Removing Snowblower Jam with Potassium Nitrate

[JumboshrmpXS]

So that's what you look like

[xBangergoosEx]

Oh i see. For some reason your face matches what your voice sounds like. I know thats wierd, but its the first thing i noticed lol

[ChemXu]

Using your torch and KNO3 there....

Isnt there a risk of maybe oxidizing the blade in the snowblower too much to the point that when you use it again, it could break?

[Nighthawkinlight]

I haven't experienced nitrate oxidizing steel that quickly. I suppose it's possible. fortunately it didn't happen to me here.

[ChemXu]

Alright. Great idea to use kNO3 to get rid of the log there though.

[biggdaddy2001]

ohh no u showed your face now the feds know who u are no more making fire works at your home

[Nighthawkinlight]

Building fireworks is federally legal.

[mastermakerhacker]

@Nighthawkinlight

As long as your over 18 i think and are not going to store them for later use, its legal...storage liscensing cost around $3000.00 altogether i believe..the main reason people get busted is for having large amounts of flash powder lying around and that can be a fine up to $250,000 and some jail time.

[Nighthawkinlight]

@mastermakerhacker It is true that federally you can build your own fireworks without license but you do need a license to store them. The license is much cheaper than 3k however. It can be obtained for less than $100 if I remember correctly. Join a local club to find what you must do to comply with the regulations specific to your area.

[mastermakerhacker]

@Nighthawkinlight

Do clubs accept people under 18? lol

[Nighthawkinlight]

@mastermakerhacker Most will allow you to attend the shoots, but you will likely not be able to become a full member until then.

[mastermakerhacker]

@Nighthawkinlight

Alright, thanks..i was planning on quiting after this fourth of july, and try to save my knowledge until im of legal age. I was going to work with a friend of my mom's for a while since he is a pyrotechnic that makes and lights the shells for my area, but when police came to his house to break up a party, they found m-80's and suspended his liscense for a coupla years so he decided not to do pyro again...my luck eh? lol

[derekroolz]

Yes but storing them you must have a license....i dont know if that true for all states though.

[biggdaddy2001]

michigan must be hell because it freezes over lol

[facelessevil125]

wat does the potassium nitrate do ??

[Nighthawkinlight]

It oxidizes the wood much faster than atmospheric oxygen.

[fish97826]

lol cool

[bennettboy1980]

hey can u plz show how to make stars and things

great videos keep going

[41Zman]

what was jaming the blower?

I got use to seeing just his hands and the fireworks

[Nighthawkinlight]

A chunk of wood that got sucked in. It had been jammed with so much force it dented the 1/4" steel barrel outward.

[41Zman]

Ouch that would do it

[enonano]

your face wow you never show it :D nice back yard nice vid :D

[daron69]

wow cool back yard ive never seen snow can i come visit you and play in your back yard and let off some rockets heheheheh

[shamushi]

I love the place you live man. I live in the OC, California... No snow, no land to do that stuff. Thats why i got caught fast. I wish i lived there soo badly!

[BlueSaberedSith]

Michigan sucks, If you have never had snow than you would freeze here. like he said -20 nights. Highs of -10, Wind chills of -60. Yeah, what a great place to live.

[ThisIsPyrotechnics]

i would have drilled it out myself :P

[dezenogniet19842006]

Funny to see your face some time, i rather look at your fireworks though :D

Hehe no just joking my friend, great ingenuity using KNO3 to remove the block.

[Nighthawkinlight]

Ha, thank you.

[Xxdarkness21xX]

u showed ur face?0_O

[lilmarine93]

i wish i didnt live in California, cant do fireworks due to fire hazards :( Anyways, it was nice to see your face in a video :D Brian

[pyrogeniuses]

i think i get it,the kno3 provides extra oxygen for combustion or maybe the boiling kno3 fuses with the chunk and makes it burn faster?like everything else that comes in contact with it?i dont like the winter,i have to work outside because my mom dosnt want me burning down the house...haha.Its been getting warmer though....luckily.i cant stand it any longer lol

[Nighthawkinlight]

Right, the liquid nitrate 'wants' something to react with. Since the only thing available is the wood...well you get it. It burns through quite quickly. Just light a pile of over oxidized composition on a chunk of wood and watch how deep the liquid nitrate beads burn into the surface.

