Consumer Fireworks Display: Firework Waterfall, Firecracker and Star Set Pieces is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

In the last few weeks I’ve discussed making small Cremora fireballs and electric matches to use in a Consumer fireworks display, as well as firing systems and wiring techniques.

I’ve also covered many topics which deserve attention when planning the show and purchasing devices for it.

This week we’ll be looking at the construction of mortar racks from which to fire artillery shells during the show, how to construct a really nice wheel using fountains from the local fireworks store, and some techniques for using various fuses to attach devices together for the display.

Mortars are the tubes with plugged ends that fireworks shells, comets or mines are fired from. Mortars can be made of HDPE plastic, fiberglass, paper, or in some special cases, metal.

The mortars need to be secured in an upright and safe position. This can be done by burying the mortars (guns) about 2/3 of their length in the ground. Here are a couple of shots of some of the large guns that were buried for shows and competition at a recent Pyrotechnics Guild International convention.

Often, especially with smaller guns, the mortars can be securely held in place in racks, either perpendicularly or at an angle. The racks can be constructed of metal, wood, or a combination of the two.

Here are a couple of artillery shell racks made by Brian Paonessa at Skylighter, using Skylighter’s PL3182
fiberglass mortars. One is a fan rack, and the other holds the guns straight up and down.

Here is a shot showing some of the construction details of the fanned rack. Brian has glued and screwed the rack together.

Below is the angled PL3175 artillery shell mortar rack that Skylighter sells. The swing-out feet hold it in an upright position. When using this rack, I drill holes in the feet and drive spikes through them and into the ground to keep the rack from bouncing and falling over.

As you can see in the photo of the PGI racks above, wooden racks can also be held upright by attaching them together with lengths of wood 1×3s, or by pieces of plywood attached to both ends of them. In either case, screws or nails are used to keep the whole assembly upright and rigid.

Care must be taken to avoid driving fasteners into the mortars. In pyro this is known as a “bad-thing.”

Typically, except in the case of fan-racks, racks are set up so that their ends are perpendicular to the front of the crowd. That way, if a rack happened to come loose and fall down, it would not be firing toward the crowd.

Here is another way to secure wooden racks. Screw-eyes are installed into the rack ends, and rebar pins are used to hold the racks in place. Both ends of the racks are supported in this manner, and racks can be erected end-to-end with only one pin between them.

No matter what method is used to erect them, once the racks have been assembled, they ought to be secure enough to withstand a healthy kick with a boot.

In this section I’ll be referring to and using the various kinds of fuse shown in the photo below. Each one serves its own purpose and has its own unique burn-rate. The burn rate of a roll of any particular kind of fuse can vary. So it’s a good idea to cut 10 inches of the fuse off that roll and time it with a stopwatch as it burns to determine its exact burn rate.

The foil-taped fast-Visco or fast-fuse may be used as excellent substitutes for quickmatch, which is not shippable. I described how to make it in Really Nice 4″ Plastic Ball Firework Shells .

In the rest of this article, I will refer to quickmatch, and you’ll know you can make substitutes for it with the fast-Visco or fast-fuse as described above.

So, I have filled 6 tubes in my rack with an artillery shell, comet, or a mine. If they are to be hand-fired, the shell-leaders (fuses) can simply be left hanging out of the guns, ready to be lit one at a time with a propane torch.

These shell leaders are fast-Visco fuse, and I’d expect a burn rate of about 4 inches per second, which will produce about a 3 second delay between lighting the fuse and the shell launch.

A shell of this size will take about 3-4 seconds to rise in the sky and display its starburst. So if I light the next fuse immediately after the first shell has launched, and so on, I’ll get a nicely paced series of bursts that lasts a total of 18-20 seconds.

If the shell fuse leaders are a bit on the short side and threaten to drop down into the mortars, they can be held in place with a little masking tape. Be sure the shells are all the way on the bottom of the guns, though, to insure proper height when they are launched. A shell that’s not seated solidly on the bottom of its mortar can become a “low break,” which, in turn, can cause fires or injuries.

But, let’s say I want all of these shells to launch at the same time at some point during the show or at the end of it (the “finale”). In that case I’ll chain them all together with a length of quickmatch. Chaining shells simply means attaching their fuse leaders together in a series. If the shells are chained together with quickmatch, and then the end of the quickmatch is lit using a piece of Visco fuse or an electric match, once the flame hits the quickmatch the shells will all ascend skyward in quick succession.

This is done as follows:

• Cut a length of quickmatch as long as the run of mortar tubes containing the shells, plus about a foot. Always use a razor blade or anvil cutters to cut fuse, never scissors.

• Pierce the quickmatch wall with an awl where each shell leader comes out of the top of the mortar, making sure that all the layers of match pipe are pierced and you can see the black match inside.

• Put a fresh diagonal cut on the end of the shell leaders with a razor blade in order to expose the powder inside the leader.
• Insert the shell leader into the quickmatch for an inch or so.
• Use masking tape or aluminum foil tape to secure the shell leader into the quickmatch. I really like the aluminum foil duct tape with the peel-off paper backing. The stuff sticks like crazy, will not gradually come loose over time, and is fireproof.

• Use string to tie the fuse chain down to the rack between each mortar. I like waxed string for this purpose. It makes “threading the needle” with it a breeze. This prevents the first shell from yanking the chain as it is launched, which might pull the rest of the leaders loose from the chain.

Warning: In the past, some folks have used a staple gun to staple quickmatch chains to the tops of wooden racks. More than once, the stapler has created a spark which has ignited the chain and instantly sent shells skyward. This has killed or seriously injured some people. Don’t use a staple gun to secure flammable fuse, nor use one anywhere near pyrotechnic compositions.

The nifty thing about this fusing method, and the following ones, is that they can be applied to fusing rockets set side-by-side in launch tubes, or to fusing cakes laid out in a field or on a piece of plywood. A whole show can be laid out, fused together with a combination of these methods, and fired by lighting one fuse or firing one electric match.

But Wait, There’s More! Maybe I want that nice 3-4 second delay between the shells’ firing that I spoke about earlier. Maybe I want a different delay time, but I want to fire the shells in a chain as in the section above. How can I build that delay in between each shell in the chain?

Near the end of the Pyrotechnica XI article, Traditional Cylinder Shell Construction, Part II, “Finale and Flight Chaining” is addressed. This is a fascinating explanation of “old-time” chaining methods using quickmatch, paper buckets (rolled tubes of kraft paper), string, spolettes and regular time fuse. It’s a valuable addition to my pyro library. In the photo above, there are about 3 inches between the center of each mortar. If I run one of the Visco fuses down the line instead of the quickmatch, and attach my shell leaders every 3 inches, then I will get 3 inches of delay between shots.

3 inches of the American Visco fuse will give me a delay of 7.5 seconds between shells. That’s more than I want, but that might work in some cases. 3 inches of the Chinese Visco will give a delay of 5.1 seconds between shots. That’s more like it. I could go with that, although it’s a bit more of a delay than I really want.

To use Visco for a chain, simply tape the end of each shell leader alongside the Visco fuse as it runs along the tops of the mortars. The two fuses must be parallel to and touching each other for at least an inch of tape. Then tie the chain down to the mortar rack as shown above. Don’t try to run the shell leaders into the Visco fuse chain at a right-angle. You’ll get poor or failed ignition that way.

There is another, more precise, way of incorporating delays into a chain of shell leaders, though. It incorporates sections of cross-matched time fuse, or the hand-rammed spolette fuses that I described in Firework Shells in 2-1/2 Days – Part 3.

The roll of 1/4 inch time fuse that I have burns at a rate of 2.2 seconds per inch. If I use 1-1/2 inches of it between each shell in the rack, I’ll get a 3.3 second delay between the firing of each shell. This is done as follows.

I want 1.5 inches of time fuse delay, and I’m going to split each end of the fuse 1/2 inch for cross-matching. So I cut five, 2-1/2 inch sections of the time fuse. I split each end 1/2 inch with my razor blade, insert three 2 inch pieces of the thin black match that can be found in the fast-fuse or quickmatch, and I tie each end of the time fuse closed with a clove hitch and overhand knot to secure each knot.

Then I make “buckets” out of 3-1/2 inch x 3-1/2 inch pieces of kraft paper, rolled around a 1/2 inch wood dowel, with the edge of the paper glued down. I then tie a bucket on each end of the cross-matched time-fuse pieces, with the knots just to the inside of the pieces of cross-match. Tie the knots very tightly so that hot gasses cannot escape the bucket and transfer over to the next one before the time fuse has burned through.

