Pretty green flame Posted March 17, 2006 Posted March 17, 2006 Hello I am pretty much very unfermiliar with this type of device so could anyone please explain a bit on the construction of these devices, are these simply tubes rammed full of comp with solid clay end plugs and a side went drilled after the comp has been rammed or what. What are the best fomulas to use, i'd like to start of with some basic charcoal/nitrate based stuff. Thanks for your help.
justanotherpyro Posted March 17, 2006 Posted March 17, 2006 "Tourbillions - A tourbillion, so called from the French word for whirlwind, rotates and ascends at the same time, forming a spiral of fire, and ending in a hemispherical canopy of sparks, in the shape of an umbrella. These are seldom seen in the US any more. A good way of making these is attaching wings to ground blooms.
aquaman Posted March 17, 2006 Posted March 17, 2006 A tourbillion is like a helicopter. It has two vent hole at each end next to the clay end plugs. The propellant is in the middle. When you light it, it spins and shoots up in the air. There's a brother form like the U.F.O. where there is only one vent hole and I find those to be easier to make. I have a book that explans how to make them in detail for like a whole four pages.
dragonman586 Posted March 17, 2006 Posted March 17, 2006 They also go by the name "buzz bomb". This should Help http://www.wfvisser.dds.nl/EN/buzzbombs_EN.html
aquaman Posted March 17, 2006 Posted March 17, 2006 The one in my book looks a little different but they do the exact same thing. Good find dragonman.
FrKoNaLeaSh1010 Posted March 17, 2006 Posted March 17, 2006 I find alan yates page on spinning fireworks very usefull...hopefully you can too. http://www.vk2zay.net/article.php/16
aquaman Posted March 17, 2006 Posted March 17, 2006 Yeah, his site is great. I used some of his pictures in my tutorial on the ground blooms and U.F.O's.
Pyrohawk Posted March 18, 2006 Posted March 18, 2006 They also go by the name "buzz bomb". This should Help http://www.wfvisser.dds.nl/EN/buzzbombs_EN.html Actually buzz bombs are something else..... Helicopters and buzz bombs are the same not tourbillions. Helicopters have only 1 nozzle and they use the stick attached to the end to proide their lift (like a helicopter).
dragonman586 Posted March 18, 2006 Posted March 18, 2006 Whoops! I thought they were related. In a desperate attempt to redeem my self I managed to dig this up http://vk2zay.net/device.php?id=160
aquaman Posted March 18, 2006 Posted March 18, 2006 Like I said, they basically do the same thing so if you're just looking for something that spins and shoots in the air, either of them will work. One has two vent holes and the other only has one.
FrKoNaLeaSh1010 Posted March 18, 2006 Posted March 18, 2006 Another thing that charachterizes a tourbillion is that the upward thrust and roatational vents are different. Most buzz bombs or helicopters have one vent hole angled for rotation and lift while a classic tourbillion has two rotational vent holes opposing directions on opposite ends for spin and two holes underneath for a total of 4 vent holes.
dragonman586 Posted March 19, 2006 Posted March 19, 2006 I would love to try this but I don't have any sodium silicate. My tubes keep burning through even when I try buzz bombs.
stunned Psycho Posted March 25, 2006 Posted March 25, 2006 Tourbillions looks great but has anyone, thought about putting a payload in the middle of one of these? I’m sure it would be possible it would just take a bit of work but it would make a great finish to a great device.
Mephistos Minion Posted March 25, 2006 Posted March 25, 2006 How do you mean in the middle? The downward thrust is generated by the powder burning in the middle. I imagine that a payload would be difficult as the powder is ignited from either and and in the middle, therefore timing and balance would be hard to accomplish. Buzz bombs on the other hand, which burn from one end only, would be able to have a payload attatched to the top.
stunned Psycho Posted March 25, 2006 Posted March 25, 2006 Woops my mistake, thanx for that incite MM, but it would be a brilliant finish if you managed to pull it off some how. i think ill give a buzz bomb a try some time when i get some propellant.
d4j0n Posted April 11, 2006 Posted April 11, 2006 You could have the middle payload ignite from a fuse that is timed to finish burning near the end of the flight... Anyway tourbillions are a pain in the ass to make, I give props to anyone who can make one (challenge 1) and somehow put in a payload stable...ly...(not a word?..challenge 2). Anyway, I'm having trouble getting my helecopters off the ground. I got my very first one to work beautifully, but nothing after seemed to work. What fuel do you guys use and where do you put your wing? Any angle from the exaust hole?
Arthur Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 It's thread necromancy time! Has anyone any information on torbillion inserts. I've seen a lot and want to try one. I'm guessing an insert tube with side vent(s?) and a BM/QM leader with a bit of lift. Possibly use a fountain or candle BP mix. Pressed or not who knows for real, add flitter or not....
Bonny Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 It's thread necromancy time! Has anyone any information on torbillion inserts. I've seen a lot and want to try one. I'm guessing an insert tube with side vent(s?) and a BM/QM leader with a bit of lift. Possibly use a fountain or candle BP mix. Pressed or not who knows for real, add flitter or not.... Depending on the comp, they could be rammed (with no metal), but I'd sooner press in any case. I think most fountain or driver mixes should be fine. Even straight BP (maybe slower BP) with metal of choice or charcoal added should work too. There is a tutorial on passfire for "whirlwind" tourbillions that work nicely. Very simply, they are 1/2" ID tubes with clay plugs with vent holes in both ends. A pc of visco or BM is inserted in one end and the other end covered with a disc LIGHTLY pasted on. They can be fired from mortars as is or used in shells/mines. there is also some info here: www.vk2zay.net
DocRoc Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 I've been making them for years and find that they're some of the easiest things to make. I use a BP with Pine or Willow cuz they burn fast and you need that for lift. To make the launch more graceful, I slow the powder down with 3 and 1 oil (any where from 5-7percent depending how slow you want the launch) I also add 2% Ti spherical for the whirling sparks that add to it's overall cool. I use balsa wood blades in the middle at opposing sides at a ten degree angle. I also only use one vent angled slightly down. You dont' need two. Centrifical stabilization gets the sucker to fly right. After ramming the BP into the tube, I add some flash for a bang the end. I've made them 12 inches long with a 7/8" core that flew for 23 seconds. Very cool!
Recommended Posts