My first 3" Ball Shell

[MWJ]

I used 100 Pumped C-8 W/20% Al. stars in this and pasted 6 layers of heavy Kraft paper on it with wood glue and water. 1t weight 147g and was lifted with 15g of FFFg Goex BP. I still have to test my own BP for lift. I did add a TT rising tail to the top of it. And the charcoal was pine.

 

[ivars21]

That's impressive for first shell. Well done!

[MWJ]

Dylan (LambentPyro) has been helping me do this through email and phone calls. He has been a lot of help. Thanks for your nice comment.

[superspike23]

nice job

[Sparx88]

Nice one. Fat stars are a plus.

 

What is that comp C-8?

[Zumber]

Its Chrysenthemum 8

potassium nitrate-49

pine charcoal-40

S-6

SGRS-5

What is that comp C-8?

[TYRONEEZEKIEL]

This was your first shell?? This is wonderful. It looks great

[MWJ]

Thanks guys. Yes, it's C-8 with 20% 500 mesh Al.

 

C-8 4 oz (112g)

Kn03 49% 55g

C 40% 45g

S 6% 7g

Dextrin 5% 6g

Total: 113g + 20% Al.

[pyroman2498]

Amazing looking first 3 man . I recently did my first successful 3" ball she'll .

Keep up the good work man

[BrainDamage]

nice shell

[psyco_1322]

Good looking shell, nice burst and symmetry. I think you could do without the 20% Al. That's quite a bit of extra fuel, and it's not really adding any effect. Just a few percent (~3-5%) titanium can add all sorts of effects to charcoal stars. Your rising tail, supposedly Tiger Tail, does not look right. TT, when working properly, leaves a nice long and dense tail, your's is lacking this. I'd take a guess that either the charcoal you used was junk (ie: not fully cooked, or briquettes) or your stars somehow lacked a significant amount of the oxidizer. Moisture in charcoal stars does not usually ruin the effect, but rather makes them just burn slower, so moisture is not likely the issue.

 

I listed the formula just incase anyone wants/needs it.

 

Tiger Tail

KNO3 - 44

Charcoal - 44

Sulfur - 6

SGRS/Dextrin - 6

[jpace]

beautiful

 

[TYRONEEZEKIEL]

Psycho. I noticed the same on his rising tail. He may have just glued a star or two on the shell instead of making a comet. That could account for diminished tail, or the camera just didn't pick it up. I definitely agree in the Al. Just take it out. It didn't really affect the star color to any noticeable degree

[MWJ]

I did just glue the star on. How do you make a comet? Is it just star comp in a 1/2"x1/2" paper tube. I made some of those tube but didn't know if it was important to use or not. I added the Al. because I had some and wanted to see if it made a difference. If you guys don't think it did then I won't use any next time. Remember, I'm still very new to this so any help is appreciated. Thanks! Fire season is here now so I can display any more fireworks for awhile, Maybe

[psyco_1322]

If anything the Al probably caused some of the fall out you see with your stars. Just leave it out.

 

Comets are essentially just large, usually pumped, stars. Sometimes they fire them alone from guns as an effect. You don't put the comp in tubes either. What you describe is a pill box star, where a few turns of craft is used to make a tube, and comp is pressed in with a strand of black match through it. This gives extra burn area, and makes for more flame and light from dim comps. You can go a loooooong way in the hobby and never need to make a pill box star at all.

[pyroChile]

Thanks guys. Yes, it's C-8 with 20% 500 mesh Al.

 

C-8 4 oz (112g)

Kn03 49% 55g

C 40% 45g

S 6% 7g

Dextrin 5% 6g

Total: 113g + 20% Al.

 

 

Nice shell!!

 

 

What book is this composition?

 

 

 

Best,

 

 

=)

[Mumbles]

C8 itself comes from Fireworks: The Art, Science, and Technique by Takeo Shimizu.

[MWJ]

Thanks PyroChili:

Edited April 30, 2014 by MWJ

[pyroChile]

C8 itself comes from Fireworks: The Art, Science, and Technique by Takeo Shimizu.

 

 

OK, but in this book appears

 

KNO3 49%

C 40%

S 6%

Dex 5%

 

and MJW wrote

 

KNO3 55

C 45

S 7

Dex 6

Al 20% what? total mass (123g)?

 

How it calculated the proportions?

 

 

i don't understand..

 

 

 

Best,

 

 

 

=)

[Sparx88]

Because it's based off a 4 OZ recipe rather than a 100 gram recipe.

[pyroChile]

Ok, i get it!

 

 

But 20% Al, in relation to what?

 

 

Thanks for you reply!

 

 

 

=)

[FlaMtnBkr]

KNO3 49%

C 40%

S 6%

Dex 5%

-----------

+ =100%

 

 

KNO3 55

C 45

S 7

Dex 6

----------

= 113 g

+ 20% Al = 22.6 g Al

= 135.6 g total

 

When something is listed as +X%, that means that much more in addition to the total. The numbers are different because the first is a percentage that adds up to 100%. The second is larger and different because those are grams and more than a 100 grams. However, if you calculated the percentage, it would equal the percents given in the first formula. Ask if you still don't understand and which part is confusing.

 

Edit:the +20% is in addition to the total of the formula. So the formula would add up to 120%.

Edited April 30, 2014 by FlaMtnBkr

[pyroChile]

Hello FalMtnBkr!, thanks for you reply!

 

 

But, adding 20% of Al, the total mass will be 135.6 g. With this, the proportion will be changing..or this addition does not affect the equilibrium of the reaction?...Such addition will have been calculated by test and error?

 

 

 

Best Regards,

 

 

 

=)

[FlaMtnBkr]

Yes it will change the percentages, but many times this is how metal is added. The metal doesn't burn much in the flame/reaction area and mainly burns outside the flame and burns in the air with atmospheric oxygen causing sparks.

 

If this is how the formula is presented, you don't worry about how it might change. If it is a known formula, works, and looks nice, just go with it. You will get the hang of things and why they are done after a while.

[pyroChile]

Thanks for you explanation!

 

 

 

Best Regards,

 

 

 

Marcelo.-