Now it’s just a matter of making a chain of these bucket time-delays, in similar fashion to the chains that were made above. The first bucket in the chain has a piece of quickmatch coming into it from the ignition source, and a piece of quickmatch coming out of it into which the first shell’s leader is tied or taped. I don’t want a delay before this first shell’s fuse is ignited. This first bucket also lights the first time-fuse delay element.

I bare the black match in the quickmatch for 3/4 inch before inserting it into the buckets. It’s easy enough to clip the buckets a bit shorter with scissors as necessary. It’s just important to avoid cutting into the cross-match with the scissors, and to leave enough bucket so that the knot can be tied without any blackmatch protruding beyond it.

During the chain assembly, it can help to tie each delay down to the rack before assembling the next link in the chain. This helps to insure that the quickmatch pieces leading to the shells are long enough, and are routed away from each other and away from the mouth of a previous mortar, which would lead to a premature ignition.

The chain shown above is designed to be ignited from the left end, to have 3.3 second delays between each shell, and to pass fire from the right end to the next device in the line if desired.

This same type of chaining using time fuse, can be used to link box-cakes to each other. Let’s say I start with the ignition of a cake that has a 30 second burn time, and I want to overlap the next box 5 seconds into the first cake’s time. I’ll put a 25 second delay time fuse and buckets at the ignition point of that second cake. On and on, this type of show can be assembled.

Now for the added bonus section in this article. I find it to be fun and creative to take consumer fireworks items from the fireworks store, and assemble them into larger and more impressive assemblies. Fireworks cone-fountains can be hung upside down in a line to form a waterfall, and they can also be used as drivers in this large wheel. “Drivers” provide the force to make the wheel go round.

Chromatropes are a traditional fireworks display exhibition pieces. They are simply composed of two counter-rotating wheels, each of which is a basic assembly of wooden crosses with the drivers attached at the ends of each arm. They produce the kind of effect shown below.

The device shown above has 8 pairs of crossing fountain-sprays, or 16 drivers. This would be 8 drivers per wheel, and with 1 driver at the end of each cross-member, each wheel would have 4 cross-members. We’ll build a simpler version, with two wheels, each having 2 cross-members and 4 cone-drivers.

Here is an illustration of a chromatrope out of Weingart’s Pyrotechnics.

You’ll notice in both the photo and the illustration that the drivers are mounted at a 45 degree angle to the arms, and will shoot their spray out at that angle. This angle also diminishes the amount of force with which each driver will drive the wheel. I’m going to mount the cone-drivers at less of an angle to increase their force when turning the wheels, since the cones are not as powerful as handmade drivers.

Here’s a very simple pictorial essay on this consumer fireworks model. The hubs that the bolt-axles go through are simply 3 inch long 3/8″ threaded tubes/nuts/washers, available at a hardware store in the lighting department.

I have cut 1-Inch x 2-Inch x 8 foot pieces of lumber in half to produce 4 foot long arms, and I’ve cut steep angles on the ends of each arm.

Then I drill 3/8 inch holes in the center of each arm, insert the threaded tubes, put some wood glue between the arms, and tighten the nuts and washers.

I’ve removed the wrapping paper from the cones and drilled some mounting holes in their hollow bases. I’ve also installed some extra scotch-tape to insure that the fuses are secured in their tops.

I then mount the cones to the arms with iron wire, and I install buckets and quickmatch to fuse them together. I have clipped the cone visco fuses on an angle to get fresh powder exposed, and I’ve glued and tied the buckets to the cones to insure that they don’t slip off.

I’ve assembled a T-support with 4×4 lumber and reinforcements. This insures that the wheels don’t hit the vertical support during operation.

I’ve assembled the wheels so that they are driven and turn in opposite directions. You’d be surprised how easy it is to mess this detail up.

On the day of the show, I’ll tie the two wheel ignition points into one leader so that both wheels will light at the same time.

I always test at least one of the wheels with the cones you want to use to make sure that they are powerful enough to get the wheels spinning once they are lit.

Stay Green,

Ned

Mortar Racks, Fusing Techniques, and a Firework Wheel is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

In recent Fireworks Tips articles I’ve discussed making electric matches with which to ignite fireworks electrically, and the construction of Cremora fireballs which can be impressive additions to any show.

I’ve also looked at the issues involved in thoroughly planning a consumer fireworks display.

Now it’s time to discuss using those electric matches in conjunction with an electric firing system and shooting wire, and hooking fireworks devices up to them out in the field.

In the next article, I’ll also show you how to use visco fuse, fast-visco fuse, quickmatch, time fuse, and fast-fuse to attach fireworks devices to each other for sequential firing.

Using these methods together can result in a nicely timed display, and will also enable you, the display designer, to sit back and enjoy the show with the rest of the crowd.

“Scab wire” or shooting wire is the wire that is used to connect the firing panel to the electric match. It essentially extends the length of the leads of the electric match, or connects multiple igniters in one firing circuit. It is important to know the wire’s resistance for a known length of it.

Scab wire usually comes in rolls that have “duplex” wire on them, which means that the wire is two-conductor wire. Two insulated wires are attached to each other, side-by-side.

Two-conductor, copper, 22-gauge, yellow-insulation wire is probably the most commonly found scab wire out in the field. There is also copper-clad, aluminum, orange-insulation wire that is being imported and used.

I cut the wire with the wire-cutters (dykes), split the insulated wires apart with the same tool, or the razor knife, or with my fingernails, and strip the insulation with the dykes or with my fingernails. If I use the dykes to strip the insulation, I’m careful to avoid damaging the wire itself, which is easy to do. I therefore prefer to strip the insulation with my fingernails.

The most important thing to know about the wire that you are using is its resistance. This is listed as “ohms per 1000 feet” in wire data tables. It’s easy to determine this for yourself, though.

All you need is the wire and a multimeter, which measures voltage and resistance. A digital meter like the one on the left is a good investment because it will be used in this step and also in future testing of firing circuits. The analog meter on the right is good for testing batteries and can be used to check resistance, but it is not as accurate as the digital meter.

Note: In a circuit which contains electric matches, I only use the digital meter to check resistance. The analog meter can fire ematches, which is NOT something you want to happen!

To determine the resistance of my shooting wire, I take 50 feet of my duplex (two conductor) wire, bare 1 inch of both wires at one end of it, and twist those ends together securely. I then separate the wires at the other end for 3-4 inches, and bare 1 inch of those ends. Now I set the dial on the multimeter to the setting for measuring resistance (ohms) and wrap one bared end of the shooting wire on one of the meter’s probes, and the other end of the wire on the other probe.

I’m actually measuring the resistance in 100 feet of the single-strand wire since the measurement current is going out 50 feet to the twisted ends, and then back 50 feet to the meter.

I should get a reading between 1.6 ohms for the 22 gauge copper wire, and 3 ohms for the copper clad aluminum wire. This exact reading will depend on the actual wire you are using. I then multiply this reading by 10 to get the resistance in ohms per 1000 feet of the wire.

The yellow wire I’ve described has a resistance of 16 ohms per 1000 feet, and the orange wire’s resistance is about 30 ohms per 1000 feet.

I have a few different firing systems. I have a new Skylighter 12 cue wireless firing system (GN6020) which puts out 4.5 volts. Then there are my older model 8 and 12 cue wireless panels which put out 12 and 18 volts. I also have a hard-wired 144 cue firing system which sends out 24 volts, and I’ve recently seen the 10 cue capacitive discharge, hard-wired firing system (GN6011) at Skylighter which fires with higher voltages.

To determine the firing voltage of my firing systems, and to check the batteries in the panels before use, I simply set a multimeter on DC voltage, hook it up to one of the firing cues, and fire that cue. The meter will read the voltage that is being sent to that pair of connectors by the firing panel.

Before the show, I use the meter to check the batteries in my firing system, both in the transmitter and receiver. I always have spare batteries for the multimeter and for the firing system in my kit of spare stuff that I bring to a display.

This subject sounds like the simplest thing in the world, doesn’t it? But, believe me, there may be no quicker way to insure failure with a fireworks display than to ignore some of the “rules” of electric wiring that I’m about to relate.

If you keep these tips in mind electric firing can really be an incredible enhancement to any display.

• Attaching an electric match to the scab wire

Nope, I don’t need electrical tape, masking tape, or wire-nuts to do this. I start by separating the two wires at the end of the scab wire and at the end of the electric match. Then I strip 1 inch of insulation off of each of the 4 wires with my thumbnail.

The two pairs of wires are then tightly and completely twisted together.

An overhand knot is tied in each pair of wires.

The electric match wires and the scab wires are then pulled in opposing directions, the knots come together, and the twisted pairs of wires are wrapped around the main wires on opposite sides of the knots.

This results in ematch wires that are securely attached to the scab wires. The knots prevent the connections from being yanked apart in case someone trips over a wire. The wires wrapped in opposite directions prevent the two bare-wire connections from coming in contact with each other, which would prevent the electric match from firing when it is supposed to.

