Open Letter to MMDC

[killforfood]

MMDC,

 

PLEASE, do yourself a favor read more, write less. When you do post, only ask questions and only pertaining to well written tutorials.

A good source for well written tutorials is skylighter.com. Ned Gorski writes most of them and he is very good at making tutorials that are easy to understand. Ned has an excellent blog called

 

"Confessions of a Fireworks Man".

 

Search through his tutorials until you find one that interests you. Stay committed to the project until you are proficient at making a quality product.

Are you making good black powder yet? If the answer is no; concentrate on that until you achieve consistent results.

Have you made a good ball mill yet? That should be project #2.

Are you able to make screens or afford to purchase them? It's hard to progress further without them.

What type of firework interests you? Comets and star mines are an easy first project that requires a minimum of tools, most of which you can build yourself.

 

You've started out on a very sour note here. It's up to you whether you want to salvage it or not.

Please don't react defensively. I think I'm offering some good advice and hope you take me seriously and act on it.

Are you willing to commit yourself to build at least one good pyrotechnic device? ? ?

 

 

 

 

I'll make it easy, here's a link to a well written tutorial

How to Make Screen-Sliced Brilliant-Red Rubber Stars

Edited May 13, 2011 by killforfood

[madmandotcom]

i can make bp, i have a mill, i can easily get screens, i have been to the ned gorsiki tutorial slot on skylighter however i do not have all the chemichals on most of the lists or if i do, i only have a very minuscule amount, i prefer pumped stars to screen cut

[killforfood]

How about making some Black Powder Comets?

I just made a simple tool out of PVC pipe and a wooden dowel rammer. It was easy.

A good Comet recipe doesn't have to have any special ingrediants and is only slightly different than good lift Black Powder.

Ned Gorski has a good comet tutorial on his blog that you can easily follow.

Heck, you might even gain you some respect around here.

If you've read the tutorial and something still doesn't make sense, go ahead and ask questions.

Nobody is going to jump you if its apparent that you're trying to do things right.

Remember, pick a project and stick to it until your results are satisfactory.

 

There are many other affects that only require simple ingrediants but just pick 1 and do it.

[jimbo]

mmdc here's a good little project to try,this was made with probably only blackpowder components,a tube and some dowels looked pretty nice and functioned well and there's loads of room for improvement.

[dagabu]

I just had a conversation with MMDC last night...

 

VIDEO

[killforfood]

I just had a conversation with MMDC last night...

 

VIDEO

Well I guess there was no way it could stay serious for long.

 

MMDC check out this link. You should be able to make all of these comps with what you already have.

http://www.pyroguide..._%28Charcoal%29

Edited May 14, 2011 by killforfood

[Richtee]

Well I guess there was now way it could stay serious for long.

 

It's been my experience that these things usually work themselves out. Hopefully he has insurance, life included. One can lead a horse...

[killforfood]

Yes I suppose you're right Ritchee but I guess I was beginning to feel a bit guilty about being so tough on the kid. I'm going to put a good honest effort forth and just see where it goes.

 

 

MMDC this link skips the blog and list all of Skylighters tutorials on one page.

http://www.skylighter.com/how_to_make_fireworks.asp

 

 

 

Edited May 14, 2011 by killforfood

[guntoteninfadel]

Ok for my two cents, being new to all this myself, it did not take 2 minutes worth of reading here to figure out that you guys dont like to play/will not tolerate unsafe/stupid practices. I have the chems to make BP, first chems came from Lowes but they work just as well as the chems I got from skylighter. With that and a ball mill there is soooooooooooooooo much that can take up a tremendous amount of time and energy and be amazingly cool. From rockets to fountains and mines and at least 5 different stars. I am glad I found this place because I had no idea how dangerous FP is and I could have made up a bunch of that. However, the X would be sitting pretty now but I'm sure my kid would miss me a little, though I could not bitch at him about his grades any longer, but I digress. I think that for the most part BP is a great way to start, it burns pretty, smells good and the CATO's can be spectacular! From one NOOB to another.

[killforfood]

I'm supposed to be working in the garden today but reading your inspiring post makes me wanna go pound rockets. Maybe I can sneak in a few comets tonight.

 

MMDC, I need to see a list of what chems you have or can easily get.

You're going to build something real or die trying. now get with it.

Don't make me fly over there.

 

 

[madmandotcom]

How about making some Black Powder Comets?

