Simple White Star ignition problem

[PyroCube]

Hi all

I`ve got a problem with my white stars, the formula:

 

 

50 KNO3

30 Al Atom.

20 S

6 Dex.

 

I rolled the composition on pepper seed, about 8mm then

I rolled 1mm of BP/15% Si prime.

When I light one of the stars on the ground, they burn properly, but as

soon as I put them in a star test gun or a little starmine, just the prime burns off for

about 1 sec, but the white star doesn`t ignite.

 

Can anyone help?

 

 

Greets, PyroCube

Edited July 7, 2012 by PyroCube

[mabuse00]

Hi,

 

are your stars absolutely dry? Maybe they are "driven in", dry on the outside but still wet on the inside.

Just crush one and check.

 

If you cannot get it going I suggest you try to put in a second prime step.

This could be a 50/50 mix of simple white - maybe with a part of the aluminium swapped for dark aluminium if you have some - and bp+si. Afterwards you roll your bp+si onto that.

 

Another solution would be Pinball prime with silicon or dark aluminium + a layer of bp on top - my favorite.

Edited July 7, 2012 by mabuse00

[PyroCube]

Thank you for your answer, I think I let them

dry for another day, when they are still not working

I`ll try a two stage prime...

 

 

greets

[Bcorso85]

I think you didn't put enough prime on. High aluminum content shells need a "hot" igniter. 15% silicon is too much. Drop it down to 7 or 5%. Was your b.p. hot or green mix? A star like that should have a hot prime rolled on, and then a hot b.p. prime like you have mentioned on top of that. you shouldn't need to bother with the 50 50 mix. A pinball prime is usually good, or a fence post. these primes are great for small inserts that need to be broken hard and still ignite. In my opinion it may become wasteful or inefficient to use this prime in a standard peony or chrysanthemum. There is also thermite and thermate and Veline prime.

[Technosteve]

Do you mind me asking how the stars were rolled?