The arrangement of the contents of my parachute flare rocket

[BengalFlair]

Val77 requested me for a sketch of my parachute flare rocket but I think it would be better to post some pictures of the arrangement of contents of that rocket. There were 19 flares (2\8” dia, 4”long) which were placed 18”apart to the hemp string. Parachutes were 18” in diameter and made with hand craped tissue paper. The rocket motor was a 2lb core-burner with homemade tube and hand crimped nozzle. I also embedded the video along with the pictures and think it will help you guys those who are interested in parachute flare rockets.

 

 

http://youtu.be/RRgAUScmZoo

[AlexPyro66]

Great rocket do you think 1lb bp motor will lift a shell like this

[val77]

thanks dude !

[val77]

i can use 1/4 tubes (6mm id and 50mm long) for make tiny flares ?

[JFeve81]

Nice!

 

[BengalFlair]

do you think 1lb bp motor will lift a shell like this

Possible.

 

i can use 1/4 tubes (6mm id and 50mm long) for make tiny flares ?

You will get short duration with shorter flare tube .

[val77]

just for 10 seconds illumination is ok ?

[BengalFlair]

It is too laborious to make a rocket like this so is there anyone who does not want to make it last longer in the sky? But you should always adjust the duration of flares so that it must never cross the safe flying zone.

[mabuse00]

Interesting stuff, thank you.

 

How did you attach the strings to the parachute material?

 

Once I tested some parachutes for that application, made out of garbage bag foil on a model airplane.

 

Flying at ~50km/h the parachutes often failed when deployed out of a tube with a little H3 and a dummyload - the strings severed from the foil.

 

And I seldom manage to break my rockets exactly at their apogee.

 

Did you guys find any of your your parachutes after firing?

How do they look, is your burning protection sufficient?

 

 

you should always adjust the duration of flares so that it must never cross the safe flying zone.

I'd rather say you have to be ready for a worst case scenario and shoot only where you can't do much damage. Your rocket can fail anytime anyway.

 

 

 

 

edit:

hand crimped nozzle

What kind of technique is that?

Edited November 24, 2012 by mabuse00

[BengalFlair]

How did you attach the strings to the parachute material?

 

Did you guys find any of your your parachutes after firing?

How do they look, is your burning protection sufficient?

 

What kind of technique is that?

 

 

I usually smear a little wood glue to the end of the string and place it on the parachute material (hand creped tissue paper) and also paste a small piece of tissue overlapping the string on it.

 

I found some parachutes in good condition after firing and honestly speaking that I have made thousands of such rockets with the same arrangement with great success.

 

I use about half dried tube for crimping. I pull the wire with a pliers (as shown in the picture) while rotate the tube around its axis and tie with the same wire after getting the proper opening.

 

[psyco_1322]

That sir, is some fine work!

 

There is a parachute at both ends of the string, so it hangs horizontally in the air? It looked like a piece burnt off in the video, and caused the string to hang vertically.

[BengalFlair]

You are right. Two parachutes were ok after ejection but it was my bad luck that one of them caught fire after a while and a piece was burnt off.

[FlaMtnBkr]

.....and made with hand craped tissue paper

 

I have lots of this but never thought about using it. Or saving it for that matter.

 

 

Oh, someone had to say it.

[val77]

hello ben

what the formula of your red flares ?

[BengalFlair]

The composition of my red flare is as follows (parts by weight)-

• Strontium nitrate---50
  
• Aluminium (<45 micron coated flake)---10
  
• MgAl (-60 mesh)---5
  
• PVC---12
  
• Sulfur---4
  

The casing should be rather thin otherwise it would not burn well. Those flare casing were made with 3 turns of 40-50 lb kraft paper and dry rolled with a 1\4”od (about 6mm) Al dowel.

[bidyutbaidya01]

nice sir.i want to know what gauge plastic you use for parachute.

[BengalFlair]

i want to know what gauge plastic you use for parachute.

 

Were you a little more attentive you would have noticed that the parachutes were made of hand craped tissue paper. Although I have used 80/100 gauge poly-sheet with success.

