DIY igniters

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Thanks David. Yeah, I took some scrap wire and wrapped both ends, so I essentially have 8 test "igniters" that I'll be using to get the right viscosity. Thanks for the tip on hanging them. I never even though about bending the ends, haha!
Reed
 
Well, I have dipped all the igniters. I think it went pretty well for my first ever igniter dipping. it took me a little while to get it so I didn't have this 3/16 this blob on the igniter, but that just means I have about 8 failed igniters that need to be disposed of.... :) The only major problem I ran into was that the battery for the two fans I was using to ventilate the room died halfway through the dipping process. The fans had been doing a great job of keeping the fumes away. For the last half of the dipping, I moved to the bathroom with the vent fan in there on and the door open. Not nearly as ventilated. I'm glad I didn't have to do too much in there. Oh well, I'm alive and well, so that's what counts.
Reed
 
Reed Goodwin said:
Well, I have dipped all the igniters. I think it went pretty well for my first ever igniter dipping. it took me a little while to get it so I didn't have this 3/16 this blob on the igniter, but that just means I have about 8 failed igniters that need to be disposed of.... :) The only major problem I ran into was that the battery for the two fans I was using to ventilate the room died halfway through the dipping process. The fans had been doing a great job of keeping the fumes away. For the last half of the dipping, I moved to the bathroom with the vent fan in there on and the door open. Not nearly as ventilated. I'm glad I didn't have to do too much in there. Oh well, I'm alive and well, so that's what counts.
Reed
Click to expand...

Could you post a video of one of the igniters going off? And which brand pyrogen did you end up going with?

Sam
 
Yeah, I've got a few more scrap igniters to test, and I also plan on testing a few legit igniters just to be sure. I'll do my best to get videos of them. I ended up going with Quickbursts Quick Dip. Very straightforward instructions and mixing.
Reed
 
Very nice - I've been messing with igniters recently as well, though mostly of the larger, thermite-fueled variety.
 
Thermite is great stuff if you want to get a rocket off a pad in a hurry, but IMO, it shouldn't be used in place of normal igniters for single motors. I'd save it for clusters only.

Unless, of course, you're drag racing. Then use thermite. :D
 
SpartaChris said:
Thermite is great stuff if you want to get a rocket off a pad in a hurry, but IMO, it shouldn't be used in place of normal igniters for single motors. I'd save it for clusters only.

Unless, of course, you're drag racing. Then use thermite. :D
Click to expand...

I've mostly been using it in single motors to test it - my planned use is for clusters, but I want it well tested first. I'm not using the standard formula, but it seems to be working pretty well :)

Here are a couple of my recent tests:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jEEjBSZKJw
 
Great slo-mo shots. Bang...instant pressure up and gone~! Just like it's supposed to do. No wasting newtons waiting for pressure to come up usually = a little more altitude as a side benefit.

As you full well know I'v been using this stuff for several years in everything from I's to N's. Lots of clusters. I use the good old 4.5 to 1. What are you playing with and why change from the old standard? Take it to a PM if you don't want this in the open. Just curious Jim.
 
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I have to say, I love the way it just comes right up with no waiting. As for the shots, I had a new camera to play with that does 720p 60fps, so I set it up right by the pads (~30-40 feet from the rockets). It worked great to capture the ignition sequence. My eventual plan is to mount it onboard the Deuce, but for now, before I do that, it makes a good pad cam as well.

For the formula, I'm mostly playing around because I like to experiment with new things and see if I can improve at all on the old standard. The standard mix works fine, but I enjoy trying other options to see if they work too. I sent you a PM with more details.
 
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I have been considering trying thermite for this project for school where consistency is key, so the more reliably and faster the motor comes up to pressure, the better. I've got a while to work on that, though.
Reed
 
rocket999 said:
Cool info on the igniter wires.

If you want I can PM you (and anyone else who wants me to) some easy and cheap pyrogen formulas that work REALLY well. :)

Let me know.

Sam
Click to expand...



Back from the dead. I need formulas if anyone has them

Thanks,
Tom
 
I would like to see coem different formulas also. I want to do an a review and test ignition temperatures. Please PM them to me.
 
Reed Goodwin said:
Well, I just finished using up all the cat5 cable I had. I am left with 97 wired igniters, ready for dipping and hardly a dent in the 2oz spool of nichrome. Methinks this spool will last a while. As should 97 igniters, especially at my rate of launching rockets lately (7+ months sans launch). Now to dip them this weekend. Any tips on how to hold them en masse after dipping so the pyrogen doesn't run to the tip?

IMG_0398s.jpg


Thanks,
Reed
Click to expand...

is that all your gonna make? When i make em, I make enough so that I dont have to do it again for a while:D

igniters 003.jpg
 
OK, but where can you get thermilte with out an explosive license?

Andrew
 
I've had good success with some DIY igniters that look pretty identical to these.
Except that I used a short length of the flat steel 'wire' from steel scouring pads. They were about a quid for twelve so will last virtually forever. This stuff is not wire wool and is stronger and nice and bright.
The simple pyrogen I use is two crushed match-heads mixed with a drop of uhu contact adhesive. It sets nice and hard and gives a good hot vigorous flare from a 12v lead-acid gel battery.
Not a patch on your igniters, but they do the trick for me :)
 

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