Star pump 3 effect whistle pellet load

[joeyz]

team, here is a video on an idea i had for for a multiple effect insert. i know my version works with two pellets, tiger tail to crackle go getter if you will in mortar mines and headers, but the main focus is... can whistle pellets be created and used as well? i dont have any experience in whistle mixes and it would be awesome if whistle pellets can be created and used like saturn missiles do. i do realize that whistle mix is very potent but maybe it can be tuned down like those whistle tubes in saturn missiles, the thin plastic tubes hold the power. if whistle can work, imagine the multi effect loads for canister shells and mortar mines.

 

Edited September 9, 2016 by joeyz

[NeighborJ]

I like your idea but I have a problem with your method. The star pump would not compress it enough and would be dangerous. We press or at least should be pressing whistle behind a blast shield. Your pump does not have any way of protecting you. Secondly the whistle needs a resonance chamber to make the whistle sound. If it was me I'd rig up a shield in front of your press and compress the whistle into the tube, then bm fuse it and drop the comets in next to the bm. This should light the stars and eject them from the tube then it leaves a resonance chamber for which the whistle can do it's thing. If you only use hand pressure the whistle will work as an organic flash and be just as explosive. Your press should work just fine on small 1/2", and 3/8" tubes.

Edited September 9, 2016 by NeighborJ

[joeyz]

Thanks for the feedback and i can see how that would/can work. So i guess putting a spacer in tube, pressing 1/2" whistle other end, then remove rammer and soacer, put remaining pellets in, etc. in otherwords, work around the pressed whistle. Edited September 9, 2016 by joeyz

[NeighborJ]

Sounds like a plan, it would be a good idea since those are not being used for thrust, to cut the whistle with perlite to save on comp. DavidF has experience with this and would likely clue you in on how to do that. That shell would make one hell of a noise and would look awesome.

[Mumbles]

The concept should work, but the execution seems kind of unnecessary. You can press all three compositions into a tube, one on top of the other and basically get what you described. I'm not sure that there's a need to wet them or pump pellets just to then ultimately glue them into a tube. The concept is similar to basically using a streamer delay on a whistle rocket. It is advised to put a BP prime or short pressed BP layer on both sides of the whistle mix to ensure it both takes and gives fire successfully.

 

If you pump the whistle into the center of the tube or put the pellet there sort of like you had outlined the empty end of the tube will work for the resonance chamber. This is how whistle spolettes are made. You basically stick them in backwards.

 

I think the inserts could look pretty neat. Make sure to post some videos if you try any out.

[NeighborJ]

I was envisioning a Roman candle type effect where it jettisoned the stars then whistled off as a gogetter but the whistle streamer is still a awesome idea.

[joeyz]

yeah, its the whistle streamer im after and you mumbles got some great ideas/tips.

 

before i started rocketry 2 months, i am thinking how to transfer my ideas and effects from my previous mortar type fireworks. in the past, i been making different effect and size comet pellets as you saw in the video, using 1 1/2" length of those red tubes, and made tiger tail to crackle 2", 3" and 4" mortar mines. sometimes i even double on the tiger tail pellets. with the lift and depth length of the mortar tube and the small thrust of the tiger tail venting out of its own tube it flies pretty well straight up like surpents twisting and curving each other in the sky. always wanted to add a third effect (whistle pellet) to these surpents, streamers, go getter type items. now that im into rockets and whistle is in my head, starting to revisit large saturn missiles streamers with whistle, tail and report or crackle. and since it already works in my mines, easy to transfer the mine to a rocket header to trigger in sky before the rocket turns downwards (run out of fuel). the only differnece i see need is full length of the red tube 3" so whistle has that extra hollow tube to scream.

 

i usually dont store any loose powder like composition and usually make cylinders (pumped comets), cut or rolled stars. i love keeping complete items on hand because sometimes i want to add special effects in finale gun tubes and will toss a half a hand full variety of effects right on top my ball shells that are fused with ematch/quick match. gives an instant mine effects without the time and hassles of building anything special. i just walk along the line of gun tubes with different comet or stars pellets...silver pills for you, red pills for you, blue for you, strobe for you, and tiger tail pills for you too, etc. pretty awesome throwing of the spectator with mine effects then a 3" or 4" popping above it. just a word of caution, you dont want to put too much into gun tube over the shell, just a palm full. you can make even a 1.4 display finale look awesome using this ancient chinese secret. actually a korean pyro guy showed me this when i was stationed in korea.

 

now that i have a press, mumbles just gave me another possible idea. put a pre made pellet in tube and press right over it one at a time. however, very limited based on type of pellet. i dont think i would ever want to try and press crackle, that may be fatal. non sensitive comps like tiger and some others is safe.

 

on the current way i do the some mines, with those red tubes and variety of pellet comets, will make a video of build and shoot so you guys can help better figure out how to incorporate whistle mix for saturn missle streamer effect. if chinese can do those saturn whistle to report battery, im thinking so can we and would be cool in rocket headers.

Edited September 9, 2016 by joeyz

[OldMarine]

I've pressed crackle plenty of times in gerbs without harm. I DO have a blast shield on my press though!