Sciencemadness Discussion Board

any suggestions?

littlebigguy06 - 17-3-2004 at 17:37

For my school, I am to figure out how to make "fireworks" for a theater production. What the director wants is a few large bright flashes, and some loud booms. Obviously fire is to be used. My chemistry teacher is searching for possibilities but I was wondering if I could get any ideas from here. If you have any ideas, please put the ingredients, procedure, and time. Thank you for you help!

Brent

BromicAcid - 17-3-2004 at 17:42

I'm sorry but we don't spoonfeed information here expecially about something that can easily be found through a few minutes of search engines. In addition I am sorry to say that I do not believe your cover story and therefore am even less inclined to give you the information you request.

littlebigguy06 - 17-3-2004 at 17:47

Im sorry you dont believe me,

First, I have searched the internet, Second, it is for a play, its a shame you don't believe me. Its the King and I actually, I am a slave, all we want it for is for the scene where the King dosen't order fireworks and he gets them anyway. Im not the lying type of person. Please help me.

littlebigguy06 - 17-3-2004 at 17:55

Here is the web site if you don't belive me. It is labled "The King and I" the date might be wrong because it got moved back.

http://tri-valley.k12.il.us/distinfo/organizations/Finearts/...

No

axehandle - 17-3-2004 at 18:17

Chemistry doesn't have to be used. For the flashes you could use a camera flash, and for the booms you could use a computer with an amplifier.

chemoleo - 17-3-2004 at 18:17

Honestly I think you may be best off using professional equipment, for a public performance. Such as stuff you get for your independence day and such...

If something goes wrong by using homemade stuff, firstly you will be in deep shit, and your director just as well. No more plays for a long time to come. Maybe in prison instead, who knows.

The reason why I say this is, being new to all this, you cant just mix up a few ingredients and have a jolly good time in front of hundreds of people - it requires practise and experience handling the materials concerned, else you are likely to burn yourself, or blow something/someone up, or set something on fire.

Regarding your chemistry teacher - either he's totally incompetent having to even think about mixtures that go flash or boom, or ... he's not happy about you doing those things, and thus he's not helping you by claiming he has to 'think' about it.

If you still don't give up, I think better have a look in this forum, and others. There is plenty of information.

Quantum - 17-3-2004 at 18:29

Any chemistry teacher worth his salts should be able to whip up a simple redox reaction to create booms and flashes.:D

Read other peoples posts and you may figure out what I am talking about littlebigguy06.

There are other ways to get the effects such as axehandle talked about. Chemistry of that sort is sometimes illegal and always dangerous. No one here is just going to give you a step by step guide.

More info.

axehandle - 17-3-2004 at 18:31

You could control a camera flash circuit from a computer, as well as the "boooms". Much easier to write a 4 hour program than trying to control chemicals you're not familiar with.

Just my 1 Euro.

/A

littlebigguy06 - 17-3-2004 at 18:32

First of all, I would like to thank thoes that belived me. Second, I would like to say that I will be doing this w/ my chemistry teacher in the lab, not on my front porch with chlorine and bleach.


Im not too sure of how to spell this but, we are going to see how Preoxyacetone will do. It is the stuff that you produce when you combine, Acetone, 30% Hydrogen Peroxide, and HCL. I have made this before and it ignites pretty easily and bursts at a low tempature.


Today, we made Guncotton. We will test this out tomorrow.


If you have any more opinions, please say them. But Im not some phyco High School student wanting to blow the place up.

Thank you for your time,


Brent Harper


Also my chem teacher has already agreed to help me. He would ither tell me yes or no.

[Edited on 18-3-2004 by littlebigguy06]

BromicAcid - 17-3-2004 at 18:37

Quote:

Im not too sure of how to spell this but, we are going to see how Preoxyacetone will do. It is the stuff that you produce when you combine, Acetone, 30% Hydrogen Peroxide, and HCL. I have made this before and it ignites pretty easily and bursts at a low tempature.

Today, we made Guncotton. We will test this out tomorrow.


Although I've never had a problem with the stuff just mentioning acetone peroxide usually makes it feel like something bad is going to happen.:(

[Edited on 3/18/2004 by BromicAcid]

littlebigguy06 - 17-3-2004 at 18:41

sorry, i didnt understand what you meant by "AP" could you explain?

axehandle - 17-3-2004 at 18:42

Use my method. It's much safer.

axehandle - 17-3-2004 at 18:43

I suspect that this is Acid Test in disguise.

Just my 2 Euro.

littlebigguy06 - 17-3-2004 at 18:44

axehandle,

Im not sure how to do the whole camera thing, with the flash, and also, where would I get the fireworks sound?

Quantum - 17-3-2004 at 18:44

Damn! Jumping into the big guns so soon? AP dosn't just 'ignite and burst'; it explodes! I think a simple flash powder tube would work fine. Your 'play' has fireworks in it right? Not High Explosives known as organic peroxides!

It sounds like you and your teacher may not know the dangers of explosives very well. I don't think any sane HS chemistry teacher would help a student make AP or nitrocellulose.

Follow BromicAcid's warning; nothing good can come of using AP and nitrocellulose for a school play. Its way overkill.

littlebigguy06 - 17-3-2004 at 18:46

We use this very often, Many times I have stayed after school and help him make it. We make it in only small quanities.
(does it sound like im dealing drugs or what!!)

And what is "AP"?????

[Edited on 18-3-2004 by littlebigguy06]

axehandle - 17-3-2004 at 18:47

littlebigguy....

