Metallic Fire Dusts and Glitters

[LambentPyro]

I am directing this question to Glitter guys and those who have lots of experience with glitter.

 

What is the best, and most available type of Aluminum for glitters, and other metal streamers, even a metal that's added in TT or something, to make metallic fire dusts.

 

Ex:

If I were to make a batch of C6, and wanted to make a Silver C6, what metal is best used (mesh an structure) to be added and what percentage fits best in the formula.

 

Overall, what is the nicest glitters and metallic fire dust formulas with the metals mesh and structure and is readily available.

 

I've made a D1 Glitter shell with 325 Mesh Flake Al (uncoated) and the stars burnt out in nearly a half a second, and wasn't bright. However, I had a shell from the fourth that had 425-Mesh Atomized Al (uncoated) and the D1 was very bright, but didnt last long at all, maybe like 3/4 of a second.

 

I also just got Alcoa 120 Al from HCS, what formulas is this best used in.

 

Oh yeah, I probably won't be pumping any of them, just rolling. However, if it is extremely necessary, I would.

 

Also, I'd like formulas without Antimony Trisulfide, I don't have it, and I don't plan on getting it.

 

 

Thanks guys for any suggestions!

Edited October 11, 2013 by LambentPyrotechnics

[pyrokid]

Alcoa 120 is good stuff. It's what I use. I've never had trouble getting great glitter tails from it. Your results with your new aluminum should be much better than what you achieved with the 325 mesh flake. The spherical/spheroidal structure is what is important.

 

I do have a formula for gold glitter that uses 325 mesh mgal that I am particularly fond of, but that mgal is my metallic star fuel too, so I can't make too much glitter with it.

 

I have observed differences in tail density between rolled and pumped glitter stars.

[nater]

I use an atomized aluminum for D1 in a wide range of mesh sizes , but more coarse that what you tried. which gives an effect I am pleased with. Super fine like the 325 mesh you used wont burn long enough to get the slag which IS the glitter effect. Why avoid antimony trisulphide? The best glitters I have seen use it. Winokur 39 is a popular long tailed glitter.

 

I have -40 +100 spherical ti which makes a nice silver when added to charcoal stars or gerbs.

Edited October 12, 2013 by nater

[LambentPyro]

I use an atomized aluminum for D1 in a wide range of mesh sizes , but more coarse that what you tried. which gives an effect I am pleased with. Super fine like the 325 mesh you used wont burn long enough to get the slag which IS the glitter effect. Why avoid antimony trisulphide? The best glitters I have seen use it. Winokur 39 is a popular long tailed glitter.

The chems we deal with are toxic enough, the exclusive use of Sb Sulfide doesn't persuade me enough to buy it.

 

There are other Winokurs that don't use it and are wonderful.

[nater]

Then try D-1 with your Alcoa 120. That might be the same that I bought from a club member. I like it in D-1 a lot, and there is another variation that has been published that adds 1% coarse (60-80 mesh) mg/al for a silver and gold glitter. Pretty nice effect, I don't have any mg/al that coarse to try it myself right away though.

[LambentPyro]

Then try D-1 with your Alcoa 120. That might be the same that I bought from a club member. I like it in D-1 a lot, and there is another variation that has been published that adds 1% coarse (60-80 mesh) mg/al for a silver and gold glitter. Pretty nice effect, I don't have any mg/al that coarse to try it myself right away though.

Seems pretty awesome!!! Il have to check it out!

 

Thanks a lot for your input!

 

Anyone else?

[Mumbles]

I would love to find out where this myth that antimony trisulfide is some terrible toxin to avoid. Antimony Trisulfide and Potassium Nitrate have the same health rating on the NFPA diamond. Gloves and a dust mask make any toxicity basically a non-issue.

 

If you want to make a silver C6, you'll need titanium. Aluminum wont do it. It does brighten the tail, but it wont be silver.

[hindsight]

http://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/0141.pdf. Yep, gloves and fullface respirator when working with Antimony Trisulfide. And shower when you're through.

[psyco_1322]

You can add some of that firefly Al, that looks like chopped foil, to a gold glitter for a mixed silver and gold tail.

[LambentPyro]

I would love to find out where this myth that antimony trisulfide is some terrible toxin to avoid. Antimony Trisulfide and Potassium Nitrate have the same health rating on the NFPA diamond. Gloves and a dust mask make any toxicity basically a non-issue.

 

If you want to make a silver C6, you'll need titanium. Aluminum wont do it. It does brighten the tail, but it wont be silver.

 

Hindsight provided an excellent MSDS, which seems very accurate. I never really thought about using it, just never really liked the only use it's used for, just glitters? I'll pass, I can obtain glitters that perform nearly as well with other formula.

