Strontium nitrate issues...

[peterpyro]

Hey everyone, its been a while since my last post, and I just mustered up the means to get some more chems, and have been consistently making things almost every day (its only been a week or so). I was not able to get strontium nitrate, because FWCB was out, and I tried getting all the same chems from PyroChemSource, but it repeatedly would throw an error when I tried to check out. so I ended up ordering from FWCB and they came a week later. I've been looking at where to get a pound of Sr(NO3)₂ as an after thought, and (I know) Skylighter seems to be the cheapest place with shipping included. I could try using PCS again, but my confidence is low. I have ordered from Skylighter before I knew about other pyro suppliers, and know it to be a viable (and expensive) source.

also on FWCB its $6 per lb, but you have to buy two.

 

So the questions are:

 

• Are there any other obscure (or not known to me) pyro suppliers that carry Strontium Nitrate
• what is the cheapest place to get it

Thanks everyone!

 

Pete

[ronmoper76]

FWCB is one of the best sources out there,but these guys aren't bad either,they source a few items fwcb doesn't have.

https://www.pyrochemsource.com/Oxidizers_c_13.html,

 

This is another place,i haven't ever ordered from them.

https://www.highqualitychems.com/strontium-nitrate-325-mesh/

 

And this place did sell it,but i they look to be out of stock as well.

https://hobbychemicalsupply.com/

Edited May 4, 2021 by ronmoper76

[peterpyro]

like i said, i already tried buying all my chems from there and I couldn't check out. also more expensive to ship. Thanks anyway though

[SharkWhisperer]

Hey everyone, its been a while since my last post, and I just mustered up the means to get some more chems, and have been consistently making things almost every day (its only been a week or so). I was not able to get strontium nitrate, because FWCB was out, and I tried getting all the same chems from PyroChemSource, but it repeatedly would throw an error when I tried to check out. so I ended up ordering from FWCB and they came a week later. I've been looking at where to get a pound of Sr(NO3)₂ as an after thought, and (I know) Skylighter seems to be the cheapest place with shipping included. I could try using PCS again, but my confidence is low. I have ordered from Skylighter before I knew about other pyro suppliers, and know it to be a viable (and expensive) source.

also on FWCB its $6 per lb, but you have to buy two.

 

So the questions are:

 

• Are there any other obscure (or not known to me) pyro suppliers that carry Strontium Nitrate
• what is the cheapest place to get it

Thanks everyone!

 

Pete

It's $5, not $6, at FWCB, but yes you need to buy two and it's not back in stock yet. He re-ups standard chems like strontium nitrate pretty quickly, and you can always email or call and he'll tell you when it'll be back. Shipping likely would be pretty much the same between 1 and 2 pounds--rare that I'd order that little amount because you save on shipping in larger quantities... PCS is good, too, and it's in stock for $6. Of course you could always buy more from Skylighter if you really don't like having money and want to get rid of it as fast as possible. Skylighter is where you go when you are allergic to money--they will fix this for you every time, and with a smile!

 

But you can easily, very easily, go through pounds of strontium nitrate very quickly, even making smaller star/gerb batches. It's just the easiest oxidizer for reds. No matter where you get it from, do yourself a favor and bake it for an hour at 300F or so to drive off water, and store it in an airtight jar with desiccant to keep it fresh and water-free. Do this after milling to powder in a coffee grinder (most comes as granular crystals, akin to table sugar in size). Atmospheric water will eventually get through your plastic bags, even thicker ones and even if doubled up. 2 pounds rolled up in bags fits snugly in a 32 oz polypropylene screwcap jar. Desiccant is cheap. And strontium nitrate likes water. Much more so than slightly hygroscopic potassium nitrate.

[peterpyro]

I agree that Skylighter is not the cheapest place to get it, especially because teens are broke. i was reluctantly looking at them as an option because a pound + shipping was around $22 instead of $25 at PCS.

 

I will look into contacting the seller who maintains FWCB, and perhaps ill get two pounds, but I will likely have to save up a bit. I'd still consider myself a pyro noob, but I don't find mixing things in the right ratios with the right precautions all that hard. ill also take the advice about hydroscopic chems.

