Rolled stars blowing blind

[dynomike1]

diatomaceous earth@ Tractor supply. I bet there not dry.

[mikeee]

We have an 80' silo full of diatomaceous earth where I work.

That stuff is really hard on pipe conveying systems, floats everywhere, wears out metal parts very quickly.

Interesting stuff to look at under a microscope.

http://www.pinnaclefarms.ca/Gaia_Tree/kelpDEsupport/1015NadaDiatomCropped.gif

[PyroCube]

Looks nice, like some pieces of metal scrap

I haven`t got this stuff and it`s quite hard to get it here in Switzerland.

I`m looking for an alternative. Maybe I should just wet the stars and roll them in

green mix? It`s just the thing that I haven`t got any time to test the stars out in a shell,

they have to work at the 1. of August. I want to be shure that they ignite under any circumstances...

 

Greets

[mabuse00]

Maybe I should just wet the stars and roll them in

green mix?

Bingo. Greenmix without binder. You only need a very small amount.

[Carbon796]

Pyrocube, are you describing the outer star surface or outer prime surface? Are your stars already primed properly ? A simple roll in green mix might not cut it, depending on the comp. also make sure they are dry, like Mike said.

[dynomike1]

Here is my last shell i built. Me and Rich have been working on this probablm all week. Seems like the shell was coming apart to quick,I was filling the shell to full and losing adhesives due to drying and coming apart as i was trying to get it in the clamp. Still not there yet but i haven't give up.

: http://youtu.be/Vy0lZFp9iB8

[PyroCube]

It`s just about the outer surface, priming has been done before. I`ll try with green

mix then.

@dynomike You said you let the stars dry before you prime them. This may be the problem like mabuse said.

In my experience the prime and the star comp do not bind as tight togehter wenn you dry the star comp first. I like

to roll the stars and the prime at once. If your stars are already rolled and not yet primed, make shure you wet them properly

befor adding the prime. Make also shure your Ba(NO3)2 ist a very finde powder, this will make it easier to ignite.

 

Thank you,

Greets

Edited July 27, 2013 by PyroCube

[Mike]

Maybe you should try to put a smoldering mix on top of you're comp. Try maybe yankee flashers on top. It lights easy with bp, but smolders a long time before it gives first flashes. Try it with 45my spherical aluminium

[LambentPyro]

I've read all of these posts, and I have to say I've experienced many problems and inconsistencies with the prime steps that XtremePyro grabbed from skylighter. I have steps that a friend sent to me that I am trying, one set for peony, another for streamer to color.

 

Peony:

1. A thick layer of BP milled for 1 hour, then screen in 10% Silicon. 5% dextrin should be added too.

2. Green mix with 5% dextrin with no silicon. Thin layer.

3. A tad of TT to make it fuzzy. Very thin layer, don't wet when adding this.

 

Streamer to Color Based Stars:

1. A reasonable layer of number 1 from last steps.

2. Put your TT on, a few mm, but as your finishing up, don't wet them to make it stick, you want them a lil dry and fuzzy on the outside to make it light easy.

3. (Optional) VERY THIN layer of green mix without silicon, just in case you want extra ensurity for a good prime ignition

 

Correctly size your stars as your making them before the prime so you can account for your thick prime so the stars aren't too big for your shell. You don't want marble sized stars for a 3" shell, use common sense when sizing your stars, it is very crucial!

 

As always,

Good luck, have fun, and most of all be safe!!!

[Mumbles]

There is a popular prime either published by Robert Veline, or developed to be used with his star system. It lights nearly anything. It's rather complicated, and uses some chemicals that not everyone is comfortable using. He uses wood meal, essentially very fine sawdust, to make his prime more fuzzy to catch fire more easily. This might be an option if you can't find diatomaceous earth. I included the formula below for good measure, but really just meant to offer wood meal as an alternative. As an aside, DE is also called kieselguhr if that rings any bells for finding it locally.

 

 

Potassium Perchlorate 55

Charcoal Airfloat 20

Wood Meal 6

Iron(III) Oxide, red 5

Potassium Dichromate 5

Magnalium, granular, -200 mesh 5

Dextrin 4

[LambentPyro]

There is a popular prime either published by Robert Veline, or developed to be used with his star system. It lights nearly anything. It's rather complicated, and uses some chemicals that not everyone is comfortable using. He uses wood meal, essentially very fine sawdust, to make his prime more fuzzy to catch fire more easily. This might be an option if you can't find diatomaceous earth. I included the formula below for good measure, but really just meant to offer wood meal as an alternative. As an aside, DE is also called kieselguhr if that rings any bells for finding it locally.

