Rocket Stars.
Rocket stars are made in three or four ways. First cut, or chopped, or naked stars. This mode is used for nitre stars only: chlorate of potash stars require different methods. It is a singular circumstance that, though chlorate of potash stars are much fiercer than nitrate of potash stars, yet the latter light without any trouble, while the former, if made in the same way, would be almost sure to miss.
To Make Cut Stars.
Wet the composition with thin starch, or dextrine solution, or gum water, sufficiently to bind; press it into a flat mass, on a slate, or Dutch tile, with a knife, or small trowel, till about 3⁄8 of an inch thick. Indent the surface with the edge of the knife, in parallel lines, about 3⁄8 of an inch apart, and cross these with equidistant indentations, at right angles. Set the mass by, to dry gradually. When nearly dry, break it up into little 3⁄8 cubes, and lay them out, to dry thoroughly. The broken edges will be rough, and will catch easily.
Dry Pill-box Stars.
Take a sheet of note paper, and cut it into four equal parts; each part will be about 41⁄2 inches by 31⁄2. Paste and roll them on a 31⁄2/8 brass tube, so as to have the cases 41⁄2 inches long. To make these into pill-boxes, perfectly true, like those used by the druggist, they must be cut in the lathe. For this purpose, turn a cylindrical piece of wood, fig. 27, which is to fit easily into the case, except at a, where it is to be turned sloping a little larger, so that when the case is slipped over it, it will bite at the part a; otherwise, on putting the chisel to it, it would slip round, without getting cut. Mark the case, with a black-lead pencil, at every half-inch; suspend it in the lathe; and cut it at the marks. Next procure a 7⁄16 inch punch, with which to cut out the bottoms. These are to be made of card, or bristol-board. Lay the card on a piece of sheet-lead, or the grain end of a piece of beech, and give it a smart blow or two with a hammer; keep on punching till the punch contains a dozen or more discs, then push them out. When a number are ready, press them into the pill-boxes, with a rammer that fits loosely.
The composition is to be put into these dry, and driven in with a solid rammer, and the little mallet, before described.
This was the original way of making them, but is perfectly unnecessary. Roll the tubes as directed, of two thicknesses of paper, with a little bit to lap over. Cut them across, with one sharp clip, with a strong pair of scissors. This will slightly flatten them; but they may readily be restored to the cylindrical form, by slipping them on a piece of wood, and rounding them to shape with the fingers. No bottoms need be provided, no punch used.