Talk:Magnesium ribbon

From PyroGuide

PROFMAD: As a boy I would use magnesium ribbon in my Roman Candles. Again, I would no longer recommend it for safety reasons; however, they were very spectacular. I would roll the ribbon into 'balls' about 1.5 cm diameter, generally the diameter of the tube, and on top of a weed killer (NaCLO3) /coarse sucrose mix, a small quantity of magnesium flash powder, onto which I dropped the magnesium 'ball'. I then continued upwards with the sugar mix. They were usually of the traffic light style, the first round with a strontium salt; the second was plain burning (Na), and the last a barium salt added. The mix would burn down and the flash powder would ignite the magnesium ball, and 'fire' it around 10 metres high. The candle would then continue to the next colour. They were never stored, but as you can see, magnesium, potassium permanganate, and chlorate in the candle, made them very hazardous. I was only 13 years old, and a self trained pyrotechnic at the time. These mixtures could be found in boy’s chemistry books at the time (c. 1970). I do not encourage you to repeat these candles though it may serve as a basis for SAFER MORE SOPHISTICATED CANDLES. I write this purely as an anecdotal piece of nostalgia, for interest only. PROFMAD+++++