flash powder

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:***

• THIS INSTRUCTABLE INVOLVES HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
• OXIDATION HAZARD.
• EXPLOSION HAZARD.
• YOU CAN HURT YOURSELF.
• NOT FOR CHILDREN.
• FOLLOW DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY, AND USE COMMON SENSE.

**********************

Step 1: Gather 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

Comments

[arduinrobo]

isn't a plastic bag a little bit dangerous considering static sparks ?

[draconis537]

he didn't say a regular plastic bag. He said an anti-static plastic bag. I really hope you are still alive to read this post a year and some change later ;)

[m5industriesinc]

agreed

[Thinkman]

When Black Powder isn't granulated, and is in a super fine powder state (similar to that of Talcum Powder) it is called "Meal Powder".

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.

[roscoluu]

As an ademdum: Low explosives, such as gunpowder, produce a shockwave less than the speed of sound. High explosives, such as flash, produce a shockwave greater than the speed of sound.

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.

[Thinkman]

glad I saw this pic! Reasonably safe with a suit like that! Lol I'll have to go and get one!

[m5industriesinc]

hes just over protective...................

[neodymium]

he should get the fire resistant metallic suit the mythbusters have. great instructable though!

[jschwend]

some of the people on here are dumbasses like the guy that said 500g can remove your house from its foundation lol ya maybe if u hAD LIKE 10 500g pipe bombs

[randyclark747]

Does anybody in here know the following:  Will stored 70/30 flash powder absorb moisture from humid air and spontaneously explode under these circumstances?  After all, not all aluminum powder comes coated, and it reacts with water.  I am sure water vapor is included. 

[vernors]

when aluminum comes in contact with air it creats an oxidized barrier of aluminum around the aluminum so it shouldnt be a problem

[tercielo]

do they sell these chemicals to minors? cause im still a minor..

[pyroguy123]

at lowes I bought the tree stump remover without a problem I'm 14

[lop145]

can u just use a ball mill?

[Ichitousai]

 For those looking for POTASSIUM NITRATE (KNO3) go to lowes home depot, anywhere that sells gardening equipment. Look for Stump Remover.

Note: it must be in powder form and usually sells for about 6 bucks

[james.mcglashan]

9 volt + transformer + flash power + wood = FIRE STARTER

hehe i love FIRE aslong as it is well controlled.

from jamesm (FIRE RULES)

[james.mcglashan]

plus the finnest steelwool and dry wool string fuse hehe worlds best fuse

[grantdevine]

I have access to a fair supply of 300 mesh Aluminum powder but I was told to buy the stuff sold on unitednuclear which is 80-100 mesh. What difference will the mesh rating make to the flash powder and can I refine the 300 stuff to make it closer to 100? (Assuming that my guesswork's right and mesh is based on particle size)

[Suttonboy]

the finer the faster=more power=better report...wich is what you want when using flashpowder, i use close to 3 micron german dark flake al. and if you are wondering spherical or flake, flake also increases the rate of the burn...think of it as lighting a ball of wadded paper vs. lighting a sheet, the sheet will burn faster.

[grantdevine]

Also, I can't find anywhere online that sells potassium perchlorate? If anyone knows of a site to buy it that ships to Australia or of a place in Sydney, Canberra or preferably Adelaide that sells it I'd be much obliged

[smithynakka]

Hey grantdevine, i get my potassium perchlorate in australia from auschems.com, they have been around for quite a while now, ship Australia wide. They don't have it listed on the website, you just have to email them and ask for it.

[Pyroman]

wow...u dudes are so freakishly paranoid. look at all the stuff that guy is wearing. i've heard that this formula is actually pretty hard to set off without heat (relative to other flash powders). They said that they tried setting it off by zapping it with several thousand volts, and it didn't go off. so evidently a little static wont kill u. and i myself have tried hitting it with a hammer and it didn't go off. so shock isn't a factor for this either.

[kaboom05]

flash powder can be set off with friction (heat) or at the "drop of a hat" its very unstable the guy in a welder suit is pretty sencible doing so

[mr.space]

I know that Chlorate flash powder isn't that sensitive, so i very much doubt perchlorate flash powder is

[tbird45039]

potassium chlorate is very unstable compared to perchlorate, and perchlorate isn't all that stable either

[phredex]

Also, regardless of what you have heard, I personally know of an incident where it was set off by being spilled on the ground and rubbed with a foot. Months in the hospital that time.

[Suttonboy]

no way its impossible...if you "spilled" sum. I use this mixture kclo4/Al very often as i am in the pyrotechnic industry, first of all it is not sensitive to friction, and if u spent months in the hospital u were either bare foot bcuz if u had shoes on it would have taken 2-3 grams "spilled" then scooped in a pile and not "rubbed" but ground with ur foot into pavement, if you stupid enough to do that you have no respect for pyrotechnics period and shouldnt be anywere near when they are used.

[ColbyCirca89]

How much spilled? You can stand on a few of the "little dynamite" and not hardly feel a thing when they go off. Although this is done wearing shoes, not barefoot.

[phredex]

As a licensed user of fireworks, and knowing most of the folks involved in the Pyrotechnics Industry, I implore you to not make Flash Powder, using Nitrate, Perchlorate or Chlorate. I know of numerous accidents that have killed people, quickly, even thogh the same people have been "doing it for years". This stuff is dangerous, period, 500 grams WILL remove your house from it's foundation, and if you live, allow you to spend some quality time with your new wife "Bubba" in Club Fed.

[ColbyCirca89]

Wait, "licensed user"? Do you mean licensed maker? If you are a licensed user, you must live in a city somewhere, where pyrotechnics are severely limited. Cities are very paranoid about fireworks and the like.

[phredex]

Type 54 BATF&E Federal License.

[0xCyrusx0]

What are you talking about? 500 grams is not nearly enough to "Remove your house from it's foundation". I have a feeling you don't know much about what you are talking about.

[phredex]

You must not be mixing it properly.

[franklinonline]

why dont you demenstrate removing a house from the foundation :)

[ironman13]

500 grams can not "remove your house from it's foundation". I have made over a dozen 300 to 700 gram pipe bombs. the 500 gram pipe bomb will only put around a 7 foot hole in the ground.

[baggins]

"Only" a 7 foot hole?

[tbird45039]

you dont realize how dumb you are and thats whats gonna kill you.

[Kataze]

I heard that too. But the guys I heard it from also said that it's better safe than having third-degree burns.

[themasterpyro]

im with ya if you get hurt hey not me its YOUR FAULT NOT MINEbesides if u get hurt its more fun:]

[John Smith]

I've hit flash with a hammer...and it went off at about the 4th try (I was wearing goggles and gloves, too. ), although I could only do it once.