Potassium chlorate and sulphur mixed in situ (less than 0.5 gram), then hit with a hammer to check out its impact sensitivity (which is quite high). I would never mix or store this composition. Far too dangerous.
This is just a small (12mm id x 30mm) fountain with red #3 to (as yet experimental) violet #1, the camera makes the flame look a lot whiter than it actually was (see the reflected light colour on the table and motorbike).
A slighty more successful test of a 15mm ID black powder rocket with 3 red stars, 6 crackling microstars, 2 gram BP and 250mg MgAl/KClO4 break, It was OK but the break was a bit weak.
This is my first aerial shell (1" sphere) launched from a tube with BP lift (can't remember how much), break was granulated BP. The stars did what they were supposed to do (glitter, out of view of camera). I was so chuffed with this test that more will follow...
This was to test a firing box idea for igniting mines, aerial shells or other types of pyrotechnics that I've had (this is the VERY rough wiring prototype!) that uses no special igniter, in fact it uses no igniter at all! It has worked every time I have tested it. The firecracker/squib was 0.5g BP in a tube, the same width, but 2/3 the length of a cigarette. Tested underwater to dull the noise.
This is an idea I had for an extra effect between rocket burnout and the header (there is no header on this), the header would fire as the glitter stopped, it worked.
This is a 15mm ID black powder rocket with 10% added 400# spherical Al powder, there was supposed to be 8 red #3 stars but they all blew blind (not enough prime) although there is a reddish tinge after the report, the break (actually turned out to be a report) was 400mg(0.4g) MgAl/KClO4 and 1.5g granulated BP.
15mm ID x ~70mm, 5mm nozzle, black powder rocket with a half gram of loose whistle mix for the report (just to see if the header would ignite properly), fairly good result.
Unfortunately the passfire hole was too far into the fuel grain, causing the header to ignite about 40 feet up. The header was 9 crackling microstars with 0.5 gram MgAl/KClO4 break. 14 grams BP fuel.
This is a test of my glitter #2 star composition, KNO3 48, S 17, MgAl (250-400#) 5, Willow charcoal (airfloat) 12, NaHCO3 5, Dextrin 4, Al (400# spherical) 4, SrAl (20-100#) 5. 5 stars fired from a 15mm ID x 10cm tube with granulated BP.
Same black powder with ~15% added 50/50 250-400# magnalium as my impact test, but this time it is ignited with a punk. the comp produces a lovely crackling sound as it burns.
This is an impact test of my red #3 composition, KClO4 45%, Sr(NO3)2 25%, MgAl (250-400#) 10%, PVC 13%, dextrin 4%, willow charcoal (airfloat) 3%, binder is nitrocellulose in MEK/MIBK. The sample was placed on a piece of Al foil (ground was wet and the sample wouldn't stay still!) and struck with a hammer.
This is an impact test of granulated black powder (75:15:10 +4 dextrin). The sample (50mg[0.05g]) was placed on foil (damned wind again...) and struck with a hammer, I tried this test several times and the result was the same each time.
Red Star #3 mini-mine, KClO4 45%, Sr(NO3)2 25%, MgAl (250-400#) 10%, PVC 13%, dextrin 4%, willow charcoal (airfloat) 3%, binder nitrocellulose in MEK/MIBK, fired with granulated black powder from a 12mm ID x 10cm tube.
Exactly what the title says. I'll play with the ratios to get the speed I want. The strobe is quite hard to see (it's out of sync with the camera frame rate) but you can hear the oscillations.
1 gram MgAl/Potassium perchlorate flash powder in a medium walled, 12mm ID tube, versus one very unlucky yellow melon. Trust me when I say "I will not be doing this in my backyard again!" The overpressure made it feel like your eardrums were going to rip, not good, the Mrs wasn't too chuffed with the noise either!
![PUFFIN\](http://img.youtube.com/vi/jZNPEnYi-U0/2.jpg "PUFFIN\")
![1\" AERIAL SHELL](http://img.youtube.com/vi/lyzbGTDqGro/2.jpg "1\\" AERIAL SHELL")
![1\" GLITTER AERIAL SHELL](http://img.youtube.com/vi/CabgG69ZP2g/2.jpg "1\\" GLITTER AERIAL SHELL")
