Flash Powder is extremely dangerous and is a very powerful explosive. It is sensitive to friction, impact, heat, spark, static electricity and can ignite and explode very easy. Some formulas are more sensitive than others. Be very careful at all times and do not take any chances because you will not get a second chance if you have an accident. The formulas are listed in order #1 being the most powerful. All measurements are by weight NOT by volume. All the following information is basic high school chemistry. It is very important to have an oxygen balanced formula. Calculation of the oxygen balance is very easy. The oxidizers listed below shows how much oxygen is produced by each chemical. The flammable material listed below shows how much oxygen is required to completely burn each flammable substance. Multiple the weight if the oxidizer times the number listed to the right to find out how much oxygen it will produced. Do the same thing with the flammable material to find out how much oxygen is required to burn the material. The 2 numbers should be equal to have an oxygen balanced formula. Your measurements can be in any weights you like, grams, ounces, lbs. etc. If you weigh one chemical in grams you must weigh the other chemical and the paper tube in grams also. Example. If you mix 10 grams of aluminum powder with potassium perchlorate the calculations are. 10 grams of aluminum powder times .890 = 8.9 8.9 divided by .340 = 26.176 grams of potassium perchlorate will be required in this formula. This does not take into consideration the oxygen required to burn the paper tube. You will have to weigh your paper tubes and end plugs. The paper tube including the 2 end plugs weighs a total of 1 gram. One gram of cellulose 1.185 x 1 = 1.185 oxygen required. 1.185 divided by .462 = 2.564 grams of Potassium Perchlorate to burn the cellulose material. Potassium Perchlorate 26.176 + 2.564 = 28.74 grams 400 mesh Aluminum Powder 10 grams Cellulose 1 gram This oxygen balance formula is 28.74 + 10 = 38.74 grams Each 1 grams M80 tube will hold 38.74 grams of flash powder in this example. Some experementing and trial and error is required to find out how much flash powder a tube will really hold. Adjust for calculation accordingly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ OXIDIZER Quantity of oxygen produced Ammonium Nitrate .200 Ammonium Oxalate .515 Ammonium Perchlorate .340 Barium Chlorate .298 Barium Nitrate .306 Calcium Nitrate .339 Potassium Chlorate .396 Potassium Nitrate .396 Potassium Perchlorate .462 Potassium Permanganate .405 Sodium Chlorate .450 Sodium Nitrate .470 Strontium Nitrate .414 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FLAMMABLE MATERIAL Quantity of oxygen required. Aluminum powder .890 Cellulose = paper tube 1.185 Charcoal 2.667 Sulfur 1.000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flash powder can be mixed dry or wet. By mixing it wet the oxidizer dissolves in the water and completely coats the aluminum powder. When the mixture dries it will have to be broken into small pieces and the pieces will have to be sifted through a screen to make it into a powder again. A tea strainer makes a good sifter. By mixing a formula wet then letting it dry increases the burn rate and the explosive power by as much as two times in some formulas. Add enough HOT water to dissolve the chemicals into a thin paste. 400 mesh aluminum powder is all you need to make a good flash powder. Dark German Aluminum Powder or Black German Aluminum Powder contains 5% powdered charcoal to keep the flash powder from getting hard and lumpy with age while it is in the paper tubes. Over a period of several years some flash will become hard and will not ignite. If your not going to save your firecrackers for several years then why spend the extra money on this type of aluminum powder. Some aluminum powders are very fine but offer no improvement in explosive powder in any formula that is mixed wet. There is no need to waste your money or expensive aluminum powders. If you are paying more than $6.00 a lb. for small quantities of Aluminum powder you are wasting your money. You can order 400 mesh aluminum powder direct from the factory in 100 lbs. drums for $2.00 a pound. Aluminum Powder is manufactured in the United States so there is no need to buy aluminum powder made in a foreign country. A toy Etch-O-Sketch contains about 1/4 lb. of 400 mesh aluminum powder. You can buy aluminum powder at any graphic art supply store and you do not have to sign for it and there is no 1 lb. limit. All mail order companies are required by law to sell aluminum powder in 1 lb. quantities only. Gun magazine classified ads have chemicals listed for sale. Popular Science classified ads have chemicals listed for sale. Ebay has chemicals listed for sale. Some mail order companies are under Federal Court order to turn over all records to BATF so they can see what people are buying and what people are making at home. If BATF thinks your doing something illegal at home they will get a search warrent and come to your house. The Gestapo is watching you. The addition of some chemicals to flash powder