Crackle research

All Recipes and Chemistry!

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richardh08
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Re: Crackle research

Post by richardh08 »

Thanks for those thoughts, Lloyd.

I'm sure I'll survive. :lol:

It just seems a pity that so many people appear to have forgotten how to say 'please' and 'thank you'.
Even when I'm wrong, I'm convincing.
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Lloyd
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Re: Crackle research

Post by Lloyd »

Indeed! And they're the simplest of courtesies! But we seem to have lost those skills (as a population, not individually).

Lloyd
"Pyro for Fun and Profit for More Than Sixty Years"
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Boophoenix
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Re: Crackle research

Post by Boophoenix »

Richard, it’s a good thing your primary research was for self curiosity I do believe. That’s how it’s always seemed anyway. Don’t let others take the wind out of your curious sail. It’s been pretty fascinating and educational following along even when I was lost in the dark. I wish I did more physical experimenting and had more interest in crackle to contribute more. I can how ever thank you for all your efforts and sharing. Thank you very much!

I’ve always found it interesting how people are curious, but it’s not often a two way street. Even I’ve experianced a small degree of such. A year or so ago I finally moved an idea from possible to testing. I got some hounding about it from across the pond mostly threw a friend ( no one here I don’t think ). It was all a one way share.

I had deliberately kept it somewhat quite as the reactions taking place are above my paygrade and I haven’t scaled beyond testing sizes yet. I have had some warnings from one person with more knowledge than myself in the materials used which caused reservations of public sharing. I haven’t had a location fit for safely testing to scale yet.

I have heard there are two others who have accomplished the same end result I did. One from Malta and one from Mexico, but I don’t know if either went about it the same way.

The funniest part is it has always been my plan if I got it all figured out and functioning safely to share publicly after the developer of the original effect or myself displayed it somewhere publicly.
Gp01
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Re: Crackle research

Post by Gp01 »

Is this formula now available to view and would you say it’s easier to make then one of the traditional ones?
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richardh08
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Re: Crackle research

Post by richardh08 »

I don't believe the formula has appeared anywhere except in my paper, but it's no great secret:

81 CuO, -300 mesh
19 Al, atomized, -350 mesh
+3 Phenolic resin

One of the aims was to find as simple a composition as possible, but the bulk of the paper is about what could be deduced about the chemistry, and how that relates to other's findings for similar thermite-like mixtures.

It's not particularly much easier to make than other crackles (although it can be rolled) but it's a lot cheaper than some! It isn't easy to ignite, so it need some care with priming. I use a thickish coating of a modification of the 'Spanish' crackle prime:

45 KNO3
15 MgAl, -350 mesh
12 Parlon (or PVC)
09 Charcoal, airfloat
09 Fe3O4 (or Fe2O3)
06 Sulfur
04 Dextrin
Even when I'm wrong, I'm convincing.
Gp01
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Re: Crackle research

Post by Gp01 »

Thanks Richard I’ll have to give it a try
Colour_the_sky
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Re: Crackle research

Post by Colour_the_sky »

Richard is this prime alone easy to ignite or do you need BP over it as well ?
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richardh08
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Re: Crackle research

Post by richardh08 »

That prime is effectively 60% screened black powder. I've never had any problems igniting it.
Even when I'm wrong, I'm convincing.
Colour_the_sky
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Re: Crackle research

Post by Colour_the_sky »

Sounds great then I should give it a go. Thanks :)
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