Making Strobe Rocket Fuel

[@CREAM-TEAM]

I’ve been trying for 3 years to buy a few of these 😂 now I’m gonna risk giving myself a bit of heat to finally watch one go up

[@dennisprow7576]

Wonderful video, SUBSCRIBED! haha just build a new house... in the county... with a large open field! Woohooo!

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Sweet! Then you'll be ready to rack & roll!

[@miguelmonteiro3926]

Hi, nice tutorial thank you. Is it possible to use 230mesh magnalium instead of these two?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

A finer mesh size of magnalium will increase the strobe frequency. A coarser mesh size of magnalium will decrease the strobe frequecy.

[@miguelmonteiro3926]

@@firesmithmanufacturing9376 i tested it yesterday. The strobe was too fast it looked like a flash pot. I need too buy the 200mesh Mgal.. Thank you

[@รณชัช-เต้นท์แม่เมาะลําปาง]

ที่ประเทศฉันหา แอมโมเนียมยากมาก

[@tarangbhatt3216]

​@@miguelmonteiro3926what is that aluminium thing

[@TheBerendir]

In the UK I guess I have no chance? I wouldn't just jump into strobe fireworks as a total newb but I found the aluminium perchlorate search has probably put me on a list 😃

[@dukevera4216]

Thinking the same mate :(

[@repzreviews203]

Did u ever make one ?? From uk 🇬🇧 also

[@TheBerendir]

​@@repzreviews203 Not worth the hassle personally. www.gov.uk/government/publications/supplying-explosives-precursors/supplying-explosives-precursors-and-poison

[@eriksmith-pn9ri]

@@repzreviews203 no he was arrested

[@boblaw4483]

I've been so excited to make strobe rockets, doing all my research. Come to find out Canada has quite a few restricted chemicals... Honestly so sad right now

[@MrHobj34]

Canada sucks mate

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

I do have a fair amount of Canadian customers. Most guys import their chemicals by having them sent to a location just inside the US border and then bringing them across on their own.

[@SpaceRanger187]

tell them you identify as living in the US

[@weld_dat_fakah740]

You should probably start with black powder rockets..

[@user-xe5eq9br1c]

@@SpaceRanger187 that's hilarious lmfaoo

[@gameover-yc7dl]

Whats the piint in screening ic tou are going to put it under a hydraulic press anyway ?? Like why not just mix it way longer ??

[@brendanbaird7128]

Do you mill your barium sulfate and Ammonium perchlorate? And what size screen do they need to fit through

[@K0ester]

Mill all your non metals

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Yes, every chemical (except metals or purposely coarse charcoals) must be milled baby powder fine. Do this operation to each chemical separately, cleaning your mill before changing chemicals.

[@NagashiChidorii]

​@@firesmithmanufacturing9376 how do i mill potassium dichromate safely without giving myself genetic sperm issues or cancer? seesh thats scary!

[@rcaazevedo5301]

I have a question, how long does it last after manufacturing? And can this composition be used in any size tube or is there a specific composition for each tube?

[@aaronloring7790]

@firesmithmanufacturing9376 the man the myth the legond... I have a important question to ask , so who else to ask than the master pyro... so i bought the 1lb 7 and 1/2 " 3/4inner dimension and i have all my ingredients rdy to go, so my question to you is with the PD,AP, both mesh magl, and barium sulfate for strobe, and the 3 for rocket fuel copper oxychloride, PP, and the titanium mesh can i get proper lift without using the bp motors that everyone seems to be recommending? How many gram batch am i gonna need for these dimensions?

[@jbreezy3146]

Entirely a noob here but when you intro in the powders I am not understanding the measurements Example barium sulfate 15 parts? What would be the scale weight measurements or is there a certain variance of the powder that we would need? Thanks in advance

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

The reference to "parts" in a chemical formulation simply refers to the ratio of one chemical to the others all by weight. Let's say some formula has 3 parts A 2 parts B and 1 part C. In this example, my formulation could contain 300g A, 200g B and 100g C. Or... 900g A, 600g B and 300g C.

[@Texasmule]

Looking to buy some, you gotta link I can buy them from?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Buying or selling commercial pyro without all the proper licenses is highly illegal.

[@theloudprofessional]

Let's see the demo

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Checkout the video of the Green Strobe Rocket. It was built using this fuel.

[@irakundu8277]

Sir I am indian ... & I loved your video ... Pls tell me exact composition for strobe rocket

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

That information is detailed in this video and the strobe rocket construction video.

