Scattering one’s ash’s aloft in a star burst.

[oldguy]

Topic title & description say's it all.

I am assuming only 1 lb or 2 of very fine ash.

Safe, least expensive & simple way, with a single big bright burst.

Something like this still digital animattion.

[NightHawkInLight]

This topic is already being discussed currently: http://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/topic/6735-help-with-making-ball-shells-with-a-morbid-twist/page__pid__88706#entry88706

[oldguy]

This topic is already being discussed currently: http://www.amateurpy...8706#entry88706

 

 

Sorry, I missed the thread you point out.

[Mortartube]

Although this topic is discussed elesewhere. I should point out that the total weight of ash is around 8 to 10lbs and it is not all fine. Some particles are the size of clay cat litter in my experience.

[oldguy]

Although this topic is discussed elesewhere. I should point out that the total weight of ash is around 8 to 10lbs and it is not all fine. Some particles are the size of clay cat litter in my experience.

 

I realize that. My father wished to be cremated. I had the bulk of his ashes interred in a family crypt. But, he wanted some of his ashes spread in a place very special to him, which we arranged for. We simply had the mortuary sift out about 1.5 lbs of fine ash in a separate container to do that. In another instance years ago, I saw a rather morbid circumstance where some relatives ash's were spread and they contained a couple chunks almost golf ball sized. I assume those were the upper ball ends of femurs. Which is the largest and strongest bone in a human body.

 

Edit to add:

A relative has terminal cancer and will not live more than a couple more months. His final directive is to be creamated and the bulk of his ashes interred in a grave in a family plot. But, he would like a small amount of fine ash shot aloft from an ocean beach, where the family has owned a small vacation cabin for 3 generations. His wife called around to try to arrange that. She got price quates around $3500. Which included the company building the shell and a guy coming out and firing it off for them. The price was a surprise to me.

Edited December 15, 2011 by oldguy

[Algenco]

I've heard of quotes as high as $10,000

Ridiculous how people want to take advantage ia situation like this

[NightHawkInLight]

Edit to add:

A relative has terminal cancer and will not live more than a couple more months. His final directive is to be creamated and the bulk of his ashes interred in a grave in a family plot. But, he would like a small amount of fine ash shot aloft from an ocean beach, where the family has owned a small vacation cabin for 3 generations. His wife called around to try to arrange that. She got price quates around $3500. Which included the company building the shell and a guy coming out and firing it off for them. The price was a surprise to me.

 

I'm really sorry to hear that..I lost a good friend of mine last year in a similar way.

 

I haven't seen you post much in the way of shells or rockets so I assume you don't have the experience to be comfortable in building your own shell for such an important purpose, but perhaps there is a fireworks club somewhere near you that might be able to help you in the construction? In case you haven't seen the list: http://www.pgi.org/links/clubs.aspx

If you're near Michigan I might be able to give you a hand.

[oldguy]

Thanks for the kind offer. But, I'm near the west coast.

True, I'm not up to rockets or mortor fired shells just yet.

Especially, a shell the right size to get this done with a big bright burst.

Plus, would hate to blunder the job with some feeble half ass attempt.

 

But, I have a few months. So, this could turn into a dedicated prodject.

 

I have all the things to make about any size large kick ass mortor.

Figuring in the ash it would have to carry @ 1 lb.

What size shell would do an real impressive job here?

[NightHawkInLight]

I have all the things to make about any size large kick ass mortor.

Figuring in the ash it would have to carry @ 1 lb.

What size shell would do an real impressive job here?

 

Probably an 8" with fairly quick burning BP/titanium stars. You don't want any kind of star that might decide to burn too long and make it to the ground. bp/ti will a safe way to be sure there's a good effect and burn brightly with the sparks hanging afterward for a while.

[oldguy]

It’s going to be fired at night very near the waterline from a beach angled high out over the ocean.

Right there is not navigable for big boats unless they are out at the very least 1/2 mile.

Small boats don’t get that near the shoreline at all, as its rough water, rocky & shallow coastline.

So, I would not be concerned about anything touching ground.

 

Is that 8 inch ID or OD?

 

I guess I could build the mortar.

Then practice lifting some dud shells out in the desert here to get the angle & altitude right.

I have a bucket load of BP suitable for lift powder & many rolls of visco fuse.

What’s the approximate weight on an 8 inch shell & about how much lift powder is used?

 

Once I had firing duds down pat, I could build & practice with live shells to get the effect down right.

 

I have lots of all differing size Al, Ti, & Mg/Al, plus about everything else to make stars.

 

I don’t have a star plate, but assume I could cut them?

 

I could build a steel star gun to test the stars, in a heartbeat.

 

Looks like I have a bunch of learning to do here.

 

 

 

　

Edited December 15, 2011 by oldguy

[NightHawkInLight]

I was thinking you wouldn't want them to reach the ground more because it might be distasteful to have the stars smoldering on the ground in that circumstance. If they hit water I don't think I would give a second though though, that's sometimes a nice effect.

 

That would be 8" OD, approximately. It should be made to fit your mortar so it's not tight after pasting, but it should be a close fit. A quarter inch gap would be fine. The same would be true if you chose to make a 10" shell to fit that nice pipe you have in that picture.

 

You could cut your stars, or roll them. I'm sure you could figure out a way to do it on that giant mill of yours. If you can find a tire that will fit on top of it you can roll stars inside of that. Here's a little video of the process:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0W_1P_0xbE

 

I'm not sure of the weight of a 8" shell, I don't make very many ball shells. The amount lift you should use for a shell that size is about an ounce per pound that the shell weighs - that's if you're using pretty fast BP. I'm sure you'll be testing everything beforehand anyway.

