Fuse Help

[Verge]

I recently made my first black match but I didn't use a binder.Will adding a binder help as in reliability?.I only used water and a bit of alcohol to dissolve the BP.I haven't tested it yet because I can't find my timer. Edited July 14, 2011 by Vergeltungswaffe

[Ralph]

I recently made my first black match but I didn't use a binder.Will adding a binder help as in reliability?.I only used water and a bit of alcohol to dissolve the BP.I haven't tested it yet because I can't find my timer.

 

yes a binder is pretty much allways required in pyro the only exception is pressed things or things that you wish to keep as a powder (very few only example that comes to mind atm is flash)

[layedbackkustomz]

the binder is to help adhear it to the cotton string. without the use of a binder its more prone to crumble off and when it crumbles off it will slow it down in the spots missing the comp. also if its not worked into the string well where it fell off it could also get to that point and peter out. even with a binder such as dextrin it will still crumble in places theres not much you can do about it. there are other options such as using CMC as the binder for a blackmatch with more elesticity.when i use my blackmatch i use dextrin at 5% and it works for me. you could always play with the amount of binder you use to make it optimal for your use's. if your using your BM for qm i wouldnt worry to much about the small areas that crumble off as it will still work.the main thing to remember is use a fast bp and make sure its worked into the 100% cotton string and use some binder. if you do that the reliability of your finished peoduct will be more then suitable for your needs. -LBK-

[TigerTail]

Gum Arabic works better than dextrin, in case you have trouble finding CMC.

[dagabu]

Gum Arabic works better than dextrin, in case you have trouble finding CMC.

 

GA seems to slow the burn rate down too much for me and is also prone to spoilage like wheat paste is and cannot be stored in liquid form*. I prefer 1% CMC with 4% Dextrine.

 

*Potassium Benzoate will preserve the pasts for a limited amount of time

 

-dag

[TigerTail]

I make too small amounts to ever need to store anything. I make everything fresh

 

I can't say about CMC(or any binder other than dextrin or GA for that matter), but GA sure makes better BM/QM, as compared to dextrin IMO. For granulated BP, I prefer dextrin.

[Verge]

OK, thanks for all the info.I finally got to test it and I got 13.3 seconds for a foot.Is that common or do I need to speed up or slow down.I not really focused on QM right now.

[Mumbles]

That sounds about right. Black match usually burns in the vicinity of 1sec/inch. It will rarely give the same results twice due to skipping and stuff. It will be fine for most purposes.

 

What do you plan to use it for? Without a binder you may find it difficult to preform certain applications with.

 

GA black match is one of the few that isn't affected by humidity. Most others will droop over night or so if secured to the side of a table. The other that can stand up to this test is boiled laundry starch. I'd imagine wheat paste and SGRS may also work but weren't tested at the time. Unboiled laundry starch may work too for all I know(brand dependent). GA however is a well known retarder of burn rate for BP. For something like blackmatch that wont matter, but as mentioned I probably wouldn't granulate my lift and break with it. Dextrin does it too to a degree, as will most binders, but it doesn't seem as obvious to me as with gum arabic.

 

By the way, you can easily store gum arabic solution. I make it a gallon at a time and add about a tablespoon of potassium benzoate and it lasts down to the bottom of the jug. I do use boiled water, so that may also play a role.

[Verge]

That sounds about right. Black match usually burns in the vicinity of 1sec/inch. It will rarely give the same results twice due to skipping and stuff. It will be fine for most purposes.

 

What do you plan to use it for? Without a binder you may find it difficult to preform certain applications with.

 

GA black match is one of the few that isn't affected by humidity. Most others will droop over night or so if secured to the side of a table. The other that can stand up to this test is boiled laundry starch. I'd imagine wheat paste and SGRS may also work but weren't tested at the time. Unboiled laundry starch may work too for all I know(brand dependent). GA however is a well known retarder of burn rate for BP. For something like blackmatch that wont matter, but as mentioned I probably wouldn't granulate my lift and break with it. Dextrin does it too to a degree, as will most binders, but it doesn't seem as obvious to me as with gum arabic.

 

By the way, you can easily store gum arabic solution. I make it a gallon at a time and add about a tablespoon of potassium benzoate and it lasts down to the bottom of the jug. I do use boiled water, so that may also play a role.

 

I plan to use it for mostly simple applications.Like if I feeling to lazy to get my electric ignition for the rockets.I'm also using it for cremoras.I really not at the level were I need quick match for multiple launches or shells.I probably use it for rocket headers too.

Edited July 14, 2011 by Vergeltungswaffe

[dagabu]

By the way, you can easily store gum arabic solution. I make it a gallon at a time and add about a tablespoon of potassium benzoate and it lasts down to the bottom of the jug. I do use boiled water, so that may also play a role.

 

I have only made a little GA, most has been SGRS or Wheat paste and they last for a month in the refrigerator with benzo. Is that about how long it takes to use your gallon?

 

Boiled laundry starch: Can you elaborate a little on that subject? Is it just poured into a pan and boiled? Is it that easy?

 

-dag

[Mumbles]

I really don't use that much gum arabic. It's probably lasted 4-6 months with ease sitting in a basement, so slightly cooler than room temperature. You can tell when/if it goes bad by the smell and scum that forms.

 

There is a thread on passfire where the blackmatch binders were detailed. I believe it was by Kolin Kimbrough. I believe he affectionately calls it the "limp dick" test.

[Mumbles]

Sorry, it was Bill Kimbrough. I copied and pasted the relevant info below, despite how much I want to correct the spelling of absorption.

 

 

Several years ago I wondered about this problem myself, so I did a pair of tests.

The binders I tried were;

HEC Hydroxy ethyl cellulose

Dextrin

Laundry starch (hot)

Gum Arabic

Starpohl

I did not try any mixtures.

Once a batch of each type of match was made and dried I tried the absorbtion test, and the burn rate test.

I cut a foot of each match, hung 9" off of a table here in the Texas heat and humidity, and then measured

which had the most and least sag in a 12 hour period. I called this the limp d--k test.

Laundry starch and gum arabic tied.

Then for the next test, I took a foot of each match and arranged them radially from a center, and watched

which reached the edge of the circle first. Gum arabic was first, but not by much. The laundry starch was

a very close second.

All of the rest preformed poorly in both the limp test, really a measure of moisture reabsorbtion, and the

burn rate test.

Since the boiled laundry starch is more trouble, I normally use gum arabic for all of the match I make.

Houston humidity is just a killer.

wak

[Seymour]

I would not go as far as to say Gum Arabic is unaffected by humidity. I've had BM with it that was too hard to scratch with a fingernail, but became soft enough on a rainy day.

 

As for it slowing BP down, I have never found this to be much of a problem with the 2% that I use. Flakes of BP + 2% GA coming off the side of a mixing bowl have had the strength to give me a deep gash in my hand.

 

When you cut yourself with something that's 75% salt, the salt really hurts the cut!

[Bonny]

When you cut yourself with something that's 75% salt, the salt really hurts the cut!

 

Amen to that...plus the sulfur doesn't help either!