[@fishinokcom]

Ben when you say 3 part Vaseline, is that +3 on the recipe? For example, say I’m making 1000g. Would I add all my chems to total 1000 then plus 3 for the Vaseline or is the 3 included in the total? Thanks

[@HoaNguyen-vo5dr]

3/100g - 30/1000g

[@energyblikje]

How can i combine the strobe rocket fuel with the whistle rocket fuel? Please let me know. Or do you have a tutorial for that?

[@andibeta]

man you are awesome!! What temperature should have the mix to dry ? How can we bring to desired mesh size the powder which is coarsed ?

[@patman0250]

I had a question maybe someone can help me out with, when it comes to the ammonium perchlorate and potassium dichromate are you supposed to grind those down into a very fine powder? Because the potassium dichromate comes like a sand like consistency. And the AP is 200 micron.

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

You definitely want to mill the dichromate down to a fine powder. A coffee grinder works well. Be sure to wear a mask while doing this. The AP at 200 micron is fine.

[@Fishingarizona94]

@@firesmithmanufacturing9376I got my hands on some 200micron ap. So you are saying I can use it without milling it to use your strobe fuel technique. It doesn’t need to be a fine powder like?

[@patman0250]

@@Fishingarizona94 the ammonium perchlorate anyways but basically everything in this strobe mix has to be fine powder.

[@rcaazevedo5301]

Hello brother, instead of barium sulfate, could I use nitrate or carbonate or does it really have to be barium sulfate?

[@hunternedib1119]

Barium Sulfate.

[@jstorres486]

What size mesh are you screening then through

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Just window screen size. Roughly 12 mesh or so.

[@jstorres486]

@@firesmithmanufacturing9376 thank you

[@SandBland]

great vid! i was wanting to make a large batch of Vaseline dissolved in lacquer thinner to store and use for awhile but was curious if there is a specific ratio of vaseline to lacquer thinner that i should be using? ex: (25 parts vaseline to 75 parts lacquer thinner)

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

You really don't want to store the vaseline / lacquer thinner mixture. It will separate as it cools down. Best to just make it up as needed. The lacquer thinner is just a method to help "dilute" the vaseline so that it can more easily be distributed throughout the fuel to make it homogenous. So the actual amount of lacquer thinner isn't really that critical. You just want your fuel to be somewhere near the consistency of cookie dough. The laqcuer thinner will then evaporate, leaving behind the petroleum jelly in the fuel.

[@SandBland]

@@firesmithmanufacturing9376 well said, thank you very much! 🙂

[@ScottNyce3]

It would be cool to have a vid to see the mix in action

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

The rocket in action is in another video on my channel.

[@nurhazleen108]

​@@firesmithmanufacturing9376 can you ship black powder rocket tooling to malaysia

[@ferhataslan8592]

Hello,i wanted to ask you about the part in 2:11 where you speak about the vaseline ?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Yes, how may I help?

[@Strobe_rockets_]

@FireSmith Manufacturing will the lacquer dissolve the Vaseline by itself or I need to place the jar in a pot of warm water

[@aztecworrior79]

So the Vaseline and lacquer thinner three parts, which makes it part and a half each?.

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

The lacquer thinner is just a method of helping to "dilute" the vaseline so it can more easily be distributed throughout the fuel properly. It will then evaporate, leaving the vaseline behind. You want the fuel to have the consistency of cookie dough when the lacquer thinner / vaseline mixture is introduced. 3:1 ratio is a good place to start. If it's too wet, just let it dry a bit.

[@CaliPyroDemon]

That 200 mesh is sold out 😢, any recommendations on a different one ? Theirs 200 mesh magnesium available but not the mg/Al . I have -325mesh . Any other you recommend?

[@yadriellorenzo3040]

Where u buying?

[@madog1]

@FireSmith Manufacturing - please excuse my ignorance but, 60 parts plus 17 parts, plus 15 parts, plus 8 parts, plus 5 parts equals 105 parts. How many parts do you have to work with? Is it not 100?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

It's very common for formulae to have parts that add up to more (or even less) than 100. Keep in mind, we are working with "parts" not percentages. With a little bit of math, you can convert parts into percentages, but I find that to be more work than it's worth. Follow established compositions and you'll be good to go.

