Below you will find a variety of different conversions. Some of the data is overlapping, and it is presented in an unorganized manner. The intended use of this page is to search (with your browsers text search function) for what you are looking for (IE mesh, ffg, etc). Feel free to request/submit information for this section.
The following tables of conversions and information are currently available:
|
Mill. Grade |
Sieve |
Retained Max % |
Sieve |
Retained Through % |
|
A-1 |
4 |
3.0 |
8 |
5.0 |
|
A-2 |
4 |
3.0 |
12 |
5.0 |
|
Cannon |
6 |
3.0 |
12 |
5.0 |
|
A-3 |
12 |
3.0 |
16 |
5.0 |
|
A-3a |
12 |
3.0 |
20 |
5.0 |
|
Musket |
14 |
3.0 |
25 |
5.0 |
|
FFG |
16 |
3.0 |
30 |
5.0 |
|
A-4 |
16 |
3.0 |
40 |
5.0 |
|
Shell |
16 |
3.0 |
50 |
5.0 |
|
FFFG |
20 |
3.0 |
50 |
5.0 |
|
A-5, Fuze |
40 |
3.0 |
100 |
5.0 |
|
FFFFG |
45 |
3.0 |
140 |
5.0 |
|
A-6 |
100 |
5.0 |
140 |
15.0 |
|
A-7 |
100 |
3.0 |
140 |
50.0 |
|
Meal |
100 |
5.0 |
200 |
50.0 |
|
Sieve Mesh No. |
Inches |
Microns |
Typical material |
|
14 |
0.056 |
1400 |
|
|
28 |
0.028 |
700 |
Beach sand |
|
60 |
0.0098 |
250 |
Fine sand |
|
100 |
0.0059 |
150 |
|
|
200 |
0.0030 |
74 |
Portland cement |
|
325 |
0.0017 |
44 |
Silt |
|
400 |
0.0015 |
37 |
Plant Pollen |
|
(1200) |
0.0005 |
12 |
Red Blood Cell |
|
(2400) |
0.0002 |
6 |
|
|
(4800) |
0.0001 |
2 |
Cigarette smoke |
|
Mill. Grade |
Sieve |
Retained Max % |
Sieve |
Retained Through % |
|
Whaling |
32/64 |
3 |
4 |
12 |
|
Life Saving Service |
6 |
3 |
12 |
12 |
|
Cannon |
6 |
3 |
12 |
12 |
|
Saluting |
10 |
3 |
20 |
12 |
|
Fg |
12 |
3 |
16 |
12 |
|
FFg |
16 |
3 |
30 |
12 |
|
FFFg |
20 |
3 |
50 |
12 |
|
FFFFg |
40 |
3 |
100 |
12 |
|
Mill. Grade |
Sieve |
Retained Max % |
Sieve |
Retained Through % |
|
FA |
20/64 |
3 |
5 |
12 |
|
2FA |
4 |
3 |
12 |
12 |
|
3FA |
10 |
3 |
16 |
12 |
|
4FA |
12 |
3 |
20 |
12 |
|
5FA |
20 |
3 |
50 |
12 |
|
6FA |
30 |
3 |
50 |
12 |
|
7FA |
40 |
3 |
100 |
12 |
|
Meal D |
40 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
|
Meal F |
100 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
|
Meal XF |
140 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
|
Mill. Grade |
Sieve |
Retained Max % |
Sieve |
Retained Through % |
|
JAN C |
9/16 inch |
0 |
3/8 inch |
0 |
|
JAN B |
4 |
3 |
16 |
5 |
|
JAN A |
12 |
3 |
40 |
5 |
|
Mill. Grade |
Sieve |
Retained Max % |
Sieve |
Retained Through % |
|
CCC |
40/64 |
7.5 |
32/64 |
7.5 |
|
CC |
36/64 |
7.5 |
24/64 |
7.5 |
|
C |
27/64 |
7.5 |
18/64 |
7.5 |
|
F |
20/64 |
7.5 |
5 |
7.5 |
|
FF |
4 |
7.5 |
8 |
7.5 |
|
FFF |
6 |
7.5 |
16 |
7.5 |
|
FFFF |
12 |
7.5 |
-- |
-- |
|
Meal BB |
16 |
7.5 |
-- |
-- |
|
Meal BD |
40 |
7.5 |
-- |
-- |
|
Sporting Grades (G) |
Grain Size (in mm) |
Blasting Grades (A) |
Grain Size (in mm) |
|
|
|
1FA |
8.04.0 |
|
Cannon Grade |
4.761.68 |
2FA |
4.761.68 |
|
1FG |
1.681.19 |
4FA |
1.68.84 |
|
2FG |
1.19.59 |
||
|
3FG |
.84.29 |
5FA |
.84.297 |
|
4FG |
.42.15 |
7FA |
.42.149 |
|
|
|
Meal D |
.42 |
|
5FG |
.149 |
Fine |
.149 |
|
Name |
Characteristic |
|
Amorphous Sulfur |
Rapidly cooled sulfur not soluble in CS2 |
|
Bright Sulfur |
Crude sulfur without discoloring impurities |
|
Brimstone |
Crude sulfur |
|
Broken Rock Sulfur |