 

 

Potassium Perchlorate 55

Charcoal Airfloat 20

Wood Meal 6

Iron(III) Oxide, red 5

Potassium Dichromate 5

Magnalium, granular, -200 mesh 5

Dextrin 4

 

The thing is, I'm dealing with enough hazzardous chemicals, Carcinogens are not for me.

 

I believe this is Veline's Super Prime, as in he created it.

 

See, that's the problem, a good prime with hazzards involved!

[pyrojig]

Well to put it frank, it is a great prime, and if you work with Bano3 , then your dealing with about the same level of danger.

[Mumbles]

The concerns over hexavalent chromium are valid. If you're not comfortable working with something, then you shouldn't. Barium is more of an acute hazard, where as chromium can cause more chronic issues. At the level we use it, I'm not put off by the long term issues of chromium. I suspect that substitutions, perhaps with copper oxychloride, could be made to replace it entirely should one desire with little impact on the efficacy of the prime. In any case, I just brought it up to illustrate the usage of wood meal.

 

I used it for a long time, but have since opted to use simpler primes more recently.

[mabuse00]

As far as I understand, the trick with the veline prime is that you have a hotprime that needs no outer prime.

Most hotprimes need to be primed themselves. The veline prime does not, thanks to the woodmeal to roughen them up and dichromate to make them more sensitive.

 

 

Without the dichromate you might need an outer prime to get reliable ignition. In this case the whole advantage of the veline prime is gone and you can also use pinball prime ect. and put additional greenmix on top.

[Mumbles]

You definitely need a layer of BP over the veline prime. It might be fuzzy, but it still doesn't take fire all that easily that no outer meal layer is required.

[LambentPyro]

The concerns over hexavalent chromium are valid. If you're not comfortable working with something, then you shouldn't. Barium is more of an acute hazard, where as chromium can cause more chronic issues. At the level we use it, I'm not put off by the long term issues of chromium. I suspect that substitutions, perhaps with copper oxychloride, could be made to replace it entirely should one desire with little impact on the efficacy of the prime. In any case, I just brought it up to illustrate the usage of wood meal.

 

I used it for a long time, but have since opted to use simpler primes more recently.

 

I don't get something, I thought Chromium is healthy for your body, I understand the Hexavalent Chromium Isotope is dangerous. But Is the other Cr isotopes that are good for you present in ions such as Chromate and Dichromate? Or do they bond as compounds and not make polyatomic ions. I looked at different Cr Oxides, and they look just as dangerous as the Hexavalent Cr ions.

 

Well to put it frank, it is a great prime, and if you work with Bano3 , then your dealing with about the same level of danger.

 

I looked this up, I have been having heart palpitations lately, and my MSDS for Barium Carbonate says that is a symptom, I rarely get Heart Palpitations, and my father gets them frequently, so having the genetics of my father along with the effects of the chemical, I think just a small amount will trigger the symptom because I have more of a chance of getting it than say hemorrhages in the gastrointestinal tract.

[Mumbles]

Wear gloves and a respirator, and you'll be fine with basically all chemicals you might come into contact with in pyrotechnics.

 

I think you need to look up what an isotope is. It has nothing to do with what we're talking about here. Chromium is an essential micronutrient for the human body, that is correct. It's the amount that is important here. A small amount of chromium is essential for life. Too much chromium is not good for you. The same is true for sodium and potassium. Without a certain amount of sodium and potassium in your diet, you will die. Too much of either at once will also kill you. Too much over a long period of time causes other health effects. The oxidation state is probably what you were trying to come up with instead of isotope. The oxidation state is important as well. Chromium (III) is what your body actually needs. Chromium (VI), hexavalent chromium, is not what your body needs. Once inside of you, it will be reduced to chromium (III), but in the process cause oxidative damage to your cells which can lead to ulceration of membranes, and over time with extended exposures is correlated with some cancers.

 

If you think you're currently having heart palpatations due to barium carbonate, it's probably all mental. If you want to be sure, you can drink some magnesium sulfate to counteract any barium poisoning. Just spend the next day or so near by a toilet. Also, while you're waiting near the toilet, you should revisit your safety procedures.

[LambentPyro]

Wear gloves and a respirator, and you'll be fine with basically all chemicals you might come into contact with in pyrotechnics.

 

I think you need to look up what an isotope is. It has nothing to do with what we're talking about here. Chromium is an essential micronutrient for the human body, that is correct. It's the amount that is important here. A small amount of chromium is essential for life. Too much chromium is not good for you. The same is true for sodium and potassium. Without a certain amount of sodium and potassium in your diet, you will die. Too much of either at once will also kill you. Too much over a long period of time causes other health effects. The oxidation state is probably what you were trying to come up with instead of isotope. The oxidation state is important as well. Chromium (III) is what your body actually needs. Chromium (VI), hexavalent chromium, is not what your body needs. Once inside of you, it will be reduced to chromium (III), but in the process cause oxidative damage to your cells which can lead to ulceration of membranes, and over time with extended exposures is correlated with some cancers.

