Multiple AL sizes in glitter...

[usapyro]

I was looking around at my glitter formulas and I have always used the same 325 mesh atomized AL.

 

Do you get any variation in the effect if you use say 50/50 - 60 Mesh/325Mesh Atomized? Or even the addition of some large flake to the mix too?

I would assume that it would add a little more variation to spritzel size but I"m not sure.

[Ralph]

I was looking around at my glitter formulas and I have always used the same 325 mesh atomized AL.

 

Do you get any variation in the effect if you use say 50/50 - 60 Mesh/325Mesh Atomized? Or even the addition of some large flake to the mix too?

I would assume that it would add a little more variation to spritzel size but I"m not sure.

 

Cplmac sujested adding some coarser al to my glitter so replaced some of the 200mesh al I use with some 16mesh (16 mesh particles being the largest there is a whole mix of stuff in there most is finer) and it turned out rather good

[usapyro]

Cplmac sujested adding some coarser al to my glitter so replaced some of the 200mesh al I use with some 16mesh (16 mesh particles being the largest there is a whole mix of stuff in there most is finer) and it turned out rather good

 

Thinking back over each batch of glitter I have made... The most important thing really seems to be the mixing. I'm thinking that has more control over the spritzel size and variation than anything.

[Mumbles]

A big variation in particle size typically gives (IMO) the nicest glitters. The tail is more random and longer. It's mentioned in several notable glitter resources that coarser particles can provide some longer delays as the spritzle size is bigger. This can be done by coarse Al, or coarse charcoal, or coarse nitrate. To much though and you get stuff falling back to earth. Your guess of 50/50 coarser/finer will probably be pretty nice. Let us know how it turns out.

[usapyro]

Hmmm... I think buying some Alcoa 120 atomized would be a good idea. Aloca 120 is a about a mesh 80 to -325 atomized mixture.

 

In the meantime I think that changing my charcoal mixture with the addition of some different mesh sizes will be a good thing to test...

[50AE]

Thank you for starting this thread. I have a home made spherical looking 20-40 mesh Al, so I wondered if it will work (won't it be too unreactive?) in a glitter composition.

[Peret]

I use Skylighter CH0155 (aluminum, flake, firefly, mixed) in my silver glitters. It gives a long fat tail.

[Mumbles]

50AE, you may want to search passfire for Eric H's write up on breaking glass comets. It should have some hints and help toward using larger mesh Al. It's apparently a bit of a balancing act to get enough spritzle on there to light the Al, and not fall all the way to the ground first. \

 

I'd start by replacing around 2 parts of the airfloat charcoal with 80 mesh to see how that goes. Trust me, it's easy to over do the long hangtime glitter.

 

[usapyro]

In my first attempt I ended up with stars that burn like fireballs all the way to the ground... Uh... Using half 50-120 mesh charcoal in D1 somehow prevents the star's from falling apart into spritzels as they burn... LoL! I think ill give this another try without so much rough charcoal...

[Tanner808]

can you just mix aluminum with bp and use that as a star composition?

[AdmiralDonSnider]

See the old thread also:

 

http://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/topic/3763-pearl-tremolante-and-twinkler/page__p__52022__hl__tremolante__fromsearch__1#entry52022

[Potassiumchlorate]

I have only made silverstars once: Lancaster Silver. It should be German Black and bright flakes in it, but I didn't have any bright flakes then, so I used atomized instead. I pumped them. They were nice. I made a 3" with those and Electric Magenta.