Best Golden Star Composition?

[Paradise]

Gotcha

[Xtreme Pyro]

SoI if you subbed lampblack for the charcoal in say a C-6 or C-8 would it end up more like a willow or TW?

Lampblack will give it a better tail for sure, you can start by subbing a percentage of the charcoal with lampblack and see if you like it. Then work your way up as you see fit, there is actually a variant of Neds Tiger willow that uses lampblack.

 

Tiger Willow Star - Author Ned G

BP Mill Dust: 60 oz

Airfloat: 36oz

Dextrin: 8oz

Sulfur: 4.2oz

lampblack: 5.7oz

 

Keep in mind Lampblack is incredibly messy stuff to work with, use gloves and a respirator.

 

Find more info on that here: http://www.skylighter.com/fireworks/how-to-make/tiger-willow-ball-shells.asp

 

 

Edited August 7, 2016 by Xtreme Pyro

[Mumbles]

A little lampblack actually good a long way. I use a spider formula that has about 1% and you can tell the difference. I'd start no higher than 5 parts or so.

[dynomike1]

Would this work for a Palm tree trunk?

[Paradise]

Ty, I will try it in a small batch of c-8 subbing out 2% and see how it goes.

[AzoMittle]

how big do you roll blue star cores generally, and do yo have to prime blue cores before rolling on TT formula and do you ball mill comp first minus FT of course?

 

This is just my personal opinion/experience so take it with a grain of salt and adjust as you see fit:

 

• I like my cores on the large side, around a quarter inch. I start by making them as cut stars (easy, simple, and produces consistent size) and then throw them in the star roller to round off the corners.
• If I am going from a color core (or a perch based core) to a BP based outer I will use a layer of prime. I'm a big fan of monocapa. Luce forte or brilliant cores (basically toned down flash with a binder) get a special prime, chlorates also get a special prime. I've tried Shimizu's changing relays and other dark relays before but never had any success with them.
• I hate screening comps, especially charcoal/lampblack comps so I throw them in my tumbler (never ever mill metals). For glitter stars (including TT) I do not use milling balls but rather just let it tumble on its own to mix, if the chems are clumped up I will mill them individually and then mix. To incorporate metals I take the milled comp and metal and put it in a 5 gallon bucket, seal the top and shake to mix.