Nishiki Kamuro

[dynomike1]

To much water, if that is cores stuck together. If not stuck together not enough water.

Edited February 15, 2018 by dynomike1

[Mumbles]

That's a fine example of stars forming raspberries. The solution is usually more patience. It's caused by the stars not evenly wetting and evenly picking up comp. When this starts happening let the stars roll out for a while and they will even themselves out. Spraying a little extra water on them can help as well. Charcoal heavy compositions are particularly prone to doing this.

 

The toro method also is a way to help prevent this.

[Boophoenix]

The top picture shows multiple sized stars. Sorting helps with this. By removing smaller stars and bits and pieces as you move from layer to layer. It appears the pics are in reverse order. The second pic being before another layer was added.

 

I’d be inclined to agree with Mike on the one. It looks like to much moisture was added and the smaller stars bound together forming clumps.

 

You also need to remove those small bits before moving to the next layer or they could potentially bind to the star adding for lack a better word warts to your stars as you progress further.

 

Using a small percentage of alcohol or a drop dishwashing liquid in your water can help break the surface tension of the water to help with resolving the rasberrying when that starts to show.

[Yus]

Thank you very much!

[Sulphurstan]

How can I improve rolling charcoal stars? Final shape of my stars is a bit strange.

 

Yus,

One question: do you roll your stars in a roller, or in a box, and then shaking in a circular movement?

If you use the box, i might have the answer: the bottom of your box MUST be round shaped (if you have shimizu's fast, it is explained somewhere), and it works.

Before, i had a box with a flat bottom, and i always got rasperries! Once i use a round bottom, they look as round as from a professional star roller.

 

If you use a roller, then, i don t know.

Edited February 22, 2018 by Sulphurstan

[Pyrophury]

The spiking problem is caused by the very fine particle size of the charcoal. If you increase the particle size by granulating the damp composition through a 12 mesh, allow it dry completely, then pass the granules through an 80 mesh(you may have to omit the metals from the composition until after you've done this), then you should no longer have this problem.

 

I found that to be the most effective method along with other techniques described by David Bleser in Round Stars & Shells, when I attempted to roll charcoal streamers with coarse metals, such as Slow Gold:

 

http://pyrobin.com/files/Slow%20Gold%20-%20Buell.jpg

Edited February 23, 2018 by Pyrophury

[burningRNX]

I do the same, and sometimes mixing it 50/50 with fine powder to save granulating time

[bengalPyro2000]

After try many formulas recent Used a formula which is slow burn rate but brilliant in colour

Pottasium nitrate -30

Charcol - 35

FeTi. -15

Ti. -10

Sulfar. -05

Dextrin. -05

 

Great work in this formula.. 😊😊