dynamite plunger for fire works

[2na]

I have an old dynamite plunger and would like to use it to set off fire works. It will light a 100w light bulb momentarily, but will not spark two shorted very fine copper wires. any ideas?
thanks, 2na

 

[jrz126]

small power (silicon) diodes maybe?
how bright does the 100W bulb get?

 

[DirtyLude]

The only experience I have with this is the ignitors for model rocket engines, which is just a resistance wire and some chemical that ignites easily.

Since it heats a lightbulb fillament enough to light it, add a safety match head to that filament wire, and it should ignite.

 

[evandude]

I agree. You can buy model rocket ignitors at various places, including most department stores. Those are only ignited by a couple of AA batteries (so about 3V) so if your plunger can light a 100W bulb it should have no problem with model rocket ignitors.

If you don't want to buy those, you can try the wire from steel wool. it's a lot finer than most copper wire you'll find and has a higher resistance. stick a piece to a match head (or hold it there and dip it in some melted wax to hold it) and you may have a decent homemade ignitor for practically free

I seem to recall reading about the steel wool thing in some pyrotechnics book I had from ages ago...

 

[Oznog]

It's nichrome wire. Actually, model rocket ignitors would work fine. There are places on the web for making your own "electric match", I seem to recall a bit of nichrome running through a matchhead did it.

 

[evandude]

Yeah. the usual method is to use a paper match, like from a matchbook, and split the head in two using a razor blade, then you slide the wire down into the slit. And yeah, nichrome wire is ideal but not quite as easy to get as simple steel wool :wink:

 

[sfxmaster]

igniters

the small christmas light bulbs work good, simply break the glass so the filimant is exposed, it will act as a fuse.

 

[duffy]

I have an old dynamite plunger and would like to use it to set off fire works. any ideas?

Yes, I have an idea this will be AWESOME.

 

[ncpat]

Check Voltage?

If you have a meter, hook it to the leads and check your voltage output. I am curious about that. You could also connect it to small Buss fuses to see the actual amperage it can produce. Maybe start with a 1 A and go up from there to see what amp fuse it will blow. If I remember correctly, it takes 2 amps to burn a rocket igniter wire. I would guess it's DC output, just on a whim. May have to check it both ways on the meter.

 

[rfs100]

try this

Working in Special Effects, I have had great success in iginting Pyrotechnics using a single strand of a multi conductor lamp cord. Sinply cut a chunk of a lamp style cord, and use one of the many fine coper wires that make up the one larger conductor, wrapping it around the fuse, close to the body of the Pyro. Then connect the two ends to a heavier piece of wire. I can get ignition on this with a 1.5v AA battery, so I cant imagine it not igniting with 100v.
Your other option is to ignore the generator within the plunger, and adapt a microswitch that triggers a battery hidden in the unit, every time the plunger is depressed. You will still get the really cool "look" of using a old-fashioned plunger, but will get a good, solid ignition voltage from it.