Swede Posted April 6, 2009 Posted April 6, 2009 I used to be a "Ham" but I let my license lapse. The internet has killed much of the original appeal of amateur radio. Plenty of oldsters here... when we were kids ('60's and '70's) of course there was no internet, and a long distance phone call was Dallas to Phoenix. Being able to turn on a 50 watt CW transceiver and talk to some dude in Russia was genuinely fascinating and a bit amazing. There was definitely some wonder. Now, you can chat with anyone, anywhere. The wonder is gone, and it's kind of sad and taken for granted. I don't know what it's like in Australia, but in the U.S., the hams are pretty militant and self-policing, and if there is a "disturbance" on THEIR frequencies, they will form teams and track the source down with directional antennas... and then call the FCC. Some pretty serious fines can result.
Swede Posted April 6, 2009 Posted April 6, 2009 Dude...read the depression post I made... it's real. Sadly I think the tea-leaves say you guys are both right... all the more reason to become self-sufficient!
WarezWally Posted April 8, 2009 Posted April 8, 2009 I don't know what it's like in Australia, but in the U.S., the hams are pretty militant and self-policing, and if there is a "disturbance" on THEIR frequencies, they will form teams and track the source down with directional antennas... and then call the FCC. Some pretty serious fines can result. It seems they are universal, I have been told if the discussion doesn't stop we all get reported to the AMCA (same as FCC here) along with some other organization. I don't like threats, I think its time to start changing crystals and posting photos
50AE Posted April 11, 2009 Posted April 11, 2009 For 3 hours I've been cutting 4" cardboard discs for hemis. Quite annoying, but I can paste 4 hemis, which is not bad. I have a question though : What is the desired thickness of the walls of a 4" sphere ? Can someone measure a factory made one and tell to me ? I made two with 5mm walls and they're rock hard, comparatively to my 3" factory hemis with a 2mm wall thickness that bend. Well, I know it depends also of the glue, mines were glued with dextrin, don't know about the others. I'm thinking of using flour glue. Pics : http://img8.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=dsc04449x.jp
Mumbles Posted April 13, 2009 Posted April 13, 2009 I have two flavors of 4" hemis around. One is a real high quality grade, Lidu brand I think. I picked them up at PGI one year from the trade show. I really like them. I feel I've been getting better breaks out of them, more symmetric, and much harder casing than the others, which I'll simply refer to as standard grade. They're both pretty solid preformers though. Standard:9.4cm outer diameter3mm walls High Quality:9.2cm outer diameter4mm walls I found it odd that the standard was a bit bigger OD, yet had thinner walls. You can actually see the glue coming out of the slits in the paper in the higher quality hemis. The paper in both seems to be several sheets of thin paper laminated into thicker cardstock, not simply made into a single thicker sheet.
TheSidewinder Posted April 13, 2009 Posted April 13, 2009 Are those from that case we split? If so, yeah, they're damned good hemis.
Mumbles Posted April 13, 2009 Posted April 13, 2009 I don't think so. We split a case of 6" hemispheres. I got these from Flashing Thunder's booth in the trade show. I got about 50 4" and 5" hemi sets. They had 8" really cheap too, but someone had just bought them out before me.
50AE Posted April 13, 2009 Posted April 13, 2009 Good ! I made my hemis with walls 4-4.5mm. Here's a pic http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/4020/dsc04475.th.jpg Ignore the white and the thick cardboard ones, they're older
TheSidewinder Posted April 13, 2009 Posted April 13, 2009 I don't think so. We split a case of 6" hemispheres. I got these from Flashing Thunder's booth in the trade show. I got about 50 4" and 5" hemi sets. They had 8" really cheap too, but someone had just bought them out before me. Whoops, you're right, those were 6" hemis. (I looked in the garage yesterday.) Are the 6's we bought as good as the 4's you're talking about?
Mumbles Posted April 13, 2009 Posted April 13, 2009 Those are the only 6" I have, so they'll have to do . They're not quite the same quality, but they work excellently. They're more similar to the standard grade I mentioned before. You can really tell the difference in the flexibility of the hemispheres. As such the standard grade ones are generally out of round. Storing them for a while on a perfectly round former (such as plastic hemis) will round them out quickly though.
rocket Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 Got some 20mm Al rod the other week and have started to make some gerb tooling. Turned a solid rammer the other week and turned up a spindle today, came out alright made the nozzle 6-7mm with a 2 degree taper on it. BTW the Al is 2011 alloy will that cause any problems in the future? Rammer Spindle
WarezWally Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 2011 is a good machining alloy Seems my local metal dealer no longer stocks aluminium round, fucking pain in the ass as I was depending on them having stock as I have been asked to knock up a set of 1/2" tooling. Still can do it but would have to turn down 16mm to 1/2" which is a pain to do as it has to be done accurately and is a waste of metal. Hopefully he will go for 16mm tooling
PyroMan LTU Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 Hello, I have read some literature about pyro already, most interesting maybe was art and technique by Takeo S. and firework science by John C. and found "glitter chemistry and techniques" by Lloyd Scott Oglesby, so has anyone read it yet? is it interesting and worth reading? thanks PyroMan LTU
Mumbles Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 Yes, they're all worth reading. You really should buy the books too, I know you just found online pdf of them.