I just made a simple tool out of PVC pipe and a wooden dowel rammer. It was easy.

A good Comet recipe doesn't have to have any special ingrediants and is only slightly different than good lift Black Powder.

i already do that

mmdc here's a good little project to try,this was made with probably only blackpowder components,a tube and some dowels looked pretty nice and functioned well and there's loads of room for improvement.

sorry, mums only on dial up

just had a conversation with MMDC last night...

 

VIDEO

i am not a dog

MMDC check out this link. You should be able to make all of these comps with what you already have.

http://www.pyroguide..._%28Charcoal%29

ooh, thankyou

MMDC this link skips the blog and list all of Skylighters tutorials on one page.

h

been there done that, wouldnt ship the t shirt

Ok for my two cents, being new to all this myself, it did not take 2 minutes worth of reading here to figure out that you guys dont like to play/will not tolerate unsafe/stupid practices. I have the chems to make BP, first chems came from Lowes but they work just as well as the chems I got from skylighter. With that and a ball mill there is soooooooooooooooo much that can take up a tremendous amount of time and energy and be amazingly cool. From rockets to fountains and mines and at least 5 different stars. I am glad I found this place because I had no idea how dangerous FP is and I could have made up a bunch of that. However, the X would be sitting pretty now but I'm sure my kid would miss me a little, though I could not bitch at him about his grades any longer, but I digress. I think that for the most part BP is a great way to start, it burns pretty, smells good and the CATO's can be spectacular!

=)

I'm supposed to be working in the garden today but reading your inspiring post makes me wanna go pound rockets. Maybe I can sneak in a few comets tonight.

 

MMDC, I need to see a list of what chems you have or can easily get.

You're going to build something real or die trying. now get with it.

Don't make me fly over there.

fe203

mg

srno3-small amount

kclo4

zink

bano3

kno3

charcoal

sulphur

cuso4

parlon

arabic

[killforfood]

MMDC,

 

Thanks for printing the Chemical list.

 

I don't do so good with chemical symbols so I've taken the liberty to add the chemical names to your list.

 

Fe203- Iron Oxide

mg- Magnesium

srno3-Strontium Nitrate

kclo4-Potassium Perchlorate

Zinc

bano3-Barium Nitrate

kno3-Potassium Nitrate

charcoal

sulphur

cuso4-Copper Sulfate

Parlon

Gum Arabic

 

As you already know there are numerous composition that can be made with just the three ingredients in Black Powder.

 

Two of your other ingrediants jumped out at me. Zinc and Copper Sulphate.

 

1. Zinc dust is the main ingredient in Granite stars and you already have all of the other ingredients.

skylighter how to make zinc stars

 

 

Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) 14

 

Zinc dust 40

 

Fine charcoal 7

 

Sulfur 2.5

 

Dextrin 1

 

 

2. Copper Sulfate didn't ring any bells with me so I did some searching on it. It's not commonly used in pyro because it can have dangerous reactions with other chemicals. Copper carbonate and Copper oxide (buy from pottery supply stores) are safer alternatives for blue compositions but if you still want to use the Sulfate, be sure you understand the associated dangers.

 

Here are a couple links I found.

 

Uses for Copper Sulfate thread

 

pyroguide Copper sulphate

 

You have some Strontium nitrate and Barium nitrate but have you thought about making Magnalium? It was a fun project for me and I was able to start making high Magnalium Parlon bound stars. My green came out weak but the red was really nice.

 

There are still some red and green comps that you can make but you may have to substitute binders or or chlorine donors with Parlon and Dextrin.

 

Check out the Pyro guide Organic Green and red star compositions.

 

pyroguide Green Stars Organic

 

pyroguide Red Stars Organic

 

You have everything for Shimizu Green except the SGRS. Substitute Dextrin and you're there. Speaking of Dextrin, do you have it and just forgot to list it? It's used so commonly and so easy to make. You should really have some. Just go buy some cheap corn starch and make a batch up in the oven. If you need instructions, just ask.

 

I think you mentioned that fuse is hard to come by. Black Match is easy to make and you have all of the ingredients. Need instructions? Just ask. Visco is not so easy. I would read up on carbon film resistors igniters. ¼ watt carbon resisters are dirt cheap by the thousand (about $10 US) and can be used to light just about anything.

 

Where are your Pyro interests taking you? Rockets, Mines, Comets, shells?

