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Ascending comet question.


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Posted
I have in the past made a lot of cut stars that work well. My question is, is there a way of tying in a TT composition to use outside a ball shell as a comet effect? Thanks.
Posted
A blob of hotglue and a big TT star on top of your shell - voila, there's your ascending comet.
Posted
A blob of white glue works but takes longer.
Posted

I'd recommend taping or pasting the sides of the comet to restrict burning a little bit. This both makes the tail last longer, and largely prevents it from falling off the shell due to melting or burning the glue.

 

If you want to go completely traditional, the comet is attached by pasting it on with a skirt of pasted paper covering the comet and overhanging down onto the shell. For big comets, I'd still recommend gluing the comet to the shell surface. This method definitely makes it look nice.

Posted
Thanks Mumbles.
Posted (edited)
stupid question but how are these comets ignited what is the normal method ive seen plenty of pictures but would think they would need to be fused with the quick match or something Edited by leedrill
Posted
By the flames, which get created by the lift charge
Posted (edited)

Depends on the star, for a charcoal streamer I have had them light from the lift gas with no prime, this is common.

For extra assurance you can dip the face of the comet in bp slurry stick a piece of bm to it then dust with fines.

For coloured stars a suitable prime and a strand of bm has always worked for me.

A pasted skirt is the way to attach it, glue alone will see them falling off occasionally.

 

Dan.

Edited by dan999ification
Posted

stupid question but how are these comets ignited what is the normal method ive seen plenty of pictures but would think they would need to be fused with the quick match or something

flame and hot gas generated by black powder can ignite BP based comets easily but if comets that uses metals(white comets) are primed with hot prime to assist ignition.

I would love to use FeTi in TT comets.

Posted
I use C6 with FeTi for mine
Posted

Just tying a couple of sticks of blackmatch tied over the surface of the comet usually works for me. Brushing on some prime and granular BP just adds extra assurance. Just blackmatch has worked for all of the Hardt silver streamer formulas that I've tried, but I still do tend to add the prime and granular BP.

 

While I've seen it done, I still don't know why people would add colored stars as rising "tails" to their shells. These are the ones that would likely complicate ignition.

Posted

Ah, we'll for my bombettes and some shells that will have coloured stars with or without ti I like matching tails. Plus they are easier and faster to make.

The tails on my bombettes actually ignite the fuse so have to be reliable, ti or mg/al In the star and prime light for me no problem

 

Dan.

Posted
I covered a couple of large TT stars with thick foil and epoxied them to the top and veline primed them. They ignited easily and with a very pleasant comet effect. So, thank you all for your ideas.
Posted
Can Ti be used in the TT composition. Just a thought for the bright sparks.
Posted

Can Ti be used in the TT composition. Just a thought for the bright sparks.

 

Yes, and it gives a nice effect. It will be different with different meshes and types of Ti. 5% is plenty, even lower can be used effectively.

Posted
Thanks for the info. Always get great replies from here!
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