alexpyro101 Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 I tried making some D1 glitter the other day and whenever I light a star they burn like a d1 glitter star, but with no glitter effect, a few bits of burning aluminum come off but don't flash like glitter should, then after burning burning like a star burst into orange/yellowish flame, the shape looks kinda like a lighter's flame (almost like a yankie's flashing star but not bright. first they burn like a regular star, glow for a few seconds, then burst into orange flame. These are 3/8" pumped D1 glitter stars rolled in bp prime. I have pumped D1 glitter once before and had the same problem, burns without glitter effect, then bursts into flames. But on the other hand...... when i rolled the stars they worked perfectly. problem is i like pumped and screen-sliced stars and kinda lost any star rolling skills i used to have. I'm guessing i could have added too much water but i doubt it, when i pumped them the 1st and second time i was careful just to add enough water for them to bind. maybe a little more than 10% but not much less my ideas for possible problems:too much water was added when pumpednot fully dry yetthe pyro gods don't want me to have a great glitter effect for shells
Seymour Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 Are you lighting them on the ground? That is completely normal. They need to be going through the air so that the molten dross is blown off the star and forms flashes behind the tail. If you are testing them by shooting them through the air, you do have a problem. It's unusual to completely destroy glitter (more common to simply make it kind of crappy), so it will hopefully be an easy to solve problem. If this is the case please give is details of your chemicals and processing methods.
alexpyro101 Posted June 26, 2012 Author Posted June 26, 2012 Are you lighting them on the ground? That is completely normal. They need to be going through the air so that the molten dross is blown off the star and forms flashes behind the tail. If you are testing them by shooting them through the air, you do have a problem. It's unusual to completely destroy glitter (more common to simply make it kind of crappy), so it will hopefully be an easy to solve problem. If this is the case please give is details of your chemicals and processing methods. makes sense, kinda like tigertail looks great in the sky, but can be crappy on the ground. but when i light my rolled stars on the ground they still look great? i guess im just gonna have to try a star gun tommorrow.
graumann Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 No need for a star gun, you can light thing on th end of a plank and just flick them
cogbarry Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 No need for a star gun, you can light thing on th end of a plank and just flick them Haha! I use a baseball bat and swing at them. Just kidding, I've thought of using this method but I ended up making a real simple star gun instead. A piece of copper pipe jammed into a board with a fuse hole in the bottom. You can cut the ring depression with a hole saw.
dagabu Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 I found a really nice way to test stars, roll a roman candle tube and shoot them. Its a great way to test them since you have more then one opportunity to see them perform. -dag
Bcorso85 Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 I use a small pvc pipe for small star mines. The mine is so small the high pressure pipe is fine with 3 grams of b.p. in it . Ive had a similar problem with glitter stars and it was improper moisture. I believe gitter also utilizes the abundance of oxigen as they are propelled out of a shell, as a result of being black powder based. Did you use atomized Aluminum?
dagabu Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 I use a small pvc pipe for small star mines. The mine is so small the high pressure pipe is fine with 3 grams of b.p. in it . Ive had a similar problem with glitter stars and it was improper moisture. I believe gitter also utilizes the abundance of oxigen as they are propelled out of a shell, as a result of being black powder based. Did you use atomized Aluminum? I would lose the PVC pipe, I still have the scar from my little PVC experience several years ago. The pressure spikes may not rupture the pipe now but it will eventually. -dag
Bcorso85 Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 I would lose the PVC pipe, I still have the scar from my little PVC experience several years ago. The pressure spikes may not rupture the pipe now but it will eventually. -dag Thanks for the advice. I will loose it.
alexpyro101 Posted June 26, 2012 Author Posted June 26, 2012 Haha! I use a baseball bat and swing at them. Just kidding, I've thought of using this method but I ended up making a real simple star gun instead. A piece of copper pipe jammed into a board with a fuse hole in the bottom. You can cut the ring depression with a hole saw. haha last night i almost tied a fuse on it n shot it outta my slingshot
alexpyro101 Posted June 26, 2012 Author Posted June 26, 2012 I use a small pvc pipe for small star mines. The mine is so small the high pressure pipe is fine with 3 grams of b.p. in it . Ive had a similar problem with glitter stars and it was improper moisture. I believe gitter also utilizes the abundance of oxigen as they are propelled out of a shell, as a result of being black powder based. Did you use atomized Aluminum? yes i did,100-325 mesh atomized al. i think it must be a moisture problem, i think ill roll some silver cores or maybe some yankies flashing cores and coat em with a layer of glitter, since the only good luck i have had with glitter was from rolled stars
AdmiralDonSnider Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 (edited) How do the drying conditions, such as ambient humidity compare when thinking about batches of stars that did work well and others that did not? Moisture content is not that critical with glitters, it´s drying time (the time they remain moist) that counts and spoils the effect, ruining spritzel formation. I had several batches of D1 falling down back to earth without making a single droplet - just as one unreactive molten mass. Edited June 26, 2012 by AdmiralDonSnider
Bcorso85 Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 Thats a good point. I do coat them with a heavy dry roll before drying, and send them right into the sun.
alexpyro101 Posted June 27, 2012 Author Posted June 27, 2012 Well i tried them today, they do glitter a little bit in the air but nowhere near as much as my rolled stars did. I'm thinking it was either too much moisture, or slow drying time. I live up in Washington and even though it's summer we have been getting rain, cold weather, and humid air . I'm going to try again by rolling the mix on top of yankie's flashing stars and hope that works. I'm also hoping to get a drying chamber made because my C6 isn't drying fast enough for the 4th
Mumbles Posted June 27, 2012 Posted June 27, 2012 Drying chambers can affect glitters negatively as well. The reaction that kills the effect is enhanced at higher temperatures.
Bcorso85 Posted July 6, 2012 Posted July 6, 2012 The weather will absolutely play a roll in manufacturing
dagabu Posted July 8, 2012 Posted July 8, 2012 Drying chambers can affect glitters negatively as well. The reaction that kills the effect is enhanced at higher temperatures. Though I have only made a few batches, I found that letting them sit on the drying screen without a fan or heat for a week really helped the glitter. -dag
Recommended Posts