lloyd Posted January 24, 2016 Posted January 24, 2016 Wiley,With a little pH regulator in there, KNO3/Al flash can have a good shelf life -- but NOT KNO3/Mg. It's a 'death wish' sitting on the shelf. Lloyd
Wiley Posted January 24, 2016 Posted January 24, 2016 Ah, that's good to know. Well, if you're looking for noise, that's the best nitrate composition I've tried. It is slower than perc flash, so well-settled salutes with large length:diameter ratios tend to exhibit a bright fireball due to the slower flash burning outside of the ruptured casing. It's brief, but noticeable.
gdeputy Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 Something else i can just recommend is BaSO4/Mg flash.It gives of a green flash and a deep boom, quite different to the high pitch of kno3 or perc flashes (yes i know kno3 is not as high pitched as perc, but this a much deeper sound).Also BaSO4 isn't hygroscopic.The only downfall these have, is that they are expensive, mg cost more then Al and BaSO4 is about double price of perc. But if you want a deel boom try it. This is an interesting one i've not heard of before. is that a 50/50 mix?
Pyrochater Posted January 15, 2021 Posted January 15, 2021 I am new here on the forum and need help with some information. I have sulfur, I have KNO3 and I recently got magnesium. I tried to combine the KNO3 and Mg component to get a flash, but it burned very badly and slowly. I used a 50/50 ratio. I have KNO3 powder, but the magnesium is in tiny granules? Need help to get a good component ?! Is there a problem with magnesium? Thank you very much.
Pyrochater Posted January 15, 2021 Posted January 15, 2021 Hello everybody I am new here on the forum and need help with some information. I have sulfur, I have KNO3 and I recently got magnesium. I tried to combine the KNO3 and Mg component to get a flash, but it burned very badly and slowly. I used a 50/50 ratio. I have KNO3 powder, but the magnesium is in tiny granules? Need help to get a good component ?! Is there a problem with magnesium? Thank you very much !!
SharkWhisperer Posted January 16, 2021 Posted January 16, 2021 (edited) Hello everybody I am new here on the forum and need help with some information. I have sulfur, I have KNO3 and I recently got magnesium. I tried to combine the KNO3 and Mg component to get a flash, but it burned very badly and slowly. I used a 50/50 ratio. I have KNO3 powder, but the magnesium is in tiny granules? Need help to get a good component ?! Is there a problem with magnesium? Thank you very much !!Yes, unfortunately your Mg has expired. When magnesium gets too old, atmospheric oxygen causes it to irreversibly "rust" into more granular MgO crystals that are almost as hard as diamonds and useless for anything pyro related anymore. It's really not good for much of anything anymore, so you might as well toss it and suck up the fiscal loss. Things could be worse. That's why most of us rarely if ever use plain Mg in most comps. Plus, even if you have good, newly milled Mg, it's very unsafe to use with nitrates unless it's pre-treated to reduce the likelihood of bad interactions (like things starting on fire when you didn't expect or want them to). But the most common treatment is also highly carcinogenic. Maybe avoid Mg comps for now. But you still have KNO3 and sulfur, so mix that with some charcoal and you'll eventually have some top-notch BP that'll blow the doors off of your experiments with expired Mg crystals. Good luck! Edited January 16, 2021 by SharkWhisperer 1
Pyrochater Posted January 17, 2021 Posted January 17, 2021 SharkWhisperer how I said I'm new here and sorry for twice asked,...are you admin? Ok...let's talk Okay what is your best recommendation for the best flash ratio? Magnesium is not good in combination with sulfur and KNO3? Is dark aluminum better in that combination?.... or more used Potassium perchlorate and aluminum KClO4/Al ? KClO3/Al ? Ba (NO3)2 ?
deepakpyro Posted March 15, 2021 Posted March 15, 2021 SharkWhisperer how I said I'm new here and sorry for twice asked,...are you admin? Ok...let's talk Okay what is your best recommendation for the best flash ratio? Magnesium is not good in combination with sulfur and KNO3? Is dark aluminum better in that combination?.... or more used Potassium perchlorate and aluminum KClO4/Al ? KClO3/Al ? Ba (NO3)2 ?Hey, As a newbie after so much of forum and topics, Flash is one of the nasty composition if not handled properly. Dont make it unless u really need it. Even though, on the flash topic, KNo3/Al/S with 2% boric acid is safe to use for some time.but never make more than 10 gms if you really want to keep your fingers. The formula is 6/3/1 by weight. If i need to make flash, i would stay away from KNo3&mg composition. Better safe than sorry
Newbee Posted March 18, 2021 Posted March 18, 2021 Is KNO3/Al/S flash powder prone to static electricity? Can I store it in pvc pipes?
SharkWhisperer Posted March 18, 2021 Posted March 18, 2021 Is KNO3/Al/S flash powder prone to static electricity? Can I store it in pvc pipes?ALL flash compositions are susceptible to ignition by a static electrical spark. Invest in a can of StaticGuard. Dryer softening sheets are a distant second option. You do not want to store explosive comps in materials that will turn to shrapnel if an accidents occurs, and accidents do occur. When you're not expecting them--that's why they're called accidents. PVC shrapnel and other plastics are very difficult to see by X-ray/CT, or MRI, though large chunks can be generally localized by ultrasound. Meaning if you accidentally blow your ass up with a PVC fragmentation grenade (which is effectively what your PVC storage container is), you will probably make your hopeful recovery more difficult. Store it in a cardboard container or a plastic ziplock inside a cardboard container, if you insist, against all good advice, on storing it for some reason. No glass jars, no screw caps (friction). No metal, for gawd's sake. There is very little reason to store flash. Ever. It's quick and simple to make. Except in constructed devices and protected from moisture. And impurities in sulfur (and there are impurities) can complicate/amplify your storage concerns. And as has been highlighted by others in this thread, a little boric acid addition might prevent unwanted (and unnoticed) nitrate/Al reactions and prevent your house from burning down and killing your whole family. Fireworking 101; Don't store flash. The risk/benefit ratio is high. Don't store devices using KNO3/Al mixtures or any pyro formulation under your bed (or anywhere inside your house). Stay alive. Keep your eyeballs and fingers intact. Look at the house in the picture uploaded to the Safety section today--the one of the house in California with no roof. Fireworking gone wrong. Don't be that guy. 1
ronmoper76 Posted March 18, 2021 Posted March 18, 2021 Im holding a bag of 325 mesh mag/al in my hands right now. What do you mean by when is the last time you saw it?
ronmoper76 Posted March 18, 2021 Posted March 18, 2021 This is an interesting one i've not heard of before. is that a 50/50 mix?Barium sulfate is cheap as hell now,I only paid 3 dollars a pound last time i got it. Perchlorate is double sometimes triple that per pound.
SharkWhisperer Posted March 19, 2021 Posted March 19, 2021 Barium sulfate is cheap as hell now,I only paid 3 dollars a pound last time i got it. Perchlorate is double sometimes triple that per pound.Currently $4/lb at both FWC and Pyrochemsource for barium sulfate. Perc in 10-lb batches are around $5/lb from my guy; single pounds at FWC/PCS are now $7-8/lb, though likely a discount negotiable if you pick up any sort of quantity.
deepakpyro Posted March 24, 2021 Posted March 24, 2021 Im holding a bag of 325 mesh mag/al in my hands right now. What do you mean by when is the last time you saw it?Mgal is safer metal than mg. You can use them in some stars comp.. but mg flash i won't do it.
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