Right out in the middle of his backyard.

It was the middle of a nice July afternoon in 1996. And Charlie was in the mood to tell some secrets…

And I was a fireworks newbie itching to find out whatever I could from this old fireworks pro.

“I hate working with chlorate,” he said.

“I know people say it’s impossible to get a good green star without barium chlorate. Been hearin’ it all my life.

“You bleeve ‘em?”

“Of course,” I said, pretend-falling into his trap.

I watched over his shoulder as he lifted up the wooden cover of that big cinderblock chest, and started rustling around in a stack of old Goex boxes, marked with shorthand for different stars… “R/G,” Gr–>Sil,” B/R,” etc.

“That’s it…” he said, as he opened up a box, and reached inside.”

This really isn’t really about Charlie, by the way. Although I think you might wanna know the secrets he gave me that day.

It’s actually about Charlie’s connection to green stars. And what a HUGE problem green star colors have been for Skylighter.

See, we have not been able to ship green color oxidizers during this century!

But last night my ace warehouse detective, Lori, figured out a way to ship ‘em to you again. Hooo-ray!

So, I figgered you might put this green little tidbit I’m passing along to you to some good use.

Charlie held a little black square in his hand, “Now, I know it’s the middle of the afternoon but look at this green even in daylight. I call it the Emerald Green Illuminating Star.”

He lit the star and tossed it into the air by hand.

Damn! Even in daylight it really was the deepest, brightest green I had ever seen! I was impressed.

“Now, you know what, Harry? That’s a barium nitrate green, NOT barium chlorate.”

And the rest is history. Charlie shared his green formula and some others with me that afternoon. I carefully chicken-scrawled his formulas down on this piece of 30# virgin kraft, which I have carefully preserved.

Don’t worry if you can’t make ‘em out. We couldn’t either. But here they are as best we can make ‘em out, 15 years later.

I have only made the green, so beware of the others. In particular, the yellow and blue formulas look funny to me.

I have made the green many, many times and love it. It’s my standard green.

My favorite green star is to roll the Emerald Green on top of 1/8″ “silver spin” cores (but that’s another secret that I can’t let you have yet).

Tell me what you think of the blue and yellow formulas. The blue perchlorate parts may be 50 or 35-it’s not clear. And the yellow Cryolite is either 15 or 1.5-my bet’s 15.

Charlie’s green is so good, that I think, despite these questions, the other colors oughta be given a try, too. (And, oh yeah, ALL of the ingredients are available at the fireworks chemical page at Skylighter.com and can be shipped to you anytime you need ‘em.)

I’m sure they can be cut, rolled, or pumped.

What do you think, star makers? Please give me your comments below.

Harry Gilliam

Charlie’s Secret Green Stars is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

Okay, I ran across this great game in the Washington Post (August 17, 2001). Click the link for a pdf of the article.

Without going into all the rules and gory details, the game is played by tossing a steel slug 60 feet towards a slanted mud bank in order to hit the center ring (the bull’s-eye). One of the ways you make points is by hitting a triangularly-shaped paper packet of so-called “gunpowder.” The packets are called “mechas.” More on those in a minute.

Who’d a thunk it?

It reminds me of horseshoes, kinda sorta. But mo-bettah, because something actually explodes when you hit it. And of course, as you will see in this video, because it is actually encouraged to play this wonderful sport while drinking.

(click the video to play)

Now, of course I will have to add Colombia to my short list of places to escape to once the laws and regulations start to finish their slow strangulation of our once-great country’s economy. Oops, there I go, ranting again. “Stop it, Harry!” Bad dog!

But let’s get right down to the nitty gritty, here.

First, some kindergarten pyro…

The “mechas,” the exploding Tejo targets, are said to contain “gunpowder.”

Now, gunpowder is just another name for our old fireworks friend, black powder. And black powder, my children, I can purty much guarantee you, will not explode when you lay a pack of it on a mud bank and sling a steel slug at it from 60 feet away.

Nosireebob. It will not.

The question, then, is what the hell IS inside a mecha? We all NEED to know that.

And that is what this contest is all about.

