FlaMtnBkr Posted January 28, 2012 Posted January 28, 2012 I'm having trouble getting some HC smoke to work right. I used 46 HCE, 46 Zinc Oxide, 8 aluminum (mix of german black, and 325 mesh flake). When loose it burns to vigorously and consumes the smoke. When pressed into a tube I can't get it to light. I have tried what I have on hand as a 'prime' and nothing will light it. I have tried 50:50 HC smoke and whistle with ti added, as a layer and then just whistle. I figured whistle is hot and a step prime would do it. No go. I even tapped some grape nut ti into the surface of the smoke as burning chunks of ti should light just about anything. Still didn't work. I need to get some DE for some pinball prime but until then I'm using what I have on hand. I guess it is actually a modified thermite so I anticipate it being hard to light, just not this hard. Anyone know how it is used in military applications? Any suggestions? Thanks!
WonderBoy Posted January 29, 2012 Posted January 29, 2012 Last time I made HCE smokes I used method 2 from this website http://web.archive.org/web/20070913131340/http://www.jackerypyro.com/smokebombs.html Although, it has been a very long time since I have made any, so I can't remember any other tips or tricks. WB
dan999ification Posted January 29, 2012 Posted January 29, 2012 pinball prime does not use de you're probably thinking of fencepost prime, maybe not the prime but the ignition method, it will be hard to light a flat surface in a tube maybe you could try a small indent/choke in the comp and put a hot metal fueled star in it to help things along. or bedding some mg strip into the last increment and lighting that with fuse. dan.
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