Red Nitrate Strobes

[Mumbles]

Maybe Parlon is just the coolest burning then. I see no reason for the prevalent useage in blues and purples if it was not in some way better, given their prices. Maybe the people who were developing said formulas didn't have any PVC around, or disliked how it handles as much as I do.

[psyco_1322]

Here's my red strobe:

 

40 Strontium Nitrate

5 Potassium Nitrate

21 Magnalium (I used granular <200mesh)

6 Chlorowax

4 Copper Oxide

5 Red Gum

18 Sulphur

 

Chlorowax should be fine to substitute. Sorry I don't have further notes at hand, I can provide more details if necessary.

 

They burn well in the air too. Good flash frequency.

 

So awhile back i tried this formula, made a batch up, actually two. One had parlon, the other had chlorowax. Bound with alcohol and dried atmospherically with no issues at all. First, the red sucks, its actually more like pink. Second, the strobe sucks, it more like a shimmer or an inconsitant burn. Third, changing the chlorine donor sucks, there was no noticable difference in the performance. The burn rate was fairly slow, 3/8" stars burnt maybe twice as long as expected, even though it was nearly constant burn. Any questions?

Edited April 12, 2010 by psyco_1322

[optimus]

You're probably best off with an AP red strobe then

[Voryon]

Mumbles,

 

Have you tried these? They do tend to have a shimmering quality but aren't too bad for a non-AP comp. It's a modification of the common Ba(NO3)2 / KNO3 white formula (listed last).

 

RED

 

Sr(NO3)2 54

Sulfur 20

Mg/Al 60mesh 12

Dextrin 5

Parlon 10

 

 

Notes: Adjust Mg/Al particle size and ratio(s) to tweek flash rate.

 

I have tried the red strobe formula. I`ve used lab grade Sr(NO3)2, 20-60# MgAl, bound the stars with 10% NC in acetone and cut them (100g batch). They turned out really good (for being non-AP), pure red flashing, slow burn rate, only the strobe rate was a bit inconsitent somwhere between 1 - 4 Hz. I`m more than pleased with the result

[Pretty green flame]

 

RED

 

Sr(NO3)2 54

Sulfur 20

Mg/Al 60mesh 12

Dextrin 5

Parlon 10

 

That's a pretty good strobe, did some ground test and it actually strobes, between 1 and 3 Hertz. Though they are a bit tough to light, i hope my Magnalium prime will work. What size should I make them for 3" shells?

[Mumbles]

If it's anything like some of the analogous white Ba(NO3)2 strobes, I'd suggest 1/4" or smaller.

[Siegmund]

I took a stab this week at a red strobe comp (close to #3 in Sambo's .doc).

 

If and when the damn things finally light, they do have a sputtering shimmering effect in addition to the usual intense pink color of Sr+MgAl. Testing on the ground, a jet of flame shoots out the side of the star from whichever side lights first, almost like the cube of comp is a super-mini-gerb.

 

Anybody have tips on how to prime these? I had two snags: one, these dry so fast and so hard that getting prime to stick to them is a bear (in the time it took to press out a patty and cut both directions, enough acetone evaporated that the parlon on the outside had set pretty hard, and anything sprinkled onto the stars just rolled off without sticking.) two, they are very slow to light. I eventually wound up making a thick soup out of BP+10% 200 mesh MgAl+alcohol, dipping stars in that by hand, and dropping them onto loose dry BP for the outside coat. But apparently a 10%MgAl prime is still not hot enough to light them very fast. Launched from a star mine, the stars took off in a shower of BP sparks... went up dark ... started coming down still dark... and then burst into flame right before they hit the ground.

[Mumbles]

I've never really liked parlon bound compositions. If you're looking to increase work ability, you can add 10% of coleman's white gas, or hexanes, or something similar. It will remove the "strings". If you want to just slow the evaporation you could replace part or all of the acetone with Methyl Ethyl ketone (MEK).

 

What kind of burn speeed and strobe rate did you observe?

 

I'm afraid you'll need a pretty hot prime to light these. Perhaps something like followingFlam

 

Shimizu's twinkler igniter.

Perc - 74

RG - 12

Charcoal - 6

Poyassium dichromate - 5

Fine Al fliters - 3

 

Kosanke Red Strobe Igniter

Perc - 68

RG - 9

Charcoal - 18

Poyassium dichromate - 1

Dextrin - 4

 

Pinball Prime

Perc - 75

C - 15

RG - 10

Silicon*** - 6

Dex - 6

 

*** - can be left out, or replaced with any metals such as MgAl, Al powder, Ti, etc.

 

 

None of the above are set it and forget it primes. They'll need a layer of prime over the top in order to make sure it lights.

