Scott, we're listening to you and re-grouping. Art Hoag, JamesR, Conway, and others are all experts in this area. Ken Plattner is getting really good as well. I just buy my e-matches from Tim Thomas (GLR) and coat them with pyrogen that I can find at the launches. Someone with a LEUP at the launches will usually have some, just make a deal for an "on-site" use of it. This is a great subject, and you will get all the info you need. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

One of the properties of an ematch that you want is that pop. Its what sets off a BP charge for deployment. Now not saying a slower light wouldn't but the energy from a fast poof of all the pyro for deployment is what we want. If you flying dual deploy and haven't had alot of experience working with making e matches then I would recommend till you get them down to use some of the commercial made ones. They are quite reliable and we want as reliable of deployment and recoveries as we can get.. Going up is the easy part. Sticking that over the top deployment stuff with a great recovery is where it can get hairy. Tim sometimes has some for sale here in the near future I will to. The materials you are mixing and dipping have specific purposes. and are made of specific materials.

Now if all you want to make is ignitors I can help you there as well. I will also be selling Ignitors as wel for those that dont want to make them and even my pyrogen mix more then likleyl. Its a formula of my own mix and they have very few in fact pretty well no issues lighting any motor.

Ematches are a tricky thing when making them practice and practice some more. You should have a low to no failure rate and they should light off any deployment charge you want. I recomend ground testing them. Under deployment situation just as you would do for ground testing charges.

I agree with Conway here. I make my own ignitirs, using the Magnelite pyrogen and CAT 5 wires with 26ga nichrome. They work great, but I wouldn't touch ematches. Reliability is to critical and the commercially available ones have been 100% reliable for me so far (knocking on wood 😉 ) and they are cheap. So far I have been 100% successful with my ignitors too, but they aren't nearly as delicate as ematches.

Your description of an ematch vs what a comercial one does is fairly different. They are specific in the way they work. I do know some people that have had good luck making them and they perform just like comercial. But they have had lots of practice and understand the chemistry as well.

Your description of an ematch vs what a comercial one does is fairly different. They are specific in the way they work. I do know some people that have had good luck making them and they perform just like comercial. But they have had lots of practice and understand the chemistry as well.

Chemistry??? (it was a kit!!! just mix part A and part B and keep away from open flame 😉 )
I figured it was the same stuff in the formula they had in with thier match heads. They would not sell Potassium chlorate to just anybody.
But they would sell the little kit. Only about enough (2-3 grams) to dip match heads into.
When they burn, they burn like a fuse on a legal firework (fast and hot only electricly ignited) I figured that was the way it was supose to be. Once the powder ignites weather its from a spark or a burn, whats left of the fuse really doesnt matter.

Ill get a couple of comecial matches for next launch.

scotte

Ill get a couple of comecial matches for next launch.

Tim Thomas from GLR always has them, at every launch, plus igniters. 😉

Is there spell check on this sight someware cause I suck at it! 🙂

I wish there was a spellcheck somewhere....

The only person I really know that has the patience and makes his own ematches is Brad McGarvey. Of course he makes his own motors and altimeters too.

Chemistry??? (it was a kit!!! just mix part A and part B and keep away from open flame 😉 )
I figured it was the same stuff in the formula they had in with thier match heads. They would not sell Potassium chlorate to just anybody.
But they would sell the little kit. Only about enough (2-3 grams) to dip match heads into.
When they burn, they burn like a fuse on a legal firework (fast and hot only electricly ignited) I figured that was the way it was supose to be. Once the powder ignites weather its from a spark or a burn, whats left of the fuse really doesnt matter.

Ill get a couple of comecial matches for next launch.

scotte

Yes Chemistry. The guys that are very successful are also very knowledgeable at what they do. Most are able to mix their own stuff no kit needed. Even with a kit that seems to me to not be doing what ematches do would be able to fix those issues. Anyhow. Knowing what the different compounds are that are in part a and part b and becoming understanding of its reactions can help you understand their functions.. But then again I like to dissect everything and know it from the ground up. BTW the red stuff was a red colored Nitrocellulose lacquer sealer to cover the matches in once you have the specific pyrogen dipped.

I wish there was a spellcheck somewhere....

The only person I really know that has the patience and makes his own ematches is Brad McGarvey. Of course he makes his own motors and altimeters too.

Hmm My computer underlines all the misspelled words before I send in red. I can then go back through and right click for a correct word change.. Should work on yours as well..

BTW I know a few more folks (and so do you 😉 ) that make their own matches as well as Brad.

Most are able to mix their own stuff no kit needed.

8)

I wish there was a spellcheck somewhere....

The only person I really know that has the patience and makes his own ematches is Brad McGarvey. Of course he makes his own motors and altimeters too.

Firefox 2 has a built in spellchecker...