• Attaching shooting wire to the firing panel

Warning: When connecting electric matches to a firing system, have the system turned off and the safety key removed. Make sure all personnel are clear of the fireworks that are being wired up. If there are thunderstorms in the area, keep the wiring disconnected and the bare ends of the scab wire twisted together (shunted).

Once again there are right ways and wrong ways to attach wires to the firing system. First, I separate the insulated wires for about 3-4 inches, and strip the insulation back for 1 inch on each wire.

If I just stick the bare wires into the panel’s connectors, there’s a good possibility they can be pulled over and into contact with each other. This would short this circuit out and prevent the electric match from firing, as shown in the photo on the left below.

So, instead, I double each bare end against itself, insert those doubled ends halfway into the connectors, and then “pinch” the connectors toward each other to insure that the wires are really crimped into their connections.

You’ll notice that I’ve only inserted the doubled-ends into the connectors halfway so that I can visually insure that the connector is not clamping down on insulation instead of the wire. I have also not inserted the wires so far that the clipped ends of the wires are down inside the connector. This could make removal of the wires difficult at the end of the show, and possibly damage the connector.

• Strain-relieving the wiring at the firing panel and at the firework

So, on the day of the show, it’s getting late and dark, folks are becoming tired and are stumbling around, and there are lengths of shooting wire lying all over the shooting site, connecting the firing panel to the various fireworks.

At this point in the show setup, folks need to be reminded to walk carefully and avoid the wiring. And as soon as I do that, I’ll sure-as-shootin’ trip over a wire myself, yanking it loose from the panel, or worse, pulling way too hard on a fireworks cake fuse or a shell leader.

One simple procedure can prevent a lot of problems in the above scenario: strain relief.

Simply put, anchor your shooting wire and/or ematch leads to something solid near the fireworks and near the firing system. Often, the ematch leads can be tied off to a mortar-rack. But, if there is not something nearby to tie the wire to, I’ll simply drive a wooden or metal stake into the ground and tie the wiring to it with a clove hitch.

I place these wire-knots down the stake, near the ground so that if a wire is tripped over it won’t pull the stake over too far.

• Attaching the electric match to a fireworks device

Near the end of Making Electric Matches, I described one way to attach electric matches to the safety fuse on fireworks devices, using Fast-Fuse and masking tape. A length of quickmatch can also be used, as described in an article by Brian Paonessa.

I now know how to securely connect my wires to each other, to the fireworks devices, to the firing system, and how to safely strain-relieve them.

But, how much wire can I actually run between the firing system and the electric match?

Each electric match needs a minimum of 1 amp of electric current to run through it in order for it to fire. Because of the wire resistance which I described above, if too much wire is used between the panel and the electric match, less than 1 amp of current will flow in the circuit. We then run the risk of having the igniter fail to fire.

Ok, here it is: a formula. Don’t let it scare you off. I’ll actually help save you from having to use it in a moment.

Resistance = Voltage divided by Current

I know the minimum amount of current I want in a firing circuit: 1 amp.

I know the voltage that my firing system puts out: 4.5 volts (in this example, using Skylighter’s GN6020 firing system).

Resistance then equals 4.5 divided by 1 which equals 4.5 ohms. This amount of circuit resistance will allow a current of 1 amp to flow.

If I go above this maximum amount of resistance in my circuit, the current will drop below 1 amp. So, it’s fine if I have less than 4.5 ohms of resistance in the circuit since that will simply increase the current above 1 amp.

The homemade electric matches that I detailed in the article cited above all had a resistance of 1.2 ohms. Commercial electric matches will have typical resistances of 1.5 – 2 ohms. I’m going to assume we’re using the 1.2 ohm matches for the purposes of this discussion. (But you should always test yours.)

Since my electric match has a resistance of 1.2 ohms, and I want a maximum of 4.5 ohms of resistance in this particular circuit, then 4.5 – 1.2 = 3.3 ohms left over for the scab-wire’s resistance.

I can now calculate the maximum lengths of the wires that I can use. For example: the yellow scab wire has a resistance of 16 ohms per 1000 feet.

(Using the 3.3 ohms left for scab wire) 3.3 divided by that 16 equals 0.206.

0.206 times 1000 feet equals 206 feet.

206 feet of this wire would have a resistance of 3.3 ohms. This is the maximum amount of this wire I can have in this circuit. Any more of this wire and my total resistance will be too high.

But, this is a maximum of 206 feet of the single strand wire, and my shooting wire has two strands: one out from the panel to the ematch, and one back from the match to the panel. So, in reality, I can only have a maximum of 103 feet of the double-strand shooting wire between my 4.5 volt firing panel and my igniter.

If I am using the orange (copper-clad aluminum) wire described above, which has a higher resistance of 30 ohms per 1000 feet, then I could only use 110 feet of the single strand wire going out and back, or 55 feet of the double strand shooting wire.

The table below lists these figures for the two types of scab wire, the length of double strand wire between the panel and igniter, and for 4.5 volt, 12 volt, and 24 volt systems.

Once again, these are the maximum lengths of the double strand wire I can use in the circuit.

Now, it’s easy to run a maximum of 103 feet of the yellow, two-strand wire, hook up one end to the electric match, and the other end to my digital meter, and check the resistance in that firing circuit. The resistance should not exceed 4.5 ohms, and should fire successfully with my 4.5 volt firing system.

The test circuit shown below, with 100 feet of the scab wire, read 4.5 ohms and fired as designed.

This introduces the last bit of complexity into the subject of electric firing. Each firing cue can indeed fire more than one electric match, but as usual we have to be careful when designing the circuit so that our igniters will fire as planned.

There are two basic ways to hook up multiple electric matches to one set of connectors on our firing panel: in series and in parallel.

• Series Wiring

Series wiring has the electric matches hooked up one-to-another, so that the current flows through the complete line of igniters, one after another.

A significant advantage to series wiring is that, since the current has to flow through all the electric matches before it returns to the panel, the test lights on the panel will test all of the igniters at the same time. If there is a bad match, the test light will not go on.

Also, with a typical amount of shooting wire in such a circuit, series wiring requires less current to fire the igniters, thereby allowing longer lengths of the scab wire to be used reliably.

In the field, most pyros use series wiring, with few exceptions. Serial wiring is counter-intuitive to some people. They assume that if 2 or more electric matches are serially wired to each other, that when the first match fires, that first electric match will break the circuit and prevent the remaining electric matches in the circuit from firing. But in practice, the current flows so quickly that all the electric matches in any given serial circuit will fire at the same time.

In this series circuit, the resistances of the electric matches are added together to obtain their total resistance: 1.2 ohms plus 1.2 ohms equals 2.4 ohms of resistance for two matches.

We still only need one amp of current in the circuit, though, to fire the matches. So, using the 4.5 volt system, with my maximum resistance in the circuit being 4.5 ohms as determined in the example above, the maximum resistance of my shooting wire can be up to 2.1 ohms.

Thus, I can add a maximum of 66 feet of my double-strand-yellow scab wire, or 35 feet of my orange-double-strand wire to the circuit. This wire can be added anywhere in the circuit: between the panel and the igniters, between the igniters, or both.

Note: I always test my completed circuits to see if the actual resistance in the circuit is close to my calculated resistance. It is also important that all the matches in the circuit are the same type and have the same resistance. If one match ignites before the others do, because of differences in construction, then there is a good chance the rest of the matches in the series will fail to ignite.

• Parallel Wiring

This type of wiring connects all of the igniters directly to the firing panel (none to each other), or to the main scab wire individually like the rungs on a ladder.

A disadvantage to this circuit is that, since the current has more than one way it can flow, if even one electric match is good, the whole circuit will test “good” with the panel test light. A bad electric match will not cause the test light to remain dark!

Parallel wiring also will allow less scab wiring to be used out in the field.

The circuit above will only show an amount of resistance equal to the resistance of one electric match divided by two: 1.2 ohms divided by 2 = 0.6 ohms.

But, the circuit requires one amp of current for each igniter, or a total minimum of 2 amps of current.

So, with my 4.5 volt system, I can use a maximum of 50 feet of the yellow 2-strand wire, or 28 feet of the orange. The maximum allowable resistance in a circuit with two, parallel matches is 2.25 ohms.

Once again I always draw out a firing circuit, calculate how much resistance it ought to have, and check the actual resistance with my meter to check the circuit in actuality.

Here is a table which shows the maximum allowable length of each type of double-strand shooting wire, for 4.5 volt, 12 volt, and 24 volt systems, using either series or parallel wiring if multiple igniters are in a circuit.

In the name of successful electric firing, I’d like to mention redundancy, and then repeat it.

