cremora fireball

[PsiKo]

Hi,

I want to make one for new years eve, but I'm not sure what size is
still safe. Don't want to break windows or set off car alarms and what
not. I have experimented with little ones like the little cannisters
that photorolls come in but nothingn bigger.

thx.

PsiKo

[Old Dog]

ARRGHHH! There is NO "SAFE SIZE"! It all depends on WHERE you are setting it
off, what you are setting it off in, how far away you are, etc., etc.

-Rich

Post by PsiKo
Hi,
I want to make one for new years eve, but I'm not sure what size is
still safe. Don't want to break windows or set off car alarms and what
not. I have experimented with little ones like the little cannisters
that photorolls come in but nothingn bigger.
thx.
PsiKo

[PsiKo]

Post by Old Dog
ARRGHHH! There is NO "SAFE SIZE"! It all depends on WHERE you are setting it
off, what you are setting it off in, how far away you are, etc., etc.
-Rich

Post by PsiKo
Hi,
I want to make one for new years eve, but I'm not sure what size is
still safe. Don't want to break windows or set off car alarms and what
not. I have experimented with little ones like the little cannisters
that photorolls come in but nothingn bigger.
thx.
PsiKo

Mmmm. Get it. Better set it off in a remote area with no housing in
sight then.

thx.

[Piccolo Pete]

I don't understand what the big deal is with this. Maybe I just didn't make
a real creamora fire ball. But it was a fireball...

This weekend the kid next door came over with cup full of saw dust and a
1.5" ID X 6" schedule 40 pvc tube sealed at one end. She insisted this
would make a fire ball. I tried to convince her that it wouldn't, but she
insisted. So I drilled a fuse hole in it, put in some of the sawdust, took
it out side and watch the fuse vanish into the tube. She was bummed so I
added a quantity of bp to the dust. Woof - dust everywhere. Kind of neat
though. Then I added some creamora to the mix. This produced a very quiet
five foot high, four foot wide flame ball ( this ball did not travel far
above the tube) and a large smoke ring that went up to about twenty feet up
and spread out about 10 feet in diameter. Pretty cool. I didn't see
anything seriously dangerous about it except we had to stomp out a bunch of
fused chunks of sawdust and creamora.

Post by PsiKo

Post by Old Dog
ARRGHHH! There is NO "SAFE SIZE"! It all depends on WHERE you are setting it
off, what you are setting it off in, how far away you are, etc., etc.
-Rich

Post by PsiKo
Hi,
I want to make one for new years eve, but I'm not sure what size is
still safe. Don't want to break windows or set off car alarms and what
not. I have experimented with little ones like the little cannisters
that photorolls come in but nothingn bigger.
thx.
PsiKo

Mmmm. Get it. Better set it off in a remote area with no housing in
sight then.
thx.

[KN03]

Post by PsiKo
Mmmm. Get it. Better set it off in a remote area with no housing in
sight then.
th

A couple months ago I saw one set off in a residential cul-de-sac. It was a
large coffee can charged with one cup of BP and probably a couple pounds of
cremora. It made a huge fireball - you could feel the heat 100 feet away - but
not much noise at all - definitely no concussion. The biggest problem was a
bunch of the unburned creamora falling back into the street, leaving a mess.


-----

[Piccolo Pete]

So what do you do? Just put in the bp first and then the creamora on top
with a fuse at the bottom? I don't want to make a really big one. The
little 1.5" tube is good enough.

Post by KN03

Post by PsiKo
Mmmm. Get it. Better set it off in a remote area with no housing in
sight then.
th

A couple months ago I saw one set off in a residential cul-de-sac. It was a
large coffee can charged with one cup of BP and probably a couple pounds of
cremora. It made a huge fireball - you could feel the heat 100 feet away - but
not much noise at all - definitely no concussion. The biggest problem was a
bunch of the unburned creamora falling back into the street, leaving a mess.
-----

[Marty]

The key to a good fireball is not to over-lift it. Too much BP and it blows
the Creamora/Milk Replacer without fully igniting it. Looks like a lift
charge without a shell and the unburnt stuff rains all over. Adding a little
(a pinch for the size you're talking) 4f bp to the cremora helps ensure good
ignition.