 

Dou have any tooling or want to build some?

 

I'm just curious to know what direction you're headed and what you haven't made yet but really want to.

 

I've been cutting 1lb rocket tubes and can't wait to start building them.

 

Hopefully someone else will offer some suggestions about what compositions you can make with what you have for chemicals.

[MadMax]

Here are some other fun things to make with things you already have.

 

Potassium nitrate / sugar rockets

 

These are easy enough to make just mix the 2 in 65/35 and there you go. Also 1% Iron Oxide can be added as a catalyst to make them more powerful. They can be mixed by melting together (be careful) or mixing in hot water and drying out.

 

Zinc / sulfur rockets

 

These are old school! They are not as high powered as modern rocket formulas but are pretty fun as they leave a massive green fireball and smoke trail in their wake.

 

At some point you will want some Al and MgAl powder but straight Mg is not really a good substitute due to it's high reactivity. But for now as they say... "learn to use what you have got and you won't need what you have not".

[optimus]

MMDC,

 

PLEASE, do yourself a favor read more, write less. When you do post, only ask questions and only pertaining to well written tutorials.

A good source for well written tutorials is skylighter.com. Ned Gorski writes most of them and he is very good at making tutorials that are easy to understand. Ned has an excellent blog called

 

"Confessions of a Fireworks Man".

 

Search through his tutorials until you find one that interests you. Stay committed to the project until you are proficient at making a quality product.

Are you making good black powder yet? If the answer is no; concentrate on that until you achieve consistent results.

Have you made a good ball mill yet? That should be project #2.

Are you able to make screens or afford to purchase them? It's hard to progress further without them.

What type of firework interests you? Comets and star mines are an easy first project that requires a minimum of tools, most of which you can build yourself.

 

You've started out on a very sour note here. It's up to you whether you want to salvage it or not.

Please don't react defensively. I think I'm offering some good advice and hope you take me seriously and act on it.

Are you willing to commit yourself to build at least one good pyrotechnic device? ? ?

 

I'll make it easy, here's a link to a well written tutorial

How to Make Screen-Sliced Brilliant-Red Rubber Stars

 

Dude get over yourself.

[killforfood]

MMDC,

 

You’ve got bunch of pottery stores in NZ.

 

NZ Pottery stores

 

Location Map

 

Random Selection

 

I would look to add some carbonate and oxide colors to your supplies.

 

[madmandotcom]

Potassium nitrate / sugar rockets

 

These are easy enough to make just mix the 2 in 65/35 and there you go. Also 1% Iron Oxide can be added as a catalyst to make them more powerful. They can be mixed by melting together (be careful) or mixing in hot water and drying out.

 

Zinc / sulfur rockets

 

These are old school! They are not as high powered as modern rocket formulas but are pretty fun as they leave a massive green fireball and smoke trail in their wake.

done, done and done

MMDC,

 

You’ve got bunch of pottery stores in NZ.

also rockets comets and shells

im ok with my cuso4, however once it is finished ill investigate your alternatives, i have recently been working on a visco winder, my blackmatch doesnt seem to go well, my paper fuse does alright though

[killforfood]

MMDC,

 

Apparently you've moved along further than the "Throwie" thread lead me to believe.

I assumed you were still scraping the heads off of your Mums matchsticks.

 

How is the visco winder project coming along? Do you have a set plan to follow or just winging it? Is your ball mill up and running?

Would you mind describing what's not going well with your Black Match?

 

I'm trying to cobble together some homemade Stinger tooling and also made a couple more small comet rams from pvc pipe and hardwood dowels. I've also been scrounging packing tubes out of the trash but need to come up with a good way to make wooden plugs for them. Any ideas?

[madmandotcom]

Apparently you've moved along further than the "Throwie" thread lead me to believe.

I assumed you were still scraping the heads off of your Mums matchsticks.

 

How is the visco winder project coming along? Do you have a set plan to follow or just winging it? Is your ball mill up and running?

Would you mind describing what's not going well with your Black Match?

 

I'm trying to cobble together some homemade Stinger tooling and also made a couple more small comet rams from pvc pipe and hardwood dowels. I've also been scrounging packing tubes out of the trash but need to come up with a good way to make wooden plugs for them. Any ideas?

never really got into matches, i tried them out before i got bp but they are useless, blackmatch is inconsistent, drawing up schematics for visco winder,

for wooden plugs, i use a holesaw and poly vynyl adeshive.