[pyrogeniuses]

i was reading some composition temperatures yesterday with this freakin sweet infa-red thermometer thing,the flames were about 1000 degrees,thats pretty hot lol,i see how this would take care of that in no time....haha

[Nighthawkinlight]

Well it's not the heat that eats it away. Wood is a very poor conductor of heat. I could have sat there for an hour with a torch on it and only got half way through because of lack of oxygen. Without oxygen the surface will turn to charcoal, and the wood underneath will be unharmed. With the addition of nitrate to oxidize the charcoal, it turns the solid to a gas and exposes fresh wood to be burnt.

[pyrogeniuses]

i was saying though that how it reacted with the sugar it would probably simalry react with the wood in near the same way

[Sam07HKS]

i really like how at the end of the video, you can see a reflection of your face in the metal at the top of the shot. nice effect, man!! can't wait to come home and see all you crazies again!!

[Nighthawkinlight]

That's the reflection of my hand. Thanks for believing that I would be so clever as to do it intentionally ;)

[ThisIsPyrotechnics]

Haha, nice, we finally get to see you in person!

[WiLsOnPrOdUcTiOnS666]

hehe lol nice use for the KNO3. its been 44 degrees celcius in melbourne in australia all week so i think we will be snow free :)

[KooKooCow]

lol I'm in Canada (vancouver) and its only like -5 (celsius)

[LancerFIN]

Lol -20 here. Finland

[jeffb8074]

that sucks in live in michigan soo it sucks here also but i still shot off homemade shells anyways lmao nice video 5/5

[Nighthawkinlight]

I like Michigan. Winter is about a month longer than I would prefer, but I like it anyway.

[jeffb8074]

i cant wait to see more of ur work this spring i hoping to get my vids posted soon :)

[nirvanafan833]

haha sweet, yet another use for KNO3, very smart idea though, hope the snow clears up soon, 5/5 mate

[poprocz]

I think I saw one of your ears freeze and fall off. So is that how they instruct you to use the potassium nitrate stump remover?

[Nighthawkinlight]

No, to use it as stump remover it is poured into holes drilled in the stump and it rots it.

[tobitadagon]

I'm in a village about 1 and a half hours by car north of Montreal, my bro and I were shoveling the snow off the balcony and I jumped from the second floor window into the snow and the snow was higher than my head (I'm five foot 9") and I called my brother to come come help.All he did was throw me the shovel and said "Dig. Fast, it's nearly dark" He hurt, at 25 (me) and 22, we still punch each other on the shoulder to be punished by mom...

[daron69]

yeah we now know who you are

nice vids

oh atm its 45.7 degree here (way over 100 in old days terms) so your having cold days while im having hot days

[Taydrum]

We finally see your face :D when in doubt, potassium nitrate. ha I dont have that problem here in CA where it is currently 67 degrees

[lilmarine93]

first time ive seen your face in a video!!! :D Im lucky because here in California, we don't need to worry about freezing cold weather. But i cant shoot off fireworks whenever :(

[Duckeieio]

Must be GlobAL GOREming

[Nighthawkinlight]

Haha, no kidding.

[madew2]

hey nice to see a video up from you! i live in Canada and man is it cold over here also. from -10 all the way up to -30,

[mannlicherfreak]

hey me too were exacly do you live (province) in quebec were i live, it's been -46 with the wind

[madew2]

same here, i live in Quebec as well XD, soooo cooollddd

[rocket278]

cool vid great to see more from you :D 5*

[progamer246]

first vid with ur face lol

[MakkeSk8]

Finaly night :D

[MakkeSk8]

Edit, Add sugar and it would be removed faster and you need less kno3.

[Nighthawkinlight]

Nope not true. The reason it burnt through it at all is because the nitrate was using the wood as a fuel. With sugar it would simply scorch the top.

[MakkeSk8]

sry my bad. but make more vids dude :)

[tommmmmmmmx]

ya know wat you talking bout here is 10% day time night -30 you need snow i will send it all to you lol...

[Hackermarket]

someplease im in cali like 80 daytime and 50 -60 at night

[tommmmmmmmx]

you luckey dude i ust to live in LA. it was nice but it is better here i will never live in cali trust me never good luck if you love it there cool but for me NO!!!!!

[TheUnforgivn17]

Sweet 5* just for you having to deal with that. I dont live where it snows lol

[FarinUrlaub77]

Nice area where you life!

[PyroCreationZ]

Yeah I agree, looks like a good place to live :)

Also nice to see you "in person".