Firework Stars

[LambentPyro]

I have a WIP series that consolidates all the information that I've gathered from many sources and found consistent on making stars. It's sponsored by the Fireworks Fan Page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/4thofJuly), rolling them, pumping them, cutting them, drying them, and priming them. I know most techs on here know how to make stars, but I'm just posting it here as a guide for visitors.

 

I never had a full set of videos like this that goes very in-depth, which is what the new guys need, to be safe and to understand the concept. I'm sure most of you on here gathered your info from books or hunted all of it on the internet. It takes a huge unecessary amount of time to find reliable info on the internet; so again, this is here to just put together all the puzzle pieces.

 

Like I said, it's mainly for people who are new, that's why I show the entire mixing process for rolling stars.

 

I'm going to make a shortened version of each process video for people who are watching it for the educational purposes.

 

Introduction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGNbKfYJsfc

 

Rolling Stars:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8RoiFNPorw

 

Pumping:

Coming soon!!

 

Cut Stars:

Coming soon!!

 

Drying Stars:

Coming soon!!

 

Priming Stars:

Coming soon!!

 

Conclusion (Outro):

Coming soon!!

 

All criticism and comments are welcome!

[mathiasxx94]

Very nice and informative video. I'm looking forward to the next ones. The good video quality makes it a delight to watch. May I ask you which camera you used to film it?

[LambentPyro]

Very nice and informative video. I'm looking forward to the next ones. The good video quality makes it a delight to watch. May I ask you which camera you used to film it?

Thanks for your support!

 

Canon Rebel T3i, she's expensive...

Edited October 25, 2013 by LambentPyrotechnics

[LambentPyro]

Rolling (Educational/Shortened Version):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68VeD80_GF8

 

Pumped:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc4gmu4BiEY

 

(Before you say it, yes, I did add too much solvent, but to keep the splatter and crumbling lowered when I compressed it.)

Edited November 3, 2013 by LambentPyrotechnics

[Shizznt]

Hey, very nice tutorial Lambent Pyrotechnics. The rolling stars video really helped me out. Thanks

[LambentPyro]

Hey, very nice tutorial Lambent Pyrotechnics. The rolling stars video really helped me out. Thanks

Thanks for your support, I am glad someone appreciates it.

[Shizznt]

On the pumping stars video, one way I measure out the amount of comp is to use the percents and then change it to decimals. So 44% Kno3 becomes .44 and 6% sulfur become .06. Now you can multiply it by 4 and it will give you about 4 ounces of tiger tail comp. You can multiply by any number to get how much comp you want in ounces. If you make 4 ounces of comp, then you will add .4 ounces of water. If you make 8 ounces of comp, then you add .8 ounces of water. I find that this way is easier, but that might just be my opinion. I really like the star making videos you put up. They are very help and informative. Good Job!

[LambentPyro]

On the pumping stars video, one way I measure out the amount of comp is to use the percents and then change it to decimals. So 44% Kno3 becomes .44 and 6% sulfur become .06. Now you can multiply it by 4 and it will give you about 4 ounces of tiger tail comp. You can multiply by any number to get how much comp you want in ounces. If you make 4 ounces of comp, then you will add .4 ounces of water. If you make 8 ounces of comp, then you add .8 ounces of water. I find that this way is easier, but that might just be my opinion. I really like the star making videos you put up. They are very help and informative. Good Job!

Yep, in basic math, percents in a calculator are always converted to the right two places to become decimals. From there, you can manipulate it anyway you'd like. This and solving proportions are extraordinarily common in Pyro formulas as they convert the parts of a whole still equal to the ratio of the original.

 

I am very glad you enjoy them. Cut stars will be the next video. Then drying, priming stars with a conclusion video at the end.

 

Thanks once again for your support!

[asdercks]

Hey nice vids is good to know there is someone taking the time to make some tutorial videos although you should let the rookies now that pumped stars shouldn't be that wet specialy glitters, from what I read high moister content affects the glitter effect...I'm one of those rookies hahaha

[butch]

Keepem coming good work. Thanks

[LambentPyro]

Keepem coming good work. Thanks

Thanks for your support!

 

Hey nice vids is good to know there is someone taking the time to make some tutorial videos although you should let the rookies now that pumped stars shouldn't be that wet specialy glitters, from what I read high moister content affects the glitter effect...I'm one of those rookies hahaha

That was not a glitter. It was a generic fire dust. Technically, fire dust such as Willow, Tiger Tail or Chrysanthemum perform much better if it is overwetted because it allows the nitrate to soak into the charcoal and provides an even more uniform mixture.

Edited November 21, 2013 by LambentPyro

[dan999ification]

Milling will do that, over wetting charcoal stars may cause the nitrate to re crystallise ruining intimate mixing and the stars will possibly be driven in aswell, the nitrate can also leach out if you dry on absorbant material.

With The wet process you over wet the comp to a slurry, dry then mill. First soaking the nitrate into the charcoal then breaking it back down.

 

The best streamers I made were a re milled driven in batch of tt pumped with a hammer, copper pipe and 8% water, 20 by 30mm comets dried in 3 days, basically wet process.

