TrueBluePyro Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 G'day, I now have nealy everything for my Dragon's eggs (Bismuth trioxide is on the way) and now i have come to the task of making the MgAl. When I melt the MgAL would it be all right just to do it in a milo tin or that sort of tin or will the tin itself melt? What safty percutions should I take? When I get round to ball milling it what mesh should it be, I wont be able to tell the mesh but should I get it dark MgAl or grey or whatever. Plus I want to use it for glitters and other things what mesh should I get it then? Thanks Fella's TBP
BPinthemorning Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 (edited) Check the member tutorials... Consider yourself spoon fed, B****. Edited March 30, 2009 by BPinthemorning
Mumbles Posted March 31, 2009 Posted March 31, 2009 BP, shut the hell up. You're in no position of authority, respect, or knowledge to be putting down anyone else. I can find posts of yours made in the last 3 months where you are flat out asking to be spoonfed too. Most of the other posts in the same time period are just flat out useless. You're encountering a problem. The best MgAl for dragon eggs, is not the best for glitters or stars. Since you have no sieves (very helpful by the way), theres really no way to grade your product to correct meshes. Extremely fine MgAl, such as the kind you'd produce from too much ballmilling has very few pyro uses outside of flash powder. For dragon eggs, you want something on the order of -60+100 mesh. For stars and glitter I personally prefer -200+325. -100+200 might be a bit better for glitters, but I like keeping one grade around for all of that. This stuff should still be sparkly, and probably slightly gritty between your fingers. Below is the link to the MgAl making thread that BPinthemorning so graciously pointed out. I think you'll gain a lot by reading it. http://www.apcforum.net/forums/index.php?s...t=0&start=0
Miech Posted March 31, 2009 Posted March 31, 2009 The -325# fraction is very nice for colored stars (like Emerald Green and Ruby Red). I think that's a better use for it than making flash with it. The fine mesh reduces tailing a lot and smoothens out the burning in colored stars. Like Mumbles said, get some sieves. You won't regret it .
TrueBluePyro Posted March 31, 2009 Author Posted March 31, 2009 Thanks mate I just read the hole thing and most of the comments, lol. I dont think I like BP all ready. I'm not that much of a noob, just a nood to APC, I have been on pyroguide (and other) for a while now, just having a look here and there is more activity. But BP, if you read my comment it not only does it ask on how to make it, but what mesh sizes for glitters comps and dragons egss, and so I read the entire thing on how to make MgAl its not the first "how to" I have seen on how to make MgAl, lol, noob, and it hade nothing on mesh sizers or anything to do with dragons eggs. (so far still reading thro' the comments) Yeah I should get some sieves I have looked at it befor and they cost like $15-$20 for like 12x12" but I'll still consider it, mayby. Oh and thanks Mumbles
Mumbles Posted March 31, 2009 Posted March 31, 2009 You might want to try making some friends in the US. You can get sieves from a place called McMaster-Carr for an average of around $7-8 pretty much irregardless of size for anything 200mesh or coarser. The problem is that they either don't ship outside the US, or charge an arm and a leg. You can pack a bunch of them in flat rate envelopes. I have a set of sieves from them down to 325. 6x12" sheets melted into plastic containers. They're stackable, and hold about 2 kilos of BP each potentially.
Swede Posted March 31, 2009 Posted March 31, 2009 Make-do sieves... There are a variety of stainless steel kitchen implements that can be put to work. By buying them all at the same time, you can avoid replicating certain mesh sizes. The giant strainers work, as do the spatter-screens that are made to set over a frying pan. Many of them are close to the mesh you're looking for, at least the ones I've seen. The cheapest option for good sieves is to buy the mesh from an industrial supplier (usually sold in 12" X 12" squares) and make wooden frames or bucket screens. If you want to go first-class, look for the nestable scientific sieves, 8" or 12". They can be found used pretty cheap, and you can sort and grade in one operation with a nest of 4 or 5 of these: http://www.affordablesieves.com/images/sieves_small.jpg Good luck. I need to pick up some bismuth trioxide and give them a try.
Arthur Posted March 31, 2009 Posted March 31, 2009 Item number: 180341280653 on ebay is a good UK seller and the sieves are fine! Buy some sieve mesh and use a soldering iron to melt them into the bottom of some stacking food storage containers then cut the plastic away to suit! I made a stack of sieves for less than £10 (GB£). The Vendor would likely pack them in a stout envelope ans send them for a price. These sieves are 4inches square so not fast for sieving but you can work with sensibly small batches. As goes melting magnalium the easiest option I have seen is to use a stainless steel cocktail shaker. Some people seem to use a pipe full of charcoal, stand the crucible up in the middle, light it and blow it with a fan to a good heat. There is talk of using charcoal to cover the molten metal to stop it burning. Be very careful molten metal hurts really badly -if you survive.
TrueBluePyro Posted April 3, 2009 Author Posted April 3, 2009 I put a bid in. hopefuly i get them for AU$20 or less including shipping which is not to bad, considering there is a large range of sizes
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