Refined sulfur mixture of lumps and dust |
|
Colloidal Sulfur |
Sulfur that has been chemically precipitated in water |
|
Crude Sulfur |
Bright or dark sulfur, free of Se, Te and As |
|
Dark Sulfur |
Crude sulfur with hydrocarbon contamination |
|
Dusting Sulfur |
Crude or refined powdered sulfur |
|
Elemental Sulfur |
Native sulfur at least 99.5% pure |
|
Flour Sulfur |
Crude sulfur 200 300 mesh |
|
Flowable Sulfur |
Colloidal or agricultural sulfur |
|
Flowers of Sulfur |
Sulfur purified by distillation (actually sublimation) |
|
Frasch Sulfur |
Native sulfur from superheated water injection |
|
Insoluble Sulfur |
Flowers of sulfur treated with carbon disulfide |
|
Lac Sulfur |
Precipitated from polysulfide solutions, up to 45% CaSO4 |
|
Native Sulfur |
Naturally occurring elemental form often large crystals |
|
Precipitated Sulfur |
Precipitated from polysulfide, washed with HCl |
|
Prilled Sulfur |
Crude sulfur in small round pellets |
|
Recovered Sulfur |
Elemental sulfur from any combined sources |
|
Refined Sulfur |
Distilled sulfur more than 99.8% pure |
|
Rubbermakers Sulfur |
Ground sulfur with low acid, ash and moisture content |
|
Run-of-Mine Sulfur |
Frasch sulfur with lumps and fines |
|
Slated Sulfur |
Crude sulfur that solidified on a moving belt |
|
Virgin Rock and Roll Sulfur |
Refined sulfur at least 99.8% pure, cast or in lumps |
|
Wetable Sulfur |
Powdered and treated for easy water dispersion |
|
Size |
I.D. |
Length |
|
2oz |
3/8" |
2-3/4" |
|
4 oz |
1/2" |
5" |
|
8 oz |
5/8" |
6-1/4" |
|
1 lb |
3/4" |
7-1/2" |
|
2 lb |
7/8" |
10" |
|
3 lb |
1" |
10" |
|
4 lb |
1-1/4" |
12" |
|
6 lb |
1-1/2" |
16" |
|
Shell Size |
Cut Color Stars |
Cut Tailed Stars |
|
3" |
1/4" or smaller |
1/4" - 3/8" |
|
4" |
1/4" - 3/8" |
3/8" - 1/2" |
|
5" |
3/8" - 1/2" |
1/2" - 5/8" |
|
6" |
3/8" - 1/2" |
1/2" - 5/8" or 3/4" |
|
8" |
1/2" or larger |
5/8" or larger |
|
Paper Weight |
Thickness |
|
30 lb |
.003" |
|
40 lb |
.004" |
|
50 lb |
.005" |
|
60 lb |
.006" |
|
70 lb |
.007" |
|
90 lb |
.009" |
The 'weight' of paper, as defined in the paper industry, is the measured weight of one ream (500 sheets) of a designated 'basis size' for the paper in question. The basis size for kraft wrapping is 24 x 36 inches. Thus, the caliper may not give the exact weight of the paper due to differences in density between different manufacturers.
|
LARGEST SHELL SIZE |
DISPLAY SITE RADIUS |
|
< 3 in. |
140 ft. |
|
3 in. |
210 ft. |
|
4 in. |
280 ft. |
|
5 in. |
350 ft. |
|
6 in. |
420 ft. |
|
7 in. |
490 ft. |
|
8 in. |
640 ft. |
|
10 in. |
700 ft. |
|
12 in. |
840 ft. |
|
> 12 in. |
AHJ approval |
The display site radius represents the total area from which the public is not allowed to enter during setup and display of an outdoor show.
in inches
|
Mortar ID (in.) |
Single Break |
Double Break |
Up to 4-Break |
|
3 |
15 |
18 |
21 |
|
4 |
20 |
23 |
27 |
|
5 |
24 |
28 |
32 |
|
6 |
28 |
32 |
37 |
|
8 |
34 |
40 |
46 |
|
10 |
40 |
46 |
54 |
|
12 |
46 |
52 |
62 |
The mortar length is measured from above the bottom plug. A rule of thumb is 5 times the mortar diameter for shells under 8 inches, and 4 times the mortar diameter for shells 8 inches and up.
