Blue Aluminum: A safer, louder, cheaper bang for your buck

[displayfireworks1]

My website pyrotalk.com has been selected to announce an exciting new pyrotechnic grade aluminum that will make its way onto the market. I am excited to be part of this announcement and demonstration. Please stay tuned to my website pyrotalk.com for more information as it becomes available
Dave displayfireworks1 pyrotalk.com


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbjbwzGIsaA

[californiapyro]

1 question: what makes it blue?

[J's12talk]

1 question: what makes it blue?

Ground up smurfs. LOL!!!

[californiapyro]

Ground up smurfs. LOL!!!

hahaha i wouldnt be surprised!

[Ralph]

is this blue aluminium just a really small particle size atomised aluminium ?

[californiapyro]

I'm pretty sure there's something else to it, otherwise it would light when... well, lit.

[PyroJoeNEPA]

Ground up smurfs. LOL!!!

84

Uh Oh no place is safe anymore!!!!

[Ralph]

I'm pretty sure there's something else to it, otherwise it would light when... well, lit.

Have you ever tried lighting a 70/30 mix of atomised al with perc it just wont ignite even with 600mesh so my guess is they have produced an atomised aluminium with a similar particle size to the top flash aluminium's (between 1-4 micron)

[californiapyro]

Have you ever tried lighting a 70/30 mix of atomised al with perc it just wont ignite even with 600mesh so my guess is they have produced an atomised aluminium with a similar particle size to the top flash aluminium's (between 1-4 micron)

good guess. It depends how you light it, that mix you stated will light via fuse but not via torch. at least in my experience.

[pyro70_30]

Where is Blue Aluminum available?

[Matt]

Where is Blue Aluminum available?

It is not for sale yet.

[pyro70_30]

Did some digging on my own and have heard some mixed reviews. Been told of a 10%-20% failure rate when using time fuse. How cheep is cheaper? I have dark AL that was purchased for $6.00/lb delivered. Is the blue cheaper? and is it that much better. Does it work better for large 5lb and up salutes or smaller 1 lb salutes?

[Matt]

Since it is not for sale there is no price set yet so you can't say if it is cheaper or not right now.

It is loud and none of the salutes in the video were 5lb or close to that.

[Ralph]

The aluminium is not on sale yet but those selling it said it was cheaper a product like this is alittle cheaper to manufature and they know that they can sell it cheaper than most dark al is sold for. In 100lb drums it couldnt be to expensive even quality stuff like indianpyro100 or mepco000 can be baught at around $6 per pound if you buy a drum

The jury is still out on atomised al bassed flash being louder its a bit like comparing apples with oranges though to compare you would need to fairly acuraetly determin the particle size per gram, Personally I would call them up explain that your interested and ask for a sample make 1 salute with your al and one with the blue al

[Chris H]

In some testing done by the Kosanke's in probably the spring or summer of 2007, they found that an atomized aluminum produced the best/loudest salute. Of course it wasn't all that scientific, but I also haven't seen anyone trying to "correct" that data.

I personally would be interested in seeing friction, impact, and static discharge testing. I mean as often as I drop lit blowtorches into piles of flash, the video is very comforting. However the other testing may address some more prominent real world dangers.

[californiapyro]

well said chris

[Palermitano2]

I can see them eventualy alowing a 1.4 salute cake with Blue aluminum......IMO

[Ralph]

I highly doubt that the US rules put a limit on the mass of "pyrotechnic flash composition" what ever its composition be this was part of a child protection act if blue aluminium produces an equivalent report and has equivalent power it will do the same damage to a child's fingers as the apparently more sensitive dark aluminium counter part (though bright aluminium is often used due to its lower price)

[Palermitano2]

I see great point..

[chris v]

Blue aluminum is an atomized aluminum that is bluish in color because of the size if the metal. Unlike any other flaked al's which have Sharp edges which burn vary rapidly. BA is more of a round shape which does not burn but has the tendency to smolder. BA only explode if confined for the fact of the shape, in a confined area it allows for the mixture to build pressure and rapidly burn

[smilli]

What i want to know is will blue aluminium still be louder in smaller amounts, like 2 grams of dark vs 2 grams of blue.
Is it only efficient by large amounts?

[PyroJoeNEPA]

I have done some testing with the blue aluminum flash & I have found that it needs a very "hot" source to ignite. Two grams by itself in a salute will not do a thing! You have to have a booster to get it to go off--either some black powder or a mixture of standard flash with it. I have tried it with up up 23 grams of straight blue flash and the results were the same--no boom!!! I will do several comparison tests with a BP mix, blue/dark mix & will also see what some black match strands in a small casing do to ignite it. I also tried a small (1.75") ball shell with the straight blue aluminum flash in it--it burned on the way down--but again, it did not explode. Also, I will try that with a small charge of BP in the shell to see what happens. I will keep you all posted on my findings.

[displayfireworks1]

From the YouTube video I have posted I have received inquiries from all over the world about the Blue Aluminum, these inquiries are from manufacturers. I usually pass these inquires on to the distributors in the United States and they in turn pass it on to the appropriate person near that country. As far as I know there are a few ATF licensees in United States that purchased at least 100 lbs., however they do not want to sell to the hobby market. At one time, I identified a source that was selling it in one-pound increments and passed that long to the pyrotalk members via private email. The company did not want to advertise on pyrotalk but I passed the information along as a service to some of the members. I would be curious Joe did you get the Blue Aluminum at that time because as far as I can tell no one is selling it in less than 100 lbs. in United States.You do not necessarily have to revel the source. I know in Poland and some other parts of the world it is available.
In the example you are talking about Joe would adding sulfur to the mix would increase its sensitivity? Referencing the video I have posted I witnessed a standard 70/30 Potassium Perchlorate mixture with Visco fuse and the ground salutes delayed briefly then went off.
Feedback I get from time to time reveals it is only good for larger salutes. A typical M-80 size device will not work. Last I talked with an official Salute manufacturer they told me the product did not meet their needs. The reason was it needs lots of fire to go off; they did not want to risk a large salute going up and dropping back down. I knew one person that was making exploding rifle targets with it but I never received a follow up.

[smilli]

Thanks for your comments Joe and Dave!

[PyroJoeNEPA]

I don't believe the Sulfur will make a difference---but I will let you know as soon as I have the opportunity to try in. Leaving Monday for 8 days in Florida!!! Bye Bye cold PA weather!

[chris v]

Blue al does not need a booster ex. Dark flash mix or bp which would make the mix impact sensitive just heat and compression I used 1650 mesh atomized al and works perfectly if using an aerial shell I suggest foryour 1.75" shell using a,larger piece of black match I use about 4 or 5" piece of medium Visco that has a some of the inner core exposed to let the fire transfer better when attached to the time fuse