[@madog1]

@@firesmithmanufacturing9376 - Thank you so much for your reply. I guess it may be a matter of preference? Or maybe that's the way the formula/composition was written? What is the common way pyrotechnitions would share a formula/composition? I see how parts vs percentages would allow easier scalability, by just changing the unit of measure (no math). I was thinking pieces of a pie but, that would be percentages. By the way I am not a professional pyrotechnition. When I was young (8 or 9 years old) I got my first chemistry set, didn't take me long to figure out how to make black powder. I would love to make fireworks the way you do, looks like fun! The best part is lighting and watching, your creations perform just as you expected.

[@michaelbarton9565]

Hello, what is the amount of Vaseline & Lacquer thinner? I dont want to over or under wet the mix. Also what mesh screen should i use ? Thank you!

[@andibeta]

25% vaseline 75% laquer thinner

[@mikea8927]

How long can a strobe rockets last if stored? which way is it better to stored the rockets upside down with the ball on the floor or regular way striaght up? Sorry for the 21 question but I have a few strobe rockets that I'm trying to save for the 4th this year..

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

I've stored my strobe rockets in a sealed container for 6 months without any issue. I've never really thought about orientation during storage, though.

[@mikea8927]

Cool thanks for the info.. I was told by a few different people that they last only 3 months and another one said no more than a year!! I only need them till the 4th so I think I should be 👍good👍thanks again

[@jacobydavis3953]

@@mikea8927 Where’d you get strobe rockets?

[@andibeta]

@@firesmithmanufacturing9376 thanks

[@bryanmoore3051]

Kind of crazy this comp has -325 magal in it, its super super reactive

[@jesterfrost1369]

Flash powder I've been told not to use plastic because of the static electricity charge but instead use the diaper method is that required here for safety reasons or not

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Yes, flash powder is typically made using the diaper method (though factories are known to regularly screen it). Since the strobe fuel is mixed wet, the sensitivity to friction is dramatically reduced.

[@devilliar3786]

What’s the process for making the rest of the rocket?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Full step-by-step tutorials are on our website at www.fire-smith.com

[@CarterGunnells]

​@@firesmithmanufacturing9376after using another 3 lb. corre burner set of dies and seeing how you produce yours I really wished I would have waited and got your set up. SUPERIOR !!!

[@birnfried2480]

Is there perhaps an alternative to ammonium perchlorate? In Germany you can hardly get it

[@pro2a89]

I live in denmark and i thought about the same

[@Kukirin.Master.G2]

Dichromate as well

[@Andreas-wl6kf]

No

[@thepracticalinvestor2386]

Are the parts measured in grams? thanks

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Grams as a unit of measurement is very typical in the pyrotechnic field. However, you can use any unit of measurement so long as it's by weight. But, almost everyone uses grams or kilograms when detailing formulae.

[@energyblikje]

Where can i buy howling strobe rockets in Europe?

[@leodomi9456]

Can I use -50+ 200 mesh magnaluim or -100+200? Please help

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Yes, but it will affect your strobe rate. Give it a good testing before flying a motor.

[@dylanhealy4473]

Nice video thanks for the info. I like your screening box on legs

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Glad you like them!

[@TeknoCris23]

Yeah. If you want alot of pyro dust around you,,, let the powder fall from heights. Some chemicals highly risk for you lungs. 😅 and also dust can react with oxygen. . Kawoemmmm.

[@northeastpyro2185]

Will I be able to use -200 mesh mag instead of 200

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

It will increase your strobing frequency.

[@NagashiChidorii]

do you need to mill potassium dichromate? if so, how do I do it safely?

[@HenrikSherwood]

I wouldn't recommend using your ball mill, you can use a coffee grinder in a ventilated area while wearing a dust mask

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Coffee grinder and a mask. Clean everything thoroughly.

[@thomhoang7208]

What is the name of that 60% chemical?

[@MauroEscalante-gj9nz]

Ammonium perchlorate

[@viarnay]

As an anarchist I approve this message... 😋

[@m.samaha4708]

If I used black powder as fuel. Does it work

[@MauroEscalante-gj9nz]

No

[@MauroEscalante-gj9nz]

Since you’re already using the solution as fuel

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

No, you must use whistle unless you want a nasty chemical reaction between the BP and strobe fuel.

[@rcaazevedo5301]

hello friend . what is the role of potassium dichromate in the composition of storbe Rocket?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Helps to reduce the likelihood of the magnalium oxidizing. Definitely more applicable to magnesium fuels, but still useful in this case as well.

[@TheSunnyGun]

Where can i find a club to join? Is there a site or something i can find one in my area?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Head to the PGI website. They have a good listing of club around the country.

