☆ FIREWORKS ☆ PRESSING CRACKLE COMETS W/ MIKE SWISHER

★ Crackle Microstars, with red lead ★ Formula / Recipe / Ingredients ★
Lead Tetraoxide 43%
Copper(II) Oxide, black 30%
Magnalium, granular, -200 mesh 17%
Potassium Nitrate 60%
Sulfur 40%
Source: howtomakefirewo...
Related - Watch : SPIKING A 6" MULTI-BREAK CYLINDER W/ MIKE SWISHER
• ☆ FIREWORKS ☆ SPIKIN...
Related - Watch: Multi-Colored Comp Test • ★ FIREWORKS ★ COLOR CO...
Recorded Saturday, August 3rd 2013
Stillwater, MN
Preserving Pyrotechnic History.
Dragon Eggs

[@bottomshot]

thanks for the visit to the Institute, keep them coming please. By recording traditional techniques for posterity you do a great service.

[@basementbomber]

Much appreciated.

[@madmarkthepyro5247]

One year and still come back to watch this video reference. Great video.

[@basementbomber]

Thank you. Always a pleasure to hear from you. I hope all is well with you in your part of the world.

[@BuddyBoy272]

Awesome video very informative wish there were more videos like this one really great work capturing everything. Mike Swisher really knows his stuff and all those comets of different colors makes for some beautiful shells. Thanks for sharing.

[@basementbomber]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXq1i5Zued92jLM

[@vinny6822]

I know this video is old but it must be a honor to be friends and learn from a legend like mike. Thanks for your time to make this video.

[@basementbomber]

It definitely is. I've known Mike for close to 30 years now. When I had the opportunity to travel out there frequently, I savored every moment of it. When we were not making fireworks, we got to enjoy many different restaurants and shared some wonderful meals together [as well as some fantastic red wine]. As for the video, the footage is spotty at best since it was unplanned. Prior to recording, I was lifting heavy bags of chemicals including the red lead - which caused the excessive shaking. There was also a gigantic mutant mosquito sucking on my thumb at one point. I'm still surprised at how many people were able to overlook all of that and enjoy seeing a master at work. Thank you for the nice comment. Please stay safe! Cheers~

[@3ccdmike]

This man is at the top of the All Stars of pyrotechnics pyramid. See him at work here.

[@Artscraft_752]

Greeting Sir, informative and professional video thanking you for teaching very nice work great help for pyrtechnics who interested in fireworks and crackling stars. I have tried this formula but my stars not producing the sound of crackle or not explode but burnt with swishing sound. kindly help me where is my fault while your formula 100% okay. thanks

[@basementbomber]

Please allow me some time to get back to you on this subject. Thank you.

[@Artscraft_752]

Thanks Sir, waiting you

[@hulkgqnissanpatrol6121]

so if that was left over residuals from a previous batch wouldn't it be better to use acetate in that case rather than more lacquer?

[@channelcircuitzilla7339]

Very nice video! But what about lead toxicity? It was everywhere in the working area and he was doing that barehanded in the last?

[@basementbomber]

Thank you. We spent a good amount of time cleaning it up when we were done. As long as it's not on your skin for too long, you'll be ok. Barehanded footage was recorded right before we broke for lunch @ Bayport BBQ. We always scrubbed down after working. You can always ask Mike questions yourself. He frequently responds to inquiries on Ned Gorski's Fireworks forum fireworking.com/

[@channelcircuitzilla7339]

@@basementbomber now i feel good when u told that you thoroughly cleaned that place and scrubbed ur hands right after😊

[@pa-pyro2804]

Thank you for sharing this it's really appreciated one question how does bismuth compare to the lead powder..

[@basementbomber]

Bismuth is louder & safer to work with. The formula used in this video is one of the original crackle formulas.

[@timeisajourney6062]

can you help me how to roll stars with nitrocellulose, they are quite viscous and i don't know where to start, i want to roll them instead of dextrin

[@basementbomber]

*I'm afraid I can't because I have very little experience with rolling stars. I usually either press them or pump them. May I suggest you look into **fireworking.com/** That would be the best place in the world for you to learn about rolling stars.*

[@BuddyBoy272]

Yes I know the feeling of procrastination, been there alot of times lol. It looks like you really have a good time doing this and are involved 100%. Keep up- the good work and also love the steady hands when recording lol, not many people can achieve this.

[@fredysmith8179]

Hello, when you push the dry crackles rices with the roller !???!! It is not friction sensitive ?

[@basementbomber]

No. Mike would have stated so if it was.

