FLpyroBP Posted August 6, 2015 Posted August 6, 2015 Where can I buy a star gun. I've been searching all over and if I do find one on a site its out of stock. Anywhere I can purchase one?
stix Posted August 6, 2015 Posted August 6, 2015 No! don't make one from PVC. There's lot's of guys on this forum that can help you out with buying good tools. If you want to make your own, make it from steel or thick aluminium tubing - much safer. Cheers.
FLpyroBP Posted August 6, 2015 Author Posted August 6, 2015 That's what I was thinking I don't want it exploding on me. Can you lead me in the right direction ?
Col Posted August 6, 2015 Posted August 6, 2015 Another option if you have a drill press is to use a rectangle of thick hdpe sheet. Drill holes the right diameter and depth in the short side to form the tubes, no clay plugs necessary. 30mm and 40mm thick sheet is ideal for building modular, reloadable cakes
stix Posted August 6, 2015 Posted August 6, 2015 Where can I buy a star gun. I've been searching all over and if I do find one on a site its out of stock. Anywhere I can purchase one? FLpyroBP simply asked where to buy one - not how to make one. @ FLpyro, post a question in http://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/forum/38-tools-and-tooling/orhttp://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/forum/25-the-agora/ You'll get lots more info there. If you really want to make one, then ask away. This is a good forum with lots of knowledgeable people to learn from. Cheers.
nater Posted August 6, 2015 Posted August 6, 2015 A PVC star gun will not be a major hazard. There is no burst charge to damage the tube, even the tiny charge in a crosette is not likely to cause shrapnel in the even the star broke with the lift. Normally, I would advise against the use of PVC in pyro, but this is one area where it is not so bad.
mikeee Posted August 7, 2015 Posted August 7, 2015 Different sized rocket motor tubes can be glued into a wood base, or if you have access to a welder you can weld lengths of steel pipe onto a steel plate a drill a fuse hole near the bottom of each tube. If you have access to a propane torch you can use copper tubing and solder a cap on one end and mount this into a wood base platform. EMT steel electrical conduit is a cheap supply of metal tubing for this purpose, aluminum tubing of different sizes can be salvaged from many common items thrown away by people everyday. (lawn furniture, folding chairs, tent poles, baby strollers, luggage carts, ski poles etc. etc. )
schroedinger Posted August 7, 2015 Posted August 7, 2015 Go over to wolterpyrotools.com they sell one.
tradami Posted August 12, 2015 Posted August 12, 2015 You can make one for under $10. A 10" length of 3/4" black pipe from your hardware store and a cap. Drill a 1/8" hole and you've got a star gun.
braddsn Posted August 13, 2015 Posted August 13, 2015 I second Tyrone's advice. PVC is what I use. It's super cheap and easy. You will be dealing with low pressure so there is no hazard. (Obviously NEVER use pvc as a mortar tube). You can buy a 16 ft stick of 1" pvc for like 10 bucks, and make 10 or 12 nice star guns. Use schedule 40. Another option is to buy one. Cannonfuse.com has some I believe.
FLpyroBP Posted August 13, 2015 Author Posted August 13, 2015 Maybe I can wrap PVC pipe in duct tape just for some extra strength
rogeryermaw Posted August 13, 2015 Posted August 13, 2015 it is fast, easy and ultimately customizable to roll your own from paper and paper produces much less dangerous confetti in the event of a failure. allow me to cement my suggestion with a lovely image from my own experiences: http://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/gallery/image/2832-pvc/ 1
stix Posted August 14, 2015 Posted August 14, 2015 (edited) Roger, thanks for sharing that - I'd be interested to know the circumstances behind that tube failure - did the star get stuck or too much lift? Regardless, a graphic and timely warning nonetheless. I did have an aluminium one but that concerned me so I got some 3/4"id 1/4" wall spiral wound cardboard tubes. I coated the inside with sodium silicate solution to hopefully make them last longer then plugged up one end with an inch of dowel with the fuse hole above it. The good thing is that I can make a few off-site then take them to my testing area, insert it into a female socket I made on the star gun base, and it's good to go. It can then easily be removed and replaced with another. [EDIT] These are re-usable, not sure for how long but they have been used a few times and look only slightly blackened. Cheers. Edited August 14, 2015 by stix
mikeee Posted August 14, 2015 Posted August 14, 2015 Aluminum tubing is somewhat of a soft material, it can swell and split under load, but will not splintercompared to other materials like PVC pipe, unless you fill the entire tube with BP powder. Copper tubingwill also swell and split under excessive pressure but will not splinter like PVC pipe unless you fill thetube up with BP powder.
Differential Posted August 14, 2015 Posted August 14, 2015 I think some rigid PE, HDPE or PEX tubing would be the best option. In the event of a failure, they swell and tear, instead of making shrapnel like PVC.
rogeryermaw Posted August 14, 2015 Posted August 14, 2015 stix that tube was 2" heavy wall schedule 80 pvc. the slug was 135 grams and lift was 8% fffg shooting powder. aside from the inherent weakness of pvc to withstand pressure spikes, the lift powder may have been too fine. in my opinion, after my meager experiences in pyro, that tube never had a chance to survive. that, with the knowledge that pvc will not show up on x-ray, has finalized my decision to use pvc for nothing more than a chlorine donor.
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