tentacles Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 2011 is a good machining alloy Seems my local metal dealer no longer stocks aluminium round, fucking pain in the ass as I was depending on them having stock as I have been asked to knock up a set of 1/2" tooling. Still can do it but would have to turn down 16mm to 1/2" which is a pain to do as it has to be done accurately and is a waste of metal. Hopefully he will go for 16mm tooling It's no less a waste, but if you do it between centers it'll be accurate and an easy operation. I think I'd drill the hole for the spindle first, then chuck one end and use the spindle hole with the center. A live center is highly recommended, but you can do it without if you grease/oil it. If you can get it, use 2024 or 7075 alloy, they are MUCH harder than 6061 and gall and stick less. FrankRizzo's got a set of 2024 rammers that are very nice to use.
flying fish Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 (edited) Here's a random thought. How hard would it be to make a large many-layered round star (or "round comet") that has a "continuous color change" through the visible spectrum? For instance, it might have 10 different layers, starting with red...orange...yellow...green...blue...purple (even though purple is really just a mixture of red & blue..). I guess layer unifomity and getting it to burn through evenly would be the biggest challenges. And of course, you would also need a wickedly good set of color star formulae... Edit: Perhaps an easier way to do this would be to use a cylindrical comet with a large hole running down the middle (C6 or some other charcoal star) and just Drop the layers of color into the hole...Then you don't have to worry about the rediculously difficult task of making 10 perfectly uniform layers... Edited April 16, 2009 by flying fish
Miech Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 Hmm, that would be a pretty nice effect. Take care not to make the layers too thick, color stars usually burn quite slowly compared to streamers.
flying fish Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 Good point. Ideally, the Comp would probably be something slower than C6...like maybe "slow gold." Also, the hole diameter would have to be relatively large with respect to the full diameter to get a brighter effect from the colors, but not large enough to comprimize the structural integrity of the comet. Or, if you bind in the colors well enough, in that they are essentially part of the full comet, them maybe it doesn't matter how thin the outer comet layer is. Either way, it could be a cool effect, the continuous color changing head, with the charcoal tail...(throw a little Ti in there too, might as well...) But now I'm just rambling again...
Mumbles Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 If you do that, go in reverse rainbow order. IE start with purple and blue. Your eyes will be so used to the bright colors after the yellow and green you won't be able to make them out. I'd just press out wafers of comp, maybe 1/4" thick and made for a 2" or 3" comet. That'd be 1.5" tall when all is said and done assuming ROYGBV colors (fuck indigo). Put a 1/4 to 1/2" disk of charcoal streamer on the bottom to burn up as it's traveling into the air and provide some prime. Glue all the disks together with BP/NC lacquer, probably with some metal in there. Paste up the sides and top, and away she goes. In other news, I possibly just bought some legal moonshine. http://www.deathsdoorspirits.com/uploads/D...ata%20sheet.pdf
flying fish Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 assuming ROYGBV colors (fuck indigo). Lol. I was thinking the same thing about indigo. Who really needs it anyway? Maybe my insane female friend who is obsessed with all varieties of violet/ purple-y colors/ etc, but that's about it. I do like your ideas. I haven't made many comets in pyro career (actually, I don't think I've really made ANY "real" comets, just "glorified stars") so I should probably start with something simpler. But the rainbow thing should be a fun project when I get to it.
Swede Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 In other news, I possibly just bought some legal moonshine. http://www.deathsdoorspirits.com/uploads/D...ata%20sheet.pdf Wow, I've never tasted methanol... let us know how it goes! Get your braille keyboard ready! I've had moonshine, just once. It was at our graduation party from pilot training. A good ol' Southern Boy said "Mah uncle makes the BEST shine in the county! Ah'll have a gallon for the party." Sure enough, he shows up with a milk carton full of White Lightning. "You go first" was the chorus. He downs a couple of shots, then we all dig in. It was... a bit harsh. I'd say about 120 proof kawn likker.
WarezWally Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 Moonshine is a crude drink, much like crude oil to be honest Throw it through a reflux still a few times and carbon filter it and you end up with some drinkable vodka.
Mumbles Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 It's not terrible, just not what I was expecting. I probably should have done more reading than "ooooo clear whisky, gotta have that". To be honest, I don't know how they're calling it whiskey. It has some tequilla notes, and some bready/yeasty notes (distilled from wheat). It's interesting, and even on ice a little harsh. It might just be one too many bad nights with tequilla.
Steps Posted April 17, 2009 Posted April 17, 2009 (edited) Being this the random thread i thought this place was appropriate. My mates feeble attempts at picking up girls with pickup lines. I hope he was taking the piss. Not sure if its his or from somewhere. "Whoa ladies did you fart? Cause you blew me away!" Couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard Edited April 17, 2009 by Steps
TheSidewinder Posted April 17, 2009 Posted April 17, 2009 Moonshine? We used to call it Skull Varnish. Justifiably so, I might add.
Recommended Posts