Old style Flash powder

I'm looking for pictures of a turn of the century style powder flash for use with a view camera. Has anyone

used a powder flash? Does anyone know of ways to make one, or documents that explain how they

worked?<br>

 

Thanks,<br>

<A HREF="mailto:jon@jonpainter.com"> Jon</a>

I'd start by Googling on "George Lawrence." He was a flash photography photo pioneer.

I recall seeing a diagram for one somewhere, although I couldn't begin to tell you where it was.

 

Basically, I remember it being a long trough with a flame one end of it(provided by a blow-torch like thing). The other end contained the magnesium flash powder. When you wanted it to flash, you tilted the gun forward. As I recall, it was designed in such a way that only a measured portion of powder would released, thereby regulating the brightness of the flash.

 

Keep in mind that flash powder is pretty nasty stuff. It goes without saying to never use it around anything flammable. You'd probably have to mix your own powder, too, as I seriously doubt that there's any kind of commercial source for it. Also, I wouldn't use it inside, but limit my use of it to outside at night.

Around 45 years ago people in my college dorm did some special effects for a Hallow'een party that involved flash powder. We triggered devices -- sometimes a metal ashtray, sometimes a fuse holder -- with fuse wire that ran from one end of a bit of zip cord across the ashtray or across the top of the fuse. I think our approach could be adapted ...

As mentioned above, flash powder was a magnesium powder that was used in a tray. You can find the trays on ebay from time to time, or on display on sites on the internet. Thin magnesium stips were also used, and you can find the holders for these strips at the same places. With the tray you used an air hose to blow the powder into the air at the time of ignition. This caused the powder to ignite in a cloud, producing a large amount of light - far greater than any electronic flash ever made. I don't have any specific links to images of this equipment at hand, but if I run across any I'll post 'em here. Check the George Eastman House website, they likely have something on display along these lines.

 

A word of warning about flash powder - you MUST use caution when using it - it releases HUGE amounts of unpleasant smelling smoke and you can easily be very badly burned by it. It is best to start with a small measure of it just to get the feel of what happens and always err on the side of caution. Never use it inside a building as the smoke and sparks can easily cause problems.

 

I have a book on the history of the use of flash in photography at home, but I can't remember the title right now. It covers all of this in reasonable detail and has drawings and photos of various pieces of equipment. If you're feeling lucky, you might be able to uncover the formula for flash powder in an old photographic book (there was more than just magnesium powder - and every photographer had their own blend)

 

- Randy

Interesting note about George Lawrence by another poster. Look him up if you want, but I though he was a pioneer in aerial photography, with kites. He took some panoramic aerial shots of lower Manhattan if I'm not mistaken. He also built unique cameras for his work - he's the guy who you see on that giant camera with 4 or 5 people being dwarfed by his creation. A neat guy for sure, but I'm not sure about the flash reference...

 

- Randy

I have several recipes, including one daylight-balanced.

 

I also have a university degree in chemistry, as well as both military and civilian demolition certificates.

 

I will not share the recipes, nor will I ever make flash powder: The stuff is just too dangerous!

 

My best (and only) advice is: If you see a packet of flash powder, RUN! And only when you're at a safe distance call the bomb squad to dispose of it safely.

 

I'm not joking.

You may be able to find flash powder at a theatrical lighting supplier, such as Musson Theatrical in Silicon Valley, Calif. The sale of such may be restricted to licensed professionals now, but it wasn't when I worked in that trade.

 

<Chas>

http://www.theatrefx.com/store/commerce.cgi?product=flash_powder_and_related here ya go its 11 bucks

RE: George Lawrence....

 

He pioneered aerial photography with kites, flash photos of huge indoor areas with multiple simultaneous flashpots at strategic locations, and HUGE glass plate cameras that were measured in feet and required teams of men to focus.

 

Amazing guy.

Doug,

 

Thanks for the info on the flash work. I've read about his other stuff (the GIANT camera is my wallpaper at work), but never seen reference to the flash use. Do you have any references for that info? I'd like to read up a bit more on him now that you brought this to light.

 

Thanks again,

 

- Randy

OW! sorry about the pun in the last post - didn't notice until I returned to the thread.

 

- Randy

Yes, most flash powders contain magnesium or aluminium powder and an oxidizer. That's a very dangerous, fast and hot burning mix. I got burning magnesium particles in my face when I tried it once...

 

Some early flash guns worked like a wheel lock pistol, and later there where flash cartridges, that looked like small shot gun cartridges.<div></div>

Suddenly the rise of available light photography makes a little more sense...

Good pun "brought to light."

 

From Googling on George Lawrence Flash:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/panoramic_photo/pnphtgs.html

 

"George Lawrence was renowned for developing a flash powder that permitted indoor banquet photography. His system required flash powder in many locations around a room, sometimes in as many as 350 spots. A single electric charge exploded all the powder, generating more light and less smoke than previous methods."

 

Google will find tons of stuff on the man.

Jonathan, I hate to be a bearer of bad news, but Ole's post has hit things right on the head. Flash powder is BLOODY DANGEROUS STUFF!!!

 

In fact, it's so damn dangerous that a certain Randolph Hearst, who was not normally noted for his philanthropic attitude to employees or people in general (Orson Welles for example!), totally banned its use in any of his newspapers after one photojournalist had his complete right arm incinerated after a misfire with said stuff.

 

Moral of story - keep well away from it. The early days of photography were bad enough, what with toxic mercury vapours from the daguerrotype process et alia, but flash powder must be rated even worse because far safer flash bulbs were soon available - so why would you want to chance your arm (literally) with this terrible stuff, eh? ~~PN~~

Equally relevant don't ever mix magnesium, rust and powdered aluminum unless going to jail forever is your goal.

Hello Jon! I use flash powder all the time to take portraits of students for the Newspaper at

school. You can buy flash powder at www.theatrefx.com. Portrait:2 grams flash powder,

couple:3 grams, Group:5 or 6 grams. Some flash lamps use the flint mechanism, percussion

cap, or electric wire. Please check out my work space, I have pictures of many flash lamps

and of course pictures of the results of using flash light powder.