Unscreened Magnalium in Stars?

[killforfood]

My Daughter asked me to help her do a science project.

I suggested creating the color wheel with chemicals.

She thought that was very cool.

 

I have all of the makings for Parlon/Magnalium/Carbonate stars except that my Magnalium is straight from the coffee mill. I don't have any screens yet to separate the fractions with and am wondering how this will affect the end results. I am guessing that there is everything from 40 mesh to 300 mesh in there.

 

Edited April 15, 2011 by killforfood

[NightHawkInLight]

They'll burn, but standard parlon stars might not be the best option. They burn vigorously and might be dangerous for a young kid to light by hand. If the MgAl is of mixed mesh I expect you'll get an even faster burning star due to the fine particles integrating with the oxidizer in a hot ratio while the larger particles are thrown out to burn in the air before they get a chance to react fully.

 

She's not going to take this to school is she?

[WSM]

My Daughter asked me to help her do a science project.

I suggested creating the color wheel with chemicals.

She thought that was very cool.

 

I have all of the makings for Parlon/Magnalium/Carbonate stars except that my Magnalium is straight from the coffee mill. I don't have any screens yet to separate the fractions with and am wondering how this will affect the end results. I am guessing that there is everything from 40 mesh to 300 mesh in there.

 

If you have an OSH store in your area, they carry several mesh sizes of brass screen (20,40,60,80 and 100 IIRC). You might want to build wood frames to mount some to and sieve the different fractions out for useful material. Keep a close eye on your budding scientist and don't let her get hurt!

WSM

[killforfood]

If you have an OSH store in your area, they carry several mesh sizes of brass screen (20,40,60,80 and 100 IIRC). You might want to build wood frames to mount some to and sieve the different fractions out for useful material. Keep a close eye on your budding scientist and don't let her get hurt!

WSM

Hey WSM,

 

What is an OSH store?

[killforfood]

They'll burn, but standard parlon stars might not be the best option. They burn vigorously and might be dangerous for a young kid to light by hand. If the MgAl is of mixed mesh I expect you'll get an even faster burning star due to the fine particles integrating with the oxidizer in a hot ratio while the larger particles are thrown out to burn in the air before they get a chance to react fully.

 

She's not going to take this to school is she?

We will do the experiments at home and write a paper based on the results.

Could you suggest some less vigorous formulas that produce good colors?

Our goal is to prove the additive process by creating three primary colors which can be mixed to create three new colors.

[WSM]

Hey WSM,

 

What is an OSH store?

 

Orchard Supply & Hardware. They're associated with Sears and sell Craftsman tools. If they don't have them in Oregon, you may have to sojourn South to California and visit one. Bucketscreen.com is another option (If that website doesn't work, let me know and I'll look it up rather than go from off the top of my head). The bucketscreens don't look very sturdy but they hold up well.

 

WSM

[NightHawkInLight]

You know I was particularly thinking about the skylighter rubber stars I've seen when you said parlon stars. They're not all that fast. Kcn's color system works very well:

 

http://www.pyroguide.com/index.php?title=Kcnkickthecat_color_system

 

And of course Veline:

 

http://www.pyroguide.com/index.php?title=Veline_color_system

 

In any case, I would just light a few yourself before letting your daughter at them just to make sure they're not too dangerous.

[killforfood]

I found some 100 mesh at the local hardware store. It was the only fine mesh that they had in stock. $20 per sq ft OUCH!!! That hurt.

I guess there's just no cheap alternative for good fine mesh screen.

 

She's not going to take this to school is she?

NightHawk, I had to chuckle about your concern.

This is not your average politically correct public school.

It's a small Christian school that always encourages parental involvement.

They would be fine with a small (safe) pyrotechnic display.

As an example of just how politically incorrect they are, I was asked to chaperone the high school kids on a field trip.

We're going to a local farm to pick out a hog to slaughter for our annual school fund raiser dinner.

We'll shoot it, gut it, haul it back to school, dig a pit and cook it.

This is a first for me, I've never put a pig in the ground before. Can't wait. Yum Yum!

Edited April 16, 2011 by killforfood