Swede Posted May 31, 2009 Posted May 31, 2009 Easy, guys. There is no winner in a political flame war. You can't have a socialist state without the government intruding on your lifestyle, because everything you do is eventually rolled into the "for the common good" mantra. "No fireworks. Think of the children. No guns, you might hurt someone. etc" I think we can agree that the ideal situation is to be left alone, so long as you don't hurt anyone.
Pretty green flame Posted July 2, 2009 Author Posted July 2, 2009 Hmm...holidays started today (for me atleast), first year of University finished (more or less), yet i'm not jumping of joy, something doesn't feel right. It's weird.
Miech Posted July 3, 2009 Posted July 3, 2009 I designed a nice pulse width management fan controller based on a Micrel MIC502, which is only available in 2500+ quantities... Lesson learned, use a NE555 whenever you need anything pulsing, resonating or timed (and check availability before designing your PCB).
50AE Posted July 4, 2009 Posted July 4, 2009 (edited) I've never used anything else than the 555 for PWM. It's cheap and easy to find. Long time ago I've been trying to make good quality singing arcs from flyback. I used the 555 first, which was very simple. But I switched to a TL494, I got a more cleaner sound (it has FM) and the output transistors are more powerful than these of the 555. Edited July 4, 2009 by 50AE
nickle Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 (edited) It was a sad fourth here, even professionals have accidents: QUAKERTOWN, Pa. (CBS 3) ― An accident during the grand finale of a Fourth of July fireworks show in Quakertown has taken a man's life. One of the pyrotechnics misfired at about 9:45 p.m. Saturday at Quakertown's Memorial Park. Debris struck a 19-year-old man from Pulaski, Pa. in the neck and chest, Quakertown Police Corporal Scott Fogel said. http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/...Accident-.htmll[/url] Edited July 6, 2009 by nickle
nick2354 Posted July 6, 2009 Posted July 6, 2009 One of the pyrotechnics misfired at about 9:45 p.m. Saturday at Quakertown's Memorial Park. Debris struck a 19-year-old man from Pulaski, Pa. in the neck and chest, Quakertown Police Corporal Scott Fogel said. http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/...Accident-.htmll[/url] Are they trying to say he was using mortars that werent made of Cardboard, HDPE, Fibreglass? If not, What do they mean by "debris"?
nickle Posted July 6, 2009 Posted July 6, 2009 (edited) Are they trying to say he was using mortars that werent made of Cardboard, HDPE, Fibreglass? If not, What do they mean by "debris"? UPDATE: David Allen Walker, an employee of Zambelli Fireworks Internationale, was struck in the neck and chest by shrapnel after a firework misfired during Saturday night's celebration in Memorial Park. The Bucks County Fire Marshal said a single firework malfunctioned and exploded in a containment bunker at about 9:30 p.m. Wooden debris from the explosion struck Walker, causing severe blunt force trauma. EDIT: the video is now on youtube the explosion is at the 5 sec. mark right hand side http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiXXTAfiNFI...feature=related Edited July 6, 2009 by nickle
TrueBluePyro Posted July 9, 2009 Posted July 9, 2009 *sigh* I will be leaving for boarding school like this sunday or something...*sigh* No pyro for about 9-10 weeks. Oh well, it is allways a good time to read up on the pyro news and I do do alot of that while i am away. it is kinda good in a way, but it still makes me sad having to leave....
Swede Posted July 9, 2009 Posted July 9, 2009 *sigh* I will be leaving for boarding school like this sunday or something...*sigh* No pyro for about 9-10 weeks. Oh well, it is allways a good time to read up on the pyro news and I do do alot of that while i am away. it is kinda good in a way, but it still makes me sad having to leave.... That fairly sucks. When I am trapped away from my shop, I like to have pyro-related reading material and a notebook. In 10 weeks, you can become a Ghirandola expert, or read about HP rocket motors, or get into perchlorate synthesis. Make notes in your notebook, and when you come back, you will be fired up and full of new knowledge in an area you might not have understood earlier.
deadman Posted July 9, 2009 Posted July 9, 2009 I just can't get my ex out of my head. Monday was supposed to be our 6 year anniversary........
Mumbles Posted July 10, 2009 Posted July 10, 2009 I know how you guys feel. I worked in a pyrotechnic factory, and had opportunities to make home made pyro, but just not whenever I wanted. I practically wrote a book of ideas and notes.
TrueBluePyro Posted July 10, 2009 Posted July 10, 2009 That fairly sucks. When I am trapped away from my shop, I like to have pyro-related reading material and a notebook. In 10 weeks, you can become a Ghirandola expert, or read about HP rocket motors, or get into perchlorate synthesis. Make notes in your notebook, and when you come back, you will be fired up and full of new knowledge in an area you might not have understood earlier. Yeah, that is exactly what I do. I can go through a whole not pad durring that time and near the end of it will be needing a new one, lol. It is a great time for me to gather up chems and such, so when I get home I will have everyhting there to try something new these holidays I pretty much started with perc colours and am improving on them. Now im looking into buying a 25kg bag of barium and strontium nitrate. Are strontium nitrate reds much deeper then carbonate reds? just thinking, cause it might not be worth buying a bag of strontium nitrate as it is known for absorbing moisture. Carbonate reds are still very nice though, so cant complian and what is the normal price for tis amount?
