MgAl Flash tests

[pyrosailor99]

Hi all!

 

Today i've just made some flash test (if you know what i mean... LOL)

 

Seriously...

I've tried this MgAl based comps:

Comp1: Kperc 50 + MgAl (320mesh) 50

Comp2: Kperc 60 + MgAl (320mesh) 30 + Sulfur 10

 

I've also made some friction/hit test and none self-ignited / set off.

 

I put 1g of each comp in a piece of alu foil, then folded 2 times. I've put an iron (5mm) plate on a concrete block , put on the folded alu foil filled of comp, then hitted many and havy HAMMER shot (Iron hammer big just like a closed hand). as after some hit the alu poket flatterned, i've refolded it and hit again about 5-6 times with a final stronger (strongest) hit.

 

None of the comps had reaction.

 

Then i put 1-2g of each comp on a little piece of paper and fused it to test the power when the comp is unconfined:

Comp1: FPOOOOOOMP! ---- Wow! Loud also when unconfined!!

Comp2: nothing more than an high energy fountain comp (or better, like a whistle mix comp burned unconfined)... but no loud/bass sound... just a SWOOSH

 

Confined tests (4g in a paper tube made of some turn of tabloids paper):

Comp1: BOOOOOM! .... yeah rreally wonderful! a BASS and loud sound! very good! I loved it!

Comp2: i noticed some resistance to ignite... the visco first flashed a bit (some comp burned) then gone silent for some second, than PPPOMF... nothing ever loud... just a poweful cannon shot sound

 

 

Well, now i would like to know your experience with these comps (is it normal the Comp2 fail?)

And i would like to read about risks comparison of Comp1 vs classic KP/AluDark 70/30 comp.

Friction/shock sensitivities... etc.

 

(yes, i'm really AWARE of the fact that any flash powder is really dangerous and that not exist any safe flash powder)

 

 

Thanks!

[Potassiumchlorate]

This is normal. When using magnalium you have to use an abundance of it, although aluminium and magnesium on their own react with potassium perchlorate in a stochiometric ratio of about 66:34 and 60:40 respectively.

[dan999ification]

ive found 50/50 bassy aswell the power is also suprising if you have only used dark al, i prefer the sound of the mg/al over dark al, less confinement is needed also though it wont struggle with thick tubes.

Ive also found in unconfined tests that sometimes a single strand of black match will fail to ignite comp1, a time fuse would probably be the same deal, though ive never had it fail in headers.

Comp2 normal.

The sensitivity to friction is greater due to the granular shape impact sensitivity should also be greater than flake al flash, great care should be taken as with all flash powder, some screen dark al sulfur and perc together, i very much doubt the same can be done with granular mg/al.

I also found no real difference in volume or pitch using 60-300#,200# and some milled 300-500#ish ( it was black) with equal sized samples and construction methods, perhaps bigger samples would tell a different story but not me i feel much safer using dark al.

 

Dan.

[pyrosailor99]

ive found 50/50 bassy aswell the power is also suprising if you have only used dark al, i prefer the sound of the mg/al over dark al, less confinement is needed also though it wont struggle with thick tubes.

Ive also found in unconfined tests that sometimes a single strand of black match will fail to ignite comp1, a time fuse would probably be the same deal, though ive never had it fail in headers.

Comp2 normal.

The sensitivity to friction is greater due to the granular shape impact sensitivity should also be greater than flake al flash, great care should be taken as with all flash powder, some screen dark al sulfur and perc together, i very much doubt the same can be done with granular mg/al.

I also found no real difference in volume or pitch using 60-300#,200# and some milled 300-500#ish ( it was black) with equal sized samples and construction methods, perhaps bigger samples would tell a different story but not me i feel much safer using dark al.

 

Dan.

 

Not sure i've entirely got your post:

ive found 50/50 bassy aswell the power is also suprising if you have only used dark al

this mean you found 50/50MgAl more powerful than 70/30DarkAl?

 

The sensitivity to friction is greater due to the granular shape impact sensitivity should also be greater than flake al flash

What is more sensitive than what? MgAl than flake-al (bright) or Ddrk-Al than flake-Al?

 

i feel much safer using dark al

Is there a specific/objective reason?

[dan999ification]

yes 50/50 is way more powerful than gd/perc, the mg helps, if equal mesh sizes were used there would be a clear difference, 200# mg/al will report 200#al will struggle to.

 

Mg/al is more sensitive to friction and impact than most flake flash due to the sharp granules of the mg/al. Im not certain ( so may be corrected ) but i would consider the flake metals to be more static sensitive however the finer the material the greater the risk.

 

Bright flake ( normally large# 300ish ) the least sensitive of the three

dark flake ( at minimum 500# ) more than bright flake less than mg/al

very fine flake should be more of a static concern than coarser granules imho

 

More sensitive and more powerful means im more dead or more injured, and at more risk, my ears hurt thinking about it.

I feel safer using dark flake al ( for larger items over 10g ) mainly due to popular opinion but also my own experiences, not many want to discuss anything other than standard 70/30 or slow boosters for good reason, keeping the danger as low as possible and saving the lives or fingers of others.

Mg/al is also heavy compared to flake and can settle, you use a lot less flake for the same size shell almost a third in some cases a fith

using flake means you will have less and weaker ( but still deadly ) flash in front of you, less is always safer.

 

Dan.

 

[TritonPyro]

Does anybody think that a copper static grounding plate outside the workshop is used by anybody here?

[dagabu]

Does anybody think that a copper static grounding plate outside the workshop is used by anybody here?

 

I have a copper clad grounding rod outside the shop, the wiring in thee shop grounds there.

 

-dag

[pyrojig]

Im my experience I have to agree with Dan.

The Magnal flash is incredibly powerful and more sensitive to friction due to the particle shap of the magnal. Some of my tests with very fine milled magnal selfconfined in 1/4 g amounts . While 5413 dark needed a 1/2 - 1g pile to pop. The presence of mag is going to make it way more reactive and more prone to degrading over time ( becoming less reactive due to oxidation ).

[xJaayy]

I have yet to try your comp1. In my pyro career i have only done KCLO4 + Dark 5413 Al. I should switch it up a little bit.

 

I like a nice loud bang with a bassy feeling.

[pyroviper]

I prefer to use my MgAL in my star comps.