Lazy Tiger Tail

[Kilo_G]

The comp:

 

Potassium Nitrate 44

Charcoal Airfloat 44

Rice Starch (glutinous) 6 (substitute with dextrin)

Sulfur 6

 

 

Well I'm sure I'm not the only lazy pyro out there. This isn't exactly a "new" composition, mainly a slight modification of a long established one.

 

Ball milling is annoying. Usually you just want to go make something. If you'll note, ball milling Tiger Tail (TT) star comp is called for. I have seen non-ball milled TT in action and personally I like it, a lot.

 

When TT comp isn't ball milled it creates a long willow/spider type effect. This comp is very cheap and easy to make (basic BP ingredients).

 

It is best to roll the non-ball milled comp into stars.

 

A few notes:

 

1) Always prime your stars.

 

2) If you light a finished star on the ground, the first thing you will see happen is the prime will burn and then the star will just sit there and glow. No, there is nothing wrong with your stars/comp. This is the type of star that really needs a star gun to appreciate what you have made. The way the star works in flight is the same basic way it works on the ground...it smolders. As the star is flying through the air embers of the star come off of it and it leaves trailes of burning embers, obvisouly this won't be appreciated when it's sitting on the ground cause it's not flying through the air.

 

3) I personally like dragon egg cores specifically on these stars, more than probably any other.

 

4) This is a long burning star (it smolders remember). That being said becareful as to what size you make the star and what size shell you put it in, especially if the shell(s) are being shot in an area with dry brush/trees/grass. Rolled 1/4" stars are a good starting place for use in 3" shells. As with many things in pyro correct burn/smoldering times for the proper size star in the proper size shell will need to be tested.

 

5) Give the stars a good week to two weeks to dry. Dry in a room temperature (~ 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) and dry place, do let them sit in the sun (don't want them to be driven in).

 

EDIT:

 

I figured I'd share this with you guys, if the Modernators don't want it here you can throw it somewhere else.

[Kilo_G]

Well, I figured I'd pull this up from the dead, since in the past I have made this comp many times after that post.

 

Couple things that should be added to it:

 

1 - Use a 50/50 mix of water and 70 or 90 percent rubbing alcohol, this'll cut down the drying time (I've gone as high as 70%/30% alcohol/water respectively).

 

2 - If you're using dragon eggs (I used to use them from crackling balls, extremely cheap and these dragon eggs are all nice and round as opposed to square) coat them with a layer of KP and let that dry completely before using these as cores. What this does is provides a layer of protection from the nitrates in the lazy tiger tail comp, in case you didn't know KNO3 kills dragon eggs, it makes them go pfff instead of CRACK.

Edited August 23, 2010 by Kilo_G

[Siegmund]

Along with laziness goes impatience.

 

As an experiment, I tried binding these -- well, something between C8 and TT -- with red gum dissolved in acetone. Cut into 1 cm³ cubes and dried for 1 day. I either didn't get the amount of binder quite right or didn't press the patty well enough, as something like 1 in 10 of them crumbled on me. But they burnt nicely, loooong willowy tails when launched in a star mine. (Now if I could just get some lazy impatient lift powder that worked. Heh. They all were burning when they hit the ground and for a couple seconds after.)

 

I'm not sure if the take-home message is that "you have to let the KNO3 dissolve into the charcoal" isn't true, or rather that they are, in effect, two different comps according to whether you follow Shimizu's original "wet process" approach vs. a quicker one.

[kilnj69]

Pulling this up from the dead . But just thought I would try it as my first star (been looking for my first star mix 3 weeks ago ((btw only started making bp 2 weeks ago)). There drying now and hope they turn out ok. I cut my stars about 5mmx5mmx7mm and while cutting with a piece of laminate .9mm, I wet the laminate every 3 cuts, the mix is very crumbly/dry and peels apart (proberly due to the high charcoal content) But not as to destroy the process.

 

I have been making my granulated BP too wet and takes forever to get back to a manageable consistency. So I was very carefull with the amount of water / metho added on these stars (btw looking for pure alc, but do have methanol but not tried it yet). Was thinking (BTW I am a noobie) do you think adding more dextrin (say 2%) and saturate it, than wait till it dries enough to be able to cut? Would it really hurt.

[dan999ification]

tt are buggers, you wont be able to handle ( squeeze ) cut stars before about a week drying them.

5 percent dextrin is fine, i use homemade and it works.

Using a thinner blade will help not crush and crumble the pattie before you separate the stars, just wipe it clean after a few cuts no need for extra water.

Did you compress the pattie before cutting? Did you pull the stars apart striaght away?

The most important thing is not to listen to the lazy people, patience will be rewarded ( the words of an experienced member/s).

 

Dan.

[laserkoi]

i just ground tested a verry silmlr spider star . taken from best of afn 3 .burnt verry well on the ground . only being drying 3 days .

wetted with 20% alcohol. i used the FORMULA 2 ( no milling )

 

 

Potassium nitrate 53%

Air Float Charcoal 32%

Sulfur 7.5 %

Dextrin 7.5%

 

they do burn a bit fast . i will make a batch as per obove formula with more Charcoal. or make larger stars next time .

[dan999ification]

thats close to c6 55/33/7/5 also burns fast, handy if you want to dump ti or mg/al quickly.

What size are the stars and what are they for?

 

Dan.

[Mortartube]

I have been using the first comp for years unmilled.

 

Potassium Nitrate 44

Charcoal Airfloat 44

Rice Starch (glutinous) 6 (substitute with dextrin)

Sulfur 6

 

I have made them many times as little pillbox stars. about 8mm I.D and 12mm long. Just pinch the comp into the little tubes. No match or prime needed. Let them dry for a couple of weeks. Use KNO3 the texture of icing sugar and airfloat charcoal. The sparks don't branch out as much from the streamer, but you get a nicely defined streamer like a straight line (as opposed to a more bushy tail) with slightly bigger sparks using this method.

[laserkoi]

hi dan999 i made 8/10 mm for rocket heads and 19mm to go in 4" round shells .

carnt wait to see them properly

[brimstoned]

I've GOT to try this for small comets!

[tradami]

Rolled some stars using the OP's comp. Seems to burn pretty fast. I'll test it out in a shell later this week.