As a noob are these projects ok for me?

[pyrodoc]

Hi,

 

First of all thanks to Bengalflair and Swapnil for letting me few sources of chemicals in India.

 

On page 118 of "practical pyrotechhnics" by Wouter visser formula for and extra bright aluminium torch is given.

 

xtra bright torch

Source: rec.pyrotechnics

Comments: According to the original text: "An aluminum torch of heretofore unheard of brilliance and giving an

illumination, in the 2.54cm size, of what is said to be 100000 candlepower". Testing with paint grade aluminum

revealed that it burns very bright indeed at a steady slow burnrate and with little residue. It is easily pressed in tubes.

Preparation: Rub the Vaseline into the barium nitrate. Mix the sulfur and the aluminum separately. Then mix it with

the barium nitrate/vaseline mixture. A starting fire mixture is required for ignition. The 'starting fire #1' composition

can be used for that purpose.

Barium nitrate....................................38

Mixed Aluminum....................................9

Sulfur............................................2

Vaseline..........................................1

What is paint grade/mixed aluminium?

What is meant by rubbing vaseline into barium nitrate?

Same literature says Barium when mixed with metal powders generate heat which can be prevented by adding boric acid.

Is this ok for a beginner like me?? Is a starting fire mixture same as black powder?

2. Fountain Preparation:

Barium nitrate....................................45

Potassium nitrate.................................5

Meal powder.......................................5

Aluminum..........................................45

What kinda aluminium do i require for this? Can the composition be rammed?

3. The book also mention purple flash and photoflash. I have read that a beginner is supposed to stay away from flash powder. What is photoflash and are they frequently used?

Sorry seniors, i am asking too many questions but its better to be safe than worry.

Regards

[dangerousamateur]

Paint aluminium is often called "bright", it's flake stuff with 200 or 325mesh and coated with wax.

 

 

Can the composition be rammed?

No. You need a press. Ramming would be very unsafe.

 

 

 

Is a starting fire mixture same as black powder?

 

Not sure... I needs to be hot enough. I can use blackpowder and add 10-20 percent or so aluminium.

This should still be able to light from a fuse, but burns hot enough to light the mentioned compositions

[BurritoBandito]

Be cautious of the barium nitrate. Its pretty toxic.

[pyrodoc]

Yes barium is.toxic so masks n gloves r must.

 

In torch preparation what is meant by rubbing with vaseline?

 

What do u guys think bout d fountain composition? What kinda aluminium do i require for dis fountain?

[BurritoBandito]

I'm not sure if you're just confused by the use of the brand name "Vasoline" or if you're asking what method to use to rub it into the BaNO3. I have no experience with this fountain, but vasoline is a brand name for petroleum jelly, and I can only assume that you are simply to mix it into the BaNO3. I don't know for a fact, but I believe "paint grade" aluminum is 120 to 200 mesh flake coated with stearin.

[psyco_1322]

I'd agree that he meant to just mix the Vaseline with the barium nitrate. You could mix it by repeated screenings until its homogeneous.

 

That fountain formula really looks crappy, it's more like silver rocket propellant. You should look for something different, many nice fountains are made just using basic bp chems, plus a few percent metals.

[schroedinger]

You won't be able to mix vaseline simple into the bano3. Commonly vaseline gets dissolved in aceton and then worked into the mix. Other solvents can be used too, but i would recommend to stay away from them, as most of them (like xylene) are somewhat more dangerous than other

[dan999ification]

Acetone does not dissolve Vaseline.

 

I'd start with firedust and (or) metal for simple but pretty fountains.

 

Dan.

[Mumbles]

You won't be able to mix vaseline simple into the bano3. Commonly vaseline gets dissolved in aceton and then worked into the mix. Other solvents can be used too, but i would recommend to stay away from them, as most of them (like xylene) are somewhat more dangerous than other

 

 

Well, you've clearly never tried this or generally even have any idea what you're talking about. You might want to think twice about giving advice on things you've never actually tried or experienced.

 

You do actually rub vaseline directly into barium nitrate. Exactly like it sounds. There are no solvents involved. It's just like making oiled stars if you've read about them in older literature. It's often most easily accomplished with a mortar and pestle or something similar where you grind/smear them both together. This is why you're supposed to add it to the barium nitrate first before adding the other components. Grinding it into the completed mixture would be dangerous. This isn't saying that using solvents wouldn't make it easier, but it's not required or originally designed to be done that way.

