take your shots now..

[Bobosan]

Fountains will do well with chems from pyrochemsource. The BP for those doesn't need to be as potent. Same for Gerbs and even wheel drivers. When you start wanting to lift things like shells and and flying fish out of mines, then you may want to make that hotter BP with a more reactive charcoal. A ball mill would help get you faster BP, even with standard air float charcoal.

[FlareLauncher]

Look at how much you have learned already, just from this thread! This is a GREAT forum to learn in, and the people are great. No way could most folks afford to buy such knowledge and insight. As to the making your own BP - I really recommend you do it! IF your first batch (or 6) are slow burners, SAVE them, and you'll find uses for them later. Not ALL of your black powder needs to be super fast. I use 2 distinctly different 'speeds' of BP regularly. This is handy for me, and also gives me a way to use up the batches I learned on. It is amazing the differences you get based on the type of charcoal, the amount it is ground, and many other factors. I'm just a noob, too - but here's my best advice so far. Get a book. A notebook, and keep lots and lots of notes! Write EVERYTHING down! You will enjoy rereading your notes in just a few months, when you see how far you have come. That, and read the forums and ask away! - I sure do!

[boostedmx3]

ya have i mentioned how awesome this place is yet???

[boostedmx3]

Im having a hard time finding anything charcoal related that is listed as a specific type.. its just all airfloat but never says what wood its from. is making it yourself the only way to get "hot" charcoal of a specific wood

[BurritoBandito]

I think Algenco sells paulownia. He is a member here on the forum, shoot him a PM.

[boostedmx3]

I think Algenco sells paulownia. He is a member here on the forum, shoot him a PM.

 

 

thanks, I sent him a PM however i noticed he hasnt been active in over 6 months.. any other possible sources if i dont get a reply here? I dont need the best of the best i just dont want to have a smoldering pile of junk for my flying fish mine..

 

talking backyard stuff, 1" tube with a bunch of 1/2"-1" fish fuse pieces looking to get a safe height out of it.. but dont need it going 200 feet or anything

[fredjr]

http://www.customcharcoal.com has willow & alder. But with the TLUD method and some cedar shavings (pet bedding) it's pretty easy to make your own.

Edited June 6, 2014 by fredjr

[BurritoBandito]

Wow... I didn't realize that he hasn't been on in that long. Im going to go ahead and agree with Fredjr. It's easy enough to make your own.

[FlaMtnBkr]

All you need is 2 empty paint cans to make a TLUD. I have enough stuff laying around to make one for free. Then get a $6 bale of eastern red cedar pet bedding and you will have more charcoal than you need that is also one of the hottest ones around.

 

I don't think most pyros mind a little fire, though it is more comfortable in fall and winter.

[boostedmx3]

Ya it's a lil warm and I don't have a ball mill.. And won't be able To get one in time for the 4th..

 

I will def be making my own in the future but for now I just got to get thru the Holliday lol..

 

Then I can start prepping for next year, I would like to be able to put on a show without having to drive and buy all that over priced stuff..

 

 

From the looks of it some of you could make "Excalibur" quality shells for a whole lot cheaper.. And I want to do the same.. But time is running short

[boostedmx3]

Although that site says lump charcoal.. Which means I need a mill n e way ..

Any air float good charcoal for sale? Or am I stuck with cheap airfloat of unknown quality or store bought BP ?

 

 

my KNO3 showed up today.. got 8 pounds of it.. what should i make first? still need to get charcoal and sulfur.. have perc and aluminum...

Edited June 5, 2014 by boostedmx3

[dagabu]

Although that site says lump charcoal.. Which means I need a mill n e way ..

 

Any air float good charcoal for sale? Or am I stuck with cheap airfloat of unknown quality or store bought BP ?

 

 

my KNO3 showed up today.. got 8 pounds of it.. what should i make first? still need to get charcoal and sulfur.. have perc and aluminum...

 

DUH!!! ROCKETS!!!!!

