Giuseppe Posted May 23 Posted May 23 Just curious if anyone has any ideas or comps for super smokey burst comps or similar for daytime use. I've done some colored chalk 2" inch canister shells. They're ok, but the price on colored chalk is outrageous. 7.3 leaves a nice fluffy white cloud. I've tried a few Lampares, and given the right mixes, you can get a decent black smoke burst, but honestly, I'm not crazy about launching gasoline, diesel, or other flammable liquid combinations. Without having tried it yet, I'm questioning what things like finely ground rubber might do in 7.3 or maybe a slower comp like 532. But obviously, the goal is a nice big black burst. Thanks for any ideas!
Arthur Posted May 23 Posted May 23 Smoke is often a chlorate comp with a fuel and lots of a dye that sublimes. Lots of effort goes into making the fuel burn and sublime the dye without the flame getting out of the casing. Usually if the flame get out of the casing the dye burns rather than sublimes.
ThrownBiscuit Posted May 23 Posted May 23 (edited) I've gotten ok results from a process similar to the colored chalk shells by substituting charcoal for the colored chalk. You could also use black smoke stars, but I recommend making them quite small if you are looking for a black smoke burst. 44% potassium chlorate 26% naphthalene (In the US you can still find some mothballs made with this) 24% antimony trisulphide 325 mesh 6% SGRS Due to potassium chlorate and sulfur incompatibility use with primes and bursts that do not include sulfur. Edited to add do not store for extended periods, the naphthalene will sublimate out of the composition and also do all work outdoors due to the strong odor. Edited May 23 by ThrownBiscuit Adding pertinent information
Giuseppe Posted May 23 Author Posted May 23 Thanks guys, I'm still thinking that there's gotta be something simpler. I've got some of the stuff Mr Biscuit speaks of except maybe real moth balls. I've messed around a little with trippy Timmy, and I'd just as soon leave that rowdy poisonous bugger in his jar. I don't know...Maybe sawdust simply coated or soaked in something giving a dispersed grainmill type deflagration with lots of dark smoke.
cmjlab Posted August 10 Posted August 10 (edited) I know this a little older - but if you are still interested you should check out "Ellern's Exploding Smokes" if you have access to the PGI Anthology Vol. I, or Ellern's Military and Civilian Pyrotechnics book (I don't have this one myself). I've been testing the Yellow Bismuth based smoke, it may be able to be used as a burst / break charge, but it definitely puts out a ton of yellow flame and smoke (true yellow, not amber, fire, orangish, etc) and a hell of a bang. It does require decent containment. My ultimate goal is to build a daytime timed report shell with it, but due to cost of Bismuth, it will likely be the only one. Charles Edited August 10 by cmjlab
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