Faster black match.

[Bilbobaker]

What about adding a small amount of fine dark aluminum powder and boric acid to this black match mix to speed it's burn rate?

http://www.pyroguide...tle=Black_match

 

Will it work or be unstable?

I'm pretty new at pyrotechnics and full of questions.

Bill

Edited April 19, 2011 by Bilbobaker

[dan999ification]

What about adding a small amount of fine dark aluminum powder and boric acid to this black match mix to speed it's burn rate?

http://www.pyroguide...tle=Black_match

 

Will it work or be unstable?

I'm pretty new at pyrotechnics and full of questions.

Bill

 

 

i would say its a waste of good al save it for something else, to a certain degree i think it will slow it down some al is hard to light and if you add al you have an under oxidized fuel. to speed up blackmatch make quick match from it or buy fast fuse it must be cheaper than al some good quickmatches burn 100fps.

dan

[Ralph]

What about adding a small amount of fine dark aluminum powder and boric acid to this black match mix to speed it's burn rate?

http://www.pyroguide...tle=Black_match

 

Will it work or be unstable?

I'm pretty new at pyrotechnics and full of questions.

Bill

 

bad Idea it wont speed it up(significantly, infact it is likely to slow it) using high quality meal makes good black match which when in paper becomes lighting fast

black match is meant to be a cheap low cost item having negligible cost adding any expensive chemicals defeats the purpose of it

 

 

if your new to pyro you shouldn't even have dark al, if your still asking questions like this your a good year or 2 from the time you should be contemplating making flash

 

 

EDIT : dan beet me to the post

Edited April 19, 2011 by Ralph

[dagabu]

Fast BP makes fast black match. Using Balsa sawdust for your BP and optimizing the chems would be the way to go.

[WSM]

What about adding a small amount of fine dark aluminum powder and boric acid to this black match mix to speed it's burn rate?

http://www.pyroguide...tle=Black_match

Will it work or be unstable?

I'm pretty new at pyrotechnics and full of questions.

Bill

 

The fastest black match (actually quick match, really...) depends on physics, not chemistry. Rather than a single large powder coated bundle of string, try two or more small bundles of powder coated string in the match pipe. In this case less truly is more.

 

With several smaller strands the flame propagates MUCH faster down the match pipe; like the difference between burning a large single grain of black powder and a similar weight of smaller grains. The granular material will burn faster because of all the exposed surface area and flame fronts moving through the pile (rather than the surface burn of the single, large grain).

 

WSM

Edited April 19, 2011 by WSM

[Megabusa]

I agree - I wouldn't waste my Al on fuse.

 

If your BP is good you should be able to make fast black match, certainly much faster than Visco.

 

If you need it a lot faster, then quick match is the way to go.

 

 

Phil.

[Mumbles]

Also, you should ignore that mix they give. It uses WAY too much dextrin. 4-5% is plenty. 10% will slow down the match as it is. Try making some black match first, and then see if it needs any speeding up. Did you by any chance have an application in mind that you wanted faster blackmatch for? It already burns at around 1-2 inch/second average because the fire jumps around.

[killforfood]

Bilbobaker,

You can easily double your Blackmatch speed… just cut it in half.

 

OK seriously... I read a couple different DIY fuse making threads about six months ago. These weren't simple pull your string through the slurry rigs. They were full blown homemade Blackmatch and Visco production machines with multiple spinning bobbins, motors, wheels, belts and pulleys. When I read the threads, they were still in the tweaking mode but none the less very impressive. It would be interesting to see what quality of Blackmatch could be made with one by pulling 6, 8 or 10 very fine threads through some hot slurry.

[Megabusa]

Forgot to say - Add about 1% CMC (Tylo powder) to your slurry. It makes the finished BM more robust & helps prevent the dry mix from cracking off the string.

 

As Mumbles says, 5% dex is plenty. I normally use about 3 - 4%.

 

Some people soak the string in KNO3 solution before pulling it through the slurry. I personally have tried with & without soaking & found little difference in the finished product.

[dagabu]

The fastest black match (actually quick match, really...) depends on physics, not chemistry. Rather than a single large powder coated bundle of string, try two or more small bundles of powder coated string in the match pipe. In this case less truly is more.

 

With several smaller strands the flame propagates MUCH faster down the match pipe; like the difference between burning a large single grain of black powder and a similar weight of smaller grains. The granular material will burn faster because of all the exposed surface area and flame fronts moving through the pile (rather than the surface burn of the single, large grain).

 

WSM

 

Like the blue quick match that is no longer made. Sweet stuff.

[Algenco]

Like the blue quick match that is no longer made. Sweet stuff.

 

 

say it ain't so!!! Glad I have 8-10 rolls stashed

 

For BM use 1% CMC &4% dextrin (not my idea) keeps it flexible without popping off

pipe it and it's as fast as anything available

I use Paulownia coal, makes incredibly fast powder/match

[dagabu]

A buddy and I pulled about 200' of Peaches and Cream cotton yarn black match two weeks ago and coated the BM with 116 fuse powder. Two strands work very well piped and kick butt when used as cross match.

 

Like Al, I use CMC but I dont use Dextrin anymore at all. I also changed from machine pulled yarn to hank saturated in a tub and then pulled through a sizing die.

[Bilbobaker]

bad Idea it wont speed it up(significantly, infact it is likely to slow it) using high quality meal makes good black match which when in paper becomes lighting fast

black match is meant to be a cheap low cost item having negligible cost adding any expensive chemicals defeats the purpose of it

 

 

if your new to pyro you shouldn't even have dark al, if your still asking questions like this your a good year or 2 from the time you should be contemplating making flash

 

 

EDIT : dan beet me to the post

I have the dark AL for reporting rifle targets, (tannerite clones) and flash powder for rocket reports.

 

 

 

 

 

[killforfood]

I use Paulownia coal, makes incredibly fast powder/match

I have a huge Paulownia (Indian Bean Tree) in my front yard. Every year it drops hundreds of seed pods and I end up having to spray all of the seedlings with Round-up.

 

I got the bright idea of transplanting one of the seedlings out back in the compost pile and the dang thing is already taller than a two story house. I'll give it this summer's growth and then it will be charcoal.

[Algenco]

I have a huge Paulownia (Indian Bean Tree) in my front yard. Every year it drops hundreds of seed pods and I end up having to spray all of the seedlings with Round-up.

 

I got the bright idea of transplanting one of the seedlings out back in the compost pile and the dang thing is already taller than a two story house. I'll give it this summer's growth and then it will be charcoal.

 

 

You have a Catalapa tree, different critter, should be good though

 

Here's the ultimate

 

http://www.bing.com/search?q=paulownia+tomentosa&form=HPDTDF&pc=HPDTDF&src=IE-SearchBox

[WSM]

Like Al, I use CMC but I dont use Dextrin anymore at all. I also changed from machine pulled yarn to hank saturated in a tub and then pulled through a sizing die.

 

I quit using dextrin for match back in the `80's when I saw the match go limp and unignitable in humid weather. The old-timers used Argo laundry starch and when properly prepared it makes a good stiff match that doesn't whimp out when the weather is humid.

 

Use about 56g of starch per liter of water and heat it up till it just starts to clarify and remove it from the heat. That basic starch stock, mixed well with your match composition till it's the consistency of thin pudding will make very hot match that will work beautifully. Mind you, I use fine milled fertilizer KNO₃, dusting sulfur and willow charcoal for match composition. Never had a failure when using four-ply match to cross-match shells. Two strands in a loose match pipe explodes, it's so fast. If you can find old-fashioned dry laundry starch, buy a box and try it out. You'll be a convert too!

 

WSM