Random Thread #1

[pudidotdk]

I've thought about combining star roller and ball mill.

Basically what I'll do is make a threaded hole in one of the roller, so a paint bucket can be mounted with a wing-nut.

I can then make something under the ball mill that will hold the star roller at an angle.

Speed is not a problem, the motor has adjustable speed (which is also good for the mill, so I won't have to worry about gearing it for the optimal speed)

This is an illustrative picture drawn isometrically:

 

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2617/ballmillstarrollervl5.jpg

 

 

 

qwezxc, what program do you use to draw in?

[Mumbles]

Just something to think about pudi. Consider placing a 2nd paint bucket inside the one with the wing nut. It will make transport and cleaning much easier. It also eliminates any sort of obstruction that could potentially break any stars.

[pudidotdk]

That sounds like a good idea, let's see if I can find a suitable bucket. What would then hold the inner bucket to the outer, velcro or so?

[Mumbles]

The star rollers are usually tilted backwards. The only thing needed to hold the two buckets together will likely be gravity and friction. If there is substatial slipping, velcro or tape, or some rubber strips on the 2nd bucket may not be a bad idea at all.

[qwezxc12]

...qwezxc, what program do you use to draw in?

 

Pudi,

 

MS Visio...the drawing of the roller is not even close to scale or accurate. Just a representation I threw together to illustrate what I was trying to describe. I do find it easy to use for making dimensioned/scaled drawings, though. The 2" mortar rack was done in it as well: Link

[jacob]

Ah, i see now, thanks qwezxc. pudi i thought of allmost the same thing as you, except i was going to use a tire and just hang it over the the end of the drive bar as it sticks out a bit on my mill, i would just have to get the RPMs right. would a nascar style tire roller be safer then a bowl roller if the stars accidentally ignited while turning? it seems like a bowl roller would direct the flame right at you, but on the other hand it seems like a tire roller would be slightly harder to make good stars with, aghhh so many questions i'll just have to build them both and see wich one i like.

[crazyboy25]

just to clarify this:

 

Potassium Perchlorate powder (oxidizer) 76 grams

Sodium Salicylate powder (fuel) 23 grams

Iron Oxide (catalyst) 1 grams

Vaseline (stabilizer) 3 grams

Naphtha (Vaseline solvent) 25 milliliters

 

formula with Salicylate using the naphtha method can be turned into this:

 

Potassium Perchlorate powder (oxidizer) 75 grams

Sodium benzoate powder (fuel) 25 grams

Iron Oxide (catalyst) 1 grams

Vaseline (stabilizer) 3 grams

Naphtha (Vaseline solvent) 25 milliliters

 

also with the naphtha method.

[DeAdFX]

just to clarify this:

 

Potassium Perchlorate powder (oxidizer) 76 grams

Sodium Salicylate powder (fuel) 23 grams

Iron Oxide (catalyst) 1 grams

Vaseline (stabilizer) 3 grams

Naphtha (Vaseline solvent) 25 milliliters

 

formula with Salicylate using the naphtha method can be turned into this:

 

Potassium Perchlorate powder (oxidizer) 75 grams

Sodium benzoate powder (fuel) 25 grams

Iron Oxide (catalyst) 1 grams

Vaseline (stabilizer) 3 grams

Naphtha (Vaseline solvent) 25 milliliters

 

also with the naphtha method.

Yeah that should work. I remember making a really half assed whistle formula off of 75/25 perc/benz.

[Mumbles]

Yeah that should work. I remember making a really half assed whistle formula off of 75/25 perc/benz.

Yes, and thats why I suggest 70:30 Perc:Benz, as it functions better.

[qwezxc12]

I had to go out of town for three days...#$%&! Now I'm really behind schedule for assembling my shells and such for the show. I may have to seriously cut back on my display queues. Crap. At least I finished loading and spiking all the canister shells except for a 4in multi salute can...gotta do that tonight. Built my first 6in can, 70 9/16" x 1.5" Green / Steel go-getters:

http://www.apcforum.net/files/IMG_0932nCustomn.JPG

http://www.apcforum.net/files/IMG_0934nCustomn.JPG

http://www.apcforum.net/files/IMG_0935nCustomn.JPG

 

The spiking is a bit messy as I did it at 1 am last night. That's a 4in can with seven 3/4" hummers next to it. I'm going to paste them in tonight and hope they dry fast.

[Pretty green flame]

That's a mighty nice shell. Hope to se some more pics in the future.

Keep up the good work.

[bmarley5780]

...beer, horseshoes, ribs, etc.............

I love me ALL of that .

 

Just got done buildin my pits this past weekend!

[Mumbles]

Thats a really odd spiking pattern. On first glance it appears to be off center as normal, but I've never seen off center like that. Is that something you normally do?

 

I always do something like this http://www.passfire.com/archives/issue1_1/spike8.jpg

[frogy]

Lol I was wondering that too...

 

It makes a big star... It looks odd, but I think it should work fine...

 

Even if you don't get done, the few shells I see almost completed look great, so keep working =)

[qwezxc12]

Thats a really odd spiking pattern.  On first glance it appears to be off center as normal, but I've never seen off center like that.  Is that something you normally do?

 

I always do something like this http://www.passfire.com/archives/issue1_1/spike8.jpg

Ha-ha...no it's not. Looks like I was sleeping on the job, and skipped 2 marks instead of 1 when I started the second pass with the twine...I didn't realize it until you mentioned it. I compared it to the three other 4in cans I spiked. They're the normal off-set pattern:

http://www.apcforum.net/files/spikingpattern.jpg

I normally off-center spike like you (and everyone else, I suppose). That's what you get for trying to finish shells up at 1:00 in the morning.