 

What's a good Ti to use? Will Hobby Chems spherical Ti 80-150 mesh work? I just got a lb., its my first time getting Ti metal, so I want to make it worth wild.

 

We talk about Ti and Al, but how about TiH2, Skylighter carries it, and it seems pretty good and cheap. Mesh size like that is most ideal for rolling them, and good enough not to scratch the pumps up. What do you think?

 

You can add some of that firefly Al, that looks like chopped foil, to a gold glitter for a mixed silver and gold tail.

Sounds like you're referring to an effect that FeTi would make in a charcoal fire dust. Edited October 14, 2013 by LambentPyrotechnics

[nater]

The firefly effect is completely different than the effect from FeTi. FeTi makes soft, orange sparks which are a little brighter than charcoal alone. Firefly is silver and gold that follow in the tail with a slight delay and twinkle. Sort of like a swarm of fireflys on a summer night.

[LambentPyro]

The firefly effect is completely different than the effect from FeTi. FeTi makes soft, orange sparks which are a little brighter than charcoal alone. Firefly is silver and gold that follow in the tail with a slight delay and twinkle. Sort of like a swarm of fireflys on a summer night.

The reason why I said it is because this uses TT with 15% FeTi:

watch?v=YT_wmpleHpk

Edited October 14, 2013 by LambentPyrotechnics

[Mumbles]

If you've never used antimony trisulfide, how can you be so confident that you can make glitters that perform nearly as well? It sounds more like you're making excuses to justify to yourself that it's not worth it. In any case, it also has uses in certain flash powders and breaking charges, as well as being used in some strobes and smokes.

 

For the firefly effect, look at the videos below. It's a charcoal streamer with metallic twinkles that light after a significant delay. When done correctly, it's a very impressive effect. Neither of the videos below are truly stellar. I say that even though the second is mine. Only the second one actually uses firefly Al. The first is a related effect using coarse MgAl.

 

 

[Shizznt]

10% of Ti would be enough in C6 or any other black powder star. Aluminum will give you a twinkling effect while Ti gives you silver stars with a tail. For D1 Glitter I use Spheroidal Aluminum +100-325 mesh and it works fine in my shells and also as a tail on the shells.

[LambentPyro]

If you've never used antimony trisulfide, how can you be so confident that you can make glitters that perform nearly as well? It sounds more like you're making excuses to justify to yourself that it's not worth it. In any case, it also has uses in certain flash powders and breaking charges, as well as being used in some strobes and smokes.

 

For the firefly effect, look at the videos below. It's a charcoal streamer with metallic twinkles that light after a significant delay. When done correctly, it's a very impressive effect. Neither of the videos below are truly stellar. I say that even though the second is mine. Only the second one actually uses firefly Al. The first is a related effect using coarse MgAl.

 

 

 

Alright, alright Mumbles, you're right (when are you not to be honest), next time I make my chemical order, I'll be sure to get a LB. of it.

 

Interesting, I like the second one better though. They seem to have the charcoal fire dust as like TT or Chrys. would, but then they still make a metallic twinkling effect. Nice....

 

Thanks for your input Mumbles.

 

10% of Ti would be enough in C6 or any other black powder star. Aluminum will give you a twinkling effect while Ti gives you silver stars with a tail. For D1 Glitter I use Spheroidal Aluminum +100-325 mesh and it works fine in my shells and also as a tail on the shells.

 

Yea, I just got 80-150 Mesh Spherical Ti, and I dumped a tad of it over a torch (which half of it I missed), and the parts that hit the flame made some VERY bright white sparks that sorta crackled. Pretty interesting.

 

By the way, is it safe to use that mesh Ti in a comp when pumping? Would it scratch it? I don't have that special NTuff coating, just a straight brass sleeve and pin.

[nater]

There are a few well documented ways to prevent your tooling from being damaged by metals, but I am positive you already know a better way.

[LambentPyro]

There are a few well documented ways to prevent your tooling from being damaged by metals, but I am positive you already know a better way.

What's that?

[Shizznt]

Yea, I just got 80-150 Mesh Spherical Ti, and I dumped a tad of it over a torch (which half of it I missed), and the parts that hit the flame made some VERY bright white sparks that sorta crackled. Pretty interesting.

 

By the way, is it safe to use that mesh Ti in a comp when pumping? Would it scratch it? I don't have that special NTuff coating, just a straight brass sleeve and pin.

I'm pretty sure it is safe, but I haven't pumped Ti in a comp yet. I have only rolled it. I have pumped aluminum though, and my tooling is fine. You have to clean the pump well to make sure comp doesn't stick to it because it makes it hard to pump stars.

 

There is some comp that I can't get off the pump by washing, so is it fine if I run some acetone over the pump? Would it get the comp off of it? Thanks.

[zAZO9a]

as soon as you get your antimonyIII try winukor #15 or #39j awesome glitters...just saying