[@davidpoirierfilms]

Gotta hand it to a man that cares enough about his craft that he's willing to go the extra mile.

[@basementbomber]

Every comet was hand pumped as opposed to "gang Pressing"

[@BlitzK]

I'll be at his place in a couple days and will ask him... thx

[@Kongfufrank]

how many kg of pressure do you use in the hydraulic press?

[@basementbomber]

I'm afraid you would have to ask Mike Swisher that question. What i can tell you is that It was adjusted several different times when I was out there working on different formulas. Each formula requires different pressure. He's actively available on fireworking.com/forum and is always happy to reply to questions.

[@truongminhnguyen6500]

Could you share a recipe for green star seeds, please.

[@basementbomber]

howtomakefireworks.fireworkscookbook.com/?fwp_recipe_search=green%20star

[@truongminhnguyen6500]

hey what chemical is the shell of the shell. and the chlorinated rubber parlon powder. Can you send the picture of chlorinated parlon + shell to make fireworks beads for me to see?

[@basementbomber]

"what chemical is the shell of the shell" - Makes absolutely no sense at all. Google "chlorinated parlon" then select "images".

[@truongminhnguyen6500]

Can you sell me Parlon for me. Buying Parlon in Vietnam is very difficult

[@basementbomber]

I don't sell chemicals. You can buy Parlon from here fireworkscookbook.com/product/parlon/ Not sure if they will ship to Vietnam but... www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=parlon+powder&_sop=12

[@djIgorSomov]

Thank you!!!

[@BlitzK]

Nice video. I was hoping it was a Bismuth Trioxide formula!

[@jailsonoliveira8983]

Qual e a formula

[@pleasurenadpain]

Awesome vid , watched this a few times.. how did the crackling comets look?

[@THEBASEMENTBOMBERS]

Well, you can see them performing here... MIKE SWISHER 8" GREEN W/ PURPLE MARRIED CRACKLE COMETS kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpTahICPipKAr5Ym19s Unfortunately, one of the pages got mixed up and a number of different shells were credited to the wrong builder at one time or another. Many of us did our best to correct it.

[@pleasurenadpain]

Nice BB, thanks for the link.. lovely crackler ! That effect is so pretty when its not over done, mikes was perfeft. . Still outta my league by alot ...

[@THEBASEMENTBOMBERS]

PlezureandPain Don't lose any sleep over it. It is out of many leagues. There are a number of reasons why this isn't made very often. Although it is pleasantly time consuming, it took us half the day just to cut the crackle and prepare the matrix before pressing the comets [later]. This formula has not been recommended frequently for a number of reasons. And red lead is not a fun substance to tamper around with under any circumstances. I'd start with the Bismuth Trioxide formula first.

[@pleasurenadpain]

you hit the nail on the head with every comment. I agree 100 percent. Why I Havnt gone to the crackle land ..... yet ;) 💥✨💫 I really like your vids bro.. thx again

[@madmarkthepyro5247]

A legend at work thank you for the video.

[@basementbomber]

*Are you still with us Mark? You've been awful quiet out there lately...*

[@madmarkthepyro5247]

@@basementbomber Still here just not able to do much anything here lately. Do to a bum ticker and falling kidney's. Ben in and out of the hospital quite a bit the last three or four months.

[@pyrokid1995]

Fantastic video!

[@shawnkiesel5349]

Can anyone list the chemicals and measurements for black copper oxide micro crackle Stars..? It would be so helpful.. I can't find the recipe anywhere...

[@basementbomber]

*Read the video description & comments. It's there*

[@infinitestarz]

awesome thanks man!

[@FOURSTAR50]

Where did you get 2lbs of red lead is the question

[@basementbomber]

I'm afraid you would have to ask Mr. Swisher that question. 👍

[@redneckpyromania6965]

He is a true pyro master

[@basementbomber]

If you can make it out to Wayne's World Fireworks in Bowling Green, Indiana on Saturday, October 3rd, you should see an unprecedented display of American Made Fireworks of every imaginable kind. Many of us will be there on Friday the 2nd. Hope you can make it!

[@redneckpyromania6965]

@@basementbomber oh that's awesome I'll try for sure!