If I have a critical item in a display such as a set-piece that I simply cannot allow to fail to ignite, I’ll actually run two firing circuits (cues) to it. If the first one fails, I have a backup.

If there is any doubt about the capacity of a circuit out in the field, I’ll remove the match from the firework device and test fire that circuit before the display. Then I’ll replace that electric match with a new one and reconnect it.

Often on items such as set-pieces, waterfalls, and firecracker walls, I’ll have two igniters and ignition points, wired in series. I’ll also have a length of quickmatch rigged up as an alternative manual ignition point in case the electric firing fails. I keep a propane torch by my side during the show, and will use it to manually light fireworks if necessary, and if it can be done safely.

Although some of these preparations may end up being unnecessary, they can save the day for you.

With each display I have one shot at having it go off successfully. I want to do all I can to insure that it does.

Stay Green,

Ned

Wiring Fireworks and Firing Systems in a Fireworks Display is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

Many of us really enjoy producing a nice fireworks display to entertain our family and friends, and to show off our pyro talents.

Over the past few weeks we’ve discussed making small Cremora fireball pots for such a show, and electric matches to use when firing them.

For many years a buddy of mine has hosted a large party, with a hog-roast and a bonfire, which has brought in hundreds of folks. I’ve presented a fireworks show annually at this event to cap off the festivities.

There’s nothing quite like putting in many hours of work and to have it result in that many people-adults and children-sitting in rapt awe as the show goes on, and erupting in joyful cheering at its completion.

I’ve had many folks compliment these small shows, comparing them favorably with the huge, commercial, downtown displays on the river. There’s just something about a small, intimate, family-and-friends setting, ending up with a nicely planned pyro display, all resulting in a really memorable event.

In the end, this demonstration of our pyrotechnic creativity, talent, hard work, and experience, and the entertaining of others with all of it, is really what this art form is all about.

To insure a safe and successful consumer fireworks display, there are some topics which merit consideration in the planning process:

• What are the laws governing such fireworks displays in my particular state, county, or city? Is there a requirement to have insurance for such a show?
• What is the site like where the display is to be presented? What sorts of fireworks devices will be appropriate and safe at that site?
• What is the budget for the show? Who will be paying for the fireworks, and when?
• Will the display be shot with accompanying music or not?
• Will the display be fired by hand, electrically, or with a combination of the two?
• Who will be helping with the display?
• What will be the length of the show?
• What devices will be employed in the show, and how will they be laid out at the site?
• What safety precautions are necessary?
• Will there be any reloading of fireworks during the show?
• How can we prepare for inclement weather?

All of this might sound like a bit of “overkill” to some of you. Having been involved in the planning and production of many small “backyard” displays and large commercial ones, I have learned the value of planning and getting as much of the work done prior to the day of the show as possible.

It’s quite amazing how much work there is to be done on the day of the show. If the above topics are addressed beforehand, and if enough work is done before the day of the show, then the chances of a safe, successful and enjoyable show are greatly improved.

This ain’t a fun subject, but it might be the one which can save you a lot of heartbreak and wasted money.

In the USA, there is no federal law regulating the use of consumer fireworks, only their production and sale.

But laws vary widely from state to state, and from locality to locality. In my state of Ohio, the display of all but “safe and sane” consumer fireworks is illegal. But around the Fourth of July many local law enforcement agencies look the other way unless they get a lot of complaints from neighbors.

In some other states anything goes. In others if you fire off a bottle rocket you’ll end up in the slammer pretty quickly, have all your fireworks confiscated and perhaps your car and home as well.

Only you can research your state and local laws, and determine for yourself what you can and cannot do.

Here in Ohio, I’ve chosen to get my state fireworks display operator’s license, to procure the necessary fireworks display permits, and to have a certificate of insurance for any display I produce. This gets the authorities-having-jurisdiction (AHJ’s) on my side, and I avoid having to be looking over my shoulder and waiting for the cop cars to pull up during the show.

And, if God forbid, there’s any property damage or injury, my permit and insurance are there to back me up.

Where will I be shooting the display? How big is the area; where will the spectators be; how close are the nearest structures and trees; how dry is the surrounding vegetation; and what sorts of fireworks will be safe to display there?

Some measurements with a measuring-wheel, and a simple sketch of the site can help a lot with the planning of the show.

On the sketch, I define the areas where the crowd will be. I show where I’m going to erect a barrier of stakes and caution tape, beyond which the spectators will not be allowed.

I also measure off the minimum distances needed to maintain safe separation between the crowd and the various fireworks devices. NFPA 1123 is the code which establishes these distances. These measurements not only insure compliance with the law, they also help insure the safety of the crowd during the display. These distances are as follows:

75 feet for ground display fireworks like fountains, strobes, small wheels, etc.

125 feet for large wheels with powerful drivers, and other powerful ground fireworks.

125 feet for smaller multi-shot cakes, etc.

70 feet per inch of tube ID for Roman candles, aerial shell mortars, larger multi-shot cakes, etc. (i.e., 125 feet for 1.75″ artillery shells, 210 feet for 3″ shell mortars, etc.)

I then determine the maximum size of the fireworks that I can use in a display fired at this site. I keep these limits in mind as I select the product for my show.

These separation distances assume that mortars, cakes, etc., are securely supported and/or barricaded. This protects the crowd from debris fallout and from a falling “dud” shell or device. If a mortar is not securely supported, falls over, and fires directly at the spectators, these distances will not insure their safety. Therefore, care must be taken to securely place and support mortars and cakes in the field prior to firing.

You’ll notice that rockets are not mentioned in the above safe-distance specifications. Rockets are not typically used in professional displays any longer due to safety issues regarding the fallout of sticks and spent-motors. Rockets are used often in consumer fireworks displays, though.

Often the flight of a rocket is unpredictable even if it is fired from a secure, stable, and vertical launch support. I personally would not fire rockets in a show unless I could insure that the spent rockets absolutely would not be coming down on the upturned faces of spectators as they watch the show, or on parked vehicles. Injury and insurance claims are not on my list of “fun things” at a fireworks show.

You can see from all of the above that I take all of this seriously. Many of us see multiple examples every year of folks who have had a bit too much to drink, take some cakes and mortar tubes out to the back yard or into the cul-de-sac, have adults with kids standing in front of them about 30 feet away, and start firing away, whooping and hollering.

Most folks get away with this. Some do not. They either hurt themselves, or worse, some innocent bystander. And, as a result, fireworks get more of a bad reputation. Nothing would take the fun out of all of this more quickly for me than hurting some kid with my “hobby.” I suppose I can’t emphasize the safety aspects of this enough.

How much can I spend on fireworks for my planned display?

Really! We’ve all gone into a fireworks shop, planning on picking up a couple of bags of fireworks for 50 bucks, and have walked out pushing two shopping carts full of brightly colored boxes after writing a check for $250.

Do you want your wife to be talking to you on the day of the show, and sitting there enjoying your artistry, with the house payment paid in full? Yeah, sometimes all of this feels a bit like an addiction, but I have to balance it in with all the other responsibilities in my life, and I hate fighting with my wife.

It might be $200 or $2000, but the budget helps a lot when it comes to actually picking out the fireworks to be shot the night of the display.

Will I be paying for the fireworks all by myself, or will some friends be pitching in? It is probably a good idea to get a commitment, and even the cash up front before the shopping trip.

Just a few things to think about.

It can be a lot of fun to record a soundtrack to be played during the fireworks show. On the other hand, sometimes it’s nice to just shoot the fireworks all by themselves, enjoying their rhythm and beat, and playing the whistles, reports, soft fountain hissing, color breaks, and rocket whooshes one after another.

I like to shoot a show to music if possible. In the kind of show we are discussing, I’ll simply choose some music based on the following criteria, and pick product that goes along with it. I don’t try to get pin-point precision choreography. I’ll save that for large, computer-fired shows.

Individual song download services like Napster and ITunes can be invaluable for finding and procuring great soundtrack songs.

One thing that I really think keeps an audience interested and entertained is variety. Folks are used to watching movies and television where there are ups and downs of emotion and action. Drama involves tension and relaxation, hard and soft, loud and quiet, slow build-up and climax. A good fireworks display will include the same.

We have found that, in general, 1-2 minutes of a particular song will keep an audience’s attention. After that length of time, their minds will start to wander.

I think it’s also important to keep the music recognizable. There are going to be loud fireworks going off which will obscure any music playing. I like to use a lot of hard-beats so folks can at least hear the beat of the song, and I also like to incorporate music in the soundtrack that folks will easily recognize and be able to follow along with.

