Long Hang Time Firefly Fireworks Stars

Learn how to make firework stars using a firefly aluminum powder pyrotechnic formula.

Materials Needed

Bill Kimbrough developed the recipe for this firefly aluminum firework star a few years ago. The effect is sort of like a rich silver twinkling kind of like a firefly, but surrounded by really red glowing embers. Not charcoal orange, but more red than that. The silver and red together are incredible. This is truly a noble firework star. If all goes well, and everything burns up where it’s supposed to, it is "Fireflies on Cocaine," Otherwise the firefly aluminum firework star is accurately called "Flaming Shit Falls on You."

Here are a couple of notes. All parts below are parts by weight; it doesn’t matter what they add up to. The pine charcoal is critical. Without it, you don't get the true Flaming Shit firefly aluminum firework star.

Fireflies on Cocaine (or Flaming Shit Falls on You)
by Bill Kimbrough

Potassium Nitrate	46
Pine Charcoal	44
Sulphur	6
Magnalium, 30 mesh	10
Barium Carbonate	6
Starpol	4.5

I like to take the pine charcoal as it comes out of the yard grinder, and put it in the ball mill for 10 minutes. Sift out (remove) what doesn't fall through a window screen, and just use the mixed granulation of the charcoal--Better charcoal effect. I mostly roll mine with starpol as a binder, but I have made the formula into comets, firework stars, and even tried it in lances. Pump, cut or rolled firework stars, worked good for me, but never use starpol as the binder if it is to be the outside of a color change firework star, as it will surely cause a moisture problem.

--Bill Kimbrough

To learn more about long hang time firework stars and firefly aluminum read these:

"Firefly Aluminum Recipe"
"Firefly Aluminum firework stars"
"Firefly Aluminum Sky Rocket Composition"
"Willow Firework Stars"