Swede Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 Optimus, I'm not a moderator, and I don't presume to intrude on their turf, but if it is not HE and is pyro-related, it might be worth a thread of its own in the CHEMISTRY section. There are a lot of people here who are into the chemistry of pyro stuff as much as the displays themselves. I'd be happy to help, if it's something I CAN help with. If it's dealing with stoichiometrics (moles, molecules, masses) then it shouldn't be too hard. Plus, if you can spare the material, it may be wise to attempt the synthesis on a small scale to see if it works, thereby not wasting much material if it fails... although some syntheses respond better when done "larger."
Mumbles Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 I'd be happy to help with anything Optimus. Send me an e-mail/pm/make a post/whatever and I'll see what I can do tonight. In other news, does anyone have any experience with Skylighter Copper Oxide? With the half-off, it rivals about the best price I've found so far for less than bag quantities. Plus I can pick up some more end disks and tubes in the process.
qwezxc12 Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 snip...does anyone have any experience with Skylighter Copper Oxide? With the half-off, it rivals about the best price I've found so far for less than bag quantities. Plus I can pick up some more end disks and tubes in the process. FWIW, I've not seen a discernable difference in blues between SL CuO and that from Clay Art Center. I haven't broken into my U.S. Pigment stuff.
Swede Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 I have to admit, I got sucked into the half-off sale, Mainly I needed some time fuse, and while I was at it, I bought some 2" plastic cannister components and some Chinese tools. Coupla chems, too. I will always honor Skylighter for providing as much info, "How to" stuff, as they do. They've brought more people into the pyro hobby than anybody else, I think.
qwezxc12 Posted March 5, 2009 Posted March 5, 2009 I placed an order, too... I got 600ft. of the super fast paper fuse I use to harvest that great KP black match. At 1/2 off, it's only $7ish/100 ft. and a good deal. I also grabbed a comet pump and another cheap star plate... throw in that freebie scale, 2lbs of crap Red Gum (for binding BP), and blue falling leaf fuse (also probably crap, but who knows, it might make an interesting mine or inner petal) and it got worth it.
tentacles Posted March 5, 2009 Posted March 5, 2009 qwe: Good call on that paper fuse, I totally overlooked that.. It may not be quick match but for quick and cheap shell leaders, it's a winner! Also ordered some shell discs, at half off some of those are hard to beat.
Mumbles Posted March 5, 2009 Posted March 5, 2009 Shoot, I should have checked here before I put my order in. I completely forgot the paper fuse works for go-getters. Eh, oh well. I still have enough to last me probably a decade. I picked up some CuO. It's actually on par with US pigment as far as price. Some uncut spolette tubes, a few other goodies. I had some disks on there, but I didn't pull the trigger on them. I'm planning an order to Wolter soon, and will probably pick them up then.
tentacles Posted March 5, 2009 Posted March 5, 2009 Mumbles I bet you could call em and add it on tommorow.
WarezWally Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Drunk to much beer again, had cutbacks at work. life sucks Started on my Luty, drilled a 'trial' smoothbore barrel to see if it can be done on my lathe. Ended up arc welding two 5.5mm drill bits together and was able to drill out a bit of aluminum rod. Had to drill it from both sides, they didn't quite meet up due to the fact the welded drill bits were not 100% straight but assuming I buy a long bit it can be done. I'm hoping to get a commercial barrel but it never hurts to have a plan B.
Swede Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 If it's a Luty subgun, then a smoothbore bbl wouldn't be a big deal; it's a bullet hose anyhow! All you really have to worry about is an accurate bore diameter and chambering, so you get good velocity. You might want to consider a lead lap... drill the bore slightly undersize, then cast a slug of lead onto a steel rod. Use progressively finer valve-grinding or other abrasive compounds with fresh cast lead laps, and you can turn a rough-drilled bore into one that would function as a hydraulic cylinder, it'd be so smooth.
flying fish Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 So here's a random questions for all you Chemists (I guess mostly directed at people with a formal chemistry education *cough**Mumbles**Cough**...). I'm a physics student who is set to graduate this summer. However, I have to take a chem class in order to graduate (anything beyond gen chem 1). Unfortunately, my school is so small and chem class rotations are so scarce that they literally only offer one possible option this summer: Organic Chemistry 1. I've heard many mixed opinions on organic 1. For insance, I've heard opinions as severe as: "this is a truely, very hard-core chemistry class that makes even chemistry majors cry themselves to sleep at night and piss their pants during exams...if anyone besides chem majors attempted to take the class their head would explode or they would end up in a mental institution... or more likely, coma or death". Some people also said that it was not that tramatic; I've also heard stories more along the lines of: "as long as you can memorize stuff and have a decent amount of time on your hands to review the material, it should be a piece of cake". So while I'm on Amateur Pyrotechnics and CHEMISTRY forums, I thought I would ask for some additional opinions! Any thoughts on whether a non-chemistry student should be meddling in such a course? My alternative option is to take Gen Chem II at another college (which is certainly viable - I've already found a community college that offers Gen Chem II at a fairly convenient time and place). But if there is a high probability of me surviving organic (I'm a physicist, everything is about probability!), then maybe I'll give it a shot.
