Wasting Fuel

[Bourbon]

In my journeys of learning my stingers I've only been ramming thrust. I decided to start adding some delays " BP only " and thought I would start with some real slow fuel.. I was thinking along the line of 55/35/10. Am I just wasting coal here? Should I be thinking something different, like soda maybe? Is there a better ratio then just running overly rich fuel?

 

These things fly great and darn fast with 60/30/10 and junk hard wood C. I hate to waist supply's to slow something down.

[MadMat]

Typically, delay is made by adding a small percentage of sodium bicarbonate to your regular comp

[Bourbon]

Typically, delay is made by adding a small percentage of sodium bicarbonate to your regular comp

I mill all of my BP. Do I need to mill this in? Or, just add a percentage when wetting to granulate?

[BetICouldMake1]

The delay grain kind of depends on what you're trying to do. Maybe adding some bicarb is "standard" for model rocket type motors, I'm not familiar with them. For "fireworks" rockets the delay serves two purposes, timing for the header if there is one and/or creating a tail effect. So using a fuel rich comp, often with coarse charcoal, both results in slower burn but typically a sparky tail. For the latter reason many use a glitter composition or added metals for added effect to the tail.

 

If just looking for a slow burn you can add the bicarb, either before milling or just by screening into your milled comp.

[Bourbon]

The delay grain kind of depends on what you're trying to do. Maybe adding some bicarb is "standard" for model rocket type motors, I'm not familiar with them. For "fireworks" rockets the delay serves two purposes, timing for the header if there is one and/or creating a tail effect. So using a fuel rich comp, often with coarse charcoal, both results in slower burn but typically a sparky tail. For the latter reason many use a glitter composition or added metals for added effect to the tail.

 

If just looking for a slow burn you can add the bicarb, either before milling or just by screening into your milled comp.

Thanks for chiming in.

 

So rich is a good thing as long as it serves more of a purpose then just a standard delay.

 

Would the fuel ratio stay the same, then add a percentage of bicarbonate? Or, do I use an adjusted ratio that includes the bicarbonate? If so, what would that ratio be?