BTW, those other three are a 10x15g Ti Salute, Red & Blue go-getter shell, and 1/2" Lamblack Willow stars.

[BPinthemorning]

dude those are some of the best shells ive seen. way to go! Pyro up late is the best.

[qwezxc12]

Progress so far...got all the cans and 3in comets pasted in and drying:

http://www.apcforum.net/files/IMG_0939.jpg

 

Made another 1000g of lift and diapered more flash than I should talk about Tomorrow's going to be a looong day of making shells. I cannot think of a better way to spend a Saturday! BBQ is Monday so I'm in the home stretch.

[frogy]

Lol may the force be with you....

 

Hope you get done, it would be a shame to miss a key part in your show, because so far everything looks insanely good... Hope you have fun at the cookout also =)

 

-FrOgY-

[qwezxc12]

I'm working hard today assembling all of the ball shells...finished up the three 6in ones and I'm halfway through the seven 4in ones. Here's a pic of one of the 6in shells:

1" Blond Streamer comets in two rings of 18 each, with a inner break of MgAl white metallic rolled over Shimizu's Blue #70

http://www.apcforum.net/files/IMG_0942.jpg

 

 

Yay! Post 200...I'm finally a Pyrotechnician. Everything I make from now on will work so much better!

[mormanman]

Wow those don't look like six inches like I think you said. But I agree with frogy all of you stuff looks great. Good luck. Don't forget a video.

[ULTRABUF]

Well I havent done anything pyro in a few days, but qwezxc12 you've inspired me to get out in the shed and get some things done! Nice work with the shells man.

[asilentbob]

I've got a good motor and im considering using it to make a star roller/ball mill. Probably overkill with the strength... and i already have a good ball mill... but... with this motor... i could probably turn 3-6 milling containers for BP, oxidizers, fuels, Mg, Al, etc at the same time no problem... Can't remember what its rated at...

 

On the whistle note (weak pun intended)... Dan McMurry at the PGI conventioned explained that in some cases the mineral oil / wax was forming a azeotrope with the white gas, laquer thinner, etc... so that instead of having 3% mineral oil or wax its like have 5% or more because you still have some of the solvent in it... this can hurt the mix as then you have more fuel... Until it evaporates... which can take a very very long time as laquer thinner for instace is designed to be slow drying. So he is using mainly salicylate whistle mix with parrafin wax and acetone as the solvent... then he gets rid of the acetone using a double boiler style set up with a big bowl that nests well in a stock pot. While stirring of course. Check the passfire article, he might have updated it.

 

Yeah qwe, you are inspiring me... i want to try to finish a 6" shell of shells that i started way back when and kept putting off because i was unsure of the timing of the insert shells... i don't want them to burst to low... because instead of having like 30 or so stars causing small fires on the ground worst case senerio id have like 16x30 small fires...

 

Might have to work out the correlation between lift ammount and height and time fuse length so that i can add more lift and a bit more time fuse so that i can get a good round break a bit higher up without it doing the whole burst while still going up broken umbrella thing.

 

And man those 1" comets look crazy in that 6"! Hope they don't burn too long... shouldn't though iirc blond streamer is pretty fast and they have a good deal of surface area.

[frogy]

Man I've been experimenting with a KNO3 based dry rocket fuel...

 

I saw it in Practical Pyro...

Potassium Nitrate....6.3

Sugar....................2.7

Sulfur.....................1.0

 

I used tech grade KNO3, powdered sugar, and agro sulfur ground with a wooden dowel for about 1 minute...

 

First I tested it out with a 3/8" by 2" end burner... flew a few feet, sat there as a smokebomb... ground salute

 

Second I tried a 3/8" by 2" core burner... Man that thing really took off... Bad report though it did work...

 

Just to test sure this was working I tried a 5/8" by 4" core burner... It was amazing how fast the rocket took off for this being a "low impulse" fuel... I'm very satisfied with this formula and I think may be using it instead of 6:3:1 BP if I can get some decent spark trails with added charcoal\metal powder... I'm a little afraid of a KNO3/S/Al or KNO3/S/Mg mix though I don't want to be ramming a potential nitrate flash... But 5% of metal shouldn't do anything significant...

 

I'm sure I will be still using 6:3:1 bp for most core burners though

[rocket]

I don't think you will get much of a tail with Al or Mg as they seemed to act like a fuel and speed up the burn rate, I know that Ti makes good sparks with KN/SU comps.

[qwezxc12]

Thanks for all the encouragement guys...This is the most ambitious pyro project I've ever done. It's interesting to photo-document as I go along. Here's today's work pile:

http://www.apcforum.net/files/IMG_0944.jpg

 

Three 6in, six 4in and twelve 3in...thought I was supposed to have seven 4in, but after counting queues, I only need six 'cause I have the other 4in cans.

 

The shells are already taped up, so tomorrow I have to attach the lift cups, QM/leaders, rising comets, finish up all the salutes, make my e-match leads, and hopefully press the gerbs and rockets I planned. Whew! What a great weekend for pyro.

 

asilentbob,

 

I've lucked out on the weather; it's rained off and on for three days, so I don't have to worry about the fire hazard as much if those comets burn too long. The comp was milled pretty fine prior to adding the FeTi, so it shouldn't be hitting the ground (fingers crossed)