Fustest one to accurately determine two things about a mecha gets a free case of Sky Lanterns from Skylighter.

1. Since it ain’t gunpowder, what is the explosive comp? Which chemicals?
2. How are mechas made?

Just do your research, and answer both questions in the comments below.

The first person to answer both questions accurately wins the case of 36 Sky Lanterns.

IMPORTANTE!

You have to PROVE that your answer is correct. You can speculate and guess all you want. But guessing ain’t gonna land 36 Sky Lanterns on your humble doorstep. Nosireebob.

You will have to divulge your source for both the mecha pyro comp, and for the construction method. And show us all those sources.

The earliest comment/post on this blog who proves the answers, wins.

The judge for this contest will be Señor Harry Gilliam. All decisions by the judge are final.

CLUES:

When the mecha is hit, it often explodes and then burns.

It is not gunpowder (black powder). But calling them gunpowder would be a handy way to get around problems in shipping them… or in disguising their true composition.

The mecha’s explosive composition is a secret. That suggests to me that it may be really simple and/or that the mix may be illegal.

Check out other YouTube videos of Tejo and find close-ups of the mechas as they explode and burn. They don’t “act” like firecrackers.

Now, go get ‘em, and check back often to see what’s come up.

The Explosive National Sport of Colombia is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

Bill Withrow was a member of the Pyrotechnics Guild International. When he died, his widow asked one of his pyro pals to come over and go through his effects. This note was among them.

Back in the stone age, when Skylighter had a printed catalog, we printed Bill’s note on the back cover.

I think it speaks eloquently for itself, for me, and many of us.

–Harry Gilliam

Why We Do Fireworks… is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

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This nifty new project shows you two methods for making mines.

To make this project, you need:

• The supplies shown in the project below.
• Black powder, which you can make or buy locally. If you want to make your own, check out the Red Gum Black Powder project.
• Stars. This particular mine is small, and uses 3/8″ stars. The two projects for making Rubber Stars are perfect for these, but any small stars will work.

The mortars you use for your mines need to be securely anchored to the ground in some way. So, you might want to check out these two links on setting up mortars for a consumer fireworks display.

Have fun. This is a fun project to make a spectacular kind of firework that many people in your fireworks display audience have rarely, if ever seen. You’ll be a hero.

–Harry Gilliam

Making 1.75-Inch Bag & Piston Mines

By Ned Gorski

Introduction

In its simplest form, a fireworks mine is a device which shoots a spray of stars skyward from ground level. This dramatic low-level effect, complementing and contrasting with high aerial shells, can lend welcome variety to any fireworks display.

Mines can be used to augment the beats in music. Many mines spaced out across your firing area may be fired simultaneously in what is called a “mine front.” Or they can be fired in rapid sequence down the line from one side of the field to the other in what is called a “mine run.”

These mines are quick, easy and inexpensive to make. So, many of them can be made to provide more devices for a show–and homemade devices at that!

Mine “Front” of Blue Mines with Shells Above

The construction of these mines and the equipment used to fire them can vary considerably, and many different effects can be created. For example:

• Standard length mortar tubes will fire tall, narrow sprays of stars. Short mortars will create short, wide star-sprays.
• Fast burning stars will create vertical rays of light which burn out at the top. Slower burning stars will arc over, creating gracefully drooping spark displays.
• Other inserts besides stars may be used in mines. Small homemade devices or “repurposed” consumer fireworks devices such as hummers, bees, whirlwinds, and reports, as well as flying-fish-fuse, and go-getters may be used, either individually or in combinations with each other.

The mines we are about to work on are impressive fireworks devices, while still being in the “consumer fireworks” size range. So while they present plenty of opportunities for experimentation and creativity, they are also suitable for a basic, backyard fireworks display.

Continue Reading: Making 1.75-Inch Bag & Piston Mines…

Making 1.75-Inch Bag & Piston Mines is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

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Introduction

The “rainbow” of star colors I’ll be discussing here builds on the methods detailed in the How to Make Screen-Sliced Brilliant-Red Rubber Stars project to expand your color palette of star choices.

