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NC lacquer from paint store vs smokeless powder


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Posted

I know many recommend using smokeless gunpowder like greendot mixed with acetone for the best nc lacquer but will basic paint store NC lacquer suffice like the one below? 
I’m looking to use it for strobe fuel rockets. How much of a difference would it be using vaseline vs nc lacquer for strobe fuel?

The paint store nc lacquer im looking at shows this on the EDS (attached as well):

45% acetone by weight or 61% by volume

3.29 lbs of solids per gallon (im guessing the solids are the nitrocellulose and other compounds that keep it stable?)


would this work fine for strobe fuel and most other cases and is it worth the trouble versus using vaseline? IMG_2697.thumb.jpeg.99f9dc411882a6b76cee8477cf60b3e2.jpeg

Posted

Some used to suggest guitar lacquer as the finest NC lacquer. Probably because it's usually clear, it contains no solids as preservatives etc. You'd have to check that any guitar lacquer you find really is NC though.

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

I'm not saying that it wont work, but you may want to look and see if you can find additional information on what all comprises the non-volatile components.  Just because it says 45% non-volatiles, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is entirely NC.  Lacquers that are good for real world, non-pyrotechnic applications often have other materials like plasticizers and stabilizers in them.  45wt% NC seems like a pretty high loading.  Then again, NC is a weird material and it's properties change quite a bit depending on nitration content amongst other things.  

  • Like 1
Posted

I don't know if this is off base, but what the hell.

People speak of ping pong balls becoming obsolete or hard to find.

The old tortoise shell looking guitar picks burned as well or better than pp balls. 

Just throwing it out there.

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