[boostedmx3]

rockets worry me as i have had a few storebought ones get a lil too close for comfort.. I do love rockets i jsut dont trust them too much

 

 

Ill start looking for a formula..

 

any u would suggest?? I technically have no tooling or a ball mill.. however i can get pretty creative if need be..

 

 

Well that's pretty easy.. So the rocket candy and smoke mix are the same thing Just diff ratios..

 

Now could I add my steel filings to the rocket fuel to give off a shower of sparks as it flys? Any dangers in doing this??

Edited June 6, 2014 by boostedmx3

[Bobosan]

We share your enthusiasm boostedmx3, however, we also want you to be careful in what you do. Don't try to rush things just to make the 4th this year. I know it can be expensive to stock up on 1.4g fireworks.....especially items like Excals or Exterms which, I believe, are about the maximum ooomf for consumer shells. Most of the members here build in the 1.3g class of shells and fireworks which is a professional and display class. Here a link below shows the differences in consumer (1.4g) and professional display (1.3g) firework classes.

 

http://fireworksland.com/index.php/free-fun-stuff/articles/classifications-of-fireworks

 

Maybe concentrate on a fountain(s) of your own making and add it to the store bought 1.4g items. Something as simple as a wood dowel that fits a tube you will ram clay ( finely ground kitty litter) bulkheads and press/ram a fountain mix. A drill bit twisted by hand to make a nozzle on one end. A lot of pyros started out with the simplest tooling and basic chemicals.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Bobosan

[dagabu]

rockets worry me as i have had a few storebought ones get a lil too close for comfort.. I do love rockets i jsut dont trust them too much

 

 

Ill start looking for a formula..

 

any u would suggest?? I technically have no tooling or a ball mill.. however i can get pretty creative if need be..

 

 

Well that's pretty easy.. So the rocket candy and smoke mix are the same thing Just diff ratios..

 

Now could I add my steel filings to the rocket fuel to give off a shower of sparks as it flys? Any dangers in doing this??

 

Love it!! No tooling?!? Shoot me a message, I might have something for you.

[nater]

I will admit it, rockets can be dangerous and unpredictable. However, once dialed in, a rocket you build is most likely to perform better and more predictibly than a consumer 1.4g rocket. There are a lot of reasons why consumer rockets have such a varied performance, a lot has to do with DOT and CPSC regs along with the desire to make a rocket look more impressivve. What you end up with are small motors with large, fake headers. 1.3g rockets are rare in the US, but generally perform well.

 

This brings up the rockets we make. Most are more powerful than any rocket on the market today, consumer or professional. This raises the risk of a CATO and heavy fallout, but actually makes them fly better. Motor thrust, stick length and header weight can all be dialed in for a reliable rocket. Some with experience routinely lift 8" and 10" shells on 1" x 1" sticks. Most never go that big, a 3/4" or 1 lb motor will lift. 3" or 4" shell plenty high.

 

All that said, rockets are the great, with respect to their potential for damage. Be safe and they will reward you well.

 

For learning, stick with what you have. I see no reason why a 1" mine with bits of flying fish fuse can't be lifted with screen mixed and granulated BP made with commercial airfloat. Keep the fuse pieces to about 3/4". They will zip around all over the place so make sure you light them far away from other product, dry grass or other flammable objects.

[nater]

Just saw that you asked about steel in rockets. I do not like to use any metals in the fuel that is pressed around the spindle due to the risk of sparking and the damage the metals can cause to the tooling. Any fuel pressed above the spindle serves as a delay burn on a coreburning rocket. Metals can be mixed in this portion for added effect. Yes, the steel would work, but I don't think it would be ideal. FeTi gives nice gold sparks in a rocket tail, Ti gives nice silver sparks. Steel makes beautiful, soft branching sparks, but the effect is lost at a distance. It looks great in devices fired close, like gerbs and sparklers. It looses the unique effect when used in stars, and I would expect the effect to be lost if used in a rocket tail.

