Skylighter Rubber Stars

[bobkeyes]

I have just received the "stuff" to make the Skylighter rubber screen cut stars. Can I roll these instead of doing the screen cut method?

[dagabu]

Yes, you should try that first in any case. You need to get the hang of how wet you make then before you screen cut them. I use 2 dowels on top of a sheet of stretch wrap, put the comp down and put a second sheet on top, roll it out and cut to size.

[bobkeyes]

Yes, you should try that first in any case. You need to get the hang of how wet you make then before you screen cut them. I use 2 dowels on top of a sheet of stretch wrap, put the comp down and put a second sheet on top, roll it out and cut to size.

 

I guess that is a yes!! I don't want to screen cut. I want to roll them in a star roller. Is that OK?

 

Thanks.

[jwitt]

I look forward to hearing how the screen cutting method works for you. Similar stars (ruby red and veline blue) were the easiest cut stars I've made. They cut very well with an edging tool.

 

If you do cut, a tip is to allow the wet comp to rest for a couple minutes after wetting and kneading to really let the rubber melt. Then come back, knead in a bit more solvent to replace the bit lost to evaporation, and you're good to go.

 

Have fun- these are really fun to make, are strong and easy to handle, dry quickly, and they're purrrrty.

 

If you have lots of different coloring agents, make small batches so you can do some mix-n-match similar to the Veline system.

 

Be sure to prime 'em well!

 

Edit: oh yeah, you were asking about rolling

Edited July 30, 2010 by jwitt

[dagabu]

Errrrr, no?

 

Actually, you COULD roll them but parlon makes areal mess that is hard to remove after it is dried. I suggest that you cut them and let them dry, roll them in prime or second color.

[bobkeyes]

I guess then that's a NO! ;>) I understand why though. The parlon would have to be washed out with acetone I suspect. SOOOOOOOOOOO, I'll push my first stars through a screen.

 

Thanks for the help. I need a lot.

[bobkeyes]

I look forward to hearing how the screen cutting method works for you. Similar stars (ruby red and veline blue) were the easiest cut stars I've made. They cut very well with an edging tool.

 

If you do cut, a tip is to allow the wet comp to rest for a couple minutes after wetting and kneading to really let the rubber melt. Then come back, knead in a bit more solvent to replace the bit lost to evaporation, and you're good to go.

 

Have fun- these are really fun to make, are strong and easy to handle, dry quickly, and they're purrrrty.

 

If you have lots of different coloring agents, make small batches so you can do some mix-n-match similar to the Veline system.

 

Be sure to prime 'em well!

 

Edit: oh yeah, you were asking about rolling

 

Got my answer about rolling. It's a nogo. Thanks for your help.

[dagabu]

Why don't you just cut them?

[bobkeyes]

Why don't you just cut them?

 

I will. Not a problem. I just have this new star roller I built and wanted to try it out. But, because of the parlon I'll just cut these.

 

I also am given to believe that round stars would "fly" better than square ones. Maybe not, but that's the way it looks.

 

Not to hijack my own thread, but I have been shooting a dummy shell which weighs 43 grams. I looks like it takes about 5 grams of BP to get a good lift. It's about the same using Goex or my homemade BP. Does that sound about right??

[dagabu]

You sound good to go! BTW- make it easy on yourself and start with a good core like the crackle from a C class shell to start rolling your stars. I found charcoal based stars to be the easiest to roll but I am liking the Toro method a whole lot!!

[Mumbles]

Please read about the subject even a little bit before making uninformed replies like that and making yourself look even less intelligent with regard to pyrotechnics.

[jwitt]

By the way, I made the Skylighter White rubber star a couple weeks ago and shot the shells last weekend. I needed a fast-drying white, and it fit the bill and performed well. It's a very fast burning star. Primed with fencepost and BP- only thin layers of each. (Not recommending skimpy priming, but it worked)

[Cookieman]

If I was to use rubber for fiwork; wouldnt it make lots of smelly smoke?

I remember seing homeles people burning ties to keep warn..

pewh!

 

 

Anyka,this is a new way of making stars. It is not the rubber your thinking about, if you'v worked with parlon before you'll understand why they call it that. Here is a link for you to read up on and hopefully inspire you to make some, and post a video.

[jwitt]

If I was to use rubber for fiwork; wouldnt it make lots of smelly smoke?

I remember seing homeles people burning ties to keep warn..

pewh!

 

The stars do put out a decent amount of smoke (mine did while testing in the back yard) and it does have a bit of a burning rubber smell, but not like a tire fire. BP smells much better though

 

P.S. if "hand lighting" the white stars to test- watch the @#%$^ out! Better yet, don't try it. They burn fiercely.