[stibium]

Hi,

I've had some success with Red Nitrate Strobes, without ammonium perchlorate or hexachlorobenzene.

I use a formula that kleberrios published on a thread titled green flash.

I modified the formula slightly.

 

For red strobe:

Strontium Nitrate 65 g
Potassium Chlorate 10 g
PVC powder 3 g
Magnalium 200 mesh 21 g

NC 10% MEK 25 g

 

I make strobe pots coating wires with the binded composition.

The color is pinkish red and the strobe rate is very uniform.

I add 2 g of Copper Oxide to speed the strobe rate, which acts as a catalyst.

I’ll post some videos later

[stibium]

Here are the videos:

 

http://youtu.be/5s2ymotWmjQ

 

http://youtu.be/JZHUibfG-OI

[pyrokid]

Stibium, I saw your video on pyrobin and I was hoping the information would filter over here! Fantastic!

 

A few questions:

 

Could you please elaborate on the purpose of the NC in MEK and how that is integrated into the mix?

 

To clarify, is the addition of CuO responsible for the faster strobe rate in the second video?

 

Have you experimented with any other sizes of magnalium?

 

Thank you for working to develop this formula!

[Zumber]

Ahh.!!

weldone.

what changes you have made in second video?

[pyrogeorge]

I think that he used finer mgnal.

[stibium]

The formula of first video contains no CuO, and for the second I added 2 grams of CuO. This is the only difference. Both compositions contain magnalium 200 mesh. The role of cupric oxide is to speed the strobe rate.

 

I haven’t experimented with any other sizes of magnalium. I only have magnalium 200 mesh for the moment. but I suppose the strobe rate can also be modified by varying the size of magnalium.

 

How to prepare the NC 10% MEK:

I dissolve 10 grams of NC in 90 grams of methyl ethyl ketone. I use MEK instead of acetone because of their lower volatility. I use this solution to bind the composition.

 

I mix the dry powdered ingredients, and put a bowl with the mixed composition on an electronic scale, then 25 grams of NC solution is added and stirred until a very thick slurry is obtained. I coat a wire with this mixture using fingers (with gloves)

[psyco_1322]

Very impressive! Have you used the comp for stars at all?

 

Have you tried any other chlorine donors?

[Bobosan]

Nice strobes! Good job stibium.

[stibium]

I have experimented the following:

 

I use 10 KClO3 instead 5 because I have observed the strobe rate is slightly faster and more uniform.

with KClO4 instead KClO3 the color is slightly worse and the strobe rate is slower and less uniform.

using parlon instead PVC the color is slightly better but the strobe rate is less uniform.

the color is best when the light is seen from afar.

 

I have not yet tested the mixture for stars. I have thought to try this composition for stars later.

[Niladmirari]

 

I have not yet tested the mixture for stars. I have thought to try this composition for stars later.

What prime?

[Maserface]

I can't wait to try these!!

[pex]

Why not just aceton nc?

[stibium]

Why not just aceton nc?

I use methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) instead of acetone because of their lower volatility, so that I can work the mixture more easily

 

[pex]

Any one tried stars with this composition.

And I wonder of it will work for strobe rockets

[skysparkler]

Hi! All. I tested mix that stibium are published. it best in static test but in air test strobe frequency go down.

Static 2% CuO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl6UMKqfX4s&list=UUUF0TVsqujOLhSPzJrv21Fg

Dynamic 2% CuO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM5RwqG7bNo&list=UUUF0TVsqujOLhSPzJrv21Fg&index=1

Someone have ideas to make it faster or stabilize him in airflow

Magnalium used after 150 mesh

Edited August 19, 2014 by skysparkler

[Zumber]

That person posted red strobe mixture, I saw no red strobe in both of your tests.

it sounded like pale green.if you change oxidizer you will definitely see the difference in burn speed or difference in strobe rate in case of stars.

you included CuO in your composition so other factor is size of magnelium, is your magnelium 200 mesh?

coarser the magnelium slower will be strobe rate and vice versa.

try same formula with strontium nitrate as a oxidizer and with 200 mesh magnelium and 2% CuO.

Edited August 20, 2014 by swapnilsutar1988

[skysparkler]

I talk about why couse speed not about strobe frequency. Air flow make him slower why and how can fix that. In this test i replaced strontium to barium nitrate. When mix is not dry at all strobe is faster when fully it slower.I think when star fly in air burning temperature go down and dark burn fragment is biger than in static and this couse speed.
Sory for bad leter!!!

Edited August 20, 2014 by skysparkler