[@pleasurenadpain]

That's out of my league bomber!! Awesome vid

[@skdrawingexperiment.1766]

Sir cracking mixed pauder name

[@basementbomber]

Crackle Microstars, with red lead howtomakefireworks.fireworkscookbook.com/firework-recipe/crackle-microstars-with-red-lead/

[@WaseemWaseem-pt5hd]

Sr micro star chemical names reply comments

[@basementbomber]

Lead Tetraoxide 43% Copper(II) Oxide, black 30% Magnalium, granular, -200 mesh 17% Potassium Nitrate 60% Sulfur 40%

[@WaseemWaseem-pt5hd]

Sr full pink star chemical names

[@Pyrokartoffel]

@@basementbomber i think its not 60% KNO3 and 40% sulfur it is 6% KNO3 and 4% sulfur because that would make much more sense

[@NaveedAjmeri-l4x]

Sr acid battery use tetroxide

[@NaveedAjmeri-l4x]

Sr bismuth trioxide bhi ase hi bane ga

[@arminlohrasb-vs5ie]

Where is the respirator !!!!!!

[@JordanMowbray]

What NC Laquer do you use? Do you but it from firefox as a solid and then make the solution or just buy it in liquid form?

[@JordanMowbray]

THE BASEMENT BOMBERS Would you recommend the solid or getting the liquid and diluting it myself from firefox?

[@THEBASEMENTBOMBERS]

Jordan Mowbray Liquid

[@shook8305]

Jordan Mowbray where do I buy NC Laquer?

[@basementbomber]

We make it ourselves with gun cotton & acetone.

[@skdrawingexperiment.1766]

Mixe pauder name tocking fore you

[@basementbomber]

What does tocking mean?

[@المنصة-خ7ق]

What name oil in 3:10 mint

[@basementbomber]

Nitrocellulose Lacquer

[@djIgorSomov]

Very interesting video! Please do more videos like this! And ... a lot of work, how much work, Mike... keep up! =)

[@basementbomber]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXq1i5Zued92jLM

[@WaseemWaseem-pt5hd]

Sr plz pink star chemical names reply comment

[@basementbomber]

*LAST ONE!* www.fireworkscookbook.com/firework-recipe/pink-star-chrishs/

[@ricardosantos7241]

Good night, can you write the composition?

[@realedna]

It's said at 6:21. Micro-Stars are Red Lead (Pb3O4) / MgAl (50:50, 50 mesh) 85:15. It's mixed mith a matrix bp mix with Al in it. Micro-Stars & Matrix Mixtures (pretty close) pyrodata.com/PyroGuide/index.php%5Etitle=Crackling_Micro-stars.htm

[@josemendez3540]

Red lead 75 grams copper oxide black 15 grams magnalium fine 15 grams and nitrocellullose

[@SantuDas-dc1sk]

@@josemendez3540 can i use dextrin instead of NC!

[@ClownWhisper]

I have made red lead several times and I can tell you it's a pain in the ass I can't seem to find anywhere to buy it I'm just breaking into this hobby slowly slowly slowly. I've been doing amateur chemistry for 5 or 6 years now I have a really nice set up massive amounts of glassware and equipment I have a male I have a lathe actually I have to lathe so I can build any kind of tool that I need it's just learning where the resources are out there and learning how to do things safely and properly I'm in no rush I'm the type of person that will spend a year to make the perfect sparkler and then move on LOL. So what's your making isn't really a dragon egg or crackling star you're calling it a crackling comet so basically it's all the same right? And that's a ratio of 8020? Red LEAD TO ma/Alan wetted with nitrocellulose lacquer? That's another thing I'm having a hard time finding is like nature cellulose lacquer I have made some but I don't really know how to test it out on its own what can I do very quickly that could verify it. I just know my own nitric acid so making nitrocellulose is pretty easy

[@madmarkthepyro5247]

Clown Whisper he is making a matrix star a combo of crackil and mixed with another comp. You should check out firrworking.com best place to start.

[@accipiternisus649]

My red lead kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXutg3SMf6adhrs

[@eliastabuteau103]

Parkinson cameraman?

[@АнварТулаев-щ8р]

Elias Tabuteau я даже понял тебя ))) скорее он алкоголик )))

[@basementbomber]

This was not planned footage. This was a rare - unscheduled opportunity to record something obscure. We were lifting heavy bags of chemicals prior to recording that day. Try it sometime & see if you can do any better. So sorry if you were disappointed with the footage. Many people managed to find it acceptable.

[@johnhutchinson5398]

Dude there’s a lot easier way to make these you know. You could have saved yourself a lot of time that was waisted that could have been used to build something else.

[@basementbomber]

Ok.

[@AlchemicallifeT]

Looks like playdoh :P

[@homegrownpyrotechnics70-30]

Mike probably forgot more about what he knows about fireworks, than most folks will learn in a lifetime! A legend for sure!