On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 07:23:11 GMT, "Capt. Frank Hopkins"
wrote:

hehe, alas, the days of childhood. Charcoal, saltpeter and sulfur with
assorted other chemicals. We made some dandy fireworks during the
summer. I would spend days grinding charcoal briquettes into fine powder
and mix it in the proper proportions. Add a little copper and you get a
get green. Some magnesium and get a brilliant white. A little zinc and
get blue-green, and just plain makes a nice yellow.

We would take rice and break it up, and put it in a rock tumbler with a
little wet powder mix to make the stars. A piece of 3 inch water pipe
for a mortar, and kraft paper from the butcher and potato paste glue to
make the shells.

My friend and I would light up the sky over the lake on the 4th and
Labor Day.

Of course the government had to get involved and make homemade fireworks
illegal.


Capt. Frank
Parallax wrote:



ROFL.... don't forget the potassium permanganate and sugar. And I
really miss those M-80s...