D1 Glitter Star Question

[OblivionFall]

Hi there, I'm looking to make D1 glitter stars as I have gotten the TT stars down pat. I have a few questions:

 

1. Is this the correct ratio?

 

53g KNO3

18g Sulfur

11g Charcoal

7g Aluminum

7g Bi-Carb Soda

4g Dextrin

 

2. The only aluminum powder I have is less than 2 microns. (I was using it for... um... well... thermite?...)

Would aluminum powder of this mesh work or do I have to use lower mesh? (325+- mesh)

 

3. Can you make a Star Pump with a metal pipe and the correct diameter dowel?

 

Thanks

[braddsn]

1. Yes, that is the correct formula for D1. 2. The aluminum mesh is important. You need to use 325 mesh. And 3. Yeah, you can make a star pump like that. A star pump is nothing special.. simply a rod that fits perfectly into a sleeve. Something that I learned early on in pyro... the "little things" like mesh sizes, are indeed very important. I made a lot of mistakes in the beginning because I would mix up some comp, and if I didn't have what I needed, I would just substitute something 'close'. Usually, this doesn't work. There are cases where you can experiment with substitutes, but D-1 isn't one of them. Not saying you couldn't use the star, but it won't be D-1.

Edited April 11, 2015 by braddsn

[Arthur]

2u is too fine for the Al. Being accurate means 325mesh but I have used 250 - 300 mesh perfectly well.

[schroedinger]

Also make sure too use -325 mesh atomized aluminium, flake won't work.

Also from my experience it is no prblem to cut D1, this gives a realy nice glitter too. (But the effect shifts mo4e towards a dimm cleaner looking a little longer lastings glitter).

Edited April 11, 2015 by schroedinger

[Wiley]

I cut all my stars, including my glitters. I think the hype about adding to much water is nonsense, since mine glitter just fine. I let them sit in not-too-warm, shaded, breezy conditions (maybe 40-50 degrees) for about 5 days, then pop them in my HF food dehydrator overnight. They dry rock hard and perform beautifully. I also use a 425 mesh atomized Al from eBay. It's a little fine, and my glitter glitters faster than most, but it still works.

 

P.S. Try N1 glitter. It's a prettier color than D1 and lasts longer.

 

N1 Glitter

Potassium nitrate 51,
Sulfur 15,
Charcoal, airfloat 10
Aluminum, atomized, 325 mesh 8
Sodium bicarbonate 12
Dextrin 4

 

This is D1

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9qn-RKkANY

 

This is N1

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFkOs3E8iAw

Edited April 11, 2015 by Wiley

[OblivionFall]

2u is too fine for the Al. Being accurate means 325mesh but I have used 250 - 300 mesh perfectly well.

The only Aluminum powder for sale that ships to Canada that I can find is 225 mesh or 425 mesh. Would either of those work/what difference would it make with the star?

[Wiley]

Oblivion, check out my above post. I use 425 mesh, and it works. 225 mesh will give a longer burning star with more delayed flashes.

[stix]

I haven't made D1 or N1 yet, but have made "Gold Twinkler" which I used my 200 - 300 mesh and it worked beautifully. So I would think the 225 mesh would be perfect as there would also be finer material mixed in anyway. I'm no expert though and what Arthur said makes sense. 425 would burn quicker and not give the same effect I would think.

 

Cheers.

 

[EDIT] Just saw Wiley's post. +1

Edited April 11, 2015 by stix

[nater]

I used a mixed mesh atomized aluminum with D1. It is 100-325 and a pretty inexpensive widely used aluminum. I like the effect from the wide mesh size. I think that atomized aluminum is the key to the effect and the star would look nice with different mesh sizes.

[braddsn]

I will second what Wiley said about the water in glitter. I cut some glitter stars before, and they were VERY wet... TOO wet at one point, and they glittered perfectly. And I roll all of my N-1 stars now, and I tend to use a lot of water and they glitter fine. Just sayin. I think AL mesh size efffects glitter more than anything.

[Arthur]

Try whatever mesh you can get! Small stars usually need finer mesh ingredients.