Mumbles Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 Well, o-chem 1 was second nature for me, so it's hard to really say. If it's anything like it was here you'll be able to survive. The first month is nomenclature, and real basic structure stuff. Most of the reactions you'll learn about are very simple. It does require some intuition, but nothing too hard. There are probably going to be a lot of reactions to memorize, and reagents, but with practice it comes to you. I wish my professor kept his webpage up. It's very informative. Far more information than you'd really ever need, but there are lists of what reagents do what, an some explanations as to why.
Swede Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 Sort of like an improvised hand honing device? Exactly. If you look at the brake hones at an auto supply store, something like that would be ideal, but the diameter of your bore is going to be too small for those brake hones. I've done a lot of lapping when I was big into miniature engines, and it is both easy and satisfying. Here's how I'd do your lead laps... Make about three, using a very short scrap section of your bbl as a mold. For the handle, I'd use 3/16" or 1/4" mild steel. Heat the end red hot, and with a hammer, tap it slightly flat just at the tip. This creates a "spade" shape that will do all three motions (push, pull, rotate) on the lead lap, once the lead is cast around it. If you can turn an undercut (or just a groove) on the rod as well, even better - give the Pb something to hang on to. When you mould, the end of the rod should be about 1/2" from the bottom, so the end of the lap is pure Pb, and the rod does not show. Check the fit of the lap in your bore. If too tight (it probably will be) file it down. You want to be able to slide it, but with a bit of force. With plenty of light oil, say 10 wt machine oil, start with maybe 120 or 200 grit valve grinding compound. Place the bbl in padded vise jaws. LIGHTLY load the lead lap with the compound, and begin stroking and rotating. A hand-held drill running very slowly will work. As the compound cuts, you'll find the drag on the lap will eventually diminish, and it will also even out. Add a bit more compound (same grit) as you go. A little goes a long way. Too much, and the bbl heats and can trap the lap. If that happens, gently tap it out after a shot of WD-40 down the bore, both ends. Clean the bore with WD-40 or kerosene, thoroughly, then switch to 320 or 400 grit. Same deal. Final polish with 600 or 800 grit. Each lap gets its own grit, as the grit embeds in the lap, meaning you cannot progress through the process with just one lap. You could probably replace the polish lap with a split cleaning rod, with 400 to 600 grit wet/dry silicon carbide paper folded and installed in the split. With that one, I'd use WD-40 or kerosene as a lube. Check your bore diameter as you go, and be very careful not to bell-mouth either end, which is easy to do. The very best way is to use excess barrel, do the lapping, then cut about 2" off either end, because the ends are especially prone to bell-mouthing. HTH
Swede Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 FF, don't let organic chem scare you. Organic was my favorite in college. The labs are generally excellent, with some cool processes and syntheses. As a physics guy, your brain is already geared properly. The people who go comatose are the non-science types, the philosophy majors and poli-sci types. As Mumbles said, nomenclature is a big part of it. You'll probably have entire exams that consist of nothing but "Name that molecule". They'd show you this:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Salicylic-acid-skeletal.svg/120px-Salicylic-acid-skeletal.svg.png And ask for the IUPAC name. Following the process they'll teach, you reply "2-hydroxybenzoic acid" and that's that. Most organic I's focus only on the most very basic organic reactions, nothing horrible. I'd say go for it.
Mumbles Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 Swede does bring up a good point. Being a science type you're already at an advantage. Like I said, it's part intuition when you get to the complicated stuff. The most complicated thing we ever had to do was propose synthesis of molecules, like three steps. It's almost always involves a grignard, and a partial oxidation/reduction. The people who say they have to memorize a lot are probably biological science majors or have some aspirations of medical school. I higher science can always handle lower sciences. Physics/Chemistry > Biology > Biochemistry > Medicine > Earth Science > Social science > Philosophy > Women's studies > Interpretive Dance > Agricultural Journalism > Conversational Latin > Political Science
OneEyeCharlie Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 The people who go comatose are the non-science types, the philosophy majors and poli-sci types.<--Calvin College. Poli-Sci.'89 Swede is right <cough... kiss my ass.. cough>. That's why I pay good money for people to do my taxes, rebuild my transmissions, and cook KCLO3(4) for me. Man's got to know his limitations. That being said... come on Fish! You're at GMI. Exploit those geek Profs. It's not like GM is gonna kick ass in the next quarter. It's in their best interest for their classes to excel. Try to fall on the mercy of the court before signing up. Have a serious talk about the realities of life with those cats.