can be extremely dangerious. The addition of small amounts of sulfur to flash powder make it very sensitive to friction and impact. The addition of Red Phosphorus to flash powder increases the sensitivity several 1000 times and it could explode while mixing. Never store flash powder in any type container with a screw on top or a snap on top if you value your life. Never add unknown items or chemicals to flash powder because it may cause it to become very sensitive to friction, very sensitive to impact, very unstable and it could ignite and explode without warning. Never add matches to flash powder. Matches contain red phosphorus. CAUTION, never mix Red Phosphorus KCLO3 or KMnO4 and other oxidizing agents. Explosion may result on contact or from friction. DO NOT make pipe bombs. Pipe bombs are one of the most dangerious explosive devises there is. Flash powder should never be used to make pipe bombs. Flash powder can react with the metal pipe and explode. Its impossible to keep flash powder out of the pipe threads. Flash powder is very sensitive to friction, static electricity, impact. No matter what I say there will always be some one that has to learn the hard way. You are playing with Death. Formula #1 is the best, formula #2 second best and so on. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #1 Potassium Perchlorate 8 ounces Potassium Permanganate 1 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a white flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #2 Potassium Perchlorate 9 ounces 400 mesh Aluminum Powder 3 ounces Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a white flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #3 Ammonium Perchlorate 10.6 ounces 400 mesh Aluminum Powder 3 ounces Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a white flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #4 Potassium Perchlorate 8 ounces Barium Nirtate 1.5 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a Green flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #5 Potassium Perchlorate 8 ounces Strontium Nitrate 1.1 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a Red flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #6 Potassium Chlorate 10.5 ounces 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a white flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #7 Potassium Chlorate 9.5 ounces Potassium Permanganate 1 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a white flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #8 Potassium Chlorate 9.5 ounces Barium Nitrate 1.5 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a Green flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #9 Potassium Chlorate 9.5 ounces Strontium Nitrate 1.1 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a Red flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #10 Potassium Perchlorate 5 ounces Ammonium Perchlorate 5.4 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a white flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #11 Potassium Chlorate 5.25 ounces Ammonium Perchlorate 5.4 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a white flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #12 Potassium Perchlorate 7 ounces Barium Nitrate 3 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a Bright Green flash when it burns or explodes with no smoke. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #13 Potassium Perchlorate 7 ounces Strontium Nitrate 2.23 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a Bright Red flash when it burns or explodes with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #14 Potassium Perchlorate 8 ounces Sodium Chlorate 1 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a white flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #15 Potassium Perchlorate 5 ounces Potassium Chlorate 4.6 ounces 400 mesh Aluminum Powder 3 ounces Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a white flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion with no smoke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #16 Potassium Perchlorate 10 ounces 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Copper sulfate 1/2 ounce Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a Blue flash when it burns. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #17 Potassium Perchlorate 4.5 ounces Barium Nitrate 6.8 ounces 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces an extremely Bright Deep Dark Green flash when it burn or explodes. This formula is a little hard to ignite. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #18 Potassium Perchlorate 4.5 ounces Strontium Nitrate 5.0 ounces 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces an extremely Bright Deep Dark Red flash when it burn or explodes. This formula is a little hard to ignite. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #19 Sodium Chlorate 9.25 ounces 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Do not mix wet. Sodium Chlorate is hydroscopic and adsorbs moisture from the air. Produces a white flash when it burns or explodes. Produces an extremely loud and powerful explosion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #20 Potassium Perchlorate 9 ounces Charcoal 1/3 ounce 400 mesh Aluminum Powder 2 ounces Cellulose paper tube and end plugs. Produces a white flash when it burns or explodes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #21 Booby Trap Potassium Permanganate 9 ounces Powdered Sugar 3 ounce This formula is self igniting when it gets wet. It may ignite and explode from adsorbing moisture from the air. Burns very slow with a bright orange color. This formula makes a good ignitor for other flash powders when used as a booby trap. Self ignition time is base on the temperature. Below 50 degrees F it may not ignite. Pour some of this on a firecracker and when it rains it will explode. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #22 Potassium Perchlorate 8 ounces Potassium Nitrate 1.16 ounce 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #23 Time Delay Potassium Chlorate 5.25 ounces Potassium Nitrate 5.25 ounces Charcoal 1/3 ounce Aluminum Powder 2 ounces The chemicals form an unstable mixture that will ignite and explode in about 5 to 7 days at 90 degrees F The chemicals form an unstable mixture that will ignite and explode in about 14 days at 80 degrees F The chemicals form an unstable mixture that will ignite and explode in about 30 days at 70 degrees F ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #24 Friction Sensitive Potassium Chlorate 11ounces Powdered sand 1 ounce Aluminum Powder 2 ounces Sulfur 1 ounce This mixture is very dangerious. The addition of gritty material like sand makes it very sensitive to friction. The addition of sulfur makes it very sensitive to impact and friction. This mixture is very dangerious and may explode while mixing. This mixture is used in impact grenades. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #25 Extremely Dangerious Potassium Chlorate 10.5 ounces Aluminum Powder 3 ounces Red Phosphorus 1/10 ounce This mixture is extremely dangerious. This mixture is so sensitive it may ignite and explode while mixing. Extremely sensitive to friction and impact. This mixture may ignite and explode without warning. This mixture will ignite and burn when mixed with water. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #26 Gray White Smoke Potassium Perchlorate 10.0 Zinc powder 1 ounce Aluminum powder 2 ounces ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #26 Ignitor Potassium Permanganate 1/4 teaspoon Glycerine 4 drops Above 90 degrees F it will ignite and burn in about 10 seconds. At 80 degrees F it will ignite and burn in about 30 seconds. At 70 degrees F it will ignite and burn in about 2 to 3 minutes. At 60 degrees F it will ignite and burn in about about 30 minutes to 2 hours. At 50 degrees F it may not ignite at all. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #27 Thermite Sodium Chlorate 3 ounces Powdered Sugar 1 ounces Burns very slow and very hot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #28 Thermite Potassium Nitrate 3 ounces Powdered Sugar 1 ounces Burns very slow and very hot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #29 Thermite Potassium Perchlorate 3 ounces Powdered Sugar 1 ounces Burns very slow and very hot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #31 Green Military Flare Potassium Perchlorate 4.5 ounces Barium Nitrate 6.8 ounces 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Linseed Oil .286 ounces Compact into an M80 tube produces an extremely Bright Green Flare burns for about 2 minutes. Make a wet black powder ignitor. Coat one end with wet black powder and let it dry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #32 Red Military Flare Potassium Perchlorate 4.5 ounces Strontium Nitrate 5.0 ounces 3 ounces of 400 mesh aluminum powder Linseed Oil .286 ounces Compact into an M80 tube produces an extremely Bright Red Flare burns for about 2 minutes. Make a wet black powder ignitor. Coat one end with wet black powder and let it dry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #33 Bright White Flare Potassium Perchlorate 9 ounces 400 mesh Aluminum Powder 3 ounces Linseed Oil .286 ounces Compact into an M80 tube produces an extremely Bright White Flare burns for about 2 minutes. Make a wet black powder ignitor. Coat one end with wet black powder and let it dry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Formula #34 Extremely Bright White Military Flare Potassium Perchlorate 9 ounces 400 mesh Magnesium Powder 3 ounces Linseed Oil .286 ounces Compact into an M80 tube produces an EXTREMELY Bright White Flare burns for about 2 minutes. Make a wet black powder ignitor. Coat one end with wet black powder and let it dry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #35 Nitrogen Triode 2 ounces of medical type iodine 1/2 cup of laundry ammonia Mix and stir for 10 minutes at or above 70 degrees F. Drip the mixture one drop at a time through a piece of filter paper like a coffee filter. After all the liquid had been filtered you will have a tiny spot of dark red stuff that looks like mud. Place a spot of mud on something to dry. When it dries it will explode if you touch it. Use a tiny art paint brush to put several spots in a hallway. When someone walks through the hall and steps on some of the spots they will explode. Place a spot on the coin return of a soft drink machine. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Formula #36 Nitro Cellulose Detonation High Explosives Tape a blasting cap to a 1 pound can of Smokless Gun Powder. This stuff will detonate with almost as much power as C4 plastic explosive. Black Powder explodes at 1312 ft. sec. Nitro Cellulose explodes at 21,900 ft sec. C4 detonates at 26,400 ft sec. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #37 White Smoke Bomb Dissolve 4 ounces of Potassium Perchlorate in 1 Quart of Hot Water. Mix 16 ounces of sawdust with the water mixture and let it soak for a few hours. Spread the mixture out on a sheet of plastic to dry for a few days. Pour the mixture in a pile and light it with a match. Put the mixture in a large paper tube with a fuse. This will produce enough smoke to cover a football field. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #38 Stink Bomb Dissolve 1 tablespoon of vasoline in 1 cup of acetone. Pour the mixture over 1 pound of hair and mix well until the acetone evaporates. You can get hair at a local barber shop. Sprinkle 5 ounces of fine Powdered Potassium Perchlorate over the oily hair and mix well. The Fine Powdered Potassium Perchlorate will stick to the oily hair. Compact the hair into a large paper tube with a fuse. Produces a very dense white smoke that stinks so bad it makes most people vomit. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #39 Stink Bomb Potassium Nitrate 2.5 ounces Sulfur 1 ounce Candle wax .07 ounces Produces a white smoke that smells like rotten eggs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #40 Nitrogen Chloride explosive gas. Ammonium Nitrate 1 tablespoon Laundry Bleach 1/8 cup When mixed together it will boil and produce a very explosive gas. Very unstable gas explodes when heated to 93 degrees F. Explodes in direct sun light or magnesium light. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #41 Tear Gas Dissolve 1 ounce of Potassium Perchlorate in 1 ounce of Hot Water. Stir in 4 ounces of Cayenne Red Pepper. Mix Well. Spread the mixture out 1/4" thick on plastic sheet to dry. Compact into paper tubes and ignite with a fuse. Produces a white choking smoke. Very irritating to the lungs and eyes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #42 Black Smoke 100% Naphthalene (Moth Balls) 1 ounce Potassium Perchlorate 4 ounces ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #43 Black Powder Fuse Dissolve Black Powder in some hot water to make a thin liquid. Soak some 100% cotton string in the liquid for about an hour. Thick string works best. Remove the string from the liquid and let it dry. Burns about 2 inch per second. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #44 Slow Burning fuse Dissolve Potassium Nitrate in some hot water. Soak some 100% cotton string in the liquid for about an hour. Thick string works best. Rope works great. Remove the string from the liquid and let it dry. Burns about 1 inch per minute. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #45 Fast burning Fuse Potassium Nitrate 4 ounces Sugar 1 ounce Soak some 100% cotton string in the liquid for about an hour. Thick string works best. Rope works great. Remove the string from the liquid and let it dry. Burns about 1 inch per second. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #46 Self igniting fuse Potassium Nitrate 75 grams Sugar 15 grams Sulfur 9 grams Red Phosphorus 2 grams Soak some 100% cotton string in the liquid for about an hour. Thick string works best. Rope works great. Remove the string from the liquid and let it dry. Burns about 1 inch per second. Ignites from friction and impact if someone steps on it or drives over it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Formula #47 Rocket Propellent Ammonium Perchlorate 8.73 ounces Charcoal 1.5 ounces Sulfur 1 ounce ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mesh Size and Microns Mesh sizes. Mesh is a way particle sizes are measured. Mesh size refers to the screen size used to sift a powder. Different size screens are used to sift out different size powderes. The higher the mesh size the smaller the partical size. If a powder is described as 400 mesh that means it was sifted through a 400 mesh screen. Micron sizes. One micron is 1 millionth of a meter (1/25000 of an inch). It is a convenient scale to use in describing fine powders, particularly those smaller than 325 mesh. Usually the micron size describes the average particle size. U.S. Standard * Space between wires Sieve Mesh No. Inches Microns** Typical material 14 0.056 1400 28 0.028 700 Beach sand 60 0.0098 250 Fine sand 100 0.0059 150 200 0.0030 74 Portland cement 325 0.0017 44 Silt 400 0.0015 37 Plant Pollen (1200) 0.0005 12 Red Blood Cell (2400) 0.0002 6 (4800) 0.0001 2 Cigarette smoke * The mesh numbers in parentheses are too small to exist as actual sieves; they are included just for reference. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------