anyone tried making own e-matches?

[rocketsonly]

Has anyone tried this before?

https://www.skylighter.com/mall/ignition.asp

-then scroll down to item #GN5030

Seems like they're just the plastic heads like on the Oxral e-matches, but without the explosive tip. And they're pretty cheap, 50 for $12.35.

 

[edwardw]

There is a guy at our club who was fascinated with making his own matches. He tried mini-lightbulbs, these things and just about everything else under the sun. He also took 6 times to cert level 2 - mainly because of deployment (or non-deployment) issues with his homemade matches. The 6th try he used an Oxral and it worked perfectly. I have *never* seen an Oxral not fire. We used 23 ( yes 23) Oxrals on our Deltal II flight and each one of the fired just as they were supposed to. I doubt that would happen with your own e-matches. The choice for me is simple. I've got at least $100 in electronics, a lot of time and effort into a rocket, plus the cost of a casing, reload and parachute in a rocket.. I would rather spend another $1 for an Oxral (less than 1% of the cost of your rocket) than try and save 75 cents by making my own match. Just my .02.


Edward

 

[hokkyokusei]

I make my own igniters using the igniterman kit. I only use them for motor ignition though, not for deployment.

 

[Johnnie]

In order to purchase an Oxral anymore, you will need a LEUP...at least here in North Alabama according to the agents who our LEUP members have worked with.

I have a few Oxrals left (these things are manufactured less than 20 miles from my house) but with a lot of ground testing this winter, I will have my own ematches, that I will make myself, to play with this next flying season.

 

[Mad Rocketeer]

Originally posted by rocketsonly
Has anyone tried this before?

https://www.skylighter.com/mall/ignition.asp

-then scroll down to item #GN5030

Check out the text on GN5020. Is this for real?

 

[rocketsonly]

Originally posted by Mad Rocketeer
Check out the text on GN5020. Is this for real?

"Nichrome Bridge Wire

This wire is used with to make electric matches and match heads. It is 48 guage, .0012 inch in diameter, 10 feet long is wound by virgins with sensitive fingers on a cardboard spool."

Are you referring to "This wire is used with to make electric matches and match heads. It is 48 guage."?

 

[BlueNinja]

! to item 5020


I don't use premade matches, they are too expensive. i wirewrap and dip in magnelite.

 

[cdma77]

I agree with Edward. Why risk all of you time and money for a few cents. I get Oxrals for .65 each. If you have to, get somebody with a LEUP get them for you. You didn't hear that from me ! I make my own igniters. If an igniter fails for a single motor just put another one in, if an e-match fails duck ! I use BP in cut off x-mass light bulbs for testing BP charges, but not for flight.

Jeff

 

[Johnnie]

If you have to, get somebody with a LEUP get them for you. You didn't hear that from me !

The above quote is legal, as long as the LEUP holder holds on to your oxrals for you until you are ready to use them. Oxrals are an excellent product, but use your head and stay legal. If that means you get a LEUP just to buy them then get one, or no go the LEUP and find a suitable legal replacement....what ever it takes, please stay legal for all of our sakes.

 

[aksarben10]

I am one of those who love to make matches and have experimented with a number of different options. I do not use my own matches for deplyment, yet.

I am working with chips right now and hope to have something reliable but until then I use one of two options for deployment.

I either use and e-match like daveyfire or oxrals, very reliable or I use christmas tree lights in a small plasitc vial. I can highly recommend the Pratt ejection cans as well, I have used about 10-15 of them and they worked everytime.

When working with those chips you need to have a low temp primer on them first as that nichrome pops quick. The primer then kicks the pyrogen I have not come up with a suitable primer yet.

My advice unless you really like to play with this stuff, use ematches or Pratt cans.

Scott

 

[Johnnie]

Richard Nakka has tested Christmas Tree light bulbs by spinning them so that each bulb was subjected to 120 G's. He has found them to be very robust and states that they are well suited for ejection charges.

With any self made project, lack of failures depends greatly on ones ability to take great care to avert damaging what you are working on. Although a Christmas tree bulb can pass a centifuge and 120 G's, it would fail if you "crammed" your charge in and busted the filament.