Magnesium Powder Flash

[Tin Can]

Late sixties we were deep into VW Bugs which were very cheap used, we made mud buggies and ended up with many blown engines

Then we started racing them in the Midwest, formal mud events, camping at most

Inevitably some fool would light off a magnesium VW engine, which burned like the Sun and impossible to put out

Many fun events were ruined, poisonous fume, thick smoke, water or mud would not put it out, extinguishers were useless.

All went somewhere far away asap

I see on YT that some never learn

Magnesium fire vw block burning

One warm summer night when I was 12 me and my best buddy wrapped a 10ft. length of magnesium ribbon around the big maple tree in the center of the local elementary school yard and lit one end...shined like the sun and boy did it ever attract attention!

[Jody_S]

One warm summer night when I was 12 me and my best buddy wrapped a 10ft. length of magnesium ribbon around the big maple tree in the center of the local elementary school yard and lit one end...shined like the sun and boy did it ever attract attention!

I've heard this one told as wrapping the door knob to the science lab with magnesium ribbon and lighting it just as you spotted the teacher walking down the hall.

[Neal Chaves]

The 10" spot/flood 2k Fresnel lights can now be purchased for a fraction of new cost. (about $100 delivered) If you have 117v 25A service and can stand the heat, use a 2k bulb. You also need a substantial Junior receiver stand. At our Open Studios in Virginia Beach, we have used these converted to lower wattage Edison screw sockets and dual contact bayonet halogen bulbs up to 500W, in addition to both Dynalite and Norman electronic flash at up to 2400WS and 600W halogen modeling. The focused beam of the Fresnel lens does not fall off with the square of the distance as do other sources and can output high levels of quality, flattering illumination.

[Tin Can]

I tried 2K Fresnel in my studio, wow they were so hot, I was worried about burning my paper backdrop at 10 ft, in winter with AC on.

Maybe outside on a cool day

I borrowed 3, and quickly returned them.

I read some are converting big Fresnel lamps to powerful LED

I will try that later, in my Theatrical Spots with Fresnel, I got 5 of those for $80 at a garage sale

[Drew Bedo]

There are six pages to this thread so far and I haven't read them all so this may not be news.

This came up here several years ago here and I looked up "Flash Powder" on Wikipedia.

There is a good article on the chemistry and proportions. There is a range of compositions that differ primarily only in the ratios of components. These changes in the ratios change the properties of the mixtures from traditional "Flash Powder" through what is in a SWAT "Flash-Bang" grenade and on out to shock sensitive explosives like "Tanerite" exploding targets.

I would strongly recommend against using anything like flash powder today.

[Tin Can]

Flash Powder Kit1 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

Flash Powder Kit2 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

[Drew Bedo]

Just because a thing can be done does not mean that it is a good idea.

[Tin Can]

I bought the kit shown complete with all items on APUG. I wanted the VGC camera, plate holders and case. A tidy compact kit. Works great, but not LF

I never used nor will use the powder AND I didn't know the powder or caps were included as they weren't imaged

I was shocked to see the powder & caps in USPS parcel delivered to me, without ORM-D

Nonetheless NOW I will post my 2 pics on FB in a more friendly thread

[Drew Bedo]

Tin Can: My posts are intended to be friendly. Perhaps I expressed myself too emphatically.

Franlky, i think it is so cool that theseitems have been preservedwith the cameras together. They represent what 19th century photography was like. While I would be thinking about disposing of theflash materials, I would try to retain the flssh handle and packaging; the can and caps box, as historical artifacts tto remain with the amera kit.

I also participate in a message board much like LFP that is oriented towards firearms. I started a thread there asking for advice on disposing of flash powder with concerns about safety, ethics, legal issues etc.

The immediate consensus seems to be transferring the materials to a civil recycling center that handles fuels and flammables such as gasoline and paints.

[Tin Can]

Drew,

I understand. It was the repetition of safety concerns

I was on Hazmat, Fire Brigade and Medical response unit in factory for decades. I was trained on all 3 yearly. We had frequent very dangerous events with 2500 people inside 1 Million ft

Locally there is no process or facility for Hazmat where I now live

When I lived inside Chicago, I recycled everything and gave Hazmat to the correct site.

One time I had a Saltzman Mercury Lamp with at least one pound in glass tube. Gasoline, drain oil, oil paint, etc was all taken one day a week.

My father left me old paper shot shells, they went to Chicago Police station where I knew officers

I use Single Shot Powder Actuated Hammer Tools often and they are still sold...

I could just pour out the flash powder on my gravel driveway, the caps are far harder to dispose properly and I am staying well away form local PD

I am way more worried about the tons of fireworks arriving daily in my state, which bans them, but easy to buy in 3 states near me

Thanks for your concern