The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives - Sciencemadness Dot Org

98 PYROTECHNICS
per ounce of stars. For making the bags, a board is taken which
has had holes bored into it slightly smaller than the internal
diameter of the mine case and of a depth suited to the caliber of
the mine. A disc of tissue paper is placed over a hole and then
punched down into it by a wooden punch or rod with slightly
rounded edges which fits rather loosely in the hole. This makes
a paper cup into which one end of the fuse is inserted, and
around it the stars and blowing charge. The edges of the paper
cup are then gathered together and tied with string or wire.
Mines are often made up with a single Roman candle, lacking
the plug of clay at the bottom, mounted in the center of the
mine case. The fuse leading from the charge in the paper bag
is thrust into the bottom of the Roman candle. A mine with a
large and short ca.«o, carrying a charge of tailed stars, serpents,
and English crackers, and having one Roman candle in its center
and four others, matched to burn simultaneously, attached to the
outside of the case, is known as a devil among the tailors.
Comets and Meteors
These are virtually mines which shoot a single large star.' A
pumped star I 1 /? inches in diameter is fired, for example, from
a tube or mortar 10 inches long and 1% inches in internal diameter.
A piece of quickmatch ("wrapped black match) about 6
inches longer than the mortar is taken; an inch of black match
is made bare at one end, bent at right angles, and laid against
the base of the star; and the star, with the quickmatch lying
along its side, is then enclosed in the middle of a paper cylinder
by wrapping a strip, say 4 inches wide, of pasted tissue paper
around it. A half teaspoonful of granulated black powder is put
into the cup thus formed on the (bottom) side of the star where
the black match has been exposed, and the edges of the paper
cylinder are brought together over it and tied. The other (upper)
end of the paper cylinder is similarly tied around the quickmatch.
In using this piece, and in using all others which are
lighted by quickmatch, care must be taken that a few inches
of the quickmatch have been opened and the black match exposed,
before the fire is set to it; otherwise it will be impossible to get
away quickly enough. This, of course, is already done in pieces
which are offered for public sale.
Comets burn with a charcoal or lampblack effect, meteors with