Here are some possible musical themes to which appropriate fireworks can be choreographed:

• Patriotic songs: National Anthem, Taps, America the Beautiful, I’m Proud to be an American, etc. (Red/White/Blue fireworks, fountains, waterfalls, etc.)
• Kids’ songs: Lion King’s “Circle of Life,” “Ghostbusters,” “Linus and Lucy,” theme from Charlie Brown, etc.
• Slow beginning beat: The beginning of The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (strobes)
• Light, humorous songs: YMCA, disco songs, etc. (aerial shells, cakes)
• Soft operatic songs: “O Mio Babbino Caro,” Andrea Bocelli’s “Por Ti Volare,” Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s “Over the Rainbow” (falling leaves cakes/shells, soft shells one at a time)
• Dramatic songs: “Theme from the Last of the Mohicans,” Pirates of the Caribbean music, etc. (cakes and shells)
• Hard-beat finale songs: Hard Rock, Led Zepplin, Iron Butterfly, Queen, Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man,” etc. (hard-break and report finale cakes and shells,firecracker wall/tree)

There are, of course, too many songs and types of music to even begin mentioning them all, but the list above might suggest a place to start. One facet of a fireworks display which I really enjoy is the editing of a soundtrack which includes parts of 10-20 songs which I hope will entertain the crowd as fireworks go off to them.

I use Sound Forge
audio editing software to cut, splice, and edit my soundtracks. I’m sure there are other programs out there, many of which can be obtained for free, with which we can assemble a fun soundtrack for our show. A final firing-script with firing times is used to fire the show.

Large, precisely-timed displays are typically fired electrically, and often the firing is controlled by a computer program. This is a bit out of the range of most small display operators. But manual electrical firing can easily be incorporated into some or all of the show to improve the pace and the timing of the show, and to insure that particular fireworks are fired at exactly the desired moment.

The size of the firing system(s) will determine the number of cues (individual ignitions) you can incorporate into the display. If you only have a 12-cue system, there will be a maximum of 12 individual firings that you can have in the show, and the same goes for a 144-cue system.

But with creative fusing techniques it is possible, to greatly expand the number of fireworks and the duration of the display segment that is fired with each cue, though. We will be expanding on that idea in a soon-to-come Fireworks Tips article.

Some local fireworks clubs have yearly competitions in which a whole show is laid out on a sheet of plywood and the fireworks are fused together using various techniques for timing of the effects. The whole shebang is ignited using one firework fuse or firing cue.

Next week’s article will focus on tips for wiring a display with various firing systems and include some tips for fusing fireworks together to expand the versatility of the electric firing cues.

If some or all of the display will be fired by hand, it’s a good idea to have a scripted firing order and to have a firm idea of who will be helping to fire it. Rehearsing the firing of the display with all of the shooters will insure a smooth display after dark.

Hand firing safety is greatly enhanced by the use of a flashlight and propane torch, or a road flare taped to a stick. Head or helmet mounted flashlights are great during firing and post-display cleanup.

If there is to be any reloading of artillery (festival ball, reloadable) shell mortars during the show, this needs to be thoroughly planned. Safe ready-boxes, which will contain the product to be loaded during the show, and their locations need to be planned. Segments during the show, when product is being fired in areas other than the area where the reloading is going on, are the only safe way to perform this operation.

How long do we plan on having the fireworks show last? While it may be fun for us to take fireworks one at a time out to the shooting area and light them for hours on end, this may not be as entertaining for the crowd as it is for us.

Folks are used to being entertained for a half hour at a time with well scripted TV shows. A fireworks show that lasts 15, 20, or 30 minutes and has a lot of variety in it can easily keep folks entertained. Beyond that amount of time, you will probably start to lose folks’ attention.

Of course, the length of the show will depend on your budget. It’s a good idea to keep at least 25% of the product for the show’s finale, which might last a minute or two. So scripting the rest of the affordable fireworks in an entertaining way, overlapping their durations just a bit to avoid unplanned “dark sky,” will determine the show’s duration.

One way to increase the duration of the show, yet not put much of a dent in the budget, is to choose long-duration fireworks like fountains, strobes, wheels, and waterfalls, which can fill minutes of the display for a minimal expense.

This all leads us to a discussion of the actual product we will be firing during the display. All of this will be determined by the show’s budget, site constraints, choreography, and personal tastes.

One fun addition to a show can be some pre-dusk firing of daytime effects. There is an increasing variety of daylight devices: smoke, Sky Lanterns, and streamer and parachute cakes. Kids love to run, chase, and try to catch the parachutes and streamers. Just make sure that the cakes produce fallout which is not still hot or otherwise dangerous for this kind of activity.

One really great way to pick out the product for a show is to attend the product demo at your local fireworks store. My friend Brian Lynch owns a store nearby in West Harrison, Indiana, Half Price Fireworks. Brian actually goes to China and hand-picks his favorite new devices for his shop. Often, these local, independent shops can give you the most bang for your bucks.

I attended one of Brian’s product demos recently, and was handed a checklist/note-taking-sheet to use during the demonstration. Before the devices started to be fired, I organized my note-taking to include notes about these various aspects of the product:

• Height of fireworks display–low-medium-high (one way to increase the variety in a show is to use various parts of the background (the sky): ground level, low sky, and high sky
• Loudness of the firework (more variety can be planned if soft-medium-loud sections of the show are scheduled)
• Quality of the firework, rated on a scale of 1-5
• Duration of the display of a firework device (I brought a stopwatch to use to record this time)
• Notes of the crowd’s reaction to a firework (laughter, WOW applause, quiet awe)
• Cost of the firework, and its value for the money, (i.e. 12 seconds of a nice cake for $16, a line of soft-strobing fountains which last over a minute for $4)

Based on all of the above information from the demo combined with the show budget, site limitations, and choreography, I now select my product for the show, getting the plan down on paper before strolling down the aisles of the shop.

One additional nice feature that many shops provide, including Brian’s, is a label near each item which indicates the product’s duration, effect, and often an actual photo of the firework in action. This info can add to that which was gained at the product demonstration.

The layout of the planned devices can then be added to the sketch of the display site. Device variety, loudness variety, display height variety, and changes in durations and pace, all serve to keep the crowd interested in the show.

The safe use of some homemade firework devices, such as the Cremoras detailed in Cremora Fireballs, can really enhance a display while only lightly impacting the budget.

If there is to be hand-firing during the show, safety gear such as safety-glasses, hardhats, gloves, long-sleeved cotton shirts/jackets, and hearing protection will be in order.

A five-gallon bucket of water for cooling off any possible burned hands, etc, is a good idea. Pump-up garden sprayers or a pressurized garden-hose/nozzle serve as fire extinguishers.

Have a first-aid kit on site.

Small radios or walkie-talkies can enhance communications between shooters during the show.

A barrier of caution-tape, stretched between fence posts, serves to keep the spectators in their designated areas before, during and after the display.

Thorough cleanup after the show, and a careful inspection of the site at daybreak following the display, serve to keep unfired fireworks out of the hands of children, who love to find and light or disassemble such items, often with disastrous consequences.

What are we going to do if it rains? A few years back I helped on a show worth tens-of-thousands of dollars. It was a hot, sunny July day, and the weather forecast predicted the same weather right through the evening. A half-hour before show time, a black, rolling wall of clouds formed on the northern horizon, and within 15 minutes the wind was howling and a hellacious thunderstorm rolled in.

In the wind, there was no way to use tarps or plastic to cover our mortars and cakes, and the long waterfall and the set pieces were completely vulnerable. We lost the whole show, and had stacks of wet aerial shells and box-cakes that had to be somehow salvaged or disposed of safely. A real mess!

These types of experiences motivate most of us experienced display producers to take precautions against the ravages of inclement weather, no matter what the forecast is. I like to say, “If you don’t want it to rain, cover everything up. If you want it to rain, act as if it’s not going to.”

Rolls of plastic or aluminum foil, and plastic tarps, work well to cover racks of mortars. Large plastic bags cover up individual cakes, and rolls of plastic stretch-wrap can be used for mortar racks, lines of fountains, etc. It can be hard to cover and protect a firecracker wall or a waterfall or set piece, so sometimes it’s best to leave them lying on the ground and covered with plastic until the last minute if there is a questionable forecast.

With planning centered around all of these subjects, a successful, relatively stress-free, safe, and fun fireworks display can be produced. Most folks will never know the amount of work that goes into a good show, but they also will never get to experience the satisfaction that comes from creating such a work of art and hearing the audience’s cheers during and after it.

In the next few weeks, we’ll be focusing more on the electric wiring and fusing of a display, the assembly of mortar racks and supports for wheels, firecracker walls/trees and waterfalls, and the actual layout/placement/assembly/support of a consumer fireworks show.

