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Posted
You might want to investigate the Skylighter news letter archives. They have a colored gerb tutorial.
Posted

I suspect those are actually microstar gerbs. It's hard to get that "colored spark" effect otherwise. When people hear colored gerb, they usually think of a colored flame with more typical metal based sparks like Ti or iron.

  • Like 1
Posted
So how would I make the micro star gerbs?
Posted (edited)

By first making quality basic colored gerbs. Then adding colored micro stars to them. There's no one perfect answer for how to make them. Your going to have to test and tune them, to work, to your liking.

 

If you look at the pic, there is a distinct gap between the tube, and the effect. Or it seems so, hard to tell with the resolution. It may not be an actual unedited photo.

Edited by Carbon796
Posted
The pictured fountains appear to be the so called "jelly bean" or "hot lava" fountains. I believe the consensus is that the micro stars are loaded into the tube with some nitrocellulose based propellant, the nitrocellulose presumably being of military surplus origin. Note the absence of charcoal or metallic sparks.
  • 1 year later...
Posted

So would this effect be possible with a "smokeless" gerb base as posted in other threads (AP/Hexamine/Ti but without Ti, AP/Stearin/Ti) but instead of Ti using small colored microstars? Like maybe 0.2" or smaller?

 

I do not have AP to try. May have to buy some. Thank you.

Posted

Also...any ideas for a formula for an NC-lacquer based propellant? I have NC lacquer and am not afraid to use it. Just need an idea of what sort of fountain propellant mix it could be used for. Thank you!

Posted

So would this effect be possible with a "smokeless" gerb base as posted in other threads (AP/Hexamine/Ti but without Ti, AP/Stearin/Ti) but instead of Ti using small colored microstars? Like maybe 0.2" or smaller?

 

I do not have AP to try. May have to buy some. Thank you.

 

As long as you don't live in a humid climate, if the dew point is above 60F AP makes a lot of smoke.

Posted

The pictured fountains appear to be the so called "jelly bean" or "hot lava" fountains. I believe the consensus is that the micro stars are loaded into the tube with some nitrocellulose based propellant, the nitrocellulose presumably being of military surplus origin. Note the absence of charcoal or metallic sparks.

 

the "jellybean " is actually a nitrocellulose based coloured star

Posted

 

the "jellybean " is actually a nitrocellulose based coloured star

 

And that is another holy grail I cannot seem to find, a formula and method to make an NC or NCL based colored star...

Posted

That's because you're trying to emulate a commercial Chinese formula. It's not like commercial Chinese manufacturer's, publish how to books. Your going to have to do the research and experimentation yourself. If you want to develop a reliable working formula.

 

You'll typically find, that most serious hobbyist that build. Fall into three main categories. Ball shell, Cylinder shell, and Rocket builders. Emulating Chinese built, jelly bean shooting fountains. Probably are not at the top of most builders to do list.

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