2016 Posted June 15, 2016 I just broke out the old ball mill and started a batch of Paulownia BP. I also received a box of chems from pyrochemsource in the mail today. This will be the first 4th of July in years where I've gotten to make aerial shells!
mikeee Posted June 18, 2016 Posted June 18, 2016 Club Pyro shoot this weekend, woke up by a heavy thunderstorm last night, limbs down in my front yard and driveway this morning.Went in to my work shop and had water on the floor. Spent the whole morning cleaning up the mess, and still nowhere close to getting ahead of the mess.Sign me up for Naked and Afraid, they have it made.
OldMarine Posted June 18, 2016 Posted June 18, 2016 Cutting a bunch of red and green rubber stars to go with the Blonde streamers in some rocket headers. These will be my first so I'm stoked! 1
lloyd Posted June 18, 2016 Posted June 18, 2016 Finished up just short of 800 angle-fire plates for the 4th, and start on more tomorrow. LLoyd
memo Posted June 18, 2016 Posted June 18, 2016 i have 21 shells ready for pasting, not one of them is a stand alone shell. memo
DaMounty Posted June 19, 2016 Posted June 19, 2016 Made a kg of MgAl today. The martini shaker set up needs to be beefed up. Thinking a propane forge and a fire extinguisher body as the crucible. Anyone have any tips? ...DaM
OldMarine Posted June 19, 2016 Posted June 19, 2016 Cut end discs, rolled passfire tubes and cut paper for 5 3" cylinder headings. Still have to mix up some rocket fuel and make more polverone.
OldMarine Posted June 30, 2016 Posted June 30, 2016 Tried cutting some Spanish Blue #1 stars bound with alcohol. Nope.Ended up running it through a 12 mesh screen to use for micro stars in gerbs.
MadMat Posted July 2, 2016 Posted July 2, 2016 (edited) Yesterday, made 16 shells (3"). Today I need to spike, paste, make the lift and attach the quick match leaders. It may not seem like much to you big time guys, but it took me a while. I did notice, that now I have all the bugs worked out of my hardware (mandrel, process fixturing, ect. ) Things are going quicker now. Edited July 2, 2016 by MadMat
lloyd Posted July 2, 2016 Posted July 2, 2016 By hand, 16 three-inchers is a fair bit of work. Our best operators were only able to make about 80 a day (and they had a LOT of practice!) LLoyd
MadMat Posted July 2, 2016 Posted July 2, 2016 Up until yesterday, I have only made onesy-twosys. Mostly, for testing formulas, priming and building techniques. It's a learning curve!
OldMarine Posted July 2, 2016 Posted July 2, 2016 Got 6 rockets (1 cylinder 5 bag headers) and a bunch of color changing saxons and gerbs pressed. If that ain't enough for the crowd along with my ex they can bite me. I've got about $500 worth of consumer stuff to boot. 1
lloyd Posted July 2, 2016 Posted July 2, 2016 Tomorrow (not the 4th -- urk!) the grandkids are coming over. So, some gerbs, a couple of (relatively) quiet rockets, and some spinners and helicopters, just to give them the much-needed 'pyro fix'. Their perverted father (don't ask HOW perverted) won't let them attend any actual fireworks shows, because "it's too scary". Our daughter (their mom) loves fireworks, and the kids have been here four times on the 4th, and loved it every time! <G> Lloyd
OldMarine Posted July 2, 2016 Posted July 2, 2016 Hey Lloyd, you ain't got no gators you can introduce that SIL to?
carbonhalo Posted July 2, 2016 Posted July 2, 2016 Yesterday I rebuilt a test ball mill using a motor I picked up at a scrap yard for $5. Using my usual mill jar it is sluggish to start but ends up turning at 3 RPS. A bit fast but it still rattles more than my last mill. I'd like to get a wider jar, but with more media it may not start at all. I can either reduce the motor pulley or increase the size of the load pulley.... which will improve start up, but not improve batch size. I also hammered the lid on the charcoal burner I made for the bonfire. It's an old water heater cylinder crammed full of willow. All of the holes are plugged except the sacrificial anode plug, which now has a brass nozzle pointing sideways to make it's flame easily visible. My birthday bonfire is normally 4 metres tall, and at it's peak sends flame 10 metres into the air. It is always still going the next morning (watched by the party diehards), so should provide full conversion to charcoal (assuming the steel doesn't melt). Either way it should be interesting.
lloyd Posted July 2, 2016 Posted July 2, 2016 Carbon, You did not mention the jar diameter. The revolution speed depends upon BOTH the diameter of the jar and the diameter of the media particles. Say both, and I'll run the formula. LLoyd
dagabu Posted July 3, 2016 Author Posted July 3, 2016 I'm sorry for your loss Lloyd. We stole my granddaughter today to see a display tonight. As Marx is said to have quoted, "Give me a child until the age of three and I will have for for life." She is 2-1/2....
lloyd Posted July 3, 2016 Posted July 3, 2016 Dave,We've got the oldest grandchild 'hooked' already! I figure one more year, and we'll have all three in the bucket! I finished making up 152 10-shot vertical and 2-shot angle-fire plates for the 4th, to be delivered tomorrow. It was a good day! Lloyd
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