DRY mixing Oxidizer & Fuel ?

[shockie]

Just how unsafe is it to dry mix a fuel and an oxidizer......by dry mixing I'm including just plain old sifting of the 2 chemicals through mesh. Or just used the paper mix technique?

Does it depend on what the chemicals actually are?

for example 400 micro AP and -325 micron ( zinc or zinc oxide)

I don't need the particles to get any finer than they already are.

 

whats the best way to get an intimate mix of these without blowing myself up?

 

or would it be better to just add each to a binder/curative liquid mixture and then mix....but I'm not going to get the degree of mixing that I want.

 

pros and Cons folks?

[justvisiting]

People regularly screen black powder mixtures and star comps. Commercial manufacturers regularly screen flash, although I personally wouldn't do it. It's a good idea to run the chems through the screen individually first, to break up lumps. That way, less friction is applied when the complete mix is screened. Lots of folks use anti-static spray on their screens.

In the case of whistle mixes, there are a couple of videos out there that show mixing of the dry powders before the solvent/phlegmatizer is added. Many of us prefer to go the slightly safer route of mixing the solvent/phlegmatizer with either the oxidizer or the fuel before mixing everything together.

Edited December 24, 2020 by justvisiting

[Smokelvr]

Proper technique and understanding the nature of the composition you're making.

that said, forget the name for it, but one method for the most reactive mixtures is to place the chems on a large sheet of paper then 'roll' them by lifting one edge then the opposite until.

[Mumbles]

That's called diapering, and is generally reserved for flash.

 

I will say the more sensitive the comp, the coarser mesh you probably want to use. I'd suggest pre-screening the chemicals through a fine mesh screen to break up clumps. Then mix everything together and effectively sift them together using mostly gravity to force the mixture through. Finer screens generally require more wiping, scraping, and force to get the comp through.