70 lb Paper
|
Shell Size |
No. of turns |
Length of Strips |
|
3" |
3 |
1 - 24" strip |
|
4" |
4 |
2 - 24" strips |
|
5" |
5 |
3 - 24" strips |
|
6" |
6 |
4 - 24" strips |
|
8" |
8 |
4 - 48" strips |
Different configurations of strips may be used to get the desired number of turns. Grain should run parallel to the case former.
|
Shell Size |
No. Turns / Paper Weight |
Length of Sheet |
|
3" |
3 turns / 30-40 lb. |
1 - 24" sheet |
|
4" |
4 turns / 50-70 lb. |
2 - 24" sheets |
|
5" |
5 turns / 60-70 lb. |
3 - 24" sheets |
|
6" |
6 turns / 60-70 lb. |
4 - 24" sheets |
|
8" |
8 turns / 70 lb. |
4 - 48" sheets |
|
Shell (in) |
Size (mm) |
Burst (ft) |
Height (m) |
|
3 |
76 |
400 |
120 |
|
4 |
102 |
500 |
150 |
|
5 |
127 |
600 |
180 |
|
6 |
152 |
700 |
210 |
|
8 |
203 |
900 |
270 |
|
10 |
254 |
1050 |
320 |
|
12 |
305 |
1150 |
350 |
The height above the ground for which a shell should typically break. Rule of thumb: 100ft plus 100ft for each inch of shell diameter.
|
Shell Size |
Verticals/Strands |
Material |
|
3" |
12 / 2 |
8-ply cotton |
|
4" |
16 / 2 |
8 or 10-ply cotton |
|
5" |
24 / 2 |
8 or 10-ply cotton |
|
6" |
32 / 2 |
8 or 10-ply cotton |
|
8" |
48 / 2 or 48 / 3 |
8 or 10-ply cotton |
In practice, unwaxed flax twine is often used for it's resistance to stretching and higher strength to size ratio compared to cotton.
|
Shell |
I.D. |
O.D. |
Length |
Powder Charge |
|
3" single break |
5/16" |
.55" |
2" |
1" to 1-1/4" |
|
4" single break |
5/16" to 3/8" |
11/16" |
3" |
1-3/8" |
|
5" single break |
5/16" to 3/8" |
11/16" |
3" |
1-3/8" to 1-1/2" |
|
6" single break |
5/16" to 3/8" |
11/16" |
3" |
1-1/2" |
|
8" single break |
5/16" to 3/8" |
11/16" |
4" |
1-3/4" |
Since timing will vary due to factors such as ramming pressure, increment size, quality of powder etc., these numbers are a starting point for further adjustment by the worker.
|
Shell Size (in) |
Delay Time (sec) |
|
3 |
3 |
|
4 |
3.5 |
|
5 |
4 |
|
6 |
5 |
|
8 |
6 |
|
10 |
6.5 |
|
12 |
7 |
Typical delay times from lift until burst for aerial shells.
|
Shell Size |
Description |
Weight of 2FA lift |
|
3" |
color or salute |
1 oz |
|
3" |
color and inserts |
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 oz |
|
4" |
color or salute |
2 oz |
|
4" |
color and inserts |
2-1/2 oz |
|
5" |
color or salute |
3 to 3-1/2 oz |
|
5" |
color and inserts |
4 to 5 oz |
|
6" |
color or salute |
4 to 5 oz |
|
6" |
color and inserts |
4-1/2 to 6 oz |
|
8" |
color |
8 - 12 oz |
A rule of thumb frequently used for lift charge calculation is one ounce of 2FA for every pound of shell weight up to 10 lbs, and 1/2 oz of lift for each pound in excess of 10 lbs. The larger the shell is, the more factors such as mortar length, shell length and shell clearance come into play.
Sources:
Pyrotechnica IX
Skylighter newsletter
NFPA 1123-1990
Illustrated Dictionary of Pyrotechnics
Westech