 

Skylighter Rubber White + 10% Ti:

 

[Algenco]

If you like rubber stars (I do), or anyone considering trying them, you can get Parlon very cheap

 

 

http://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/topic/4874-selling-off-chemicals/

[Cookieman]

The stars do put out a decent amount of smoke (mine did while testing in the back yard) and it does have a bit of a burning rubber smell, but not like a tire fire. BP smells much better though

 

P.S. if "hand lighting" the white stars to test- watch the @#%$^ out! Better yet, don't try it. They burn fiercely.

 

Skylighter Rubber White + 10% Ti:

 

 

Thats a really nice effect jwitt, I'm trying to picture what red stars with 10% Ti would look like.

[jwitt]

The nice thing about that picture is that that's actually what the shell looked like, not some weird photographic effect.

 

Watch that video of mine on pyrotube- I'm pretty sure there's a red/white shell that would give you a very good idea. It uses the ruby red strontium nitrate stars along with a handful of the ones pictured above. It's impressive IMO. Ruby Red is really bright, so the Ti doesn't overpower it.

[Algenco]

Very nice!

 

 

[Cookieman]

The nice thing about that picture is that that's actually what the shell looked like, not some weird photographic effect.

 

Watch that video of mine on pyrotube- I'm pretty sure there's a red/white shell that would give you a very good idea. It uses the ruby red strontium nitrate stars along with a handful of the ones pictured above. It's impressive IMO. Ruby Red is really bright, so the Ti doesn't overpower it.

 

Just made a rolled batch of Ruby Red stars, I wonder if I roll it some more over meal and Ti sponge would it fall off or affect the ignition?

[hawaiiwerks]

Can you use a star plate or pump the rubber stars from sky lighter?

[Seymour]

Yes, though it is not as easy as pumping water based stars.

 

The Parlon can get very stickey and generally get in the way of progress. I have found that adding a little bit of an alcohol makes it much less stickey and more straightforward to work with. I've successfully used Isopropyl and Methylated spirits (basically Ethanol)as the alcohol. Perhaps 10% Alcohol/90% Acetone.

 

With all star mixtures, and all solvents there is a range of workable solvent content, where it is not too dry, or not too wet. I cannot say if this range is particularly narrow with acetone stars, but since the solvent evaporates so fast, especially in good weather, you have much less time to work with it before you need to add more solvent, especially compared to water.

 

Not impossible, and has the benefit of very fast drying times, but if you want less work, and are willing to wait a bit for your stars to dry, I'd suggest adding 4% Dextrin, (or personally Gum Arabic), and dampen with water.

[pyrojig]

Those rubber stars are quite nice... I made about 5 batches of these, and they are very impressive. The one thing I learned by hard knocks was the lack of good priming. I step primed the batch and made a bp-mag igniter layer. But w/o sufficient 2nd layer of prime many stars will still fail to ignite. I was almost considering a 3rd layer of C-6 or other charcoal comp. as a easy ignition source. I know this is a bit more work, but well worth not having blind stars . ( I followed the skylighter way of priming to the"T" and some stars still failed to ignite.) I had overprimed a few and they lit every time, so I know it was not a lack of drying. They dried for one day fan assisted and 1 more day in a drybox.

These are very pretty stars. The illumination is balanced and the reds and greens dont overpower the other colors.

[dangerousamateur]

Hi,

 

if you don't mind I do a little gravedigging rather than a new tread.

 

These rubber stars - have you compared them to other compositions?

 

Especially the green. I've never seen a good green without barium nitrate or chlorate, so I guess thats the most critical part of that color system.

Edited September 29, 2012 by dangerousamateur

[Potassiumchlorate]

They are carbonate based, aren't they? I'd say that carbonate based stars are only equal to nitrate or chlorate stars with ammonium perchlorate as the (main) oxidizer.

 

I'm very much in favour of strontium nitrate based rubber stars, though, given that the weather is dry (which it hasn't been where I live for many months this year, though).

Edited September 29, 2012 by Potassiumchlorate

[Xtreme Pyro]

Hi,

 

if you don't mind I do a little gravedigging rather than a new tread.

 

These rubber stars - have you compared them to other compositions?

 

Especially the green. I've never seen a good green without barium nitrate or chlorate, so I guess thats the most critical part of that color system.

 

The green made with this formula is VERY bright, the only down side is the stars burn VERY fast. So they need to be made slightly larger than normal.

 

..... I'd say that carbonate based stars are only equal to nitrate or chlorate stars with ammonium perchlorate as the (main) oxidizer.

 

I wouldn't say that, the buell colors are very appealing. They are still my go - to colors, and they are fairly cheap.