Just use a sound sample of a "BOOM" coming from a computer. While doing that, use the parallel port output to drive a circuit that triggers a camera flash circuit. It's really easy. Do you know any programming?

littlebigguy06 - 17-3-2004 at 18:48

No idea, sorry.

axehandle - 17-3-2004 at 18:52

Blast. Well, it's harder to learn how to connect a trigger circuit to the computer than it is to make acetone peroxide. Your chem teacher much be a lunatic, btw. I suggest you go the hard way (takes about 4 hours more work than the maiming route).

littlebigguy06 - 17-3-2004 at 18:54

Sorry, and actually my teacher was the validvictorian of his school. He is a friggin genius.

Wow, now I have seen it all.....

Turel - 17-3-2004 at 19:08

I'm sorry to say that it looks like no one here is willing to give you the information you desire. We understand that this is not what you want to hear, but you must understand the reasons for it being so.

As much as you disagree, you must understand that we feel you are not ready to perform such chemistry, and we cannot provide you will information that in our opinion has a high probability of getting someone hurt in your situation. It is a large liability for this community and it's hosts.

You have been provided with alternative methods, and also have been provided with information as to where you can find the knowledge you seek elsewhere. I must regretfully inform you that your chances of finding the information you desire here are very low.

If you truly want the answers to your questions, it is advised that you look elsewhere, as continuing your query here will simply be a waste of your time. Feel free to search and browse the discussions of the community.

Good luck on your play.

tom haggen - 17-3-2004 at 19:15

I probably gonna get yelled at for this, littlebigguy it sounds like your are your chemistry teachers bitch.

littlebigguy06 - 17-3-2004 at 19:22

You SOB, how dare you even begin to say that. First of all, we are friends, we get along, I enjoy chemistry, he enjoys it, holy crap you are an ass. You have never met me, never heard of me, and you are saying im his bitch, I wanna know what led you to that conclusion. Holy shit you are a bastard.


Also, if you knew you were going to get yelled at, whyd you say it.
Honestly, what was the point of saying anything like that. Why dont you explain that one to me genius. wow. obviously you like chemistry too or else you wouldnt be on this website.

And Turel, thanks for you concern, I found what I was looking for. Someone helped me out. Thank you turel. On the top of my computer screen, it says somthing about The Art and Science of Amateur Experimentalism. The way I see it, theatre is a Fine Art and chemistry is a Science so im just putting the two together.

Brent

[Edited on 18-3-2004 by littlebigguy06]

BromicAcid - 17-3-2004 at 19:23

Flash Pot

Google it.

littlebigguy06 - 17-3-2004 at 19:27

Already did, thanks a bunch BromicAcid;)

[Edited on 18-3-2004 by littlebigguy06]

Polverone - 17-3-2004 at 20:11

Yes, you want to look at theatrical flash powder. It can be purchased (for an arm and a leg), or made from scratch if your teacher is comfortable with handling such sensitive and dangerous mixtures. I believe that search the Google Groups archives of rec.pyrotechnics will provide some theatrical flash formulas.

Do not under any circumstances try to use peroxyacetone (also known as triacetone triperoxide, TATP, or acetone peroxide, AP). When I was a freshman in high school a student tried to do that at my school, and he ended up losing a hand. It's far too sensitive and explosive to be used in a play.

littlebigguy06 is wasting server space

Vamp - 17-3-2004 at 20:25

Dude, I don't know much about chemistry. I do however know something about theater. And Actual fireworks are definately not needed, maybe some black cats back stage would be more than adequate. Just do a Home Alome thing with black cats in a pan, and use a strobe light. That would be way easier than trying to mess with homemade stuff, wich is often dangerout, and not to mention hit or miss on weather it will actually work. And you're obviously fairly stupid to play with AP. Holy crap is that stuff dangerous. Not to mention MEKP, but that's a different story. Littlebigguy06, if you read this, get off the site, we don't need idiots like you wasting server space.


[Edited on 18-3-2004 by Vamp]

Hey

Turel - 17-3-2004 at 20:43

Is that really necessary? Last I checked, there was no mandate in the rules specifying the need for a degree in chemistry to register membership here.

We all share a common interest in chemistry, and that is all that should be expected when someone registers here. Informing someone of their folley and ill readiness is fine and just, but attacking a person's intelligence and commanding them to leave, as if you were some authority able to judge a member's worthiness, is so wrong it is not even funny.

Who do you think you are? If this site did not want amateur experimenters with newfound curiosity and limited but growing knowledge, then it would have much more rigorious admission standards. Do not discourage a young person interested in chemistry, regardless of their reason for interest.

</rant>

littlebigguy06 - 18-3-2004 at 05:10

Quote:
Originally posted by Vamp
maybe some black cats back stage would be more than adequate.... You're obviously fairly stupid to play with AP. Holy crap is that stuff dangerous. Not to mention MEKP, but that's a different story. Littlebigguy06, if you read this, get off the site, we don't need idiots like you wasting server space.


[Edited on 18-3-2004 by Vamp]



We live in IL, fireworks are illegal. And second, thanks alot, if you would have read my previous posts you would now that this is a controlled environment.

Esplosivo - 18-3-2004 at 06:44

littlebigguy06 I am just curious. Why the hack are you going to use HEs as 'fireworks' in a play?! Secondly, what form of the cellulose nitrate have you synthesized? If it is the hexanitrocellulose it gives off a big white flash of light when it ignites and is completely unconfined, but note my words, its not worth it. Could you immagine lighting the 'firework' and then see the place go on fire?

Hope you can. Any way good luck lol