How can I make my own papershell´s

[Pyrostar]

Hi

I am from Germany and can´t find any papershell´s for my round shells.
And I want to make some paperhalves myself.

Now, here comes the tricky part, how can I make them myself?
I have seen some styropor- balls, but I think the walls are too thick ( 2cm).
and the styropor ball will shatter from the shock that releases the liftpowder when it ignites.
Also, they are very expensive.

Advices would be very nice, since I´m planning a 2" shell with golden stars( BaNO3/Fe/S and Dextrin)


Thanks,

Pyrostar

[miech]

You can make your own by pasting strips of paper around a (golf) ball. I've done that before, and it is quite a lot work, but at least you can say you did it on your own. I used very thick wall paper glue (behanglijm) and pasted all strips of paper on both sides. Then I wrapped them around the ball, one by one, and let the 'thing' dry in the oven at approximately 60 degrees Celsius. Then I cut the ball in half, and there I had my shells. Some spiking gives a better result when making these shells, they tend to be somewhat weak.

I think some Dutch members of this forum can sell you some shells if you ask for it. I don't think it would be a big problem to get them over the borders by post.

[Exhile]

Be creative, make cylindrical shells or make a mould to press halfs for you're round shells.

It's allways cool to find a way to make shells in mass production, I worked with a press and a mould,
I pasted the mould inside with paper strips and glue and then put the rammer on the mould and started pressing, that way you can easy make 1 shell per minute.

[chemicalbrother]

My fast, but expensive way to make round shell's is to wrap paper tape, inside out over the golf/pingpong ball untill it has covered whole the ball. Then just turn the tape the normal way around the ball.

For the dutch people: Ik ga er eens een tutorial van maken, misschien een idee voor het wiki gedeelte of is dat te kewl?

[bastieboy]

it appears to me that if it's a practical way of making shells, it's not too k3wl at all.

EDIT By Exhile: English please

[mr.stijntje]

I'm working on a acryllic shell-mould system. When all the school stress is over, i'll do some experiments with it, and if it works i'll post a tutorial here off course.

Small spoilers:


(This papershell is not one I made, I cant expect results like that. It's just the shell half I used as former for the acryllic.)

[Pyrostar]

Hi

I have made a mould out of plaster( golfball-sized), I covered the golfball with plastic foil,
then I try to make a shell halve, but the craftpaper always sticks to the plaster,
and the procedure was a whole mess.

Any advices would be great,


Pyrostar

[Keesthemad]

Maybe cover you're plaster with a small coat of latex, this is a nice non sticky outersurface that can be bought at nearly any building supply store...

What i think is the best way to do this is by making the acrylic half sphere stijntje has, and making a half ball, a little smaller, (just that bit smaller as the thickness of you're shell).

Then take a sheet of the lightest craft paper you can find, make alot of squares, roughly 1,5 times the size of you're mold, glue them together (like 10 layers) and press them in the mold (probably best done in a bench-screw or hydrolic jack). Then after the glue has dried enough cut awah excess paper with a hobby knife and voila, you have a nearly perfect hemisphere... Repeat this process untill you've made enough of them.. (ofcourse).

[bastieboy]

You could try putting some vaseline or so on your mould, it works for normal tubes so why not here.

[Pyrostar]

Hi

I have simply taken a 10*10cm piece of paper, then I layed it in the mould, press it and then I continued with pressing pieces of paper that have been dipped in glue, the result was a perfect shell, but I have to get the clue how I can cut them exactly, so that they snap together perfect.
I used 10 layers of craftpaper.


Pyrostar

[yellowcard]

Well I think that's very simple. If you have your pressed, half-round shell with the rest of the layers sticking out let it dry for a few days. When it's completely dry, you can just simply cut off the edges which stick out. If you do this with patience, i think you will get very nice shell's, if you press nicely, use enough of glue and have a good round mould.

[Pyrostar]

Hi all

Good news:

I have found some 4" plastic-balls for 2€.
I want to make a 4" tigertail shell with these balls.
Now I just have to find a good plastic-, or aluminium-mortar.
But thaks for the advices!

Pyrostar

[mr.stijntje]

I would say a plastic or cartboard mortar. Aluminium is not-done for mortars. Guess why.

[Tyneman]

Your first ever shell... and you want to start with a 4"?
I personally think that is a big accident just waiting to happen. Start small my friend, before you find yourself in a hospital.
And if you really have to, please use cardboard mortars. They hurt a lot less, if something goes wrong, then a piece of flying metal.

Gr33tZ

[Pyrostar]

Hi

I can´t order these tubes via internet, but it is very hard to find them elsewhere!

I can´t find any smaller mortars, too.
Just some weak tubes (4cm ID); these tubes where aluminium foil is sitting on.

Pyrostar

[pudidotdk]

pyrotubes4europe.com

They sell 1" thick walled tubes. Make 1" shells and fire from the 1" tubes.
4" is way to big a start.

[Pyrostar]

Hi all

I have asked a supermarket for very thick walled tubes.
These tubes where plasticfoil is sitting on.
They are 50cm in length, something like 2" ID and are 1,0cm thickwalled.
I get 3 tubes in a week.
I have asked more supermarkets and now I will get 40 tubes in a month.
They have got tubes in various sizes( 1"/ 3" and 5" ).
And they are so damn nice and strong!
I said them I need these tubes for my mice.
Now I just need to build a ball mill for lift and I am ready to make shell´s from plastic-halves.

PS: Thanks for the advice, Mr.Stintje!

Pyrostar