I like them to have a similar feel to bp pucks, mark white when scratched, not chip or break easily etc. the burn rate, density and duration of the tail were excellent compared to my overwet batches with the same comp And chems.

 

I spent a long time learning not to overwet charcoal comps due to the drying and fallout issues.

I have video of both examples

 

Dan.

[Maserface]

Milling will do that, over wetting charcoal stars may cause the nitrate to re crystallise ruining intimate mixing and the stars will possibly be driven in aswell, the nitrate can also leach out if you dry on absorbant material.

With The wet process you over wet the comp to a slurry, dry then mill. First soaking the nitrate into the charcoal then breaking it back down.

 

The best streamers I made were a re milled driven in batch of tt pumped with a hammer, copper pipe and 8% water, 20 by 30mm comets dried in 3 days, basically wet process.

I like them to have a similar feel to bp pucks, mark white when scratched, not chip or break easily etc. the burn rate, density and duration of the tail were excellent compared to my overwet batches with the same comp And chems.

 

I spent a long time learning not to overwet charcoal comps due to the drying and fallout issues.

I have video of both examples

 

Dan.

 

My first thought was the nitrate recrystallizing, however, in the video, he is using IPA, which doesnt dissolve the nitrate. I will agree that wetting the comp will allow a nice intimate mix, for that same reason I alcohol granulate my bp. However, for use in TT/Spider stars, I have always been under the assumption that a less intimate mix gives a better tail, many compositions call for hand mixing ONLY. It is an effect that is known by its bushy orange tail, and I just dont think super fast burning, well mixed, comp, will be as pretty.

 

Also, id be weary of wetting it too much, id worry about weak stars after the stars dry, the solvent takes up space, and if it is too large a portion, its going to leave space behind, at least to a degree.

Edited November 22, 2013 by Maserface

[asdercks]

Thanks for your support!

 

 

That was not a glitter. It was a generic fire dust. Technically, fire dust such as Willow, Tiger Tail or Chrysanthemum perform much better if it is overwetted because it allows the nitrate to soak into the charcoal and provides an even more uniform mixture.

I know it wasn't a glitter, what I was trying to say is that what if someone who doesn't have a lot of experience watches that video that person will assume that overwetting is ok for pumped stars, when in reality pumped stars don't require that much water, just saying not trying to judge or anything, like I said is realy cool that you're taking your time to post videos and share info

[dan999ification]

I think shimizu recommends milling I may be wrong. Non milled comp will be coarse grained and sparse, milled dense and fine. I'll upload some vid later.

 

I'm sorry for hijacking the thread, I appreciate your work also.

 

Dan.

[Mumbles]

Overwetting stars does not lead to them being driven in, nor does it result in soft stars. If they're dry enough to be formed, neither is an issue assuming you don't put them directly in the sun or dry them like a moron.

 

I prefer my charcoal streamers milled for the most part. As Dan said, they're more fine grained and even. If I want a coarser effect, I'll add in granular charcoal afterwards. It of course depends on the effect, some tailed stars do benefit from not being milled. Spider stars are meant to burn fast and bushy, so milling is optimal.

[BrainDamage]

good tutorials keep it up

[Ddizzle22]

Thats ashame there private now would be nice to check out..

[Blackthumb]

Private video?

[pyrogeorge]

why private?

[LambentPyro]

Sorry guys, underwent a little legal criticism with the videos from a lot of people, trying to tread lightly...

 

E-Mail me (in signature) if you want to discuss the videos. They're honestly not that great and include many flaws (that I have changed since) and are obsolete with the standards of what I want them to be. Hopefully I can remake the series and make it a bit more simple and professional, again with the quality advice standards of what they should be.

 

Sorry guys, again E-Mail me if you're super interested, I'll try to help as best as I can.

 

Best

Edited June 22, 2014 by LambentPyro

[Blackthumb]

Know where you are coming from..Doesn't pay to do tutorials.....too many legal openings. I gave up.

[MrB]

It doesn't pay to leave a legal trail, period. From time to time i wish i could post a picture, or a movie, be it to explain what i'm asking about, or to show something i'm having trouble explaining, but i just don't do it. Text is bad enough, but you can always call it theoretical reasoning, where as images of something is pretty much proof in the eyes of the law. I don't need that, or liability issues.

B!

[LambentPyro]

Exactly, that's why I chose to clean it all up. Thanks for the advice.

 

Edit: I probably won't end up remaking it anyway, takes too much time I don't have and again, sets that legal opening like BT said.

 

Best

Edited June 23, 2014 by LambentPyro

[MrB]

I sort of like the idea with a forum account for posting tube videos, since it protects ME, but then it puts the forum at some sort of legal liability. And if the forum covers it's ass by storing everyones info with the vids, then i'm sort of without my cover of anonymity again.

 

*shrugs* what were doing is illegal where i'm at. The reality is that even if nobody really cares that much until something happens, leaving a paper trail, isn't good, providing the evidence they might once need against you is not just "not good" but also quite stupid. I'd be in trouble enough if they get their hands on my notes.

B!