Bismuth Dragon Eggs (Crackling Micro Stars)

[PyR0Star]

WOW!!!! faved

[joey5731]

Can u please do a how to video

[Q2SEEDSMAN]

another great vid.What proportion is your magnalium 50:50 or 30:70? and how are the ingredients mixed do you just mix them all at once?thanks for the informative videos, good of you to share.

[murdoch2486]

@Q2SEEDSMAN

the MgAl i use is 50/50.

I just dry mix the powdered comp in a bag, then slowly add the Lacquere to achieve the correct consistency. The composition isnt very sensitive, just make sure you are wearing the correct safety gear.

all the best

[nickroselund]

do you add black powder to the nitrocellulose lacquer?

[murdoch2486]

@nickroselund

nah, just regular NC should be good enough, its only being used as a binder in this comp.

in regards to your not crackling, you could try priming them?

[ScizzayJ]

@murdoch2486 i heard it burns away leaving a high energy thermite that explodes and that it isnt only a binder but a fuel needed to enable the heat needed for the oxidation of magnalium

[nickroselund]

i got my dragon eggs to burn and spark but not a good crakle any suggestions?

[nickroselund]

can i use parlon instead of Nitrocellulose lacquer?

[murdoch2486]

@nickroselund

not for this comp mate,

you need to use NC lacquer

[nickroselund]

i say forget the subcarbonate. i just bought some trioxide from ebay, the same store i got the smoke dye. alot cheaper then skylighter. i'll give that a try thanks again :)

[murdoch2486]

@nickroselund

cheers mate

There is a specific comp for Subcarbonate, but ive forgotten it.

Yes ping pong balls and acetone.

yeah trioxide is one of the most expensive chems in pyro, but a 100g of dragon eggs goes a long way!

[krssnoop]

I wanted to make this comp years ago but couldnt get hold of Bismuth trioxide in Australia..

[balisticsrooster]

could I just granulate flash and dry it and then mix it with a tiger tail comp?

[murdoch2486]

@balisticsrooster

nah, that will not work.

And also it is quite dangerous to add water to MgAl, or Flake Al.

sorry mate, there isnt really a way round Dragon eggs unfortunately!

[xPyroMaNix]

nice, you can tell me the formula preparation of the dragon eggs Stars please?

[murdoch2486]

@xPyroMaNix

sorry mate, just got your comment now

the formula is in the decription

[makerbath22]

can you tell me where you got the stars things

[murdoch2486]

@makerbath22

i make them myself mate

[makerbath22]

@murdoch2486 do you sell them cause i want to buy some or can you put up a tutorial

[murdoch2486]

@makerbath22

nah, sorry mate, i dont sell them.

theres plenty of tutorials online if you have a look, but they use some pretty expensive chemicals! it would probably be easier to find somewhere to buy them!

and you live in the US, im sure you wont have any trouble

[makerbath22]

@murdoch2486 k wher would i be able to buy them can you give me a website or somthing

[murdoch2486]

@makerbath22

you could try a place called skylighter(dot)com

im not sure if they sell just chemicals or actually compositions, youll have to do some research.

good luck mate

[megafeltch]

nice! can i us 400 mesh atomized al instead of 200?

[murdoch2486]

@megafeltch

cheers mate

i suppose you could, but the results may not be as good as they would be if 200 mesh was used?

its always worth ago!

[megafeltch]

@murdoch2486

i'll give it a go thanks for the reply.

[murdoch2486]

@megafeltch

no probs buddy

good luck

[elliotmotoX]

@murdoch2486 I've obviously done more research than you have if you think the prime gives the dragon eggs the delay..

[murdoch2486]

@elliotmotoX

tell you what mate, you try making them, then come back so you can comment with experience, its all very well, quoting from forums, from lads that are all bark and no bite, but untill you actually, physically make them, youll undertsand that the theory is not consistant with the practice

[elliotmotoX]

@murdoch2486 I have made them...

[murdoch2486]

@elliotmotoX

ok then,

it was a bit petty of you to dislike the vid mate.

im getting bored of this little 'debate', so ill leave you to it. to troll on other peoples vids.

just for the record, generally dont dish out negative comments if your own videos, arnt of the highest quality.