[killforfood]

MMDC,

 

You weren't kidding when you said you take things literally. I know I said write less and read more but could you give a bit more information about the process you are using and the inconsistency you are seeing in your black match?

Are you seeing inconsistent coating and or bare spots?

Is your burn rate slowing down towards the end of a batch?

What type of binder and how much?

What type and size of string are you using?

Are you hand kneading or pulling it through a machine?

Are you pre-wetting in nitrate water?

 

I don't have much experience with black match but if you're willing to post these details, someone here should be willing to help.

Dagabu posted some good tips in this thread.

Pliable black-/quickmatch

 

Thanks for the wooden plug advice.

 

[MadMax]

Kill,

 

For end plugs I just cut sections of dowel that matches the inner diameter of the tube fitting tight. Then I glue them in place tapping them in with CA glue and spray them with CA accelerator and they are dry and ready in 10 sec.

 

Mmdc,

 

Visco and black match serve different purposes. Visco won't side-ignite so it can't "quickmatch" like blackmatch under confinement. Neither can be a substitute for the other they each have their own purpose in pyro.

 

I suppose if one wanted a visco-like thing one could make a stick-match out of a straw by ramming some BP meal in nice and tight but caution must be taken in that case not to allow the powder to become loose as it can burn fast like quickmatch. Sort of like a spoilette.

 

That's my two cents.

[killforfood]

I think the biggest doweling at my local Home Depot only went up to 1.25" or 1.5". I bought a selection of the Oak dowels to use as poor man's comet rammers. I suppose curtain rod is a little bigger but not big enough for a chunky 3" mortar tube that I rescued from the trash last week. I'll need a 3.25" hole saw to plug that one.

By the way, CA accelerator where I work means spit on it. Do you add a few screws for insurance?

 

I'm pretty sure that MMDC knows the difference between Visco and Black Match. I think he took my advice in post #1 a bit too literally and didn't explain that he is working on both.

[MadMax]

Kill,

 

I bought a 12-pack of 50ml spray bottles of CA glue accelerator online a couple years ago and it's lasted me quite a while. Handy as hell stuff even if you are not in pyro. I know because I ended up giving away like half of them to friends and family for various uses. Besides I'm pretty sure you can dilute it with acetone any make it go much much farther. I did not know whether mmdc was trying to come up with a blackmatch substitute or whatnot but I've found making blackmatch to be one of the most easy pyro projects so far provided you have decently milled BP and a water based binder like dextrine. I don't know why someone would go through the undertaking of making a visco machine if they can not at least master making blackmatch first. To me, It's like a first time bicycle rider saying they give up learning to ride a bicycle and would rather try out motorcycles instead since they are self-powered and thus must be easier to learn. Like I say master the basics and then move onto the expert work.

 

I think the biggest doweling at my local Home Depot only went up to 1.25" or 1.5". I bought a selection of the Oak dowels to use as poor man's comet rammers. I suppose curtain rod is a little bigger but not big enough for a chunky 3" mortar tube that I rescued from the trash last week. I'll need a 3.25" hole saw to plug that one.

By the way, CA accelerator where I work means spit on it. Do you add a few screws for insurance?

 

I'm pretty sure that MMDC knows the difference between Visco and Black Match. I think he took my advice in post #1 a bit too literally and didn't explain that he is working on both.

[MadMax]

And as far as the dowels go if you have a lathe you could always give a log a spin and trim it down to whatever dowel size you like. If not you are right 1.25"+ dowels are hard to find but cheap lathes aren't. (harbor freight)

[killforfood]

And as far as the dowels go if you have a lathe you could always give a log a spin and trim it down to whatever dowel size you like. If not you are right 1.25"+ dowels are hard to find but cheap lathes aren't. (harbor freight)

MadMax, I would love to have a lathe and a good mill for that matter but I just don't have a shop to put them in.

I think MMDC said that Visco is hard to get in NZ so he is trying to make it on his own.If he can pull that off, I'll be impressed. The Visco machines that I've seen are quite complicated.

 

Yes black match is easy to make but even the hard core Pyros on APC spend many hours getting it just right.Do a search on Dagabu and Blackmatch and you'll see what I mean.

 

[Mumbles]

I would be tickled pink to see him pull off a visco machine, or to see some of these devices he's apparently made.