Stay tuned and stay green,

Ned

Planning a Consumer Fireworks Display is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

How today’s weather in China could impact your July 4th fireworks

If you are making fireworks yourself or are a consumer of Chinese fireworks, what is happening in China right now, today, will be affecting you.

The man who makes many of Skylighter’s Chinese fireworks products possible is Matt Palaszynski. Matt has a company in Liuyang. Liuyang is basically the center of the fireworks universe. He splits his time between there and his home in the US.

Matt works with each factory making consumer fireworks for us. He also helps us find all sorts of wonderful things we need in making fireworks. Things like screens, comet and star pumps, ematch blanks, the wonderful array of colored effect fuses we carry, and many other items that we now consider essential to fireworks making.

Matt sent me the following note yesterday. It affects all of us who are concerned about buying and making fireworks for July 4th and other events. This year, the fireworks industry worldwide is experiencing the most significant cost increases in a decade. Matt’s note explains graphically why some of these increases are happening, even as I write this.

Matt’s letter:

Hello,

Making Fireworks with No Heat

Consumer Fireworks Making In January

What this means to Skylighter’s fireworks makers and buyers

Matt ain’t just awhistlin’ Dixie. The front page story in the Washington Post today reports that hundreds of thousands of people are stuck in railroad stations throughout central China.

We have a number of new products coming in our next container from Matt. But between the weather and the normal two-week holiday for Chinese New Year, it looks like it’ll be arriving later than we originally planned. The wait will be worth it. There are a couple of surprises in that shipment that most of you have never seen before. Stay tuned. Holler if you have any questions. And start making those July 4th fireworks!

Winter storm wallops Chinese & US fireworks making is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

Materials needed:

• Baseboard:  1 pc. 1 x 5 plank, 23 inches long.
• End boards:  2 pcs. 1 x 5 planks, 11 inches long
• Center rails: 2 pcs. 1 x 2 furring strips, 21-1/2 inches long
• Side rails:  4 pcs. 3/8 inch thick plywood, cut
  2-1/2 x 32 inches
• 20 fiberglass festival ball mortar tubes (#PL3182)
• 46  pcs. 1-1/2 inch drywall screws

• Wood saw (table-saw or chop saw if you cut your own wood pieces)

Figure A:  Use mortar tubes to support
1 x 2 furring strip center rails while attaching to base.

Attach the end boards.  Screw the two 5 x 11 end boards to the outside edges of the 5 x 23 base board. (Set your screws through the bottom of the base board into the each end board–see figure A and B.) 

Figure B:  Screw placement for 1 x 2
center rail

Next, install the center rails.  Place one of the 21.5 inch furring strips on its edge, directly in the center of this base (see figure A). It’s helpful to lay the base on its side and use several tubes as spacers to support this bottom center rail.  Then attach the rail by screwing through the ends and bottom, as shown in figure B. Attach the top center rail frame as shown in figure A, screwing into it from the end boards.

Figure C: Mortar tubes should fit flush
with each side of the base board in the unfinished frame

Check your spacing.  You should now be able to place mortar tubes on either side of the center rails with the edges of the mortar tubes flush with each edge of the base board as shown in figure C.

Figure D: Placement of lower side rail

Attach upper and lower side rails.  Stand your mortar rack up on its base (see figure C).  Screw one of the 2-1/2 x 32  plywood side rails to the base and end boards as in figure D. Once the lower side rail is screwed in place, attach one side of the upper side rail flush with the top corner of one end board as shown in figure E. If the rack is not completely square, pull in the opposite end flush with the side rail to square the sides–attach that end. Flip your mortar rack and attach side rails to the other side as well.

Figure E: Plywood side rails
screw attachment

Test fit the tubes in the finished frame. They should fit snugly, but you should be able to remove them for cleaning later on.

The mortar rack you just finished may feel stable on a perfectly level, flat surface.  But it will need to be supported when it is in use. This can be done by adding support legs or braces to the ends of the mortar rack, or staking the mortar rack in place, or screwing several mortar racks together to form a larger footprint. It’s not important how you secure your mortar racks, just that you do secure them.

The orientation of your mortar rack to the audience is critical to their safety. If a shell explodes inside a mortar tube, it will tend to blow out the weakest part of the mortar rack. The weakest part of this rack  are the plywood side rails. And if the side rails are blown out, this could mortar tubes to fall over. So, it is important to orient your mortar rack so that any falling tubes would be aimed away from your audience. This prevents mortar shells from being fired directly into the audience, which can be very dangerous. Therefore, when you set up your display, orient your mortar rack so one end board is facing the crowd.  See figure F below.

Figure F: Safest mortar rack orientation toward audience–perpendicular to them. In the
event of a failure the mortar tubes will fall parallel to your audience. Note stabilizers
on each end and stakes holding the mortar rack in place.

Make a Festival Ball Fiberglass Mortar Rack is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

The Problem:
Electric matches made using Skylighter’s Electric Match Dip Kit (GN5050) and Electric Match Blanks (GN5040) put out a good amount of fire and can directly light visco fuse when connected end-to-end. Visco fuse is the green fuse used in most consumer fireworks (it is also called cannon fuse).  But just taping the electric match to the visco fuse is not 100% reliable, so the connection technique you use is critical. Here’s a little trick that works quite well for me when connecting electric matches to visco fuse and has given me 100% ignition so far.

Materials needed:

• Consumer fireworks
• Electric matches ("ematches")
• Roll of clear packing tape or masking tape.
• Roll of quickmatch (GN3001) or Super-Fast Firecracker Fuse (GN1205)
• Razor blade

Assembly:

Cut visco fuse at an angle. Cut the firework’s visco fuse on a sharp angle (as seen in figure A). This will expose more of the fuse’s black powder core. If your device comes with a long visco fuse attached, you may want to cut it down to about an inch to reduce ignition delay.

Figure A:
Cut visco fuse at an angle

Create a quickmatch sleeve. Using a razor blade, cut a length of quickmatch about 1 inch longer than the fuse supplied with the consumer firework device.

Note: It’s best to cut quickmatch with a razor blade or anvil cutters. Quickmatch can ignite from the friction of scissors cutting through it.

Slide quickmatch over device’s fuse. Carefully slide the device’s fuse into the center of the quickmatch sleeve. Slide the quickmatch sleeve all the way down so it covers the firework’s entire fuse.

Figure B:
Slide quickmatch over fuse

Insert electric match into quickmatch. Outside and away from people, hold the device so it is pointing away from you and any flammable material. Insert an electric match into the open end of the quickmatch to a depth of an inch (as in Figure C). You may need to slide back the electric match’s protective plastic cap.

Note: Removing the electric match’s protective cap may make inserting the ematch easier, but can cause ignition by friction. Insert the ematch’s head slowly and gently.

Figure C:
Insert electric match

Tape quickmatch, and electric match to device. Secure the electric match to the side of the firework with clear packing tape covering both ends of the quickmatch, as in Figure D. Add a couple of extra wraps of tape to secure the electric match in place.

The tape serves two purposes:
1) It confines the burning gasses, increasing the burn rate.
2) It secures the ematch in place.

Tip: If you’ve never done an electrically fired fireworks display, just imagine people moving about in complete darkness with dozens of wires all around. It’s inevitable that if you don’t completely secure each and every electric match someone will trip on "that" wire and pull the electric match free causing a misfire.

Figure D:
Tape electric match in place

How does it work?
When the electric match fires, the ematch sparks for only an instant. If the ematch sparks and fire do not directly hit the visco’s black powder core, the electric match may fail to ignite the firework device. The blackmatch inside the quickmatch sleeve prevents this problem by carrying the fire forward, and increasing the amount of fire given to the visco fuse. This ensures that the slightest spark from your electric match will pass fire to the visco. The quickmatch’s outer paper wrap directs the fire downward through the tube like a flamethrower, lighting everything in its path, including the visco.

"But, I live too far away to pick up quickmatch…"
Having quickmatch on hand does make this process faster, but all you need to make this work is blackmatch and a homemade tube to direct the fire. Skylighter’s GN1205 is a great source of blackmatch, unless you want to make your own.

What is GN1205, Super-Fast Paper Firecracker Fuse?
Well it’s our fastest, shippable fuse. It burns at 1 foot per second! It consists of 3 strands of blackmatch with a light tissue paper wrapping. This tissue paper wrapping gives it a controlled fast burn great for chaining candle batteries, adding leaders to homemade festival balls, even chaining up your finale.

Harvesting blackmatch from GN1205. Gently peel the tissue paper off of the Super-Fast Firecracker Fuse as shown in Figure E.

Figure E:
How to remove blackmatch from Super-Fast Firecracker Fuse

Make a thin walled tube. You’ll need a thin walled paper tube to hold the blackmatch, visco and electric match all in place. For this cut a 3 x 3 piece of copy paper, and roll it on a 3/8th inch dowel or anything about that diameter (a Bic pen works well). Use glue or tape to keep it closed.

