Where to get star cores?

[MeowMix]

I was looking around for star cores, and I'm not sure what I can use/where to get them. These are for use in rolling stars.

Edited July 6, 2016 by MeowMix

[MadMat]

I haven't started rolling stars yet, but I've read about people using mustard seeds or millet seeds. Small lead shot (#7-8) can be used, but many don't recommend it because of toxicity to the environment.

[OldMarine]

I read somewhere of someone using the bismuth shoot instead of lead. They used #7 instead of #8 at first because the bismuth is lighter than lead but after gaining experience the #8 was used. I'll hunt for the article as it named other good cores.

[MadMat]

I tried to buy bismuth shot a while back and to my surprise, it wasn't all that easy to find. When I finally found a supplier, it was rather expensive compared to lead. Considering lead is used in DE, I find it funny that people would have a problem with lead as star cores.

Edited July 6, 2016 by MadMat

[dagabu]

I have a few pounds of molecular sieves that are great core starters. I can send a couple ounces CONUS if interested.

[otto]

I haven't started rolling stars yet, but I've read about people using mustard seeds or millet seeds. Small lead shot (#7-8) can be used, but many don't recommend it because of toxicity to the environment.

Toxicity.... the average 12 ga. round holds between 350 - 461 shot (size 7.5 - 8) for EACH ONE. Think downrange at a at a trap/skeet place or over popular hunting grounds. That's the main reason for the Federal restriction on lead shot for waterfowl.

 

As far as pyro, I'd think because locations are more diverse and dispersion would be much wider, the environmental impact would be minimal. That said I'd think there are plenty of "consumable" options. Mustard, millet have already been mentioned but there's corn cob, crackling cores (scavenged from consumer products if you can't/don't want to roll your own) or "whatever". Heck, there's probably bags of some sort of cheap feed that might be the right size to use. If the core is inert the source is pretty much immaterial as long as they pick up comp.

 

Of course, I haven't rolled a single star (yet) but........

[OldMarine]

I can't relocate the article or post but I recall it mentioning the use of some type of pasta. Though I'm a school trained cook I can't remember anything smaller than couscous and that's not small enough usually.

[dagabu]

Acini di pepe? The actual size is all over the place depending on the manufacturer.

Edited July 7, 2016 by dagabu

[otto]

I can't relocate the article or post but I recall it mentioning the use of some type of pasta. Though I'm a school trained cook I can't remember anything smaller than couscous and that's not small enough usually.

"Real" couscous as opposed to the pearl or Israeli type might qualify. Barley's too big but maybe some screened cracked wheat or steel cut oats.

[braddsn]

#8 lead shot. A bag will cost you about 40 dollars, and will last you MANY years.. plus it's heavy and makes rolling much easier, in my opinion. I have used peppercorns, rape seed, and millet, and once I tried lead, I never looked back.

[Arthur]

Once you get used to it rolling stars without cores is easy enough! -Get some powder turning in a pan and start to dampen it star cores will form then the stars will build. I've actually seen this done professionally (Kimbolton Fireworks)

[Arthur]

Alternatively make some small cut stars say 1mm cubes, and use those as cores -this way you get a colour change at burn out if you want

[BlueComet24]

I've never rolled stars, so I don't know if you want the cores as small as possible, or a bit bigger, but amaranth seeds are really small and pretty round. It seems like they might make good cores for small stars.

[BengalFlair]

I prefer mustard seed because it’s almost free for me right here and a few months ago I have made more than 10 pounds of rolled stars with the same. Patience is the key to make perfectly round and rock hard rolled stars. Here is a picture of such streamer star with red core.

 

[MrW]

I have used a small ball of star comp (using redgum/alcohol as the binder) and push thru a kitchen screen into a rolling drum with a small amount of dry star comp powder. Creates small cores and you can keep rolling to get round cores or You can then let them dry and go from there. Not my invention, but works well. But...patience is a must.

[Nessalco]

I use mustard seeds, and have not had any problems with comps similar to the Veline colors, or Hardt Blue #6. When I try to roll charcoal or glitter comps it's a different story. Haven't had a batch yet that I'm happy with.

 

Kevin

[AzoMittle]

I'm with Arthur and MrW. I roll almost all of my stars and find that small cut / screen-sliced stars are by far the easiest to pick up comp, roll evenly, and gives a nice changing effect. I aim for slightly small than the size of green peas.

[zan89]

You dont need cores, it is super easy to do without them. Put some color mix in and start spraying with water or alcohol. There is a point when granules start to form, wait until all mix becomes granules. Than quick add dry comp, but not to much. Take bigest granules, which are to big and crush them. Then just leave them for a few minutes to roll. You will get nice small stars. After that,do it like you do it with cores.

[Arthur]

I actually watched a factory rolling stars. about 25 kilos of dry powder in the drum turning to mix and stir fro a while then just add some water spray til it starts to roll as little balls then add spray and powder til you have about 50kilos of rolling stars. Probably takes years of practise!

[dagabu]

I saw that too in a Japanese video but it was a pan and a sprayer made largish drops on the top of the comp, it was left for several minutes and the comp was screened, all the little 'dumplings' were used as starter cores. I never got it to work, I always made mouse turd stars by pressing a really thin patty through a 20 mesh screen into dry comp and rolled them into stars.

 

That method has always worked perfectly for me.

[AzoMittle]

Same as Dagabu but i find 12 mesh to be the right size for me. I'm also a big fan of dragon eggs for cores. In the past I've also harvested small stars free from little c-class festival balls.

[dagabu]

Perhaps they were 12 or even 8 mesh, its been a while and they are all at my build site. Thanks for posting your methods, Azo!

[starxplor]

Same as Dagabu but i find 12 mesh to be the right size for me. I'm also a big fan of dragon eggs for cores. In the past I've also harvested small stars free from little c-class festival balls.

 

I am not sure I have seen 1.4g festival balls with labeled stars. Does it not matter what the core's feature is somehow?

[AzoMittle]

 

I am not sure I have seen 1.4g festival balls with labeled stars. Does it not matter what the core's feature is somehow?

 

Dunno, the ones I had were all labeled, "Willow", "Brocade", "Silver Wave", etc.

[zan89]

Probably takes years of practise!

 

It is a matter of try, but it is true that each composition rolls diffirently.

With some practice you can make beauties like those without cores:)

Edited July 11, 2016 by zan89