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BRIGHT WHITE STROBE

COMMENTS: Strobe Pots are small containers that contain a strobe mixture that flashes on and off when lit. The Bright White Strobe Mix is an easy to make and very entertaining formula. It will strobe brightly even when made into small pea-sized pieces . 
   
PREPARATION (parts by weight):

Grind the barium nitrate and potassium nitrate into a fine powder that resembles Talcum powder. Mix the nitrates with the other chemicals and pass the mixture through a fine screen to break up any lumps. Put the mixture in a Zip-loc plastic baggie and shake well. Add just a small amount of water to the mix, a little at a time, until it just begins to stick together when squeezed between your fingers. Be very careful not to add too much water, and shake and knead the mixture in the baggie each time you add a bit of water to make sure it is all absorbed. Once it is damp enough to hold together, you can test some by squeezing a pea-sized piece between your fingers. You can take the small piece outside and light it and it will flash brightly. Strobe mix will light even if it is a little damp, though it is sometimes difficult to light (especially when damp). If you have one, the best way to light a tiny test sample of it is with a propane torch. The damp composition can be pressed into small, thimble-sized paper cups made by rolling up a sheet of paper. After you press in the composition, insert a 2" length of Visco Safety Fuse and press the composition around it. When the mixture dries (usually in a couple of days), it will become rock hard and light easily with a fuse. The magnalium in the formula is a special magnesium and aluminum alloy that makes the mixture flash so brightly.