 

If you think you're currently having heart palpatations due to barium carbonate, it's probably all mental. If you want to be sure, you can drink some magnesium sulfate to counteract any barium poisoning. Just spend the next day or so near by a toilet. Also, while you're waiting near the toilet, you should revisit your safety procedures.

 

I have acid resistant gloves (not ideal for big hands, doesn't stretch too easily).

 

Sorry, not isotopes, ions, but what makes the Cr Hexavalent ion occur? How does Chromium (III) Oxide synthesize compare to the Chromate Polyatomic ion?

 

I haven't had the palpitations since I've stopped taking vitamin B-12 a couple weeks ago, my parents think I had too much energy going through my system and it worked, because a couple days before I had stopped taking it, I would feel one like every 5 minutes and it was very noticeable. Could of been my anxiety, my Ba, or my B-12. I've been much more relaxed and taking it easy, not working with too much chemicals lately, and I stopped my B-12.

 

MgSO4 is Epsom salt, correct? That's safe to drink? I used that stuff in a spray bottle to kill a Beatle once.

 

Why a toilet? Am I going to be having the number 2 on a liquid state or something?

 

I have an MSA dust and acid fume respirator. I don't have an issue spending $40, my lungs are much more worth than $40

[Shadowcat1969]

Why a toilet? Am I going to be having the number 2 on a liquid state or something?

 

Per Wikipedia: "Oral magnesium sulfate is commonly used as a saline laxative or osmotic purgative", so yeah, you would want to have a toilet in close proximity for a while after taking it.

 

Wiki also says: "Solutions of sulfate salts such as Epsom salt may be given as first aid for barium chloride poisoning"

[LambentPyro]

 

 

Per Wikipedia: "Oral magnesium sulfate is commonly used as a saline laxative or osmotic purgative", so yeah, you would want to have a toilet in close proximity for a while after taking it.

 

Wiki also says: "Solutions of sulfate salts such as Epsom salt may be given as first aid for barium chloride poisoning"

 

Uh oh, I don't mind going to the bathroom, but not if I'll be on it all day, especially in the state of matter you're describing it as. I already have bad gas as it is.

 

Why didn't I think of that, Sulfate, as in Sulfur content, wow...

[pyroman2498]

sulfate is from H2SO4, or other similar reactants , Sulfide is from the reaction with sulfur ( Correct me if im wrong )

 

The heart problems might be mental and not actually physical ,

I do that with coughing its not that i have to cough but its a mental state of mind when i think about coughing, or when i think i can't breathe , my body starts to over react. I also Suffer from extreme anxiety, and panic attacks.

So it could be all in your mind, but always be alert when working with chemicals no matter how toxic, and if you think you have been poisoned by something it doesn't hurt to take the antidote for it ( i dont think so anyways ) .

[LambentPyro]

sulfate is from H2SO4, or other similar reactants , Sulfide is from the reaction with sulfur ( Correct me if im wrong )

 

The heart problems might be mental and not actually physical ,

I do that with coughing its not that i have to cough but its a mental state of mind when i think about coughing, or when i think i can't breathe , my body starts to over react. I also Suffer from extreme anxiety, and panic attacks.

So it could be all in your mind, but always be alert when working with chemicals no matter how toxic, and if you think you have been poisoned by something it doesn't hurt to take the antidote for it ( i dont think so anyways ) .

 

It's weird though, because I can feel it on my chest, it feels like my heart pounds very hard, and then I'll panic and take a deep breath and it goes away.

[pyroman2498]

Sounds exactly like my panic attacks, i recommend seeing a doctor and asking them if they can recommend you to a psychologist, then tell the psychologist how you feel, i'm 90% sure they will tell you that you're having anxiety and panic attacks, If so they are nothing to worry about, just when they start up take deep breaths , sit down, and try to get your mind on something else.

 

Hope you feel better buddy

 

~Steven

[LambentPyro]

Sounds exactly like my panic attacks, i recommend seeing a doctor and asking them if they can recommend you to a psychologist, then tell the psychologist how you feel, i'm 90% sure they will tell you that you're having anxiety and panic attacks, If so they are nothing to worry about, just when they start up take deep breaths , sit down, and try to get your mind on something else.

 

Hope you feel better buddy

 

~Steven

 

Thanks am, but after I stopped taking B-12, they stopped. Haven't got one since, and that was a couple weeks ago.

[pyrojig]

WOW !!! I missed a lot !!! some how it went from stars blowing blind ,to blowing behinds (in a liquid state of matter!)!! .