[joke799]

Hi,

Can you tell me what Nitrocellulose lacquer is? and do you need it tom make dragon eggs? Thanks

[murdoch2486]

@joke799

hi mate

NC lacquer is a combustable binder that basically makes all the components of the composition stick together, to form little hard pellets when the wet mix is passed through a screen and left to dry.

unfortunately it is, yes, but fortunately, it is very easy to make! (all it is, is acetone and ping pong balls!)

hope this helps

cheers

[FireworkEnthusiast]

Very nice! 5*

But you might wanna try giving them a layer of some kind of delay composition :). My opinion is that i looks and sounds a bit better with a shot delay. Just a tip.

[murdoch2486]

@FireworkEnthusiast

yeah you are right mate. they do need a delay on them, i only use them in matrix stars so it doesnt really matter for that, but i do want to use them on there own, so ill need to get some prime on them!

cheers for your input mate

[FireworkEnthusiast]

You are very welcome! :)

[Niakahdabamb]

could u make o vid on how to make

[murdoch2486]

@Niakahdabamb

hi mate

im a bit skeptical about doing tutorials on youtube, as most of them seem to get removed.

I used the tutorial on pyroguide(dot)com to make these, so you check that out.!

cheers

[neddy17]

woah, great job! 5*

[murdoch2486]

cheers buddy!

[NarcUK]

I've also tried another formula with ratios of 82/9/9 which specified just -100 mesh, method was to crush a dried patty but they were even worse and just smoldered with a green smoke.. I probably got just enough Bismuth to make 1 more 50g batch, any thoughts?

[murdoch2486]

really intergrate your chems together in a tub, by shaking it around, before the addition of the NC?

also, try a prime? put the dried stars in some Meal BP, to ignite them? as they will be very difficult to ignite, if no prime of any kind is present?

good luck, and let us know how you get on

[NarcUK]

I tried a couple more times with different formulas, you can see the results in my videos page.

I'm still not getting that 'crackling' sound, rather a dull 'popping'. Possibly because my bismuth is poor quality, however when I tested the dry comp I did get some crackling so I also suspect my NC lacquer, disappointing results.

[murdoch2486]

yeah ive seen mate.

on the basis of what youve just told me, it could be down to your binder?

they are pretty tricky, but it does require 100% chems pretty much? if your Bismuth, is even slightly impure, you are going to struggle?

[NarcUK]

Tried making these twice but they just go 'pffft'... I used the formula on pyroguide kneaded it with NC Lacquer to a doughy, rubbery consistency and past them thru a 10 mesh screen to get similar gravelly consistency to yours. But I can see sparkling particles of Mg/Al in mine even though it was sold to me as -200.. could my problem be that my Mg/Al is too course?

[murdoch2486]

mmmm, it could be down to the intergration of the chems before the addition of the NC laquere?

Are all your chems 99+% pure?

[propyropower]

they are nice, they do need a prime m8, if you like i could pm you this prime formula +5

[murdoch2486]

i have success without prime, as they are so small, and uneven. therefore, the flame front of just BP, is enough to ignite them, as proved in this vid.

but please mate, can you send us the PM, just out of interest.

thanks for your comment

[propyropower]

yea thats awesome !! i saw the vid ofc and it made a Nice effect - really cool looking, now to make it a bit more cooler you could prime it, its not to be seen as a flame insensitive thing ^^ its more to delay the crackling Action so it will be better visible ;) i will pm u now.

[murdoch2486]

ahhhh i see!

cheers pal, will check it out

[AirrowRocket]

They were great!

[murdoch2486]

cheers mate!

[twirlywirly555]

very nice they look really good im going to have a go with this comp and see what i get , very nice :) 5*

[murdoch2486]

thanks

yeah go for it, theyre a bit fiddly, but im sure you'll suss it out!

just remember, not to make too much at once as the bloody NC lacquer evaporates so quickly!

good luck!

[poprocz]

Very well done.

[murdoch2486]

cheers pal

[switchest26]

cooooool!...liking this...

I must admit i had to notice the scorch marks on the patio there!.hehehe!

be well man!

[murdoch2486]

cheers bud

haha, yeah it has taken some abuse in its life!

[TheBombBros]

a bit of both.

[murdoch2486]

haha, well the proper comp, is the description for your future referance if you need it.

[TheBombBros]

mine were more like flash core stars.

[murdoch2486]

ahh i see.

so a lengthy burn, then a little detonation?

mmmmm, that could be down to your composition ratios?

are you following a set comp, or did you just do your own experimenting?

