beastmode986 Posted May 3, 2012 Posted May 3, 2012 hello everyone, i just joined the forum today. I have always love fireworks and explosive and im looking to get more into this hobby. now i have a few questions though.what stores sell sulfur ? i checked walmart and lowes they both dont have it.what is an easy to make powder hat i can use to make firecrackers? i have matches,potassium nitrate,sugar(duh)and charcoal and im workin on getting more chemicals.whats the best way i can weigh grams without a scale? im ordering one soon but what can i use for the time being?thanks!
bob Posted May 3, 2012 Posted May 3, 2012 (edited) I don't think you can go with out a scale but remeber that you don't have to use grams you can use grains (that's what I use) you can use any tipe of wight but don't try to use volume it will NOT workas for the sulfure I get it from a ranch store (it's a firtiliser) what is powder hat?bob Edited May 3, 2012 by bob
Mumbles Posted May 3, 2012 Posted May 3, 2012 I don't know too many specifically that sell sulfur, but many do. I got my first batch from a local garden shop. It's very helpful to acidify soil for growing roses. You'll have to be more resourceful if you want to be successful. Many do get it mail order over the internet. In this case a much purer product is obtained. Not helping with firecrackers. Given the questions you're asking, you may want to look for other devices to start with. You'll need a scale of some sort to weigh anything. Postal scales or food scales can work in a pinch if needed.
beastmode986 Posted May 3, 2012 Author Posted May 3, 2012 soory, i meant to say powder that.Thanks for the help.Ill see if i can find sulfur locally. what do you reccomend i make first? ive mad firecrackers before, but i just took apart premade fireworks and put them all together. They were LOUD, i filled about 6 inches of 1/2 in tubing with black powder. that being said this isnt my first time i have wanted to make and learn more about fireworks.I tried to estimate measures for black powder the other day except i used sugar instead of sulfur and looked up ratios for kno3,charcoal,sugar and i made it and grinded it for about 10 minutes,all i have to say is that its great for making fuses but burns way to slow for anything else , i put a 3 in fuse on sheet metal and lit it it took around 12 seconds maybe a little more aany tips? what can i do to make it burn faster?
Mumbles Posted May 3, 2012 Posted May 3, 2012 You may also want to look toward fountains. They require minimal chemicals, tools, and are fairly simple. For some other things you'll need to be able to make good black powder. This will require a scale, and usually a ball mill. A ball mill isn't totally necessary, but it sure makes things easier. Good black powder really is the backbone to most pyrotechnics.
beastmode986 Posted May 3, 2012 Author Posted May 3, 2012 ok, in order to make rockets what do i need? i tried making one earlier with uncooked powder in order to make a proper rocket do i need to cook it? what about fountains im not sure if i could get any cool effects with the chemicals i have.= . suggestions?
busspuppy Posted May 4, 2012 Posted May 4, 2012 Don't worry about rockets right now (my opinion only). I highly recomend doing as Mumbles suggested. Fountains are very easy to make, in fact you can make one start to finish in 10 minutes (personal expirence). First and foremost get a scale. I think you mentioned you baught one but if not get one, very important. Almost every basic composition is going to contain the basic black powder componets: Potassium Nitrate, Charcoal, Sulfur. Sulfur is dirt cheap just pick it up online at www.hobbychemicals.com You can get 10 pounds for $15, you do have to be 18 but if you are not 18 just get a parent to order for you, they will require you to scan or fax them a image of ID to verify. If you are under 18 and can't get a parent to order for you, you probably shouldn't be doing this without a parents consent. (My opinion only) There are numerous things you can make with just those 3 chemicals. You can even make a nice fountain with just those. Fountain Comp (NHIL)Kno3-60%Sulfur-14%Charcoal-26% This formula is not critical to follow exactly but I suggest you follow it. Also great thing about fountains is you don't really need any special tooling. Here is a video on making a fountain.
bob Posted May 4, 2012 Posted May 4, 2012 just because he is new to pyro I want to remind him that in fountains you have to use a spark charcoal (spruce, pine, black alder) make some green mix which is unmilled black powder the mix is kno3 75charcoal (for black powder not sparks! so white poplar red alder willow white pine) 15sulfur 10you will need a wighe scale to do this I think you could make a rocket with green mix just make shere that you make a core burnerand then once you get a mill you can mill this and get some hot black powder going herebob
pyrojunkie Posted May 4, 2012 Posted May 4, 2012 (edited) Best place to get a cheap digital scale is Harbor Freight. They have a large postal scale, and a couple different small pocket scales. If you are from the USA, you probably aren't that far from one. A scale is one of the most important tools you will need. Edit: Walmart also sells food scales, and they work fine too. Edited May 4, 2012 by pyrojunkie
beastmode986 Posted May 5, 2012 Author Posted May 5, 2012 im going to buy a scale now:) walmarts cheapest scale is 20 harbor freights cheapest is 12$ do you think the one at walmarts would probably be better quality?
