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This is a reasonably safe, easy to make, high powered flash powder, suitable for use in electrically triggered pyrotechnics effects.
It stays reasonably stable under various moisture conditions.
For instructions on making squibs (small flat pack explosives), see my other instructable.
*** WARNINGS:***
It stays reasonably stable under various moisture conditions.
For instructions on making squibs (small flat pack explosives), see my other instructable.
*** WARNINGS:***
- THIS INSTRUCTABLE INVOLVES HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
- OXIDATION HAZARD.
- EXPLOSION HAZARD.
- YOU CAN HURT YOURSELF.
- NOT FOR CHILDREN.
- FOLLOW DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY, AND USE COMMON SENSE.
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Signing UpStep 1Gather materials
You will need:
- aluminum powder
- potassium perchlorate powder
- a metal cylinder for rolling out powder
- an anti-static bag for mixing
- a precise scale, capable of measuring single-gram quantities
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The mixing process for Black Powder is just as important as the formula. Black Powder MUST be made in a Ball Mill to work properly.
A Ball Mill is a rotating drum with dozens of lead balls inside. The 3 chemicals are loaded into the Ball Mill, along with the lead balls, sealed shut and allowed to rotate for anywhere between 1 hour and 24 hours. As the Ball Mill rotates, the lead balls will crush the chemicals together, forcing some of the Potassium Nitrate into the pores of the Charcoal and Sulfur. At the same time, the entire mass will be reduced to a super fine powder. The longer the Ball Mill runs, the stronger the Black Powder will be. A general rule of thumb for all pyrotechnic mixtures is " the finer the powder is, the faster it will burn ".
ONLY lead balls can be used in a Ball Mill as they are completely non-sparking. ONLY Black Powder can be mixed in a Ball Mill. Other pyrotechnic mixtures such as Flash Powder, etc. CAN NOT, as they are too sensitive and will explode. Individual chemicals however, can also be Ball Milled into a fine powder, but the mill must be cleaned before this is done.
Flash Powder is a high explosive, a shattering explosive. It converts to a gas so fast, that objects near it, and containers that hold it cannot move out of they way (or vent) fast enough to release this gas, so they are destroyed into fragments.
Black Powder is a low explosive, a heaving explosive. It converts to gas much more slowly than Flash Powder, and generally pushes things as opposed to fragmenting them. If Black Powder is used in a small Salute like an M-80, it will just make a loud "pop", and push out the end plugs.
Flash Powder in an M-80 will make a loud explosion and fragment the tube into small pieces. Flash Powder burns so much faster than Black Powder that in larger Salutes, it doesn't even matter if you've got end plugs on the tube at all, it will still detonate and fragment the Salute, even with 2 open ends.
The following is the standard formula for Black Powder:
Potassium Nitrate
150 grams
Charcoal Powder
30 grams
Sulfur
20 grams
- This is a reasonably safe, easy to make, high powered flash powder, suitable for use in electrically triggered pyrotechnics effects.
**** WARNINGS:***- THIS INSTRUCTABLE INVOLVES HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
- OXIDATION HAZARD.
- EXPLOSION HAZARD.
- YOU CAN HURT YOURSELF.
- NOT FOR CHILDREN.
- FOLLOW DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY, AND USE COMMON SENSE.
**********************Those two things should never be on the same page as each other! This guy must have been on crack the day he created this page.
An example of what you are dealing with:
If you substituted flash for the gun powder in, say, a 44 magnum cartrige, fired in it a quality, well made, firearm, the bullet wouldn't exit the barrel, the firearm would explode in your hand.
Although I feel the publishing of this is somewhat irresponsible; it's not like it can't be found elsewhere, and at least this offers a forum for responsible discussion, and WARNINGS. And yes, if properly made, and there are formulas using as many as 7 ingediants, (I have published and copywrited several), 500grams can indeed lift your house from it's foundation, but would probably just blow the windows and walls out.
Note: it must be in powder form and usually sells for about 6 bucks
hehe i love FIRE aslong as it is well controlled.
from jamesm (FIRE RULES)