[TheBombBros]

nice. better than my dragon eggs

[murdoch2486]

cheers man

what were yours like?

[AlphaTier911]

I laughed because of the spots on the concrete.... hillarous :D!

Very nice dragon eggs dude

5*

[murdoch2486]

haha!

yeah its my little testing area! gets cleaned regularly by the rain!

cheers

[berzerker17487]

nice mate! I've been wanting to make some of these

[murdoch2486]

go for it!

really satisfying!

[starandshellman]

its 18:42 here so in 2.5 hours from now

[murdoch2486]

cool

so like 5 hours time diff

cool, well itll have to be tomorrow now

but have fun mate

[starandshellman]

launching at 21:00

[murdoch2486]

cool

so thats in how long?

sorry just trying to work out the time differance?

a few hours?

[starandshellman]

they fly tonight

[murdoch2486]

excellent

how long untill the launchs, as its already 23:00 here!

are you in the states?

[starandshellman]

they will be cool when you fly them look for my bp series of ten rockets,4 tonight!5*

[murdoch2486]

nice one

when are you doing them? or are you just uploading tonight?

ill keep an eye open, cheers for the heads up!

[starandshellman]

those will be cool ontop one of your rockets mate

[murdoch2486]

hi mate

yeah i havent had chance to test them in a header yet.

but ill get one knocked up and give it a bash, as this was the only reason i made them! for the rockets!

cheers pal

[markc20082009]

they look good mate give me a ring sometime if you wanna go out i think you got my number

[murdoch2486]

alrighty pal, hows the arm?!

could you PM me your Number again, that tatty bit of paper, is long gone!

probs give you a buzz in the hols?

laterz

[skyisthelimitinc]

Very nice eggs, did you handroll them? anyways, these were perfect mate! 5*

[murdoch2486]

oooo yes, its all my work mate!

they arnt actual rolled, are you familiar with the process of manufacture?

the final comp (bound with NC lacquer) is granulated through a 10 mesh screen.

cheers pal, not bad for a first go ay?!

[skyisthelimitinc]

Aha, i rolled my first batch, then i cut them, but a 10 mesh screen sounds much easier;)

[murdoch2486]

interesting!

i didnt know you could use that method?

bet its a pain in the arse?!

but i suppose you can get some decent sized stars on the go?

[skyisthelimitinc]

It was indeed a pain, had to add NC a few times and re-moist it, but the screening method sound like a winner to me, and these you made look like factory work for sure, well done mate;)

[murdoch2486]

haha, was it a good prduct in the end though?

really? cheers pal, i certainly was pleased when they turned out so nicely, it is a hard process, but its worth it!

theres light at the end of the tunnel!

[skyisthelimitinc]

Well, the best ones i made was the ones looking like a round one, those who came out with small edges and tiny air bubbles in them, didnt explode like a dragonegg, they just crackled a lot, so ill screen my next batch for sure, oh, i use red lead in mine, didnt get a hold of the bismuth, so face filter and all kinda protective gear was in use;)

[murdoch2486]

i see, yeah, let us know how it goes!

well, i kind of dont blame you, as the Bismuth was so bloody expemsive!

but yeah, Lead can be a little unhealthy!

[Pyrotechnics88]

Awesome Dragon Eggs mate! And check out that cameras zoom.. Wow 5* +

[murdoch2486]

cheers mate

haha i know im always complaining about my cam, but its not that bad really?!

[O3Cl]

Good aren't they mate? They certainly wake you up... Especially the first time you light them. ;D 5*

[murdoch2486]

i thought so, for my first batch!?

haha definately, the buggers are so small, you look at them, and youre like, there is no way they are going to be loud at all!

how wrong i was!

cheers pal

[AirrowRocket]

Excellent! Would love to see a tutorial!

[murdoch2486]

haha! thought that was coming!

they really are a pain in the arse to make, especially if its your first go (as it was for me), and the chemicals are quite hard to come by?

but if i get round to it, ill do one for ya!

[DownUnderPyro]

great job mate! they turned out made, maybe see them as cores for some stars in the future :D 5*

[murdoch2486]

cheers mate

i was really suprised to have made such a nice batch for my first attempt!

i know ive said this before, but the camera, really doesnt capture the sound right!

especially for the little mine i did, i normally dont jump at things, but the little buggers caught me by suprise!