Jump to content
APC Forum

Recommended Posts

Posted

Dag, was that a canister on top of the rocket or ball?

 

 

Posted

It was a canister shell, this picture shows the same size shell I made, its the second from the left.

 

http://www.pyrobin.com/files/100_2215.jpg

 

-dag

Posted

Awesome, putting together some cannisters for this weekend. Hope to get the passfire worked out on Thurs or Friday. Hope to have a vid next week!

 

 

Posted

The passfire I use is stupid simple. First, dont press a bulkhead but press 2 ID worth of delay, I like fast delay. Second, the shell has a small paper tube 2" long that is just gummed kraft tape rolled up on a bamboo skewer until the wall is a good 1/16" thick. That tube is hot glued into the bottom of the shell with 1/4" of it sticking out so that it can also be used as an anchor for the spiking twine.

 

I use the three strand fast paper fuse then in the hole, it is cut so that it will protrude 1" into the body of the shell past the tube end and for enough out the other end of the tube so that it will touch the rocket fuel. I have yet to have a failure to pass fire since switching to this method.

 

FUSE

 

-dag

Posted
Very nice Dag.
Posted

Thanks Bill :)

 

Take a look at Ralph's videos, his RG1 is MUCH better! I may get there some day, just you wait! ;)

 

-dag

Posted

The passfire I use is stupid simple. First, dont press a bulkhead but press 2 ID worth of delay, I like fast delay. Second, the shell has a small paper tube 2" long that is just gummed kraft tape rolled up on a bamboo skewer until the wall is a good 1/16" thick. That tube is hot glued into the bottom of the shell with 1/4" of it sticking out so that it can also be used as an anchor for the spiking twine.

 

I use the three strand fast paper fuse then in the hole, it is cut so that it will protrude 1" into the body of the shell past the tube end and for enough out the other end of the tube so that it will touch the rocket fuel.

-dag

 

 

I ordered some of that fuse last time from skylighter and have been looking forward to trying it. I will try your method as obviously it seems to work. I have been forced to launch over the lake because I got tired of trying to retrieve miss fires in the dark. I am going to start training the dog to retrieve, she does a great job with ducks, doves, squirrles, geese etc so I dont think live fireworks will be an issue. Let you know next week.

Posted
Nice one Dag, these where broke just with MCRH? No booster?
Posted

MCRH? Mike Christensons Right Hand? Mica Coated Rice Hulls? Meal Coated Rice Hulls!!!! I got it.

 

Nope, these are all broken with MCRH and 1 gram of flash mixed in to the break. Thanks for the compliment, I have six rockets that will go up this weekend, God willing and the creek dont rise.

 

-dag

Posted

MCRH? Mike Christensons Right Hand? Mica Coated Rice Hulls? Meal Coated Rice Hulls!!!! I got it.

-dag

 

You a funny guy Dag! Not Hee Haa Funny, but funny nontheless :) I presume just 7/3 right?

  • 3 months later...
Posted (edited)
Could I get away with using ALUMINUM ATOMIZED SPHERICAL 400 MESH? Edited by busspuppy
Posted

Could I get away with using ALUMINUM ATOMIZED SPHERICAL 400 MESH?

 

Yes I used to used to use it it, it works

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
It looks like you need some more lift or a core in those comets.
Posted

I have never made glitters before, and I am going to take a shot at it today or tomorrow. I was wondering if it would enhance the glitter if I added a pinch of firefly AL with the 400 mesh atomized. Not sure if it would work well and look nice. Somebody that knows more about glitters have any ideas? I dont know anything about the firefly AL as somebody on here gave it to me so, not sure of the details on it. I do know it makes you a silver-man once you open it :D /

 

 

Posted
The tin-man aluminum and firefly aluminum are very different beasts. Firefly is essentially chopped up aluminum foil, some manufacturers cut it instead of randomly shreding and milling it. The tin-man aluminum is usually called bright flake, white aluminum, or paint grade aluminum. I'd try the base mix first, and then see how additives work from there. Adding coarser materials can extend the tail and the delay, but that must be carefully balanced or you'll rain slag on the ground.
Posted
Im not sure what it is, I could try to get a picture and maybe you can tell. I will also ask the person who gave it to me. I know he called it firefly.
Posted
It should be very easy to tell them apart. I guess I forgot to mention that they are VASTLY different mesh sizes. Firefly is usually about 18-30 mesh, sometimes as fine as 40 or so. It will clearly be visible to the naked eye. Bright aluminum is around 200-300 mesh at the largest typically.
Posted
It is def. firefly then.
Posted
My two cents, I subed MgAl for the Al. Makes a great crackly popping effect. All the r glitter I have made I have been very happy with.
Posted
Ralph, I'll use your formula dude :). It looks really nice and matches my taste - long hanging tail.
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

made some rg1 today looks nice in the air even though they're not hard and dry yet, she loved it.

 

question is: is 8% water enough i pumped a few that are spongy/bouncy, firm enough to hold together that are light grey with 8%, i fear i may have to re pump them if they are too dry and not activating the dextrin

i upped the water to 14% to make a pair of comets and they are a lot darker and denser, what colour are they supposed to be?

should i roll it?

 

thanks in advance.

 

dan.

 

 

Posted
Glitter's use as little water as possible. Only use as much as you have to, to pump them. Excess water can ruin the effect.
Posted

made some rg1 today looks nice in the air even though they're not hard and dry yet, she loved it.

 

question is: is 8% water enough i pumped a few that are spongy/bouncy, firm enough to hold together that are light grey with 8%, i fear i may have to re pump them if they are too dry and not activating the dextrin

i upped the water to 14% to make a pair of comets and they are a lot darker and denser, what colour are they supposed to be?

should i roll it?

 

thanks in advance.

 

dan.

 

 

Hi Dan

Ive never actually weighed the amount of water going in I add water till it starts to form "proper" lumps as I work the water in this results in the kind of light grey you have and stars the burn really nicely on the ground (with showers of glittery sparks) and in the air after a day or so of drying they seem really weak and powdery but than seem to firm up after a couple more days (weird not sure why not sure if it happens to others) and than once fully dry they become real hard

 

bussypuppy normally you'd be right but in this case your not this glitter isnt quite like the majority of glitters it doesn't have any of the traditional basic delay agents or any MgAl so an adverse reaction is far less likely to happen if over wet and I mean over wet the stars will burn with a solid flame and few sparks but as soon as they are moving through the air or are confined in some way (like in a cast fountain ) they will look no different too the ones that were wet with great care. These over wet stars turn out real black similar to commercial bp.

 

Posted
Typically, I use around 4% water when wetting glitters, but as Ralph said, some formulae aren't affected by more water. If you let the dextrine activate before pressing, they should dry up just fine.
×
×
  • Create New...