- 1). Mix together 200 grams strontium nitrate, 120 grams steel powder, 32 grams aluminum, 2 grams airfloat charcoal and 6 grams boric acid in a bowl. Stir to combine.
- 2). Create a mixture using 6 grams dextrin and a 25-percent aqueous ethanol. Add enough aqueous ethanol turn the powder into a paste; the exact amount varies based on the environmental conditions. Stir to combine. If you find lumps in the mixture, break them up or discard them.
- 3). Combine the 2 mixtures. Stir to mix thoroughly. Add 65 ml 25-percent aqueous ethanol. Stir to combine.
- 4). Pour the mixture into a test tube or pipe. The vessel you choose needs to hold 41 ml and be 12 inches long. When added the mixture should fill up 7 to 8 inches of the tube.
- 5). Cut wire hangers into straight, 12-inch pieces using wire cutters. You need one 12-inch piece for each sparkler you wish to make.
- 6). Insert the wire hangers into the test tube. Remove the wire. Insert the end that was not dipped into a piece of Styrofoam. Leave the dipped pieces to dry for 24 hours.
- 7). Dip the hangers again to apply a second coat, allowing the paste to dry for 24 hours. Dip a third time, then leave the sparklers to dry for 48 hours.
- 8). Insert the clean end of the wires into the cake before lighting the sparkler ends.
previous post
next post