whats the most powerful flash powder

[pyro132011]

hi could you help me i would like know the most powerful flashpowder for salutes and firecrackers thanks

[Ralph]

If I had moderator power in this section to this thread would be locked this is the most common question by noobs about to kill them selves

70/30 is more than powerful enough(and certainly sensitive enough) and you shouldn't be on a quest to find anything more powerful as there is simply no need in pyro (properly mixed 70/30 will report in 1 turn of craft paper you dont need a "more powerful" composition

please leave flashpowder alone and start with some real pyrotechnics first here is some info on starting pyro (http://forum.truebluepyro.com/index.php?topic=64.0) that you should read

[californiapyro]

sometimes you do need something more powerful, like when bursting crosettes. 70/30 sometimes wont cut it for that.

[TitaniumsalTDI]

be careful flash is nothing to mess around with. i agree with ralph if your new to the hobby i'd start with some easy color comps and go from there

[uraniumsalute]

Strongest and SAFEST flash I know of is 70/30 KClO4/Al. Make sure the Aluminum has the smallest particle size you can find, along with the Perc. Smaller particle size translates to faster reaction. We can start talking about chlorate flashes, or flash with Mg, but that is going into the area of instability or sensitivity.

The strongest comp I know of though is with KMnO4, which you should never really do. I don't know the exact comp, but I have seen it before in person. With the same flash weight as 70/30, it had to be several times louder. I heard a ~20g charge of it go off exactly 5 miles away over light traffic.

With that said, learn the nature of the beast if you really want to go forward with this, and spend some time learning about safety. If/when an accident occurs, flash is not too forgiving of a composition... You might be making something, and 5 seconds later you can be on the ground with your hand missing, going into shock.

[Ralph]

californiapyro you may not realise this but the traditional break formula for crossetes is dark report which packs less of a punch than 70/30 if your crossetes arnt functioning the key isnt to shatter them into a million peices but to use a rolled shot.

as mentioned in my safety thread KMnO4 shouldn't even be considered as a pyrotechnic chem. There are plenty of much more powerfull formulas out there like platinum(IV) oxide and finely divided magnesium would probably self confine in even miligram amounts and unlike the permangenate stuff wouldn't spontaneously ignite

[pyro132011]

ive been in pyrotechnics for just over 2 years if made a little bit of flash powder is 3 grams the most to mix at one time

[californiapyro]

yes but with my formula lower quality Al can be used. also, who uses platinum oxide? id prefer a chemical thats not over $40/lb.

[Ralph]

I was just giving an example of something that would be much much much faster and more energetic you havent provided a formula and I suspect it is something moronic like a permangenate based one . and no I dont think anyone Pt in pyro except for electrodes there is no need for a flash more powerfull than 70/30

[tgis81]

hi could you help me i would like know the most powerful flashpowder for salutes and firecrackers thanks

This has accident written all over it. Ralph is right. This thread SHOULD BE LOCKED... maybe deleted.
Pyro132011, take everyone's advise and don't mess around with flash until you know what you are doing. I'm just learning myself, and I know better than to get info flash right now

[californiapyro]

its actually atomized Al 70/30 + 5% flake Al. the flake adds more air to the system and makes it much faster. try asking questions before you call me moronic. and try using periods once in a while.

[pyrokid]

its actually atomized Al 70/30 + 5% flake Al. the flake adds more air to the system and makes it much faster. try asking questions before you call me moronic. and try using periods once in a while.

Ok, expert. Why don't you read a little bit more pyro literature before you go around talking like you know everything.

[uraniumsalute]

This has accident written all over it. Ralph is right. This thread SHOULD BE LOCKED... maybe deleted.
Pyro132011, take everyone's advise and don't mess around with flash until you know what you are doing. I'm just learning myself, and I know better than to get info flash right now

Uh, no. He asked a question, and he got well thought out responses. Here are a few realities you may not be aware of:
- A lot more people than you think make flash.
- Many people have safely made it for years, and nothing goes wrong.
- Suppressing information will only have the person Google it instead, and most likely instead learn how to make it from a less credible source.
- Telling someone not to make it will most likely only make the person want to do it more.

How about if someone has flash related questions, they ask people ON A PYRO HOBBY WEBSITE about it, instead of just a random person elsewhere.

Us being responsible is teaching people the proper way to do things, regardless of legality, so people stay safe, and don't damage our hobby. Us being irresponsible is hiding all information pertaining to it, and leaving the person out on their own.

Whether you like it or not, a lot of people want to make flash powder, and your opinion telling them to steer clear from it will have zero influence.

[pyrokid]

Those people who will not heed such dire warnings about the dangers of flash... Should not have anything to do with fireworks.

"hay guys i want to make some boomers to scare my neighbor wats the most powerful and loudest formulas? Send em my way. btw luv fire"

^^^This type of person should not be given any information about flash powder except for how dangerous it is.

[displayfireworks1]

Guys do not get too excited when someone asks about making firecrackers. Although I would recommend discussion of firecrackers be done in the firecracker section of the discussion forum. The more you tell someone not to do something it may have the opposite effect. Nothing is more desirable than a product someone tells you that you are not allowed to have. Remember someone can ask what may appear to be a stupid question but we really do not have to answer it. Let’s try to direct salute discussion into the firecrackers forum. This should clear up the fireworks manufacturing area for discussion of color formulas, techniques etc. I know people find flash questions an aggravation but to be honest most people I know of in fireworks start out by trying to make firecrackers then progress from there. It is always a controversial issue but something the discussion forum has to deal with.
Dave displayfireworks1 pyrotalk.com administrator

[uraniumsalute]

Those people who will not heed such dire warnings about the dangers of flash... Should not have anything to do with fireworks.

"hay guys i want to make some boomers to scare my neighbor wats the most powerful and loudest formulas? Send em my way. btw luv fire"

^^^This type of person should not be given any information about flash powder except for how dangerous it is.

While your intentions are good, nothing is stopping this individual from searching elsewhere, and learning from less credible sources. If anything, communities like this are the best place to ask questions. There are not many places online with such a concentration of people who are pyro hobbyists.

By no means am I saying we shouldn't frown upon reckless or stupid behavior, but shooing them elsewhere isn't fixing the problem.

[pyrokid]

Hey there uraniumsalute

I'm not trying to shoot anyone elsewhere- Just saying "If you're new to pyro, don't use flash."

Patience is a virtue with fireworks. You can't just jump in the deep end if you don't know how to swim.

Make some BP, some stars, put a few small cannister shells together. Those should be on your checklist before you fool with flash.

I am not a "flash hater" I love a salute just as much as the next guy.

Anyways, I can think of a perfect site with a much nicer concentration of hobbiest types, that don't just spout what they heard from the next guy.

[californiapyro]

Ok, expert. Why don't you read a little bit more pyro literature before you go around talking like you know everything.

do you find flaw with my formula? i claim not to know everything, just knowing that fast flash can be obtained without permanganate or platinum.

[Ralph]

do you find flaw with my formula? i claim not to know everything, just knowing that fast flash can be obtained without permanganate or platinum.
Its been said more than once in this thread that 70/30 (normal) is plenty fast. you must be using some mighty fine atomised al 70/30 with 400mesh burns much like a waterfall.

[californiapyro]

Its been said more than once in this thread that 70/30 (normal) is plenty fast. you must be using some mighty fine atomised al 70/30 with 400mesh burns much like a waterfall.

point taken, and im not telling anyone to use it, im just sharing my personal formula. no disrespect meant.