 

Pete

[Carbon796]

Price isn't everything, quality is sometimes more important. Strontium nitrate is one place where it matters. The cheap chi strontium nitrate usually has more impurities. Which is where the hygroscopic issues come from. Dupont or Japanese origin, is a better quality product.

 

PCS is a highly regarded supplier.

[Mumbles]

Hobby Chemical Supply and Pyro Chem Source are now the same company for what it's worth. Same address and phone numbers.

[Richtee]

I still vote for road flares and a little cleansing. But then again, all I needed was red, really.

[peterpyro]

Hobby Chemical Supply and Pyro Chem Source are now the same company for what it's worth. Same address and phone numbers.

yes, but hobby chemical supply doesn't carry strontium nitrate.

 

I emailed the guy at FWCB and he said hopefully early next week so ill be waiting.

 

Thanks guys!

[itwasntme]

yes, but hobby chemical supply doesn't carry strontium nitrate.

 

I emailed the guy at FWCB and he said hopefully early next week so ill be waiting.

 

Thanks guys!

 

Maybe try again on pyrochemsource but you gotta select the payment gateway you want to use, it's confusing and most prob wouldn't know to select "square" but I've never had an issue placing an order. You also have to register if you haven't.

 

His website is a bit glitchy for example some chems don't appear in the A-Z list but do if you select fuels or metals. I missed out on purchasing something because I typically look at the A-Z list for the most part.

 

The chems he sells are of the highest quality though. Certainly worth it. Although he takes a while to ship the orders.

[SharkWhisperer]

Price isn't everything, quality is sometimes more important. Strontium nitrate is one place where it matters. The cheap chi strontium nitrate usually has more impurities. Which is where the hygroscopic issues come from. Dupont or Japanese origin, is a better quality product.

 

PCS is a highly regarded supplier.

Been buying strontium nitrate from Chris at FWC for years and it's always been top quality. Tim's chems at PCS have also never disappointed. Have also purchased elsewhere and have never had a batch of strontium nitrate that did not work as expected.

 

Hygroscopicity is not only contaminant-dependent. Attached is an interesting US Army research document (Picatinny Arsenal, NJ) for when they were exploring using potassium nitrate/Al and strontium nitrate/Al comps as a substitute FP for perc/Al ground burst and hand grenade simulators (M115A2/M116A1 devices; similar to large M80s but with 30-60 g of comp in polycarbonate tubes sealed with epoxy), in an effort to reduce perchlorate pollution. You can see from the tables that both potassium nitrate and strontium nitrate were only mildly hygroscopic at 75% relative humidity, but when you turned it up to 90% relative humidity, strontium nitrate ultimately displayed a >25% weight gain due to water absorption. Granted, this level only occurred with long-term exposure, but occurred nonetheless. You can assume their chems were of reasonable purity. They used Mil-S-20322B, Grade A, for what it's worth. I've measured 8% weight loss after baking when living in Florida where humidity is persistent, and that, too is not insignificant. Which is why I habitually bake and desiccate my strontium nitrate after purchase and milling/grinding. Mandatory? Perhaps not. Simple, cheap insurance to guarantee your true chem weight in compositions. Absolutely.

US Army Strontium Nitrate-Al Flash Comps.pdf

Edited May 5, 2021 by SharkWhisperer

[ronmoper76]

 

Maybe try again on pyrochemsource but you gotta select the payment gateway you want to use, it's confusing and most prob wouldn't know to select "square" but I've never had an issue placing an order. You also have to register if you haven't.

 

His website is a bit glitchy for example some chems don't appear in the A-Z list but do if you select fuels or metals. I missed out on purchasing something because I typically look at the A-Z list for the most part.

 

The chems he sells are of the highest quality though. Certainly worth it. Although he takes a while to ship the orders.

He is right! I forgot about the square part and i also had issues putting a order through now that i think about it, but persistence prevailed.

[peterpyro]

Thanks guys for the advice! i will order from PCS once i can.