Insert blackmatch into thin walled tube. Insert 6 strands of blackmatch into a thin walled paper tube (as seen in Figure F). If the blackmatch is long, cut it flush.

Figure F:
Insert blackmatch into tube

Connecting Electric Matches to Visco (Cannon) Fuse is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

If you’ve been following my trip to China to buy fireworks for Skylighter, you’ve seen me mention Matt Palaszynski.  While I was on the road, Dave, one of Skylighter’s customers, asked me to contact a particular Chinese fireworks company in Liuyang for him.  He had had several phone and email interactions with the Chinese company and was considering ordering some fireworks from them.

I hooked my customer up with Matt.  Here’s a slightly edited copy of Matt’s letter to Dave, my customer.  The important thing is this.  It is VERY HARD for us in the US to deal directly with any Chinese fireworks factory (or sales agent) right now.  I would not advise it, unless you are prepared to have your own translator, make several long and expensive trips to China for each order you place, and have low expectations of delivered product quality.  You simply have no idea what the complexities are, nor how many things have to be handled correctly in order for you to get your order.  Matt’s letter to Dave is right on target.

————————-

Dave,

Don’t know if you care to hear my pitch, but…

I will start by saying that I think [name deleted] is a good company.  They have been around for awhile, have an established customer base, and are legitimate.

However, they are not a factory.  They are a fireworks trading company.  Which is exactly the same thing that my company is–a fireworks trading company.  We take orders from you and we place and manage orders with various China factories.

For the most part, factories do not sell direct.  They sell through trading companies like [name deleted] and my company.  I guess about the only way that I can prove this to you is through our pricing.  I am fairly confident that I can meet or beat any prices that [name deleted] is offering you.  Not that you want to buy from the lowest bidder, however.  My point it that if they were a factory, they should be much cheaper that I am.  I am willing to bet that I can compete pretty much head to head, as I am willing to bet that they are buying from the same factories that I am.

Harry at Skylighter’s point is that you don’t want to deal directly with a factory.  He is correct in that most factories are not set up for sales.  Legally, they do not have government export licenses, and commercially they typically do not employ sales staff.  A good factory is just that, a factory.  It is the trading company that invests the time to understand the customer requirements and transfer them into technical manufacturing documents that the factory uses to produce to your specs.   That service is part of the value that we add to earn our profit.

Finally, I think my company has been successful due to our deep knowledge of fireworks and our professional business structure.   I don’t know Julie at [name deleted], but I know her job profile.  She most likely graduated from the Changsha or Liuyang foreign language institute with a 2 year degree in English.  She is probably anywhere from 18 – 25 years old.  She probably has never shot a Class B display herself.  I can guarantee that she has never shot one in the USA.  She is paid a very low fixed wage and she is given a commission for all new customers that she brings in.   She most likely does not get a whole lot of support from [name deleted].  Because of the desire of the company to quickly grow, she is expected to coordinate most of the details of your order.  Critical details like factory down payments, production schedules, and shipping are often to be dealt with after the customer contact has been signed.  I am certain that she is pleasant, bright, and very hard working.  Most likely, she can spend an inordinate amount of time on you… most likely because you are one of her only potential customers.  Maybe she will get lucky and all the details will fall into place for her.  Maybe not.   She does not have much to lose… as opposed to you.

My company is also a Liuyang Trading Company.  Yes, I am an American, but I am not your competitor.  I only sell full containers direct from China.  I do not wholesale or retail in the USA.  I don’t shoot displays.  Right now almost 50% of my business is manufacturing private label product for some of the USA’s biggest companies.   We have a large account right there in MO.  We manufacture for large US fireworks retailers whose names you know, including Skylighter.   So, if you are looking for your own brand, we can help. 

I have years of first-hand experience in fireworks displays and consumer fireworks design in the US market.  Our staff all have deep experience;  even our equivalent of Julie was the teacher at the Liuyang foreign language institute, not just the student.  None of our staff are paid by commission.  I personally think it just leads to problems in the long run.  I see lots of upfront sales effort and then little follow through for commission based employees.  We stick it out to the gory end with each of our customers. For the most part, I am the main person to interface with the customer to ensure the smoothest communication.

All the best,

Matt

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What Matt didn’t say, and I want to elaborate on, is this.  You need someone to shepherd your order through the whole process.  From specifying what you want to getting it delivered to your doorstep, if you do not have someone like Matt managing the process, you are in for a lot a trouble and disappointment.

Bottom line:  if you want to import Chinese fireworks, and you have never done it before, do not try this at home.   Questions?

Harry Gilliam
Chinese Fireworks Importer Survivor

Pitfalls of Buying Fireworks In China Yourself is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

Currently sitting in the Lucky Shamrock Irish Pub in the Changsha airport waiting for my connection.  The Shamrock’s décor is somewhere between a purple and a pink–that’s what Irish green morphs into after it’s been in China awhile.  On the menu are 14 kinds of tea.

"Make mine oolong," I I say to Su Ling, the pretty waitress.

Big steaming beer mug o’ oolong lands on the table with about a pint of loose tea leaves inside.  Mmmm.

Today started with emails at 5:45 am.  Then, breakfast with Matt where, as usual, we plot the complete overthrow of the fireworks industry. 

If we ever do 1% of what we dream up at these breakfasts, we’ll die rich men, and be interred in burial mounds outside Liuyang.  They’ll surround our central tomb areas with thousands of cakes, fountains, and sparklers all laid out in the outline of the United States.  Our actual bodies will be draped in great lengths of Tau strings, and protected forever inside locked forty foot cargo containers, with two ATF-approved 1/4 inch thick steel covers over the locks, to protect from tomb robbers and 27th century archeologists.

After breakfast, we say our goodbyes and Matt hands me off to the same lunatick driver we had the other night, who just dropped me here at the airport.

Shortly, I am to meet David, the chemical guy, here at the airport to examine an assortment of rare and unusual fireworks chemicals, many of which we haven’t seen in the US in 30 years.  Stuff like realgar, which we cannot find anywhere, anymore, at a price mortals can afford.  He wants to sell me vast quantities of them.  Let’s see, two guys in the parking lot in front of a big airport hunched over a plastic baggie of white powder…. hmmm.  I can see how this could go… 

"It’s not what you think it is, officer.  Officer?  Officer?  Officer, do you speak any English?"

Blank stare.  Uh, oh.  More officers.  No smiles.  Oh shit.

After I meet David and hopefully elude the chemical police, my plane is supposed to leave at noon for Shenzhen down on the coast right next to Hong Kong an hour and 15 later.  If… all goes according to plan and schedule.  Then catch a shuttle bus from the airport to the Hong Kong Ferry, which leaves at 2:30–tight connection.  If not, wait around for the next one to leave at 4:30.

As soon as I know which ferry I’m on, I’ll call Mark on my cell phone using my China phone chip and tell him my arrival time in Hong Kong.

He will then leave from somewhere inside China, and drive to Hong Kong with a box of Sky Lanterns for me to see.  As soon as I get off the Ferry, I will quick scramble out and up the street to the cell phone store and hope to God it’s still open Sunday afternoon, and get more minutes put onto my Hong Kong phone chip, because the China phone chip does not work in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong chip is outa minutes, which I cannot just replenish with a simple phone call to an 800 number with a credit card.  Noooo.  Then switch chips on the phone and wait for him to call me.

Then I will scurry further down the street and check into my hotel.

Once Mark arrives, me and him will go out on the parking lot on top of the big cruise ship pier sticking out into the harbor in front of the hotel, with ocean liners on each side, and light one or two of those suckers and send ‘em up into the air over the middle of Hong Kong and find out if you can get put in jail for violating some arcane law against launching UFO’s in the middle of one of the most densely populated cities on the planet called Earth.

Then we will slink back into the hotel and get drunk, laugh at our good fortune, speculate on what laws we may have violated, and do a deal on some Sky Lanterns.

Somewhere in all that, I will need to find Ricky Law, and confirm that I will meet him at the Ferry dock in Zhu Hai tomorrow morning, so he can give me a tour of his mammoth tusk carving factory.

I’ll let you know what percentage of all this stuff actually happens.

UFO Seen Over Hong Kong Harbor!!!!

Everything worked according to plan.  It’s now around 8 PM.  Mark has arrived with the Sky Lanterns.

Now, gaze down from your imaginary hotel room upon the concrete toppa the pier stretching out before you perhaps a football field long.  Many Chinee-Sunday-shopper BMW’s parked thereupon.  Three cruise ships flanking the swanky cars.  Two guys, hunkered over a glowing flame-bag.  Coupla Indonesian women standing by, watching, waiting.

