Blackthumb Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 Made another batch of sawdust/bp fuel. You can see that the 8:1 mix is almost even in volume.Great way to stretch powder. Photo of nozzle and my inexpensive tooling.... Found that dampening the mix with alcohol/water before ramming really helps since the addition of the sawdust makes the mix a bit 'fluffy'. Using a 5/8 dia. tube....they fly great!Recovered a spent unit and found almost no nozzle erosion.
usapyro Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 So, please enlighten me... What is the benefit of using sawdust/bp? I would guess it makes a lot more smoke... If your trying to slow down the fuel why not more charcoal?
Bilbobaker Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 So, please enlighten me... What is the benefit of using sawdust/bp? I would guess it makes a lot more smoke... If your trying to slow down the fuel why not more charcoal? It's a free fuel source that isn't messy like charcoal. Leaves nice red trails from your model rockets, (Rcandy white smoke is better however)And... it's just fun to mix things up and have such great fun and success.Have you tried it in your rocket comp yet?
usapyro Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 Ah... This actually gives me a idea. When I get time I think ill try this comp, but with + 30% strontium nitrate or so... Should end up with a brighter red flare of a rocket...
Blackthumb Posted May 31, 2011 Author Posted May 31, 2011 Bilbobaker....You get it! Fun to "mess" around with different things...plus, I have an abundance of sawdust....a lot cleaner than charcoal....and FREE!A little barium nitrate, strontium notrate etc. for some color.....do half and half...they are great fun. Film canisters with a 1/4" hole just hot glued to the end of the tube makes a great header....egg as well.Experiment....have a BLAST!
shagaKahn Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 Can see how the strontium salt would definitely redden up your exhaust--but would you really get green from adding barium nitrate? Even with chlorate, I've found barium's green is quickly lost in the flame of most compounds.
donperry Posted June 4, 2011 Posted June 4, 2011 So it seems u mixed BP with the sawdust? All along i thought it was kno3+sawdust
Blackthumb Posted June 5, 2011 Author Posted June 5, 2011 BP and Sawdust......I use 8:1.....depending on how fast your bp is you may need to experiment a bit.I am using 5/8 id x 3"......lift an "egg" easily to 500-600'Also found it burns 'cooler' and I can actually reload the tubes when recovered...day glo orange marking paint on the stick makes them easier to find....
Rocketboy Posted June 11, 2011 Posted June 11, 2011 This sounds really interesting. I might try this. I wonder if it works with pyrodex?
Bilbobaker Posted June 11, 2011 Posted June 11, 2011 If it's airfloat wood dust, you can use it instead of Creamora for smoke rings and silent mushroom balls firing it out of a plastic bucket or large paper cylinder as well as mix it with bp for cool trails etc.
moondogman Posted June 13, 2011 Posted June 13, 2011 silent mushroom balls ....tell me more sounds interestingSteve
Mumbles Posted June 13, 2011 Posted June 13, 2011 They're not entirely silent, but relatively quite quiet. Were you interested in the liquid, or the solid version?
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