mormanman Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Could I maybe mill it? I've never worked with zinc and stumbled on this stuff by accident. I put the wire over my lighter and boom it was green and I was like hey its silvery and burns green must be zinc.So I'll try milling it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyboy25 Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Wait...you don't actually know it's zinc? You found a wire and it flame tested green so it must be zinc? mormanman you are starting to piss me off I think your retarded you've been here a long time you have 900+ posts and you mistake galvanized steel wire for zinc. Seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flying fish Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Good point...I never thought of that. Galvanized steel is coated with zinc (as the inexpensive sacrificial metal), right? Once you cut it up into pieces it is like 99% steel, not so much zinc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarezWally Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 They should sell soft zinc flashing at the hardware store, should be next to the soft (99.9%) aluminium flashing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BPinthemorning Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Wait, so my hardware store should sell zinc powder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormanman Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Wait...you don't actually know it's zinc? You found a wire and it flame tested green so it must be zinc? mormanman you are starting to piss me off I think your retarded you've been here a long time you have 900+ posts and you mistake galvanized steel wire for zinc. Seriously.Its not galvanized I know what galvanized steel looks like and it is not this. I doesn't burn like steel.Maybe I did mistake it but I can't do electronics to save my life. All I know is that electricity and water bad and electricity and skin bad. I know positive and negative but other than that next to nothing. I could build you a table before I could wire any kind of circuit board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonny Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Its not galvanized I know what galvanized steel looks like and it is not this. I doesn't burn like steel.Maybe I did mistake it but I can't do electronics to save my life. All I know is that electricity and water bad and electricity and skin bad. I know positive and negative but other than that next to nothing. I could build you a table before I could wire any kind of circuit board. I'm not sure if zinc is magnetic, but if not an easy way to tell would be if the wire sticks to a magnet it is likely steel with a coating... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormanman Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 I'm not sure if zinc is magnetic, but if not an easy way to tell would be if the wire sticks to a magnet it is likely steel with a coating...Nickel, Cobalt and Iron are and there is possibly one more but zinc isn't. And the wire isn't magnetic so.... is there another test.Thanks bonny for that little test I forgot about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacob Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Could I maybe mill it?Absolutely not, that's a terrible idea, milling any metal is risky, and much more so when it's reactive like Zinc or (shudder) Magnesium, please just leave milling metals to the pros, it's really not somthing that a hobbyist can or should do, (except in the case of homemade Magnalium ) powdered Zinc is like $5 per lb so if you need it, just buy it. A Green flame huh, you may have some sort of coated Copper wire, if it is save it and sell it for scrap, Copper prices are skyrocketing, if not it may very well be Zinc, I've never heard of Zinc wire but maybe it's just me, I think there are a number of tests you can do to find out if it is or isn't Zinc but I'll let someone who knows what they're talking about tell about that. Wait, so my hardware store should sell zinc powder?No, I believe Wally is talking about metal roof flashing, the sheet metal you put around chimneys and vents to direct water away, like this.http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImage/254f08c6-4e23-4943-8b4a-5f840dff1fb0_400.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormanman Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Really I never thought zinc would do anything like Mg in a mill. I always thought zinc was completely safe. People he mill Mg but you extreme precautions, I would never mill Mg.I don't want to buy it b/c the shipping is killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 There are a few ways left to test. Submerging in a solution of Iron salt(chloride or sulfate should be fine) will confirm a coated iron or steel wire as part of it will be dissolved. Submerging in a copper sulfate solution will dissolve everything and ppct copper if it's made of iron. You're sure it's not a silver/copper solder? Not that any of this matters, I doubt it has any pyro use. Sounds too thin to secure anything or to be used for sparklers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacob Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Well Zinc probably isn't as bad as Mg but milling it is still quite dangerous and unnecessary, people have been hurt bad by both, shipping shouldn't be too bad unless you want a small amount of Zinc by itself, throwing in 1lb of Zinc with a larger order shouldn't add much to the cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormanman Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Well mumbles its not solder. I know its wire I remember harvesting it from my brothers wires for his security camera. He didn't care.It doesn't matter anymore though b/c I tried mixing some with some flash and no green what so ever. I was bummed. Jacob, when ever I order some more chemicals I'll get some and make some green (maybe) and negative-x. My mom is all like make a 72 hour kit so I thought let me put some ready to mix-and-use negative-x. When I say ready to mix-and-use I mean they will all be in separate containers and then at the point that I need it will mix the prepowdered chemicals and add water.I think its a good idea. And maybe add some thermite to dry wood if need be but I'm not to sure about the thermite part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flying fish Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Anyone have any advice for gluing cardboard end caps (with fuses) into small 5/8" split comets? When I use a water soluable wood glue, the glue just soaks into the star, and then the cap comes loose along with some of the composition. I also tried hot glue, which did not seem to adhere very well. What ended up working was loctite 5 minute epoxy - and waiting until it is very viscous (probably about 5 minutes!) and then applying it to the star and slapping the end cap on and pressing down until it sticks. However, this method is a bitch to perform. It is very difficult not to get epoxy on the parts of the star you don't want to...and all in all it is a very messy and sticky situation! It makes working with Lampblack and bright aluminum seem "dreamy". I really want to find a practical way to do this, because it is the only unpleasant part of the split comet manufacturing. I plan to make these in larger quantities and put them in cakes...as they really have performed well (sometime I will get a video). But I can't see myself using epoxy if I am going to be making these 50 at a time... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacob Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 (edited) Surfing around I randomly found this awesome picture from the 26th Luoyang Peony Fair. http://www.apcforum.net/forums/uploads/1217876542/gallery_509_7_10481.jpg I wonder how many pounds of dye they used? Edited August 10, 2008 by jacob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Unless you're doing something I'm not familiar with Flying fish, I don't see why you're having a problem. The glue isn't really meant to be the primary binding force of the top disk. The paste wrap/tape should be more than sufficient to hold it down nice and secure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozentech Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 (edited) Surfing around I randomly found this awesome picture from the 2008 beijing olympics opening. I wonder how many pounds of dye they used? I also wonder why that's not the Beijing Olympic Stadium, or the Olympics Opening, which was spectacular, but held at night. I want to find a good video of the giant footsteps ! Edited August 9, 2008 by Frozentech Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacob Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Are you sure FT? it's hard to see the stadium but I do see what looks like olympic rings shaped balloons floting around, I didn't watch the opening but wasn't it about four hours long? seems logical to me that they would've started it in the day, but I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richtee Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 (edited) I also wonder why that's not the Beijing Olympic Stadium, or the Olympics Opening, which was spectacular, but held at night. And I wonder what the guy's dying words were after stabbing two Americans. Edited August 10, 2008 by Richtee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacob Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 (edited) ^What? EDIT. Never mind just saw it on yahoos home page, that stinks. Edited August 9, 2008 by jacob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flying fish Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 (edited) Unless you're doing something I'm not familiar with Flying fish, I don't see why you're having a problem. The glue isn't really meant to be the primary binding force of the top disk. The paste wrap/tape should be more than sufficient to hold it down nice and secure. The reason why I am trying to use the glue as the "binding force" is because these are very small comets (more like "split-stars" - 5/8" in diameter) and I can't see wrapping or taping them being very easy or efficient. I was thinking about drilling some holes (for the fuses) in a bunch of small wooden blocks (or metal) and placing those on top of the comets to apply pressure while the glue dries. This way I can (in theory...) use the water soluable glue. I just hope to find something quick, reliable, and not-a-pain. Edit: actually, now that I think about it...you may be right (even in my case). I'm not familiar with the standard method for pasting or taping comets...but Maybe a little strip of tape around the comet while the glue for the cover is drying could be used to hold it in place. Edited August 9, 2008 by flying fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozentech Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Are you sure FT? it's hard to see the stadium but I do see what looks like olympic rings shaped balloons floting around, I didn't watch the opening but wasn't it about four hours long? seems logical to me that they would've started it in the day, but I could be wrong. I found out what that was. 26th Annual Luoyang Peony Fair - April 11, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacob Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Weird, I've seen it posted as from the olympics in several places so I assumed that's what it was, I edited my post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozentech Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Weird, I've seen it posted as from the olympics in several places so I assumed that's what it was, I edited my post. Here's some actual opening ceremony pyrotechnics pictures. This was nowhere nearly the whole thing, they covered a large city, and there was this bit with giant red feet stomping across the sky that blew me away on the televised coverage... if anyone finds video of that, post it please ! 2008 Olympics Opening Ceremony Pyrotechnics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flying fish Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Well, here is a video of the small (5/8") split comets that I tested: . The first one worked pretty well...though there wasn't much left of it when it got to the top, so there wasn't much bang to it. And perhaps an unsettling amount of fallout...which always seems to happen with my charcoal stars. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong...maybe it needs more milling? Next two were a test of the same split comet design with an Aluminum/Lampblack streamer composition (similar to "Mess-kit Willow"). It seems that these stars did not ignight uniformly...especially the first one in which the effect was very weak coming out of the gun. I believe this is also why both comets broke into two large chunks rather than many smaller pieces (because the star did not burn down as much as it should have by the time it exploded). I think I can solve this just by rolling in a layer of BP prime. I hope I can get it to work with this composition because it is quite pretty when it works properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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