I use 12" mortars sawed-off at 15" internal depth. Even with that size they
need ground salutes for thump. I used them at my 4th display. Had to demo it
for the Fire Chief to get approval. When I shot it, he asked grinning "How
many we gettin?" ;-)

As for what to shoot from, PVC can become shrapnel, and plastic buckets
(remove the handle!) lose too much of the lift from the sides flexing or
rupturing (IMHO) .

Marty

Post by Piccolo Pete
So what do you do? Just put in the bp first and then the creamora on top
with a fuse at the bottom? I don't want to make a really big one. The
little 1.5" tube is good enough.

[Old Dog]

Post by Marty
The key to a good fireball is not to over-lift it. Too much BP and it blows
the Creamora/Milk Replacer without fully igniting it. Looks like a lift
charge without a shell and the unburnt stuff rains all over. Adding a little
(a pinch for the size you're talking) 4f bp to the cremora helps ensure good
ignition.
I use 12" mortars sawed-off at 15" internal depth. Even with that size they
need ground salutes for thump. I used them at my 4th display. Had to demo it
for the Fire Chief to get approval. When I shot it, he asked grinning "How
many we gettin?" ;-)
As for what to shoot from, PVC can become shrapnel, and plastic buckets
(remove the handle!) lose too much of the lift from the sides flexing or
rupturing (IMHO) .

There is also a story (verified) of someone getting badly burned using plastic
buckets for cremora fireballs. He was using ematch, but it was supposedly still
disconnected with leads twisted together. The whole bucket went up prematurely
on the table where he was working. There was a lot of speculation about what may
have happened - most of it centered on the ematch and the potential for static
buildup in plastic working on a wooden surface. None of it was very convincing,
and there was no consensus on the cause.

-Rich

[Marty]

When assembling cremoras I do it "in place" and always wear full bunker
gear, including nomex hood.
I should have included this in my original response.

Marty

Post by Old Dog

Post by Marty
As for what to shoot from, PVC can become shrapnel, and plastic buckets
(remove the handle!) lose too much of the lift from the sides flexing or
rupturing (IMHO) .

There is also a story (verified) of someone getting badly burned using plastic
buckets for cremora fireballs. He was using ematch, but it was supposedly still
disconnected with leads twisted together. The whole bucket went up prematurely
on the table where he was working. There was a lot of speculation about what may
have happened - most of it centered on the ematch and the potential for static
buildup in plastic working on a wooden surface. None of it was very convincing,
and there was no consensus on the cause.
-Rich

[Booms]

"Marty" wrote in message

Post by Marty
I use 12" mortars sawed-off at 15" internal depth. Even with that size they
need ground salutes for thump.

What do you use for ground salutes?

[Marty]

Post by Booms
"Marty" wrote in message

Post by Marty
I use 12" mortars sawed-off at 15" internal depth. Even with that size

they

Post by Marty
need ground salutes for thump.

What do you use for ground salutes?

3" salutes made w/o lift or time fuse.

[Dan Cutter]

Post by PsiKo

Post by Old Dog
ARRGHHH! There is NO "SAFE SIZE"! It all depends on WHERE you are setting it
off, what you are setting it off in, how far away you are, etc., etc.
-Rich

Post by PsiKo
Hi,
I want to make one for new years eve, but I'm not sure what size is
still safe. Don't want to break windows or set off car alarms and what
not. I have experimented with little ones like the little cannisters
that photorolls come in but nothingn bigger.
thx.
PsiKo

Mmmm. Get it. Better set it off in a remote area with no housing in
sight then.
thx.

A google search will turn up a wealth of info on cremora fireballs.
I've been using 16 oz soup cans with a thin layer of black
powder/paper towel/then fill her up with cremora. I've bottom fused
and fused it right through the cremora-both worked. Good enough for a
fifteen foot fire ball. Someone said a five gallon bucket set up is
spectacular. They used a metal bowl insert at the bottom for the
black powder layered over with a paper towel to prevent mixing. Just
use common sense and a long fuse. Dan

[W Klofkorn]

