Stars from commercial sparklers

[hondo]

Is it possible and worth while to make stars from commercially bought sparklers by crushing them and rolliing or pressing them into stars? I thought about trying it, especially if there are different colors available,

[oskarchem]

Never a good idea to make somthing from commercial sparklers, because you don't know what is in it

[flying fish]

They may contain Barium Nitrate, which is very toxic to work with. It is bound up nice and tight such that it is not toxic to people that use them like they are supposed to be used. But when you crush them up, and especially when you add water to re-bind them, you expose yourself to the stuff (it can be absorbed through the skin and all kinds of stuff, especially when wet).

 

Also, you would certainly need some exotic superprime to get them to light in any sort of pyrotechnic device. Are you familiar with how long those things take to light up?

 

Now I might admit it might be interesting to mix them in with other compositions (such as BP), but like oskar said, you still don't really know what is in them so there could be incompatibilities (like sulfur/chlorate?).

[50AE]

Most of the normal sparklers contain barium nitrate, aluminium, iron and dextrin. But you can't be sure what they contain.

 

Barium nitrate isn't so dangerous if you take the right precautions. But you must take them.

 

So, I think crushing commercial sparklers is expensive, takes a long time and is more dangerous than making your own stars with barium nitrate.

[Gunzway]

To clarify that. I don't think many sparklers are made with barium nitrate. Well, maybe in the USA. But most of the normal ones we got here (Australia) I think are just some KNO3 based composition with Fe & Al in it.

I doubt Australia would have sparklers which have barium nitrate in them, otherwise their should be some sort of label saying "Poisonous". Maybe some of the special and exotic ones up there. But the standard sparkler does not have barium nitrate in it. I have also heard of people which modify sparklers into various devices forgetting to wash their hands and actually digest some of it (as well as airborne particles)

 

Yeah, as oskarchem mentioned, it's never a good idea to modify commerical items and use them with other things. There might be some sort of incapability and when mixed with something could react badly. Plus it's more rewarding having a device completely homemade

Edited September 17, 2008 by Gunzway

[psyco_1322]

OK, this is a formula for stars using sparkler comp in it. I first made it by volume and later converted it to weight, though I dont have the weight formula with me right now, Ill post it later as an edit. The sparklers are the kind that are dipped on sticks or wire, not the morning glory type. The flash is 60/40, 200mesh magnalium/KClO4. Meal is ball milled bp.

 

Psyco's Fast Sparkle – Formula by volume, pump, cut, or roll stars

Meal Powder – 3

Magnalium Flash – 1

Powdered Sparkler – ½

Dextrin – 10%

 

From the CSCP site concerning consumer products:

"NOTE: For hand-held sparkling devices exempt

fiom classification as explosives, the chemical

composition is limited to a combination of barium

nitrate, potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate,

aluminium, magnalium, iron filings, and dextrine.

No pure magnesium is permitted."

[flying fish]

^^^As stated, KCLO3 can apparently be used legally in sparkelers, right? So the meal powder mixing might not be the best idea if you don't know for a fact that they are chlorate free. However, I do happen to have a case of sparkelers that says right on them "free from chlorates and perchlorates." So, if you can find a case with that label, my best bet would be that they are good for their word. Edited September 18, 2008 by flying fish

[psyco_1322]

Still the world isnt going to end cause you mixed some bp with a chlorate contain sparkler comp, just dont go smacking it with a hammer. The chlorate containing sparklers have a max weight of 5g each, non containing ones can be up to 50g IIRC.