starxplor Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 I plan to make some glitter to blue stars and was wondering if any particular blue formulas are better than others.I already have a batch of the glitter comp listed below but was wondering which blue is better for this: Glitter: Potassium nitrate 49 Charcoal, air float 29 Charcoal, 36 Mesh 11 Dextrin 10 Sulfur 9 Aluminum, firefly 5 Blue #1: Potassium Perchlorate 66.1 Copper Oxide 13.4 Parlon 10.7 Red Gum 9.8 Dextrin 5 Blue #2: Potassium Perchlorate 55 Copper Oxide 15 Parlon 15 Red Gum 9 Magnalium 6 Dextrin 4
Mumbles Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 Just to put things into context the "glitter" formula is Steve Majdali's firefly formula and the first blue is Pyro Science Blue. I'm not familiar with the second one. It should probably be noted that firefly and glitters are two distinct effects. Firefly is kind of a long developing effect. What you will probably see is a charcoal to blue shell with an evolving firefly effect afterward. I bet it'd be very attractive, but there's only one way to find out for sure. If you want a true glitter to blue you may want to choose another formula is all I'm saying. That said the firefly and Pyro Science blue are two of my all time favorite formulas. It's definitely my go-to blue star, and it matches well both in hue and intensity with firefly. Here's a firefly mine with blue inserts I made a while ago if you want a preview.
starxplor Posted June 8, 2017 Author Posted June 8, 2017 Sorry, I left the names off because I didn't have a name for one of them and didn't want to name the others without naming them all. The second blue is actually veline blue. Nice video, I think I will go with the Pyro Science Blue.
Mumbles Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 Of course I miss probably the most popular of the three. I completely forgot it had any MgAl in it. I was looking through a bunch of the parlon bound star formulas, thinking it was one of them. For firefly, I'd go Pyro Science. For a real glitter, it'd be a toss up. My personal inclination would be to go with pyro science for something longer delayed and lacy, but veline for something short and spritzy or with larger flashes. Either way, share the results if possible.
starxplor Posted June 8, 2017 Author Posted June 8, 2017 I will be putting these in some shells up north in later July. I usually get a video of the whole show (consumer product show followed by my couple of shells to show off). I will post that when I get it. Last year, the person taking video was set up for consumer show and didn't realize my (first two ever) shells would be higher in the sky and missed recording them.
Arthur Posted June 10, 2017 Posted June 10, 2017 If you put a tail/comet on your shells the camera person can follow them easily!
starxplor Posted June 11, 2017 Author Posted June 11, 2017 We did not have directional control over the camera since it was on top of the hill behind us. We only had on/off that we built ourselves on-site. I do not know if the camera person will have built directional control or not, but we can aim for a larger window if needed for this year. I did roll my first batch(es?) of the blue comp. The first attempt came out with a bunch of almost uncovered lead shot, some large in comparison potato shaped pieces and a bunch of no longer dry but still basically powder comp. I put the cores back in with some more cores, twice as many in total as the first attempt, and tried again, getting some more potatoes and cores, but no extra comp. I pulled the potatoes and tried a third time with the second set of cores and actually got some good, round, evenly sized, though small, stars! They are drying and I will sort for size and try to bring the small stars up in size now that I think I got the process down.
WSM Posted June 16, 2017 Posted June 16, 2017 (edited) Of course I miss probably the most popular of the three. I completely forgot it had any MgAl in it. I was looking through a bunch of the parlon bound star formulas, thinking it was one of them. For firefly, I'd go Pyro Science. For a real glitter, it'd be a toss up. My personal inclination would be to go with pyro science for something longer delayed and lacy, but veline for something short and spritzy or with larger flashes.Either way, share the results if possible. For long lacy tailed glitter, I've found a modified Winokur #39 to be a wonderful effect. W-39 calls for 8% aluminum (often 12 micron spherical is used), but the best effect I've used is dividing the 8% into four 2% parts:2% 12 micron spherical aluminum2% 30 micron spherical aluminum2% -200 mesh magnalium2% 60 mesh magnaliumThe effect is a very long, full-tailed, lacy glitter that compliments vibrant colors. It also makes very nice comets and I've used it for prime/top coat on color-changing round stars. If you coat this glitter over blue cores (round stars), the effect after break will be a full glitter ball transitioning to blue stars; beautiful! One of my favorite effects was glitter to red to white strobe; even in small shells it was stunning. If you try the modified W-39, share the results with others here. Have a wonderful Fourth. WSM Edited June 16, 2017 by WSM 1
WSM Posted June 16, 2017 Posted June 16, 2017 Just to put things into context the "glitter" formula is Steve Majdali's firefly formula The firefly formula that Steve quoted me many years ago was: 49 potassium nitrate29 airfloat charcoal11 80 mesh charcoal06 sulfur05 firefly aluminum The mixture is bound with fairly thick, par-boiled wheat paste while it's still warm from the cook pot. The best firefly aluminum was a 1:1 mixture of Transmet Corporation's K-101 and K-102 aluminum products (which Steve called his "Comet blend" and demonstrated it publicly as 3" comets in competition at the 1988 PGI Convention). It was believed that dextrin wouldn't work for firefly, but Dr.Shimizu's research showed that it does and the effect is improved if 2-5% barium sulfate is added to the mixture. By the way, Steve doesn't claim the formula as his own, but got it from a friend who discovered it through experimentation after the folks back East were so tight-lipped about its exact formulation. If I'm not mistaken, the originator of the "firefly" formula is Jerry Taylor from the Mid-West US and his name for it was "Charcoal to Aluminum Transition", or just "Transition" stars. This is all from the 1980's. WSM
starxplor Posted June 17, 2017 Author Posted June 17, 2017 I have my first attempt at rolling (2 different batches with the same blue comp). The second batch was much more uniform and spherical, as I learn how to roll properly. I will be sorting these and building more blue this weekend, then after they dry, adding the glitter. I am hoping to have them dry enough to test with a star gun on the 4th, then up to the UP for actual shell building and lighting later in July. I already mixed up the glitter comp, so I will use what I originally posted in this thread and maybe try one of the glitters listed here next time. Video hopefully to come of both test and shell launch.
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