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Posted

hi,

 

 

 

 

Any ideas about this effect???

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgBQNqgAxTg&feature=related

 

Time 0.59 . It's look like Tiger Tail (Or other streamer) wiht MgAl, or FeTi, or antimony trisulphide and MgAl..

 

Maybe I am waisting my time to try guess effect, and somebody know name of this effect??

 

 

 

 

Anyway it's great video ;) It's amazing how big break could be 6'' shell...

 

 

Posted

Either glitter or firefly...

Not firefly, and this is not glitter..

 

 

 

Posted

Not firefly, and this is not glitter..

 

Lokys, it looks to be commercial firefly. The firefly we make as amateurs can burn for 30 seconds or more but the commercial stuff is much closer to a glitter.

 

-dag

Posted

Hmmm... then maybe, because my firefly is absolutly different, my burns very quickly..

 

I don't know, I think this is charcoal streamer with added some metal's in composition..

 

 

 

 

 

Posted

Hmmm... then maybe, because my firefly is absolutly different, my burns very quickly..

 

I don't know, I think this is charcoal streamer with added some metal's in composition..

 

 

 

 

 

 

that's what it is, generally reffered to as "Firefly"

Posted

that's what it is, generally reffered to as "Firefly"

 

 

 

 

firefly...hmm..

 

 

this one ?

 

Firefly Composition

Potassium nitrate 49 parts

Airfloat charcoal 29 parts

80 mesh charcoal 11 parts

Sulfur 9 parts

Firefly aluminum 5 parts

Dextrin To taste or 5 parts

 

Or somebody know any other composition ?

 

 

Posted

it could be any of numerous "firefly/glitter" comps and /or variations of said comp.

best thing is to try a few to find the one you like

Posted

To me it looks like Willow Diadem.

 

Charcoal Airfloat 66

 

Potassium Nitrate 52.5

 

Sulfur 18

 

Dextrin 12

 

FerroTitanium, 30-60 mesh 60:40 7.5

 

FerroTitanium, 40-325 mesh, 60:40 7.5

 

Titanium, sponge, 40-80 mesh 5

Posted

there are so many possible compsand each can be changed by using a different metal or simply a different mesh size

Charcoal stars with Al of various sizes/types, MgAl, Ti, etc can give similar effects

Could be Willow diadem although it doesn't burn long enough IMO

Posted
I think you are right , this could be Willow Diadem, but in video it burns quite fast, not like real Diadem..and W.Diadem is leaveing some ti in air for long time. Maybe they using very fine Ti or FeTI for quick burning...
Posted

The firefly, or transformation effect, can be made with both aluminum and titanium. See table 15-22 in Hardt if you're interested. There is some description in the text as well. The video looks like the titanium type to me. Finer Ti can make a faster and lesser duration flashing. Firefly and transformation stars are typically typified by low sulfur content. The table in Hardt clearly shows that. I wonder if the higher sulfur content in the Independence formula causes a more pronounced glitter reaction in the above formula. I've heard many people say that it is prone to very long hanging sparks and fall out.

 

I think somewhere along the lines the original formula (from Jerry Taylor) got modified or otherwise written down incorrectly into a variety of other sulfur contents. I've seen it anywhere from 6 to 11 parts sulfur. You will see that to get to 100%, you need 6 parts however. The skylighter formula (11 parts S) has been reported to give inconsistent results. It was modified by John Glasswick to contain 55 parts KNO3, and 9 parts S (no it does not add to 100%). I think this modification got re-transposed to what Lokys posted above. The original had only 6.5 parts sulfur and 4.5 parts coarse Al. It is sometimes rounded to 6 and 5 though.

 

Jerry Taylor's Charcoal/Aluminum Stars:

KNO3 - 49

C (AF) - 29

C (80 mesh) - 11

S - 6.5

Al - 4.5

Dextrin and/or wheat paste to taste.

 

I typically add dextrin, but bind with wheat paste instead of water, which is reported to give a superior effect over just dextrin and water.

Posted (edited)

thank's for all!

 

 

 

 

,,See table 15-22 in Hardt if you're interested.'' What table ? where ? I don't understad about what table you are talking..

 

 

Edited by lokys
Posted
In the book Pyrotechnics by Alexander Hardt table 15-22 has firefly and transformation stars contained within it.
Posted
Where I can get that e-book?
Posted
Who ever said it was an e-book? It's a physical, able to be purchased book.
Posted

Who ever said it was an e-book? It's a physical, able to be purchased book.

 

It's out of print, actually. There are a few copies still available - Skylighter has it for $131.95, and there's a used copy on Amazon, a snip at only $161.70.

 

<off-topic-rant> If copyright holders expect to hold back the tide of unauthorized e-copies, they should pay some attention to fulfilling demand at a price that bears some relation to the cost of production. Otherwise they can hardly complain when the free market steps in and transfers production to the most efficient, ie lowest cost, producer. Seems like the free market is good when it's American jobs being exported to China, but they run squealing for government intervention when someone's 30 year old book gets reproduced more efficiently. </rant>

Posted
Have you checked Prometheus Publications recently? They've always been the most reasonably priced reseller of pyro literature IMO. The book should cost around $80 or so.
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