Mumbles Posted May 5, 2012 Posted May 5, 2012 Could you maybe provide us with brand names? I've had good luck with the Ohaus brand from Office Depot. They've been reliable and durable for me.
beastmode986 Posted May 5, 2012 Author Posted May 5, 2012 well i got one that im thinking about returning... i got it from walmart for 20$ but it only goes up by 1 gram increments not like 4.2 it just says for or goes up to 5 etc but it goes up to 5000 grams and i dont think its the most accurate either i might get one of these instead http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-gram-digital-scale-97920.htmlhttp://www.harborfreight.com/digital-pocket-scale-93543.html
Peret Posted May 5, 2012 Posted May 5, 2012 A 5 kilogram scale is a handy thing to have, but for the quantities most of us work with, a 1kg is better. I think the 500 gram scale would be too small. Be gentle with these scales - it's very easy to overload them just with the pressure of your hand, and once you pass the yield point of the strain gauge (usually twice rated maximum, ie 2kg for the 1kg scale) it will never read accurately again.
mikeee Posted May 5, 2012 Posted May 5, 2012 A small digital scale works very nice for a beginning hobby. You get buy one for about $10 on ebay, or most pyro supplyoutlets on the internet also sell them for around the same kind of money.The digital scales have a tare function that subtracts the weight of the container you are putting your chemicals into.You also get a very accurate measure of the chemicals and ratio's needed for each formula.You can always move up to a larger scale when you start making bigger items and more volume. Skylighter has a beginners kit you can buy that has all of the chemicals & tools & instructions to make abouttwelve different pyro projects, including black power rockets. The instructions include video demonstrations online.Great way for someone to get started in the Pyro world.
bob Posted May 5, 2012 Posted May 5, 2012 (edited) man a 5kg wighe scale I've got to get a bigger one my wighe scale only goes up to 500 grains :angry:or 32 gramsbob Edited May 5, 2012 by bob
beastmode986 Posted May 6, 2012 Author Posted May 6, 2012 but should i return the scale i have and get a different one??? mine goes up by one gram increments not by .1 so if i have 5.55 grams on it then it says 5 grams still etc etc
Mumbles Posted May 6, 2012 Posted May 6, 2012 It's up to what you want out of a scale and the the batch size you intend to work with. You should have checked before purchasing it.
nater Posted May 6, 2012 Posted May 6, 2012 I have a thread here somewhere about scales. I use a 1200 g that reads 0.1g increments. This lets me weigh a 1 kg batch plus the weight of a container and a small buffer to prevent overloading the load cell. I would recommend a similar scale to anyone else making similar quantities.
beastmode986 Posted May 6, 2012 Author Posted May 6, 2012 anyone have any tips where i can buy sulfur locally????homedepot menards and lowes dont have it
nater Posted May 6, 2012 Posted May 6, 2012 anyone have any tips where i can buy sulfur locally????homedepot menards and lowes dont have it Mumbles already suggested a local garden store. That would be the first place I would look. Menards or Home Depot don't count. Look for a locally owned greenhouse. As mumbles said, it makes roses look good, and sulfur is commonly used as a fungicide.
beastmode986 Posted May 6, 2012 Author Posted May 6, 2012 lowes and home depot dont carry it would this work i have a ace down the street http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3076340
beastmode986 Posted May 6, 2012 Author Posted May 6, 2012 http://www.lowes.com/pd_207722-1321-GSUL5_0__?catalogId=10051&productId=3024117&UserSearch=sulfur&Ntt=sulfur&N=0&langId=-1&storeId=10151&rpp=24 or this for some reason the website said my local store has it now.... hmmm
nater Posted May 6, 2012 Posted May 6, 2012 You'll want plain sulfur. Do the bags list what their soil conditioner is? Is there a reason you can't mail order the right stuff?
beastmode986 Posted May 6, 2012 Author Posted May 6, 2012 i dont like waiting if i can buy locally so i try my best to do that... i read a thread from years bback and mumbles or someone said you can use the lowes sulfur i provided a link for. something abot it being 90% pure but still works for bp and will be sufficent for a begginers use so i might just get that
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