kpknd Posted June 11, 2013 Posted June 11, 2013 (edited) For those of you experianced with this, what do you prefer? I have used the usual 70/30 KCLO4 / AL and a KNO3 / S / AL. Do you load it loosley into the headding tube or stuff a piece of wdding on top to keep it from moving around? Weingart says for a salute the tube should not be more that 1/3rd composition, does this apply to your headdings as well? Do you find a sound difference in the two compositions? I once in a while get some great smoke rings from them. Edited June 11, 2013 by kpknd
nater Posted June 11, 2013 Posted June 11, 2013 I use the binary method, loaded about 2/3 full with a few rice hulls to help it mix and keep from compacting. I have never tried KNO3 flash for a report. Just 7/3/1 or whistle for simple report headers.
Seymour Posted June 11, 2013 Posted June 11, 2013 (edited) I fill it with pre mixed flash, perhaps with some Ti. Half full, two thirds full, loosely filled, and (with my 70/30 flash at least) compressed and packed in to the tube wit hand pressure, it all goes KABOOM. I find the sound varies based on everything, but essentially if it's sufficiently confined (and over ten grams good 7/3 that's not much more than a layer of tape) it will go bang well. I don't ever leave empty space in a salute to improve the sound, just because I'm lazy, low on flash and I know it will work. Usually fill up any space with a bit of wadding in the tube (confinement right) but would be completely unconcerned if it was loose in there and free to slosh around (so long as it's capped.) I don't have much experience with KNO3 flash, but of course the sound will be different, it will be deeper. Ultimately, if the firework is important to me and I want it to be "one of the best", and it has salutes, I fill them COMPLETELY and then consolidate the flash by getting my fingers in there and compressing it, and then fill it up to the top again. I want as much effect in there as possible, and often leaving a significant portion of an insert as air is a misuse of precious space (in like, competition style fireworks). I know that not all flash can be compressed and not flare, but I assure you that 70/30 is rather happy to go bang in this form. Edited June 11, 2013 by Seymour
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