Anyone shooting fireworks for the 4th of July?

[cy9]

I've been at this for a few years. I used to organize a group buy through Phantom but have found better deals through wholesalers. This year I bought from Patriotic Fireworks in Elkton MD.

Patriotic Fireworks - Welcome to Patriotic Fireworks

Look at the this deal on aerial repeaters:

Patriotic Fireworks - Ultimate Aerial Assortment (16125)

it was $250 if you bought it before June.

[JnC]

This "aerial repeater" is only 99 cents.

[Monsi]

is that for the william wallace display? (where you shoot fire balls our yer arse)

[DrJ]

Nope, but I am sure I will see lots of injuries in the ER that night... Already seen a couple.

[Cardinal]

I buy stuff in PA and use them in NH. I like the reloadable mortar kits.

If you get a chance, try the Excalibur shell kit, or even Smoke N' Mirrors. They're the best on the market.

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by DrJ

Nope, but I am sure I will see lots of injuries in the ER that night... Already seen a couple.

I wonder how many injuries you see are caused by consumer fireworks vs. the black market crap/"M-80s"/grenade simulators that are out there.

I wonder, because every year, several network news stations run anti-fireworks stories. Usually they show a fireworks store, then a kid with a sparkler, then a quarter stick blowing a mannequin to hell, as if there's any similarity.

[cy9]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

I buy stuff in PA and use them in NH. I like the reloadable mortar kits.

If you get a chance, try the Excalibur shell kit, or even Smoke N' Mirrors. They're the best on the market.

Do you use Phantom?

I've heard good things about both. I will have to get a couple cases next year. I usually shoot the mortars in finale and it happens so fast you can appreciate what each individual shell does.

[Amarao]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

I wonder how many injuries you see are caused by consumer fireworks vs. the black market crap/"M-80s"/grenade simulators that are out there.

I wonder, because every year, several network news stations run anti-fireworks stories. Usually they show a fireworks store, then a kid with a sparkler, then a quarter stick blowing a mannequin to hell, as if there's any similarity.

I used to play with quarter-sticks every 4th of July and I still have all my limbs. Incidentally I've been bored to death by normal fireworks ever since.

[dwkoski]

Join PGI (Pyrotechnic Guild International), get certified as an operator for display fireworks, and you can get a job with a fireworks company doing displays with "REAL" fireworks. And, you get payed for it (not much, I must admit but its fun.) You can also get a manufacturer's permit from ATF and make your own, not hard to do in non-urban areas, biggest difficulty is building an approved magazine for storage. Many states have affiliated clubs with manufacturer's permits so you can learn how to properly construct display fireworks. Home-made M80's and quarter sticks are a REALLY BAD idea if you value your life and limbs as flash powder is extremely sensitive and prone to detonation...Dave

[dasmoofler]

Yes, it's accurate.
For informational purposes only, of course.

DO NOT use potassium chlorate. Too unstable. Use potassium perchlorate.

Aluminum powder and potassium perchlorate make up the only two components of the pyrotechnic industry standard flash powder. It provides a great balance of stability and power, and is the composition used in most commercial exploding fireworks.

The balanced equation for the reaction is:

3 KClO4 + 8 Al → 4 Al2O3 + 3 KCl
Although not stoichiometrically balanced, a ratio of seven parts Potassium Perchlorate to three parts Dark Pyro Aluminum is the composition used by most pyrotechnicians. However, a ratio of 2 mass units Potassium Perchlorate to 1 mass unit Dark Pyro Aluminum is closer to stoichiometric, and may produce a louder bang.

For best results, the aluminum powder should be "Dark Pyro" grade, with a flake particle shape, and a particle size of less than 10 microns. The KClO4 should be impalpable dust, though its particle size is not as critical as that of the Al powder.

Although this composition is fairly insensitive, it should be treated with care and respect. Hobbyist pyrotechnicians usually use a method called diapering, in which the materials are poured separately onto a large piece of paper, which is then folded up at the corners and gently rocked back and forth until the chemicals are thoroughly mixed. Professionally, automated systems are used to achieve the same result. Large quantities should never be mixed in a single batch. Care must be taken to prevent any electrostatic discharge or friction during mixing or handing, as these may cause accidental ignition.

edit: remember, it's really hard to drive without fingers or eyes.

[cy9]

Originally Posted by dwkoski

Join PGI...You can also get a manufacturer's permit from ATF and make your own. Home-made M80's and quarter sticks are a REALLY BAD idea if you value your life and limbs as flash powder is extremely sensitive and prone to detonation...Dave

Dave,

What's the difference between making your own mortars and making homemade M-80's if you're using flash powder? They're both essentially small bombs. Let's say you make a 55 gram 2" shell. Even if you made it with black powder, if something went wrong, you'd likely lose all of your fingers.