 

Do look carefully outside the usual pyro suppliers. Pottery suppliers often have interesting things.

[db5086]

Hmmmm, I made 1kg of Winokur20 that were overwet for cut stars and they are now in a bag labeled junk. Nada a flash one. Every pumped star that I've made that were dampened just enough to activate the dex performed perfectly. This is from my experience only and I'm not suggesting that an over wet glitter comp won't work it just didn't for me.(Brad,Wiley I tip my hat to you for pulling it off so please don't take offense). The metal size (325)and shape (spherical)is the key in my experience. My first comet pump was a 1/2" copper pipe coupler no stops and a wood dowel. Made more stars with that than I care to think about.

[braddsn]

Db, I don't doubt you a bit! One thing about pyro that I learned early, everyone's experience is a bit different. Maybe different water, maybe different alcohol content, different chems from different sources.. so many variables!

[Wiley]

Huh, I shot a shell recently with my cut N1 and it looks even better in the air than out of a mine. The flashes are super large and bright, and the color is a rich gold.

[db5086]

Wiley, the shell must have been beautiful because that mine was very pretty. I'll try again cutting some N1 wetted with a different water. Would a high calcium carbonate (my water) affect the outcome of the failed Winokurs and just kill the glitter totally. Man I hated losing that much comp.

[Mumbles]

db, did you by any chance try to force dry the stars? A lot of factors affect the appearance of the glitter. Some things are more subtle than others. I've made plenty of cut stars that were quite wet. This does affect the effect. I find cut glitters to have coarser flashes. However, it's only when force dried and elevated temperatures have I ever totally ruined an effect.

[Shunt]

Just for giggles, I used a 3/8" carbide burr bit in my air powered die grinder to mill some of the cheap Harbor Freight Mg fire starters into something that might be useful in a star comp. It for sure had the "fluff factor" as I call it, long flakes built up into a pile about 2" X 2" after grinding only about 10% of the bar.

 

The forums that rate 'firestarters' rate these at the bottom of the list due to low Mg content, and high binder content.

 

I decided to do a comp of 60% my hottest BP meal dust, 30% airfloat western red cedar, and 10% HF Mg fire starter + 5% dextrin, screened 3 times through 40 mesh and wetted with 50/50 rubbing alcohol. Pressed into a patty, cut 3/16" stars.

 

Air dried 3 days, force dried in 150 degree F oven for 2 hours, did not do as I expected. Still could be easily crushed with my fingers.

 

Just a FYI as how long it takes high content charcoal stars to dry in this particular experiment.

[db5086]

Ahh, yes they were force dried at a tad under 140 for a couple of reasons. First, I made em on Jan 2 and it was cold and humid. Second, I just finished my drying box and had to try it out. You know how that goes, new toy and all. Never considered that (forced and fast) would be a factor with charcoal stars. I've not attempted cut glitters since and have settled on Winokur 30 for two 6" shells that are in the works. I am pumping one at a time and if I thought I could cut these I would sure do it. Man I would hate to lose on it because of the cost of that comp but will try again with n1.

[schroedinger]

Shunt why do you want to use ground firestarter? Mg can be gotten a lot cheaper by buying mg turnings (sometimess you get them pressed into blocks). Mg turnings are easly reduced to finer grid in a wet process.

[Shunt]

Shunt why do you want to use ground firestarter? Mg can be gotten a lot cheaper by buying mg turnings (sometimess you get them pressed into blocks). Mg turnings are easly reduced to finer grid in a wet process.

1. As I said, it was just for "fun and giggles", I was more interested in how the binder would burn in a comp than the low Mg content.

 

2. The firestarters were free with a coupon I had, were junk for their intended use, so I decided to experiment.

 

3. The OP did not have the proper Al for D1 Glitter, and I thought this might give him something to try till he gets some.

 

4. I think I have hijacked this thread enough, apology to the OP. Would be interested in the "wet process" you mentioned, maybe you could PM me a link to a thread here, or elsewhere.

 

+1 to the N1 comments above, very nice glitter if done right like these guys have proven in the vids! For sure on my to-do pyro list