[dagabu]

I will add my opinion to Nates post, I made lots of rockets with metal in the fuel but there were "rules" to my madness. No more than 5% metals, nothing that would scratch the spindle or be reactive with the fuel and NO pounding, only pressing the fuel. Also, use a shield and appropriate distance from the press.

 

I have found overall that the effect of the metal IN the fuel vs the metal in the delay was nill except for the first 1/100 of a second before the delay lights. I have used up to 50/50 metal/fuel in my delay with fantastic results!

 

Rockets can be unpredictable, that is what makes them so very interesting.

[californiapyro]

Just saw this thread, I have a LB of rough ground red alder charcoal I can let go. About as hot as you can get PM me if you want it.

 

-Hunter

[dagabu]

SURE!!! Wait until I am not making rockets to offer that stuff!

[boostedmx3]

lots of replies.. and i dont feel like quoting so if i miss something i apologize..

as far as getting ready for the 4th im just trying to get a few small items ready to go along with my store bought stash of mortars and cakes.. def. not trying to rush into anything or put myself or others n any unsafe situation..

dagabu i will PM you after this post.. interested to see what you got..

 

californiapyro i will do the same in PM u after this post.. although i do not have a ball mill yet i would much rather buy product from members then some big company based in who knows where..

 

to the rest i really appreciate all the advice some of my thoughts become very random and i just throw them out there.. ya never know when someones gonna think of the next big thing.. even if i am a newb haha.

i def. have a lot of reading to do on rockets.. as yesterday i picked up 6lbs of powder sugar to go with my 8lbs of KN03..

i also ordered up some airfloat charcoal.. sulfur, bentonite and a couple other randoms.. Im def looking foward to getting fully submerged in the hobby.. just wish i found this place sooner...


Im starting to think this thread is gonna b a good one for new members to read as a lot of great info has been posted to a lot of my questions.. questions that you all could have easily said "go research" too, even though i had and believe it or not some of the simplest questions dont have answers out there. and the last thing i want to do is get burned because i couldnt verify something simple yet i could find out how to make a 24" shell with 35 diff kinds of stars in it quite easily

[pyroman2498]

I've never made a fish fuse shell or mine or a falling leaf effect shell in my whole career of making shells ,

I guess that makes me an od ball as it seems everyone has xD

 

Ooh do I live me some 1 lb whistle cluster rockets and multistage rockets.

 

The sound of a rocket taking off is unbelievable , and if done right can

produce effects that shells can't .

 

Stay safe and stay green

 

~Steven

Edited June 7, 2014 by pyroman2498

[boostedmx3]

when you say 1lb rockets are you reffering to the comp weight? or full rocket weight? or what?

[nater]

1 lb rockets = 3/4" ID rockets. Oddly it has nothing to do with the weight of the comp, rocket weight or lifting ability. The reason behind the naming convention has been posted before, so I won't repeat it all. It is confusing, so don't feel bad.

 

3/4" coreburning rockets typically have tubes 7.5" long. I use 36" long 5/16" square sticks for this size. They are by far the most popular size of rockets in the hobby world. They are too big to fly in your backyard, but most sites that have the distances for a 1.3 display, especially a club shoot will be no problem for this size of motor. 3" or 4" ball shells and 3" cylinders are lifted to good heights. These motors don't take a ton of comp to lift those headers. If they CATO, I would not want to be close, but the damage is less than larger rockets or shells.

 

All in all, 1/2" (4oz) to 3/4" (1 lb) are ideal sizes for your first rockets.

[Maserface]

Black powder rocket lengths are traditionally 10x the ID of the tube. You will find most things are based on the ID. Nozzle sizes, increment sizes, delay, etc.

 

I know this is a copout answer, but go and buy http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1494894505?pc_redir=1401462780&robot_redir=1

 

It's a phenomenol book with loads of good info, and the diagrams are just great! Seriously, buy it and when it comes read it cover to cover. I wish someone had put it in my hands when I started.