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by dwkoski

Join PGI (Pyrotechnic Guild International), get certified as an operator for display fireworks, and you can get a job with a fireworks company doing displays with "REAL" fireworks. And, you get payed for it (not much, I must admit but its fun.) You can also get a manufacturer's permit from ATF and make your own, not hard to do in non-urban areas, biggest difficulty is building an approved magazine for storage. Many states have affiliated clubs with manufacturer's permits so you can learn how to properly construct display fireworks. Home-made M80's and quarter sticks are a REALLY BAD idea if you value your life and limbs as flash powder is extremely sensitive and prone to detonation...Dave

I always wanted to do that for a living. I'm 36, and have been playing with fireworks since I was 8. My favorites are definitely the shells. One shot tubes are no good, you need the reloads.

The only thing I ever did as far as making fireworks goes, is I designed a trigger and warhead which made the skyrockets I modified explode on impact. They actually worked really well.

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by cy9

Do you use Phantom?

I've heard good things about both. I will have to get a couple cases next year. I usually shoot the mortars in finale and it happens so fast you can appreciate what each individual shell does.

I mainly use Phantom simply because they are the easiest to get to for me. I think their best shells are either the Wolfpack double breaks, or the Skyfest Panoramas. Skyfests are large, cylindrical shells, with a nice tail on the way up.

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The problem with Phantom is most of their stuff is private labeled goods. For instance, you'll never find a Smoke N Mirrors kit there, because those are made by Brothers. Same type of thing with Excalibur. You have to look a little harder for those. In fact, they can be quite difficult to find.

All in all, I have been happy with the quality of the Phantom products, especially their aerial repeaters. Pyroglyphics and Silver Sonic Warhead are two of my favorites. SSW is really loud.

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[chapster5]

There used to be a firework here in the UK called 'War of the Worlds' its about a 2 foot long rocket by a 1foot diametre, on a standalone STEEL! frame looked awsome an scary... going for around £150

[dasmoofler]

This site has everything you need to make your own fireworks - from instructional books and videos to the components.
Skylighter--For fireworks, wedding sparklers, pyrotechnic chemicals, fireworks fuse, pyro videos, and books on how to make fireworks
But don't even think about buying stuff for M80s. They'll catch you and ban you. Even if you buy different components on different days.

This is a very informative read, although lengthy.
Fireworks Safety Manual By Bill Ofca

[cy9]

Originally Posted by chapster5

There used to be a firework here in the UK called 'War of the Worlds' its about a 2 foot long rocket by a 1foot diametre, on a standalone STEEL! frame looked awsome an scary... going for around £150

Can you get me a case price on that?

[chapster5]

Originally Posted by cy9

Can you get me a case price on that?

Sorry cant this was about 5/6 years ago

[Monsi]

they have outlawed all the fun stuff in hawaii and even put a max on how many fire crackers you can buy because people deprived of real fire works got bored and set off so many people were keeling over from the smoke

[DrJ]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

I wonder how many injuries you see are caused by consumer fireworks vs. the black market crap/"M-80s"/grenade simulators that are out there.

I wonder, because every year, several network news stations run anti-fireworks stories. Usually they show a fireworks store, then a kid with a sparkler, then a quarter stick blowing a mannequin to hell, as if there's any similarity.

It is hard to tell, I deal only with kids, who may or may not want to tell me, in front of their parents, exactly what they were using and/or doing. Or, on the flip side, the parents also do not want to tell me (honestly) what they were doing to cause injury to their kids to the point of requiring a trip to the ER... The best I can do is fireworks of some sort.

[dwkoski]

To reply to previous post about making mortars vs illegal m-80's. All the difference in the world. To simplify, fireworks are powered by two completely different explosives, black powder and flash powder. Black powder is the traditional black gunpowder as used in muzzle loading firearms. It burns relatively slowly and unless the gases released by combustion are contained in a sealed vessel, it does not explode. It is used mainly for "lift charges;" the powder in the bottom of a fireworks shell that propels it skyward out of the mortar (gun.) Flash powder is a combination of a powdered metal and an oxidizer. It is capable of detonation ( burning so fast that the expanding gases cannot get out of their own way and causing an explosion without being contained in a vessel.) The quantity of black powder necessary to produce detonation is approximately 500 pounds, of flash powder 4 ounces. Flash powder is the explosive contained inside a shell, either as an explosive to produce a report as in a salute or maroon shell or as a burst charge to spread "stars". Even small amounts of flash powder can explode with astounding violence from friction or especially static sparks. Conditions where the components are mixed must be carefully controlled, especially humidity and conductivity of clothes and mixing instuments. DO NOT make home-made flash powder or M80's, it just isn't worth the risk, especially if you are the personality type who feels that rules are only meant for other people.
Wisconsin's laws on commercial fireworks (what is now called 1.4 G or common fireworks as sold to the public) are quite liberal and the few restrictions in existence are generally unenforced. Despite this we see few fireworks injuries in the ER and most of the real horror stories that have occurred in the state in recent years have been due to home-made M-80s.
Final note: I'm no fan of big government but know that making M-80's is a Federal crime and is considered a serious felony on a par with bomb making and you could look at vast expense and serious jail time for some "harmless fun."
Again. my point, if you want to have fun with BIG fireworks, get some training and do it correctly and legally...Dave