Slow Whistle mix

[insutama]

So today my potassium benzoate came in the mail so first thing i did was throw it in the grinder for about 3 minutes then mixed up a batch of 70 kclo4 30 potassium benzoate and the results were not very good it maybe burned as fast as slow black powder is there something im doing wrong ? how fast should this mix burn ?

 

Edit: maybe im just expecting too much i was under the impression that whistle mix burned as fast as 70/30 flash powder

Edited July 14, 2015 by insutama

[schroedinger]

Did you granulate it and used a catalyst?

Also since it is perc based, if speeds up mainly with pressure.

[insutama]

nope just straight bezo and perc i just want to use it as a booster in my shells but it looks like my bp burns faster than this so dont know how good it will be for a booster

[insutama]

maybe its not supposed to be as fast as flash i mean maybe im missing the point and when whistle mix burns confined it is more powerful than the black powder but in a pile it seems to burn slower than my black powder but make twice as much smoke will this even work as a booster in my shells or am i better off leaving it out untill i can figure out whats wrong with my whistle ?

[Sparx88]

My BP burns faster than everything else I use so don't let that mess with ya. Under pressure is the key with boosters. For me it seems I get good boost using 2 grams for a 2", 3 grams for 3" etc etc. Add it right in the middle of the burst don't mix it all up with the bp.

[insutama]

ahh okay ill have to try it and see how it works in a shell thanks.

[Mumbles]

You may also want to consider still using a catalyst. Besides speeding things up, it will often color the mixture. It makes it easy to tell how well mixed it is, or if there are still clumps or coarse pieces of one of the materials.

[insutama]

ah okay good to know i dont think i have anything to use as a catalyst at the moment maybe ill have to get some red iron oxide

[OblivionFall]

Hey be very careful with the stuff. I'd hate to hear about you ramming it then all of the sudden BOOM your fingers are gone. Do you have a hydraulic press or arbor press?

[Maserface]

You say you milled the potassium benzoate, how fine were the particles? whistle is really sensitive to particle size.

[insutama]

it was the consistency of flour

im not making whistle rockets like i said earlier im just using it for a booster in my shells

[Maserface]

Whistle fuels can be deceptive too, I've got some that looks like flour but gums up a 60 mesh screen. The oxidizer needs to be wicked fine as well. It also needs to be very intimately mixed, I would suggest a wet process for safety reasons.

 

There are other boosters that might be a little easier to make, something like "kp" (from shimizu) or a nitrate/metal slow flash powder.

[insutama]

the reason i wanted to use a whistle mix for a booster is because when i use flash the flash almost takes away from my stars so i want a good burst but without the flash.What is kp ? whats the best way to grind the whistle mix ? i used a coffee grinder to grind the individual chemicals then mixed them together is there a better way ?

Edited July 15, 2015 by insutama

[Maserface]

https://www.google.com/search?q=kp+burst+charge&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari#q=kp+burst+charge+site:www.amateurpyro.com&hl=en

 

How did you mix the chemicals together?

[insutama]

intresting maybe if this whistle doesnt work well with my small shells i may try making some H3 and coating some rice crispys or rice hulls.

i mixed it via the diaper method then after that i screened the chems threw a 40 mesh screen 3 times then i put in a container and rolled the container to mix it even more.

i made 2 1" shells ill light them off later i did one with a kbenzo booster and one with just granulated bp see if i can see a difference

[insutama]

okay so the results are the shell with whistle mix was quite a bit more powerful i guess confinement is the key here.

[insutama]

heres a video of the whistle mix shell keep in mind its just a 1" crackle ball shell i layed 4 1/4" pumped star halfs per half of shell then filled most way with granulated bp then i filled the small little passfire tube with whistle mix and a scoop of whistle mix on top of the bp i used 3mm visco for time fuse and primed fuse with NC laqour then dipped in granulated bp i glued the shell half together with methylene chloride and did no pasting at all i think this may be why it wasnt a very good break anyway this shell preformed alot better than the shell without the whistle mix i wish i had the video for that one but i accidentally didnt hit record. anyway here it is 1" plastic ball shell with 1/4 TT pumped star halfs and whistle booster

 

[Rocketier]

I will help you with a link to good information dude.

 

clickerdeclick

[insutama]

yup believe it or not i have read that forum thanks tho

[insutama]

i dont really need anymore ancwers this whistle mix seemed to do the trick as a booster confinment is the key and thats basically what i wanted to know so if anyone else is wondering if there whistle mix seems slow its probally fine once its confinded

[DaMounty]

I'd cut your fuse a little longer. It will give you more time to retreat to a safe distance.

[Maserface]

I suppose it could be "slow" because it's not granulated, sounds like you mixed it well and the chems were fine enough. Good work!

 

I would caution you about screening flash dry like that though, it's essentially organic flash powder. Treat it with the same respect you would give 70/30.

[insutama]

So if i granulate the whistle it would work better ?

[Livingston]

Insutama you need to make the fuel properly as if you were going to use it to press rockets with it..I know when I made the fuel correctly and did a burn test it zip super fast like flash!!! your ratios are off as well I have not seen a 7:3 before for whistle mix and Ive successfully made over 10#s of whistle fuel in different variations...making whistle fuel is a process.. you need your catalysis your jelly and a solvent.. I personal was taught to blade mill my Kbenz with my Red Iron dump in a bowl make sure my perc is milled or screen through 60 mesh then melt my %3 jelly then add solvent to the melted jelly then add that to my kBenz and red iron. mix it up with a spoon real good then slowly add the perc in after its mix thoroughly and theres no white you can rice/granulate it!! let it try then your ready to make rockets OR in YOUR case use as booast.. This is my experience!!!

[ddewees]

I'd cut your fuse a little longer. It will give you more time to retreat to a safe distance.

And shutting the car door is a good idea too.