Mumbles Posted July 10, 2009 Posted July 10, 2009 The latest price list I have lists $100 for barium nitrate, and $150 for strontium nitrate. 25kg bags, US$. No idea how this would compare to Australia, or what kind of availability there is. I like strontium nitrate reds better than carbonate. I never could get a pure red with carbonates. It always came out pink or orangish. These were all organic too though. I have a new formula I want to try that is metal fueled, and should work a lot better with carbonates. I've never tried an organic strontium nitrate red, so I can't compare them.
TrueBluePyro Posted July 10, 2009 Posted July 10, 2009 well, this is sending this thread off topic but, this is a decent organic red, it is a true red and not pink or orange: Red Organic Fueled Star:Name: Lancaster KP #2 Source: Ron Lancaster Potassium Perchlorate...........70 Strontium Carbonate.............15 Red Gum...............................9 Dextrin.................................4 Charcoal Airfloat.....................2 And then this is (I give dredit to lancasters formular as this is how I made mine, but turned it into what I wanted) What I have been using as a red now. Useing MgAl would be better, but I tend to add 1% dark Al with the 5% atomised, judt to heat it up a little more, it is a really bright red, I'll post a video on APC of it. Red Metallic Fueled Star:Name: Truely Red Source: TrueBluePyro Potassium Perchlorate............................................60 Strontium Carbonate..............................................16 Red Gum...............................................................9 Parlon...................................................................8 Aluminum, atom, spher, 120-325 mesh, 20 micron.........5 Charcoal Airfloat.....................................................2
Swede Posted July 10, 2009 Posted July 10, 2009 Strontium Nitrate: I've HEARD that decently pure strontium nitrate is not as hygroscopic as people think. Apparently, it is the impurities (sodium nitrate? That would be a s**t impurity to have) that cause problems. I've got some from Hobby Chemical Supply, great people. It's humid as hell today, I'll set some out and weigh it with a milligram scale.
Sambo Posted July 10, 2009 Posted July 10, 2009 I like strontium nitrate reds better than carbonate. I never could get a pure red with carbonates. It always came out pink or orangish. These were all organic too though. I have a new formula I want to try that is metal fueled, and should work a lot better with carbonates. I've never tried an organic strontium nitrate red, so I can't compare them. Have you tried Buell red? I had almost given up on carbonate reds until I stumbled on this, its a really intense metallic red, comparable (in my opinion) to ruby red.
TYRONEEZEKIEL Posted July 10, 2009 Posted July 10, 2009 I love carbonate colors! Ill dig up my formulas and post them on here later, but I have gotten perfect results with strontium, calcium, and barium carbonate. although I wont lie, the green is very warm colored, and doesnt have that traffic light color that nitrate or chlorate gives, but it is definitely not washed out or yellow.
Mumbles Posted July 11, 2009 Posted July 11, 2009 I have not. I heard that it burns quite slow. Is that true?
Mumbles Posted July 11, 2009 Posted July 11, 2009 I just tried new spiking string on one of my shells for tomorrow. The string is too thick, and the shell barely fits in the gun. I haven't even pasted it yet either. I'm glad I didn't use it on the sun and planet. I guess I have an 8 timed spider for next month already. I want to see about converting it into a 9 timed with crossettes in the final break. I was going to do a test of all the timings, but oh well. It should be fine.
Sambo Posted July 11, 2009 Posted July 11, 2009 I have not. I heard that it burns quite slow. Is that true? I have not found it to burn any slower than other perchlorate stars; it would probably depend on mesh size of chemicals and type of star. I would guess that a pumped star of similar surface area would burn slower than a rolled star due to it being pressed and having a higher density? I have only rolled the composition. I sieve all chemicals so they pass 200 mesh, this (for me) creates a fierce burning star with a beautiful red colour. I lit an un-primed 5mm core on the ground from one side and it self propelled across the patio!
Swede Posted July 11, 2009 Posted July 11, 2009 I like the carbonates and think they are a wise choice for anyone concerned with toxicity. Unless you are a really dedicated amateur, approaching expert status, and simply MUST have the purity of color, the carbonates do work.
Mumbles Posted July 12, 2009 Posted July 12, 2009 Continued depression. I flower potted my first shell ever last night. I didn't build it with my style, so I'm not counting it as official just yet. At least the bottom shot and timed reports made it out of the gun. It was just a very loud mine.
deadman Posted July 13, 2009 Posted July 13, 2009 Was it in a rack or a single mortar? Knowing that bottom shot was coming I would have hit the ground faster than my sister when someone yells ho-down.
Mumbles Posted July 13, 2009 Posted July 13, 2009 5" steel gun, buried several hundred yard away with e-match. We were at a very safe distance. I won't hand fire anything with a big salute. Thats how you can tell the bottom shot and salutes were well constructed. Even with a flower pot they survived. Way to take a shot at your sister in the process by the way.
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