cjl
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
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Little tip, From alot of past Experience and testing. Dont dip an igniter that has already been made or dipped and cured. In fact when I make my igniters I only dip them one time. If I need more pyrogen on the igniter wire then I fold it over so there is more wire surface as well as a u shape in the end of the bend to hold more(ive even made double bend igniters that have lit M motors this way with ease) pyrogen. By "double dipping" the igniter you will find most times they dont burn but pop and can cause it not to light the motor. An igniter works better if it can burn hot and for a longer time. Same issue with dipping over the top of thermalite fuse. You are actually killing the real effectiveness of the fuse to burn long an hot. More stuff is not always better. Keeping it simple with a proven formula that again burns Hot and long is the real trick. Having and igniter with TO much stuff on it can cause an over-pressure spike and blow the nozzle or fracture a grain (seen this happen more then once). Then you have real issues. Its important to sand more then just the top grain. Getting all that surface exposed is one other thing that will make lighting the motor and getting it up to actual operating pressure easier.
your talking K700 Aerotech motors? Not hard to light at all. one of my single fold igniters light them instantly. Ive flow several of them over the years.
Actually, I know for a fact that the pyrogen over thermalite works beautifully - I used it on the J800's, and it lit instantly, and I've lit one on the ground to test - again, massive fireball for a decent duration. The K700's are the Aerotech White Lightnings, and they should be easy to light almost instantly.
Metalwizard: I did use a sliver of blue thunder on the second flight
That's what made those big flames out the nozzles