 

As has been discussed a little in the other thread, you should definitely put wood ash in your test shells to make sure that it's not going to destroy the effect. If you plan on using an entire pound or two that will be a pretty significant factor that will need to be accounted for. It would be best for the success of the shell if you could use as little as you feel would be appropriate.

[Mumbles]

8" ball shells weigh in the neighborhood of 6-7lbs for single petal shells. Probably a bit higher for heavier stars, or multiple petals. They'd be lifted with 1oz/lb, so 6-7oz or so. I tend to add a little extra just to be sure.

 

If those HDPE pipes are really 10" ID, I might have a few extra 10" shell casings I could send your way. I picked up some at PGI a few years ago thinking they were 8" casings.

[NightHawkInLight]

8" ball shells weigh in the neighborhood of 6-7lbs for single petal shells. Probably a bit higher for heavier stars, or multiple petals. They'd be lifted with 1oz/lb, so 6-7oz or so. I tend to add a little extra just to be sure.

 

If those HDPE pipes are really 10" ID, I might have a few extra 10" shell casings I could send your way. I picked up some at PGI a few years ago thinking they were 8" casings.

 

From what I can tell in the pictures they look to be about 9" ID, too small for 10s and too big for 8s, but you can always make your own custom hemi's by pasting over a ball of the proper size, remembering to make it small so there's room for pasting. It doesn't take long if you have a ball that's the right size.

[oldguy]

8 inch ID is 6.963

10 inch ID is 8.678

But, there is some 12 inch with an ID of 10.293

[Arthur]

If I had this task to do, I'd plan one shell with some burst and the ashes, and another shell with some (lots of) stars, and fire the two together or in a small salvo say four starshells and one ash shell. If stars get loaded into the ashes shell you must be sure that they will light rather than be insulated from the fire by the ash.

 

The 8in tube you have may take 7" shells which are now common in the UK as the largest 1.3 shells so the hemis are available too. The 12" tube would launch 10" shells but those get expensive and commercially are 1.1.

[oldguy]

Please realize this is symbolic.

 

He want’s “some” of his ashes scattered in a white star burst over the ocean.

 

I don’t think it would matter if it was only an ounce of his ashes, rather than a pound.

 

Simply because the bulk of his ashes will be interred in a grave in his families plot.

 

This is just for a “visual” effect at his “wake” the family plans to hold at their ocean side cabin.

 

A way for them to celebrate his life, his passing, say goodbye & to take a picture of.

 

I would speculate an ounce of “ash” could be mixed into the glue that holds the shell together.

 

So, that it would not interfere with the load & resulting sound/visual effect.

 

On a side note, what is the difference between a “ball” & “canister” shell?

 

Pro’s & Cons?

 

 

[NightHawkInLight]

A ball shell is going to be your best option. A canister shell will hold more material inside of it compared to a ball shell of the same diameter, but it will be much more likely to blow up in the mortar. Canister shells will also not give a nice sphere shaped break like a ball shell. If you do a really nice job building them you can get a donut shaped break, but more likely the stars will just explode outward at random if you haven't had a good deal of practice making them. Overall they would take at least twice the amount of homework and trial and error to get working consistently compared to a ball shell. Canisters are mostly used for multibreak shells because they have a flat top and bottom that works out nice for stacking one on top of the other.

 

Here is a 6" canister shell filmed at about 200 yards:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOFsLyE8-vs&hd=1

That was actually built by a member of the forums here and lit by myself at a Michigan club shoot.

 

Now here is a 6" ball shell:

 

[oldguy]

Okay, gotcha boss.

Effect of the 6 inch ball in the 2nd video appears about perfect for this (except upscaled to an 8 inch ball).

Any idea what the star comp is?

[NightHawkInLight]

Okay, gotcha boss.

Effect of the 6 inch ball in the 2nd video appears about perfect for this (except upscaled to an 8 inch ball).

Any idea what the star comp is?

 

It looks like a pretty basic black powder based comp with added titanium. I'm sure someone around here can chip in with a nice formula. Plain black powder would probably do just fine with 15% spherical or sponge titanium added + 5% dextrin for binder.

[dagabu]

A ball shell is going to be your best option. A canister shell will hold more material inside of it compared to a ball shell of the same diameter, but it will be much more likely to blow up in the mortar. Canister shells will also not give a nice sphere shaped break like a ball shell. If you do a really nice job building them you can get a donut shaped break, but more likely the stars will just explode outward at random if you haven't had a good deal of practice making them. Overall they would take at least twice the amount of homework and trial and error to get working consistently compared to a ball shell. Canisters are mostly used for multibreak shells because they have a flat top and bottom that works out nice for stacking one on top of the other.

 

LOL!

 

Well, if you show a pretty lame cylinder shell alongside a nice ball shell, that is the difference but for a taste of very good shells of both kinds displayed side by side, take a look at this show from Malta.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcva63_GJTc

 

 

-dag

Edited December 17, 2011 by dagabu

[Bayarea510]

Old guy, sorry to hear of your friends illness. I had the honor of helping another pyro buddy do what your looking to do and this is what we did. He had rolled some nice blond streamer/brocade type stars for the 12" shell we we're to build, once we got all the stars laid out we then put small pouches of his ashes ( red tissue paper pouches) into the burst media. Once that was done we went and wasp'ed up the shell and let it dry before lifting and leadering the shell. The electric fired along with a small show and his shell was of course the last to go.

 

 

George