Colored fires

From PyroGuide

Colored fires are slow burning color compositions that are burnt as heaps (without a container) or being loaded into short tubes by simple means. The devices are quite similar to torches (fusees) and bengals forasmuch they all principally feature modified colored star mixes in which the combustive agents (like airfloat charcoal or lampblack) generally are omitted. To the contrary they often contain retardants such as woodmeal ensuring a longer burn duration.

If a container is employed, we make use of thin-walled tubes (no thicker than 1,5mm) that will burn away with the composition. Any lenght of tube can be used with a common size being 75mm in lenght and 18mm I.D. The devices are charged using a drift and hand pressure or by means of a funnel and wire rod and many of the following compositions will burn more reliably and steadily if they are only shaken down the tube.

Colored fire compositions:

	Blue A	Blue B	Blue C	Green A	Green B	Green C	Red A	Red B	Red C	Yellow A	Yellow B	White A	White B	Silver A
Ammonium perchlorate	46	30			50
Potassium perchlorate	26	40	60			49		66	68	75	75		64
Strontium nitrate							66
Barium nitrate					35	31								45
Barium chlorate				55
Potassium chlorate				33			13
Red gum	15	15		12	15	15		14	11	15				5
Potassium nitrate												74	13	15
Shellac 60 mesh							17				15
Copper carbonate (basic)	10	15
Cupric oxide			10
Strontium carbonate								20	11
Cryolite										10
Sodium oxalate											10
Sulphur												8
Orpiment (Arsenic trisulphide)												18
Stearine	3
Lactose			20
Chlorinated hydrocarbon			10			5
Wood meal									10
Antimony													13
Aluminium (dark)														15
Aluminium (middle flitter 30/80)														20
Copal gum													10
Charcoal (airfloat)							4

Sources: Lancaster, Ronald: Fireworks, Principles and practice, 3rd ed., p.220ff