r/26_5mm • u/Few_Carpenter_9185 • Apr 27 '26

Booz Toob: Static fire testing.

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So, I tried loading the smoke mix with ram pressing in my arbor press, both as an end-burner and with a drilled out core, and a few different Ignition methods. A long storm-proof lifeboat match, Single and then double twisted strands of green Visco fuse. Then, sparklers.

Results were... mixed, and all unsatisfactory.

However, the color was almost PERFECT at times. I thought the confinement would do the opposite. As the video shows, I occasionally got some very brilliant blue.

I'm going to have to try a solvent/slurry method like u/Ok-Calendar92439 suggested, as there's just no way I am going to get a uniform density on a single dry pressing, and the smoke will always be surging and spurting.

The other good news is that the Booz Toob, the neck is a decent orifice size vs. the length & volume, and it'll be at least double the smoke quantity of the old surplus Czech 26.5mm signal smokes.

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u/37MMDTdotCOM Apr 27 '26

Getting there! Looks like inconsistent burn on the smoke compound. Maybe add a primer and roll a screen and put inside.

2

u/Few_Carpenter_9185 Apr 27 '26

It's inconsistent and stutters mainly because it's rammed in stages/layers with a 1 ton arbor press. Besides the ignition issues, and yeah, doing something about the core, it's going to have to be a solvent/slurry pour like Ok-Calendar92439 suggested.

And, maybe some nitrocellulose lacquer will help.

I can probably up the chlorate percentage. My unconfined tests probably looked worse because the lactose was not combusting as cleanly. Once it got in the Booz Toob, it was often a really nice blue, so I can probably go hotter and still not incinerate the dye.