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Posted

i will be attempting my first star. i have #4 screen, and i made a star roller. any suggestions? thanks paddy

Posted

I'm really not sure what you're looking for. You'll want to choose a composition, and mix it. Generally a screen finer than 4 mesh is used for this. I prefer something relatively fine, but 3-4 passes through a kitchen strainer should do the trick. After that you'll need to decide how you want to form the stars. You mention you have a star roller, but typically pumping or cutting is the easiest to start with. I also hope you don't have one of those horrid star rollers driven by a drill.

Posted

Mumbles, even if he is starting out, the drill and bucket star roller will roll stars just fine. You don't even need to use the drill. For the longest time, my roller was the bucket which I turned by hand.

Posted

Mumbles, even if he is starting out, the drill and bucket star roller will roll stars just fine. You don't even need to use the drill. For the longest time, my roller was the bucket which I turned by hand.

Turning by hand is a smarter. or should i say, safer alternative. Drills spark, a lot.

B!

Posted

Just to clarify, I meant horrid in the sense of being unsafe. Anything that actively sparks as much as a drill does is getting nowhere near any live compositions for me. While perhaps not already on your work bench or as conveniently available, other suitable motors can be had for about the same price.

Posted
Ah. I understand. I totally agree in that regard. That was why I didn't use a drill
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

yes, you guessed it . i made it with a drill, i didnt have much success .. i hand cut and they turned out ok. i used the red veline recipe..i hope to get a better roller.. thank you

Posted

Ok, good call on no longer using the drill operated roller... However... Drill operated or not, isn't the reason behind it not rolling stars. Thats something else.

B!

Posted

Not sure if brushless drills would be any safer but they are available from Dewalt.

Posted

i decided to make hand pressed stars, i watched the vidio on skylighters, I have to admit they look pretty good ..i have them drying in the sun will update you very soon.

Posted
The brushless ones would be much more safe. They are quite a bit more money. The other down side is they are cordless too.
Posted
In my opinion ,for a beginner ,if you want to roll stars ,the drill powered ones I see no problem using as long as you roll your stars outside away from your work place. But if your a beginner I just recommended to cut or pump stars ,it's easier and I don't see a beginner wanting to make a 5 - 10 lb batch of stars. It's a great skill to have and I prefer it over rolling do to traditional factors of my building and it fits nicer into my cans :)
Posted

You don't see a problem with using a motor that makes constant sparks while running, while dumping explosive chemicals a few inches away?

 

You should read the account from a forensic coroner about an explosion in Tennessee where 11 people died. The explosion was linked back to the use of a drill to mix chemicals.

Posted

Nah. Sparking drill motors isn't a problem. Hell, i usually mix 10 kilo batches of flash in front of the open fireplace. I mean, RIGHT in front of it, fire blazing like something from a scene in Dantes inferno, and sometimes, just to check it's potency i throw a handful of the stuff at the fire.

 

Personal opinion. Some sparking engines might be "unavoidable", i'm thinking ballmill's and similar, they tend to not be brushless. but for a star roller i really thing a sealed engine unit, or a brushless should be used. Preferably a combination.

B!

Posted (edited)

Spend 5 bucks at the junk yard and get a windshield wiper motor they have 2 speeds and are a sealed unit

and have a decent torque output for large loads

It would be a cheaper alternative to a drill not to mention safer.

 

Dean

Edited by Dean411
  • Like 1
Posted

Spend 5 bucks at the junk yard and get a windshield wiper motor they have 2 speeds and are a sealed unit

and have a decent torque output for large loads

It would be a cheaper alternative to a drill not to mention safer.

 

Dean

 

+1

Posted

The old guy at the wrecking yard charged me 20 for mine and it only works on one speed! I got hosed :blink:

Posted

Jake

there are different wires there is one positive that is low speed and 1 positive that is higher speed.

 

I have pics of mine in my gallery and ive been using it 3 years no problems

and mine only costed 5 bucks sorry you paid more.

Posted

Yes I understand how to wire it up. I'm guessing one of the field wires is broken inside. The speed it runs at is fine with me and I'm sure I got my 20 bucks out of it in the year I have owned it.

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