[dagabu]

The composition of my red flare is as follows (parts by weight)-

• Strontium nitrate---50
• Aluminium (<45 micron coated flake)---10
• MgAl (-60 mesh)---5
• PVC---12
• Sulfur---4

The casing should be rather thin otherwise it would not burn well. Those flare casing were made with 3 turns of 40-50 lb kraft paper and dry rolled with a 1\4”od (about 6mm) Al dowel.

 

Very simple mix, I like it!

[BengalFlair]

@dagabu,It's great and indeed, we are extremely happy that you are getting better day by day.Best wishes for your quick recovery and good health.

[bidyutbaidya01]

 

Were you a little more attentive you would have noticed that the parachutes were made of hand craped tissue paper. Although I have used 80/100 gauge poly-sheet with success.

80 or 100 gauge which you prefer for parachute?can i use normal polythin bags?which size parachute i made by polythin that open in air without any obstruction.what you want to mean that hand craped tissue?when i went to buy the hand craped tissue,the seller want to know what is the local name of hand craped tissue.please help.

Edited November 17, 2013 by bidyutbaidya01

[BengalFlair]

80 or 100 gauge which you prefer for parachute?can i use normal polythin bags?which size parachute i made by polythin that open in air without any obstruction.what you want to mean that hand craped tissue?when i went to buy the hand craped tissue,the seller want to know what is the local name of hand craped tissue.please help.

 

Both work well but 80 gauge is better for small parachutes.

 

Yes, you can use thin and flexible poly bags also.

 

It depends on size and numbers of flares and you have to fix it by trial and error.

 

Hand crape-ing is a simple technique which makes the tissue flexible like cloth.

Take a high quality virgin tissue paper and cut it into the desired size then squeeze it with your palm to make it a ball and roll the paper ball with both of your palms for a while then stretch out the curled paper ball with patience against a flat surface. Squeeze it again to make a ball, roll and then stretch out and repeat the process for a fewer turn till the paper appears like a cloth. Bad tissue papers may tear off during the process but a good one wouldn't.

[bidyutbaidya01]

many many thanks for your sugetion.

[bidyutbaidya01]

 

Both work well but 80 gauge is better for small parachutes.

 

Yes, you can use thin and flexible poly bags also.

 

It depends on size and numbers of flares and you have to fix it by trial and error.

 

Hand crape-ing is a simple technique which makes the tissue flexible like cloth.

Take a high quality virgin tissue paper and cut it into the desired size then squeeze it with your palm to make it a ball and roll the paper ball with both of your palms for a while then stretch out the curled paper ball with patience against a flat surface. Squeeze it again to make a ball, roll and then stretch out and repeat the process for a fewer turn till the paper appears like a cloth. Bad tissue papers may tear off during the process but a good one wouldn't.

when you post any formula,i am requested to you please use local name,exp: potasium nitrate as sora,sulfer as gondhok etc.you post your red flare formula but i can not understand what i am say to shop keeper, the chemical name they donot understand.please for me use all chemical local name.i am living in kolkata so i prefer bengali term,my hobby is fireworks and i am crezy about it.thanks.

[BengalFlair]

when you post any formula,i am requested to you please use local name,exp: potasium nitrate as sora,sulfer as gondhok etc.you post your red flare formula but i can not understand what i am say to shop keeper, the chemical name they donot understand.please for me use all chemical local name.i am living in kolkata so i prefer bengali term,my hobby is fireworks and i am crezy about it.thanks.

 

There are lots of local languages in India and not only that, this forum is also very popular throughout the world. So it is impractical to just use local (Bengali) terms for those chemicals. Local terms may differ from place to place within a same language region and It is also notable that lot of chemicals have no Bengali terms which are being used in fireworks these days. There are some pyro- chem whole sellers at Burrabazar in Kolkata as I know and it might be better to ask them for your local term.

[sora]

• MgAl(Magnelium) goes by the name "dhnoka" in local bengali(I learned it from BengalFlair,though used unknowingly for many years, and I should have guessed it).
• Most shopkeepers will recognize Strontium Nitrate just by "strontium" , or in some cases "strontia" , a shortened version of the archaic "Nitrate of Strontia"
• Dextrin is sold in Calcutta under the name of Dextrin only, Red gum is often called লাল গদ , copper oxide goes by its own name and known as Cupric Oxide in a chemists shop

My suggestion is stick to and promote technical/scientific names as much as possible

Edited November 21, 2013 by sora