Planning igniter website....

[cwbullet]

What would you like to see from a website centering on this topic?

Formulas, how to make blanks, head-to-head comparisons? Any other requests?

 

[Marc_G]

A forum page to argue about terminology... igniter, starter....

 

[wonderboy]

I'd love to see information about augmenting such as with blue thunder propellant (which I've read about) or using pyrodex pellets in motors. In general, all things related to getting your motors to light reliably and quickly.

 

[teepot]

I would like to see if one igniter is better for clustering than another.

 

[NateB]

Formulas, techniques for winding your own or dipping blanks, enhancing commercial ignitor, maybe even starter pellets from different comps or pyrodex.

 

[Rob Campbell]

A page dedicated to legal and regulatory issues.

 

[fyrwrxz]

Anything from nuclear bananas, bkno3, low current deployment formulae, you know....everything! How do we share ratios?

 

[MJW]

Most of this information is already available in the research forum, correct?

Not sure what good could come from making a new site dedicated to pyrogen formulas and initiator construction methods. Getting certified as L2 by TRA isn't exactly difficult (though admittedly not exactly inexpensive either when compared to low power).

 

[Cl(VII)]

Slow motion video of the igniters in action. Preferably with concentric circles as a size gauge, and a timer to illustrate what real time would be for the video. If you can also record the current required for ignition that would be useful for any air start planning.

 

[cwbullet]

Thanks

 

[Scott_650]

Some solid analysis on electrical power requirements - what source, strength, duration etc is needed to maximize starter/igniter effectiveness l

 

[FredA]

Seems like this is MORE risky than opening the research section to the world.....touchy subject.

 

[cwbullet]

Seems like this is MORE risky than opening the research section to the world.....touchy subject.

Not if it is done right. You can lock down access pretty tight.

 

[prfesser]

A forum page to argue about terminology... igniter, starter....

FWIW using the terms starter or initiator is all about legality, not political correctness.

BATFE has contradictory (or at least confusing) information as to what constitutes an igniter and what constitutes an electric match. Which is why the rocketry community has for years been concerned about the legality of buying or making igniters or electric matches.

What follows is my opinion, based on several meetings with BATFE while I was on the TRA BoD.

BATFE doesn't really want to deal with regulating APCP motor "igniters". A dozen such items might contain as little as 2-3 grams of pyrogen. Their interest is in enforcement and prosecution of larger amounts of energetic materials that could be used for nefarious purposes. Arresting someone who has a few grams of pyrogen in such devices could generate unwelcome publicity.

Changing terminology to starter or initiator should at least minimize, if not eliminate, legal issues, Especially when the starter has a half-gram of pyrogen and is used to start a motor containing 2000 grams of APCP (no longer regulated).

Again, this is all opinion. But it's clear that Estes, Aerotech, and other manufacturers now consider it good practice to label the devices used to start legal rocket motors as either starters or initiators. I'd be willing to bet that this was done on the advice of lawyers who know something about legalities of energetic materials.

Best -- Terry

 

[Brian Ditmer]

not really igniter related, but from a novice perspective it would be nice to see some front-to-back videos, or info, on setting up, prepping and flight assembly for dual deploy. I've seen pieces out there, but nothing on how a switch band is used, what holes need to be where, shear pins, rivets, chute and drogue packing etc,

 

[jbr]

tratech had a good video on this

 

[Scott_650]

FWIW using the terms starter or initiator is all about legality, not political correctness.

BATFE has contradictory (or at least confusing) information as to what constitutes an igniter and what constitutes an electric match. Which is why the rocketry community has for years been concerned about the legality of buying or making igniters or electric matches.

What follows is my opinion, based on several meetings with BATFE while I was on the TRA BoD.

BATFE doesn't really want to deal with regulating APCP motor "igniters". A dozen such items might contain as little as 2-3 grams of pyrogen. Their interest is in enforcement and prosecution of larger amounts of energetic materials that could be used for nefarious purposes. Arresting someone who has a few grams of pyrogen in such devices could generate unwelcome publicity.

Good advice - relying on clarity and “goodwill” from any government agency can be problematic.

 

[rhoward99]

Articles discussing reliable cluster ignition, especially with harder to start propellants, thermite based compositions, BKNO3. CTI (ematch/pellet) style motor ignition. How to achieve "instant on" ignition.