Zippoman Posted July 9, 2017 Posted July 9, 2017 I have been searching the forum for an answer to this question. I have noticed that basic fountains and various other fireworks that you can purchase at typical firework stands have a black/grey, hardened substance that is used to tack/secure the fuse in place. I know a lot of people use hot glue and hide glue but, I am very curious what this substance is. Is there anyone who knows for certain? I have also seen videos of fireworks being manufactured in China, and the are using a dark clay like or putty like substance and just pulling a tiny piece off and attacking the fuse in place fairly quickly. Is this the same substance? Does anyone know what I'm talking about?
OldMarine Posted July 9, 2017 Posted July 9, 2017 (edited) You could use a thick NC/BP paste to glue the fuse in but I've come to like paper nosing better since I'm not making a billion devices a day at slave wages. If you were making cakes you could just use a potters clay to anchor the fuse into the tubes. Visco is usually water resistant enough to stand a fairly damp clay mashed around it and the clay would bond pretty well with the paper tube. Edited July 9, 2017 by OldMarine
Zippoman Posted July 9, 2017 Author Posted July 9, 2017 Paper nosing? What is that? I thought it might be nc/bp but I've never seen it ignite. Here's a picture of what i mean. Its on a small smoke bomb:https://www.google.com/search?q=flasher+firework&prmd=vsin&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi4jdWamvvUAhXs24MKHWscAC0Q_AUIDCgD&biw=320&bih=440#tbm=isch&q=smoke+bomb&imgrc=y1g8wSMhC97eZM:
Baldor Posted July 9, 2017 Posted July 9, 2017 Paper nosing? What is that? Take a look at the finished rocket here. Just very light paper (We call it "silk paper" here in Spain), wrapped around both the "artifact" and the fuse. I have seen a lot of commercial rockets finished like this in Spain. I prefer to let my rockets unfused until the last moment, so I use a thin paper tube as long as the core, with black match inside protruding about 8-10mm, bent like a hook in the inside end, and a little bit of visco in the other. The hook keeps the fuse in place fine enough for the short time it's needed, and guarantees top ignition.
Arthur Posted July 9, 2017 Posted July 9, 2017 One of the main indicators for firework ingredients is cheapness. Is there any chance that your black glue is only bitumen or a tar product. A low temperature melting roof tar would be a good glue. as would a bitumen emulsion which would set cold.
OldMarine Posted July 9, 2017 Posted July 9, 2017 (edited) Went and found a couple of spent smoke balls in the neighbor's yard and Zippoman is right. The cement around the fuse opening is unburnt. Looking closely I think it's like a furnace cement type mix. Edited July 9, 2017 by OldMarine
lloyd Posted July 9, 2017 Posted July 9, 2017 There are a number of sodium silicate type cements that have been used over the decades. They're cheap, consisting only of mineral fillers and fairly-concentrated sodium silicate solution. They also cure fairly quickly. Again (Patrick), the Westech manual's LTR-1 cement on pp113 is a perfect example. Adding black pumice or carbon black to the white constituents will give you the grey-to-black color you see on the cheap Chinese effects. Some Chinese effects use NC/BP mixture as the fuse glue. Lloyd
OldMarine Posted July 9, 2017 Posted July 9, 2017 I read the page Ned linked to but didn't see the formula only the method of use. Thanks, I'll read up some more.
lloyd Posted July 9, 2017 Posted July 9, 2017 The 'banner' is on pp113, the formula on pp114. Only three ingredients, if you don't mind its being white. Lloyd
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