What the hell is that?!  Combo parking lot attendant, uniformed security guy with rank-stripes on his shoulders semi-authoritatively moseys over (this IS Red China, donchu forget) to the flaming bag guys.

"Howda hanga pitty banga row!" assertively wagging one finger first AT the glowing bag, then side by side as if to censure the thing.

"Uh huh, just watch," instructs the Virginian to the Chinaman, bluffing, not knowing at the time if he is dissing a cop or ignoring a parking lot attendant, the Canadian still trying to wrassle the glowing bag in the 10-knot wind, the two Indonesians expertly saying nothing.

The glowing bag sways, starts to lift.  The wind smooshes the hot air out of its soft sides momentarily.  Then the Canadian, adept at bag launchings, feels the sensual swell of the hot air as it fills the paper to bursting, as it nears its climactic rising… rising, ever hotter, swelling, swelling against the strong Chinaman’s censorial finger, the finger wagging, wagging, instructing the keepers of the bag-flame to cease, to somehow stop this thing, right now, for it must be illegal, and then…. and then, right at the edge of all sanity…

Right on the edge of all control, the Canadian yields to the softness of the hot bag, to the throbbing heat on the sides of the softness he gently holds in his hand, and he knows, as only a man can know, that the release is near.  So very near, and he simply takes his hands away.

And she soars; she soars out over the rail of this giant concrete pier, up, up into the night, as only the lightness of a woman can.  But then she drops, as if abandoned at her moment of ecstasy by her lover, she drops.  Getting colder now, she drops over the side, and down toward the cold of winter’s South China Sea.  And all, even the wagging fingered Chinaman, all watch to see her as she is about to drown in the cold of the harbor, and she dips ever lower, grazing just past the incredulous lower deck man and his wondering gaze.

And she goes right for the water, as if to drown her sorrows, her sadness at losing the Canadian’s soft caress… and then… and then… she lifts just an inch or two above the water.  And holds herself there, quivering there, for a moment.

And then, she swells, she swells as a woman’s breast swells at the touch of her lover, and she heaves another precious foot above the grasping wave tops, as all on the pier wait breathlessly.

And she lifts yet another foot or so, swelling even more.  And the wind catches her and starts to move her flaming, glowing swollenness out across the light green of the harbor, and finally… UP!  She lives!  She LIVES!

She was still going up when we lost her among the clouds, out about a mile from the pier, her spirit soaring perhaps two thousand feet above and out and away from all her earthly bonds.

And this night, we were not consigned to the jail of the Red Chinee.  Once again, the pyros triumphed.

Click here to view a video of a Skylantern being lit.

Question for all of you:  What are the best uses for Sky Lanterns?  Do you need to know anything more about them?

Harry Gilliam
Chief of UFO Launch Facility, Hong Kong

An Improbable Travel Schedule is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

My agent over here, Matt Palaszynski, lives in Wisconsin with his wife and kids.  He commutes to Liuyang for weeks at a time, and manages the process well from either place.  His job is to get the fireworks made that companies like Skylighter order, get them packed into containers and shipped to us in the US.  Part of what that entails is testing the fireworks.

And testing fireworks every night.  Basically, you load the car with people and fireworks and drive around ’til you find a place where you want to shoot.  Then, everybody piles out, and we start watching how each firework item performs.  Videos are made of each particular firework fountain, cake, rocket, or whatever.  Notes are taken, critiques given, and instructions for Matt’s people to pass along to the various factories. 

"Change the elapsed time of this cake from 17 seconds to 14.  Make the last shots all green, not red."

"We told them we wanted a silver-tailed star, not the orange one." 

You and I mostly take all this for granted.  But you cannot begin to imagine the number of details that have to be handled.  And if you don’t, you get a mess.  My favorite was the shipping carton whose contents were clearly labeled in big, bold letters:  "20 Inch Sparkler — Needs Better Performance."

Matt patiently goes over it all.  Annie takes notes in Chinese and translates for the guys who have to interface with the factories.  So it goes, every night.  Working in Liuyang is a 14-16 hour day.  Everybody, including yr. hmbl. svt., works 7 days a week like this.  Except I get to go home.

This process goes on for hundreds of 40-foot container-loads of fireworks, each containing about a thousand cases of many different kinds of fireworks.  And for the US consumer fireworks market, most of that fireworks production crammed intensely into the time slot between September and April.  After April, it’s almost too late to get any fireworks made and shipped to the US in time for the Mighty Fourth of July.

The Coming Fireworks Shipping Crisis

This year, the window is even tighter.  This year, there’s a major fireworks shipping problem.  A series of shipboard accidents have resulted in there being fewer ship companies who will carry fireworks any more.  That reduction in carrying capacity is quickly looming ahead of us.

Matt says the real squeeze has started.  Some shipments are being delayed a couple of weeks.  By March, he expects the delay to be perhaps, fatally long.  The Fourth of July fireworks containers are going to be piling up, waiting for a ship, which will take them.

His prediction is that as much as 30% of the product which has been ordered for this year’s July Fourth season may not make it to the US in time.  Supply and demand being what it is, that, of course will mean higher prices at the fireworks stand. 

But the snowballing shipments jammed up at the ports will also create a supply and demand situation for shipping.  The few remaining ocean shippers willing to handle fireworks product will start to charge more.  Much more.

Matt thinks you’re really gonna feel it in your pocketbook this year.  My advice:  Whether you’re a dealer or a fireworks user/addict, if you know what you want, get it as soon as you can from dealers who already have it stock.  If you snooze, you lose.

Last Day in Liuyang:  The Confetti Cannon Factory

I have decided to try selling confetti cannons.  They’ve been around for a few years.  But I have resisted selling them.

I took a bunch of them to my friend, Christopher’s house on New Year’s Eve, and they were the hit of the party.  Bright red, white, and blue Mylar confetti was everywhere within minutes.  And people were REALLY having a ball shooting them.  That’s when I got sold on confetti cannons.  I really had no idea that confetti shooters could be so much fun for people.

I think they are a natural for just about any festivity, and in particular indoor weddings.  We already sell a lotta sparklers to pyrotechnically inclined brides who want to have a sparkling exit from their receptions.  Confetti cannons look to me like a natural complement to wedding sparklers.  Clearly people love ‘em, so you add some fun and excitement during the indoor part of a wedding reception, where the confetti and streamers can easily be vacuumed up.  You can put confetti cannons on all the tables for the guests, and at the appointed time, if the in-laws are all still controllable, everybody blasts them up into the air at the same time.

There’s nothing pyrotechnic or hazardous in them, so they can be shipped anywhere as fast as you need them.  That’s a good thing:  customers are forever calling on Friday to get stuff for a wedding on Saturday.

Matt had a couple of prototype confetti cannons at the office.  I had requested red Mylar hearts and silver streamers.  But, they weren’t quite right.  So, we ask the confetti cannon factory owner if he can do smaller hearts, and thinner, shorter silver streamers.  I can tell he thinks we don’t know what we’re talking about.  Sure enough, through Annie, he says that doing what we ask will make a shorter blasting effect.

I explain that I want these made for indoors, with shorter distances to cover and lower ceilings.

"Ahhhh so," says the owner in Chinese.  I ask for 4-mm wide, silver Mylar streamers; he can do 6 mm.  We agree.  He asks how long.  I guestimate (how the hell do I know?) one meter long streamers.

"Okay, okay, okay.  How many," asks he.  24 in a box.  4 boxes per case.  40 cases.

"Okay, okay, okay.  Which label?"  Too late to get a wedding label designed.  We pick a label he already has, conveniently written in Engrish.  Don’t laugh; the best looking one was in Russian.

"Okay, okay, okay.  When you need?"  January 31st.

"Ohhhhhhh…," he says in Chinese.  His expression goes south.  Only two weeks.  He confers with his wife.  They jibber-jabber some.  We poker-face and wait patiently.  This goes on for a few moments.  The trick, we know, is to get everything completed and shipped to us before the 10-day Chinese New Year starts early in February.  At that point, everything Chinese stops.  Nothing gets made and nothing gets shipped until afterward, as much as two weeks later.  And with fireworks carriers being scarcer and scarcer, we don’t wanna risk that. 

We want our container on the water the first week in February.  He looks up.

"Okay, okay, okay."  And that deal is done.

Pop-quiz question; let’s see who’s really paying attention.  The building behind me in the picture has a slanted, lower wall.  It’s an old warehouse, now recylced by our (new) fiberglass mortar manufacturer and the confetti cannon guy.  But in its former life it was used to store something else, that needed those slanty lower walls.  What?

Harry Gilliam
Chief Cook & Confetti Shooter

Fireworks Testing in Liuyang is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man