[sora]

Hi PyroDoc,

 

IMHO you can safely ignore the vaseline part. What kind of fountain casing you'll be using? The common 'anar' type earthen pots? Then you need not to ram it, charge it with your fingers firmly and consistently, or you can use a blunt and wide wooden dowell if you wish.Consistency is important otherwise the fountain will 'hiccup' sparks.

BTW I originally belong to Calcutta.

[pyrodoc]

Hi Sora

 

I am more interested in fountains as mentioned in turbo pyro book. Other thing i am interested in is d torch mentioned in starting.

 

Earthen pots are difficult here as the order is minimum 100 pieces which i dont want.

[BengalFlair]

‘Mixed aluminium' is a mixture of various mesh size aluminium to get desired effect and the burn rate of the composition as well. Finer mesh al makes the bright light and mainly controls the burn rate while the coarser mesh makes the showers of bright sparks. So you will have too wise to select the mesh sizes controlling the burn rate which also depends on the diameter of the flare tube and the consolidation of the composition as well. Use of excess finer mesh al and air gaps in composition of a flare tube may cause a violent explosion and a lot of such accident can be heard in every Diwali season abroad.

Moisture is required to initiate a metal-nitrate reaction generating heat ,then you may add boric acid but it would be optional if the flare composition is dry enough containing coated al and not to storing for a long time.

I have been using a modified and tested formula for decades with no problem. It contains a fine (MEPCO 666) and some coarser al. For coarser al I use the scrape from al utensil factories which can be easily ground with kitchen grinder to desired mesh. It works great for 3/8”-1/2”dia paper tube (dry rolled 3-4 turns of 50/60 lb. kraft papers).I usually use funnel and wire to fill the tubes. The formula is as follows-

Barium nitrate-60

Fine coated Al (MEPCO-666)-10 (use of al finer than 666 unnecessarily increases the burn rate)

Coarser Al (30-40Mesh)-20

S-10

Starter mix.-- 60% rough hand mix bp+40% said comp.

Extreme care must be taken with this composition and all the safety precautions must be followed like flash as it’s just a variant of flash powder.

[Zumber]

It would be better to tie flare tube at the one side of 5 or 6 feet long wooden stick.

If unfortunately flare tube explodes this will protect you.

Edited February 15, 2014 by swapnilsutar1988

[sora]

I can share some Torch/ Fountain compositions. Most of them as BengalFlair has mentioned are just varieties of Flash so handle it accordingly. All parts by weight only.

 

+++YELLOW TORCH+++

Barium Nitrate: 4
Aluminium Powder : 2
Sulfur: : 1
Sodium-bi-carbonate : 1

 

You can add 1 or 2 (or even more ) parts of Iron fillings for yellowish sparks.This is my personal favourite.

 

+++GREEN TORCH+++

Barium Nitrate: 6
Barium Chloride: 3
Magnesium powder: 1
Sulphur:1
Magnalium:1

 

Off course you don't expect it to be as green as a KP/KC based composition, same goes for the Red Torch mentioned below. Luminosity is also less because of the Barium Chloride.

 

+++RED TORCH+++

Strontium Nitrate: 6

Magnesium Powder: 1
PVC: 1
Sulfur: 1
Magnalium: 1

 

+++ORANGISH TORCH+++

Barium Nitrate: 8

Aluminium Powder: 1
Aluminium flakes: 4
Magnesium: 1
Sulfur: 1.5
Mineral Chalk: 0.5 ***

 

*The Mineral Chalk is the ingredient that imparts the orangish color or the "Calcium Flame color" as you call it technically. Depending on your location you may find different varieties of mineral chalk. In Bengal it is sold as "dela-Khori" which literally means "clump of mineral chalk", and there are at least three other versions of mineral chalk availble. You may like or dont like the flame color. We once made a better orangish torch with SrNitrate/Pyro minus the PVC but lost the formula.

 

More compositions later

 

 

Starter mix that you tip the torch with is the same as BengalFlair mentioned 60% rough hand mix bp+40% said comp. If in a hurry I just sacrifice a rocket to get the powder and use it in the starter.

Edited February 15, 2014 by sora

[pyrodoc]

Hi all,

 

Will be using composition given by Ben for making my first flare. At the moment acquiring various chemicals. Got Barium nitrate, bentonite, salt peter, Sulphur. Now will get Aluminium, charcoal airfloat and 80 mesh. to start with.

 

Regards

 

Doc

[Satamas]

Always use a gasmask or a respirator. It protects you from inhaling toxic things and when you breathing, air that is coming from your mouth doesn't blow away any components