Per Rich's observations, thee is no intrinsically safe size. Assuming one
has a good design to begin with, much depends on one's surroundings. IIRC
about 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp of BP in the bottom of a large coffee can topped off
with a coffee filter and then nerarly to the top with non-dairy creamer
works pretty well. One isn't trying to make even a small explosion with the
BP, only to lift the creamer out of the can and then ignite it. The sound
is like a loud poof or soft whoompf. Seems like I read somewhere that the
best stuff for doing this was a milk substitute made for dairy farmers, but
I have actually seen Creamora used successfully. Much safer used this way
than to actually drink it in coffee -- it's full of trans-fatty acids, which
are like coronary disease-inducing materials of the first order. Best to do
some test shots as there is much variability in ingrediets. It's been a few
years, but I recall such a device producing a 10 foot wide by 15-20 foot
tall ball-o-fire. Reminiscent of the "Wizard of OZ" film from way back. For
anyone interested in the phenomenon, be sure to look up lycopodium pipes,
which are similar in principle and function but much smaller and more easily
managed. One should be cautious of flammable material in vicinity, of
course. As the Chinese used to observe, "Light fuse and retire quickly."

Post by Dan Cutter

Post by PsiKo

Post by Old Dog
ARRGHHH! There is NO "SAFE SIZE"! It all depends on WHERE you are setting it
off, what you are setting it off in, how far away you are, etc., etc.
-Rich

Post by PsiKo
Hi,
I want to make one for new years eve, but I'm not sure what size is
still safe. Don't want to break windows or set off car alarms and what
not. I have experimented with little ones like the little cannisters
that photorolls come in but nothingn bigger.
thx.
PsiKo

Mmmm. Get it. Better set it off in a remote area with no housing in
sight then.
thx.

A google search will turn up a wealth of info on cremora fireballs.
I've been using 16 oz soup cans with a thin layer of black
powder/paper towel/then fill her up with cremora. I've bottom fused
and fused it right through the cremora-both worked. Good enough for a
fifteen foot fire ball. Someone said a five gallon bucket set up is
spectacular. They used a metal bowl insert at the bottom for the
black powder layered over with a paper towel to prevent mixing. Just
use common sense and a long fuse. Dan

[Rob W.]

"W Klofkorn"
wrote in message

Post by W Klofkorn
Per Rich's observations, thee is no intrinsically safe size. Assuming one

has a good design to begin with, much depends on one's surroundings. IIRC

The Crackerjacks have a great photo of a 55 gallon creamora going off .
http://www.crackerjacks.org/shoot200210photos.htm

The trees in the background are full grown trees too.

Rob

[W Klofkorn]

Well, THAT would definitely be out of the question in residential
neighborhoods...
In the boonies, though, good clean fun, eh? I've seen a few of these but
that one takes the cake.

Post by Rob W.
"W Klofkorn"
wrote in message

Post by W Klofkorn
Per Rich's observations, thee is no intrinsically safe size. Assuming one

has a good design to begin with, much depends on one's surroundings. IIRC
The Crackerjacks have a great photo of a 55 gallon creamora going off .
http://www.crackerjacks.org/shoot200210photos.htm
The trees in the background are full grown trees too.
Rob

[Doc Ferguson]

We got away from cremora and calf supplement: We now just use sawdust
from a cabinet shop. Its nice and fine. We still use a five gallon
bucket with the handle removed. A metal projection cone. Five ounces
of 2FA in a plastic bag with quick match. 6inch of quick match
sticking out the edge and then place the electric match just before the
show. No fall out, good burn, not sticky and its cheap. Doc

[Piccolo Pete]

Hmmm... So sawdust IS used by some folks. What kind of wood?

Post by Doc Ferguson
We got away from cremora and calf supplement: We now just use sawdust
from a cabinet shop. Its nice and fine. We still use a five gallon
bucket with the handle removed. A metal projection cone. Five ounces
of 2FA in a plastic bag with quick match. 6inch of quick match
sticking out the edge and then place the electric match just before the
show. No fall out, good burn, not sticky and its cheap. Doc

[Doc Ferguson]

Well we are using hardwood sawdust right now, oak. but there is a mix
of maple, birch so most of its a combination. Murr Rhame turned us on
to this and it works great. The only thing missing is the pop corn
smell......Doc

[FirmAbs6pk]

That looks useful for Duck Season... seems as though you'd be able to
take down the whole flock with one shot, and when you get to em they'd
already be feathered cooked and ready to eat :).

~Firm

Post by Rob W.
The Crackerjacks have a great photo of a 55 gallon creamora going off .
http://www.crackerjacks.org/shoot200210photos.htm
The trees in the background are full grown trees too.
Rob