flying fish Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 (edited) Thanks guys... I remember back in high school I was pretty good at memorization (at least short-term). I could look at a list and think about it for just a little bit before a test and get the same grade as somebody who actually made up flash cards and the whole works. But it's been a while since I've had to memorize facts, since most of physics has been more about solving problems with broad concepts rather than memorizing. Where I first got the idea that Organic 1 might kill me was actually from a Chem major at my school - he told me "no, no you don't know what your getting yourself into!" I guess it could also be possible that the prof who teaches organic may be harder than most (as some people have said). He's a guy that I met while being a lab rat for another professor - great sense of humor and seemed like an all around good guy. I never would have guessed that he was the type to overwork his students. Edited March 7, 2009 by flying fish
Mumbles Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 I think if you approach it from the concept method, you will be alright. Instead of having the kinematic equations to describe motion you have the grignard, Wittig, Friedel-Crafts, and Michael reactions for C-C bond formation. Trying to memorize each reaction as is would be futile. I find it easier to group them, and relate them to give it some context. And if you're ever in a bind, say you used the "Corey Reaction". There are about 2 dozen corey reactions, and they do just about anything. He has so many publications, the list on his webpage has it's own search engine.
flying fish Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 That being said... come on Fish! You're at GMI. Exploit those geek Profs. It's not like GM is gonna kick ass in the next quarter. It's in their best interest for their classes to excel. Try to fall on the mercy of the court before signing up. Have a serious talk about the realities of life with those cats. Well, I'm at the *former* GMI. It is under different ownership now (and is now called Kettering University, although I sometimes say GMI because people are more familiar with that name). GM abandoned us many years ago because they realized that the institute was pumping out carbon copy engineers, and they wanted more diversity. Of course, we are much more diverse now that back then, but right now I think GM has more to worry about (such as EPIC FAIL) than relationships with their former institute... I'll have to remember that Corey Reaction thing. Sounds like the Organic Chem version of "42"...
OneEyeCharlie Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 My apologies Fish. I'm showing my age. I'd forgotten that it had switched to Kettering. Ignore the ramblings of this senile old man. Jesus... pretty soon I'm gonna start sounding like Harry C over at rec.pyro
Swede Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 OECharlie, you must know there was no insult intended... The fuzzy studies I had to take as core destroyed me. If there is a question on a test with more than one right answer (like philosophy, and yes, poli-sci) my brain goes into meltdown. Give me unambiguous stuff... one correct answer, and that's that! The Grignard reaction is about the only one I remember, mainly because it was so unique; it's clean, and works well. Corey reaction? It sounds like some kid named Corey invented it to describe any difficult reaction on a test! "Hmm, I'm supposed to substitute those two hydroxyl groups with a ketone and an aldehyde? I must use the Corey reaction! yeah, that's it!" In retrospect, in Organic, there IS often more than one right answer, i.e. two or more ways to synthesize the same product.
mike_au Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 Just thought I would show off my new toy. It's taken me a while but I finally got around to finishing it this w/end. As you can see the receiver is mounted in a small toolbox, there is enough room over the other side to hold the transmitter, spare batteries, etc. The slat is mounted directly onto the mortar rack and connects to the receiver using a heavy duty trailer plug. I haven't made the extra slats up for it yet but the receiver is capable of firing 12 cues. I didn't get a shot of it but once the link is up the remote shows continuity data for each cue, and you can't see it terribly well but there is an LED in the bottom right corner of the remote that shows the status at a glance (searching/safe/disarmed/armed). I've already come up with a few improvements for the next version, but I dare say that will take even longer to get around to sorting out. I think my next project will be figuring out a better way to make e-matches... fire.avi
OneEyeCharlie Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 OECharlie, you must know there was no insult intended...Of course not! And none was perceived. I laughed as I read your post. I had been up all night long with a sick child, so that post wasn't the most lucid and erudite. In fact, given my sleep deprivation, it was the equivalent of drunk posting. My apologies if it ticked anyone off. Thus endeth my contrition
TheSidewinder Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 Just thought I would show off my new toy. It's taken me a while but I finally got around to finishing it this w/end. Nice job!
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