My new handmade star roller is ready!

[Minamoto Kobayashi]

Here is some shots of my new handmade star roller.

A modified brand new stainless steel pot with some hunting pellets:

The wood panel is tilting, so it is possible to remove the pin to inclinate the pot and spill the ready stars:

The tilting system:

The speed control device:

With this speed control device I can vary the vessel rotation speed from max 54 RPM to min 1 RPM. It is a good idea to gradually reduce the speed as soon as the stars increase their diameter:

It is possible to change the rotation of the motor from clockwise to counterclockwise acting thru a bridge.
The motor is a 25W, 2.5KG quiet induction motor type (less than 55db) and has a high torque, so it is almost impossible
to stop the rotation by hand:

I built a brass adaptor locked by an allen screw against the engine pin:

Finished stars:

How it works:

This is a great device to create every kind of perfect rounded beauty stars

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[GSS]

I thought this was some type of homemade rock or metal polisher?
These bird shot lead pellets actually expanded to that size?

 

[Minamoto Kobayashi]

Hi.
The "Star Roller" is a tool that permit to build stars starting from hunting pellets. The stars are the effect that You see when a firework explode in air

 

[GSS]

Got it
I guess members who make their own fireworks would of known

 

[RedCowboy]

I know they often use wood tools to prevent a static discharge which as you know is important when working with spark sensitive material, would a wood pot not be safer or is metal better in this case and is it grounded through the bearing maybe ?

 

[Minamoto Kobayashi]

Usually the star roller vessel is made of metal. The cheapers are made in plastic.
Until the stars are wetted there is absolutely no danger of static discharges or accidental ignition.
The motor is grounded and I'm always in direct contact with the floor.
In the worst case, but it is almost impossible, that the stars caught fire there is no danger of explosion, because the powders involved
are really slow to burn.
The only concern may be the toxic/carcinogenic smokes that will be created due to the poisonous elements (Barium, Strontium, Copper oxyde,
Potassium Dichromate, Antimony trisulfide, Aluminum and so on ...)

 

[RedCowboy]

This is smart, they use the pot to spin a bucket placed inside so the pot never gets dirty and batches can be switched out easily.

 

[Minamoto Kobayashi]

This is a very cheap star roller made by plastic. Wrong rotation, is counterclockwise. Rotation too fast: as You can see, the stars aren't spherical and they have different diameters. Too much noisy. Imperfection rotation, it is out of axis.
My star roller is tiltable so It is easy to roll out the stars. Also, the vessel is easily removable simply removing a bolt

 

[RedCowboy]

Very nice, I have not made any fireworks myself, but it looks like a lot of fun.

 

[paul1598419]

Very Nice, Minamoto. I do like how you set this up to give uniform spherical stars for your fireworks.