[@ramonramirez6224]

My strobe batch i made is to fast so I can add more 200 mesh and re granulate to slow it down or what mesh size should I add to make it slower that you recommend?

[@ramonramirez6224]

@fire smith manufacturing

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Try substituting a bit of coarser magnalium (like 100 mesh) to a portion of your 200 magnalium. That should slow it down a bit,

[@Dixler683]

I am not a chemist, in fact I do not know anything. You add vaseline to desensitize the mixture. Is the fuel shock sensitive? I thought perchlorate was a safe alternative to K chlorate.

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Potassium perchlorate in many compositions is "safer", but strobe is still a fairly sensitive fuel. Primarily friction more than shock. The petroleum jelly both reduces this friction during pressing, but it also helps the fuel compress more thoroughly within the motor tube. Really helps to reduce CATO's

[@CarterGunnells]

​@@firesmithmanufacturing9376 by any chance have you ever pressed with Teflon powder?

[@phanhuutam1]

What solution do you give?

[@thomhoang7208]

Do you know the formula for the 4'' Flashing Rocket? Or what's the strongest explosive I can ask for since I'm Vietnamese and can't find the explosive formula

[@bagusabc4361]

Kclo3 70% Almunium powder 30%

[@HenrikSherwood]

Is the Mag/Al -200 or 200? I've never seen 200 mesh for sale, only -200

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

-200 is fine. You'll just need to play around with the coarse magnalium to get the strobe rate you prefer.

[@arminlohrasb-vs5ie]

What can i use instead of amonium perchlorate not avaible in my country

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Stick with known formulae...

[@ketnoiammepkl1950]

I want to know if the other liquid is gasoline

[@MauroEscalante-gj9nz]

Lacquer thinner

[@HenrikSherwood]

Laquer thinner like naptha, camp fuel or mineral spirits

[@HoaNguyen-vo5dr]

A ấy k sợ hít phải Kali Dicromat sao?

[@Madden415]

I been looking to buy strobe rockets for a long time. It’s hard to find any in the Bay Area . Let me know if you guys have any I can buy

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

You can build your own, but these rockets are highly illegal to buy or sell without the proper paperwork and licensing.

[@joseven3452]

Beautiful 🎉

[@Hellbent7069]

You have a great channel, I'm a new subscriber and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Glad you like it! More videos as I have time.

[@O0___O0]

Where you located bro ?

[@powerfury1]

what is the percentage of petroleum jelly to thinner

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

I keep my petroleum jelly at 3%. The amount of lacquer thinner used to dissolve it isn't terribly critical. It is just used to help distribute the jelly throughout the fuel.

[@drywater2063]

Where do I get ammonium perchlorate

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Check Skylighter, Pyro Chem Source or Fireworks Cookbook.

[@billyreed3665]

What was the percentage of vasaline and mixed with what

[@agent4266]

i got the same question, and particularly what lacquer did he use

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

I keep my petroleum jelly at 3%. The amount of lacquer thinner used to dissolve it isn't terribly critical. It is just used to help distribute the jelly throughout the fuel.

[@luishernandezjr.4105]

Um hi… it’s your FBI agent here… you should definitely be doing this!

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Perfectly legal. But do join a local club.

[@AfterCoded]

where did you get your chemicals?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

There are a number of different sources online. Checkout Skylighter, Pyro Chem Source and Fireworks Cookbook.

[@pogue1000]

What mesh screen are you using to screen it?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Roughly 12-mesh.

[@diegofitz4377]

Hey what are the parts like 5 parts

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

It's all a ratio, not a percentage. It's very common for pyro compositions to have parts that add up to over 100.

[@phanhuutam1]

I can't hear what you say. Can you give me the formula for mixing chemical ratios in writing?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

I have a PDF file that lists the formula on my website at www.fire-smith.com

[@CREEPYzzz]

Where can I buy this

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

You must make your own.

[@num1playa]

I tried to order materials to make this stuff and got put on no fly list

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Very unlikely. If you were actually placed on some sort of list, it wouldn't be because of pyro chems.

[@ketnoiammepkl1950]

Là chất lỏng khác? nhiên liệu máy bay phản lực? Tôi muốn biết tên của chất lỏng đó

[@philipbadders8729]

You didn’t say how much vaseline and laquer to use

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

2-3 % vaseline dissolved in warm lacquer thinner. The actual amount of lacquer thinner doesn't really matter. It's just a means of distributing the vaseline through the fuel. Roughly 1/2 cup per 500 grams.

[@pursaveer9027]

I would NEVER rub the bag with strobe mixture on the screen like that! Tiny bits of it dry out because lacquer thinner is volatile, and if a tiny bit of the dry stuff ignites, the whole mass will go. Also: potassium dichromate is carcinogenic and an extreme mucous membrane irritant. Screening the mix 6 times is massive overkill that increases risk, and puts dichromate dust up your nose. Be careful! The dichromate also has to be fine powder before mixing, not crystals.

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

The mixture is still quite wet at this stage and its sensitivity to friction is greatly reduced. There simply isn't anything on the screen that dries out that quickly during the screening process. Yes, the dichromate is nasty stuff, but by dampening the fuel, there really isn't any dust. That being said, If I were making strobe fuel on a commercial scale, PPE would be used. Screening 6 times may be overkill, but it really doesn't add much more time vs. screening 4 times and I am ensured of a homogenous fuel that performs predictably each and every time. Screening 6 times has always worked for me, so I see no reason to change that process.

[@kingLuu816]

Do you sell strobe rockets?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Nope, I only sell the tools to build them. It's highly illegal to buy and sell commercial fireworks without all the proper licensing, storage and permits.

[@isparks9239]

How does one dispose of left overs from a mix... Your trash situation must be interesting.. Looks like a fun job/hobbie?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Generally, you really only want to make as much fuel as you will use in one setting. The paper can be disposed of by burning. The plastic items can simply be washed.

[@MetalHeadPyro510]

Does mineral oil allow for louder pops than nc lacquer?

[@billyreed3665]

Doesn’t have anything to do with the pops. It’s more or less the magnalium mesh size and amount

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

The petroleum jelly or mineral oil is simply a additive to help desensitize the fuel and make it easier to press. The magnalium mesh size is the biggest factor in determining strobe rate and sound.

[@SardorjonUsanov]

Kimyoviy formula gde

[@isibra]

when i was making a strobe rocket and did the same fuel it exploded and I called it a strobe rocket fail

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

There are a ton a variables that can be introduced when building a rocket. Typically, CATO's with strobe rockets fall into one of two categories.... 1- was the fuel fully compressed and without any voids in the fuel grain? 2- how hot and how much whistle fuel are you using? Once you get those two variable dialed in, you'll be good to go.

[@Fishingarizona94]

@@firesmithmanufacturing9376 ill be using this strobe fuel mix, I have Woodys tool kit. I have a force to pressure gauge to compress them at your psi recommended. I am Excited

[@captainkirk3757]

Where can you get that screen? Or was that homemade

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Stainless steel 10-12 mesh cloth available from mcmaster.com. You'll have to build your own frame.

[@trevorgraham7701]

Do you sell strobe rockets

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

No. They are highly illegal to sell without all the proper paperwork between both parties

[@Drink1woody]

ATF has entered the chat 👮🏻‍♂️

[@RPG7BF]

Hello ! can i use kclo4 and potassium benzoate instead of kclo3 and sodiumbenzoate , sodium benzoate has very strong hygroscopic properties and does not last long, and kclo3 ! it's really responsive, I need to replace it with kclo4 because it's much more secure.

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Yes, my whistle fuel uses potassium perchlorate and potassium benzoate. Works great!

[@springbonnie105-aka-Fur-Tec]

seems like the perfect fuel for anti tank rockets to donate to Ukraine but i dont know the cost for the ingredients, ill try researching it

[@sandmanbub]

@Whoop!

[@samuelpancake4084]

The volume is very low

[@drunkdonkey1009]

This dude got caught selling a teenth of speed and now thinks he’s an expert

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Huh?!? I'm afraid I don't understand your "joke"...

[@The_Wack]

To make fireworks like these in the US is a license required

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

To make and shoot your own fireworks, an ATF license is not required. However, the minute you sell, store or transport pyro, licensing becomes much more of an issue. Though, city, state or municipal regulations tend to be more of an issue than most people might imagine. Your best bet is to join a local club so you can build and shoot 100% legally.

[@trololooface2180]

Ingrediens are very expensive

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Not necessarily. It depends on your source, but there are many chemical vendors with quite reasonable prices.

[@yadriellorenzo3040]

@@firesmithmanufacturing9376where i can found?

[@caiten903]

Thank

[@ferhataslan8592]

Hello,i wanted to ask you about the part in 2:11 where you speak about the vaseline ?

[@firesmithmanufacturing9376]

Sure, how may I help?