Note: Be sure you learn and are familiar with that new way of making and priming stars before starting on this project!

The screen-sliced rubber stars production method has significant advantages for the small-scale hobbyist:

• A full range of great colors with a small collection of chemicals
• Simple and fast star-making process
• Fast drying stars, which are great for on-site pyro-device manufacture
• Very specific quantities of stars can be made, minimizing storage of excess stars
• Matching-color rising tails for shells and rockets can be made at the same time as the stars
• Metal particles may be added to the stars to create spark-trails behind the color-star heads

The introductory project focused on one basic star formula for “brilliant red” stars. At some point most fireworkers start to yearn for a wider variety of color stars and effects. They want to fill out the palette of potential star effects they have to choose from when making fireworks devices. Multiple colors and effects used in the same device, as seen in the photo below, can really make for interesting and beautiful fireworks.

A Pair of Amateur-Built “Stained Glass” (or “Kaleidoscope”) Shells
Photo by Tom Handel

So how do you make a rainbow of color stars to go with those charcoal stars and glitter stars, silver-spark tailed stars, or a nice white star? At the same time, can we get around the problems of using chemicals that are hard to obtain or require special drying?

The purpose of this project is to answer these questions with a set of well-balanced color star formulas that use easily available and relatively non-hygroscopic chemicals. These formulas are designed to work well with the screen-slicing method described in How to Make Screen-Sliced Brilliant-Red Rubber Stars.

Now if I were you, I’d be clamoring to get my paws on those formulas and itching to start getting my hands dirty right away. So, I’m going to give you the table of new formulas right up front. Your job for this project is to use these new formulas along with the screen-slicing process you learned in the red rubber stars project to make some of these beautifully colored stars and try them out.

However, when you’ve worn out your hands (or exhausted your pyro budget), come on back in here and read the two sections of this project that come after the star formula table below.

In the first one, “Pyrotechnic Color,” I’ll explain how these (and other) formulas work to create colored flames and how you can mix and modify them to create even more colors for your pyro palette.

Finally, in “Developing a System of Bright Stars using Carbonates,” I will show you how to approach a major pyro research project by explaining how I went about developing this one. In doing so, I’ll include many more useful color star formulas for you to try and experiment with.

Continue Reading: How to Make a Rainbow of Rubber Stars…

How to Make a Rainbow of Rubber Stars is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

Overview

At a certain point, whether for fireworks aerial-shells, mines, roman candles, or rocket headings (or all of these), you’re going to need stars, and lots of them. In addition to spark-producing charcoal and glitter stars, you are going to want to be able to produce brightly colored stars to enhance and add variety to your pyrotechnic palette.

In this article, I’m going to get you started down this path by showing you a simple, easy-to-master technique to make brilliant red stars without any special or expensive equipment. These stars are ready to test in minutes, and dry and ready to use in just a few hours.

This is a breakthrough method of making stars. And I don’t say that lightly.

Why? What makes the screen-slicing method so special?

• Simple equipment: All you need is a screen. Forget about expensive star rolling machines, loaf boxes for making cut stars, and tricky-to-use star pumps, and plates.
• Cheap: A framed screen can be had for $30 or less.
• Fast: You can test your stars as soon as they are made, before they are dry. And star drying time is a couple of hours, max.
• Easy: Absolutely no special skills are needed. If you can play pattycake, you can make these stars. And they are almost impossible to screw up.
• Water Resistant: These stars are water resistant. You can store them longer.

Whether these are the first stars you ever make, or even if you are a seasoned fireworks veteran, screen sliced stars are faster and easier than any other star you can make.

–Harry Gilliam

Introduction

There are an almost infinite number of colored-star formulas out there using a wide array of different, sometimes difficult to find chemicals. In this project though, we’re going to focus on a simple, four-chemical formula which uses commonly available materials. The red formula we’ll start with here, called “brilliant red,” is about as eye-catching a star formula as there is, showing up well even if it is shot during the daylight. When folks call this star “brilliant,” they mean brilliant. I won a best-red-star competition at a large regional fireworks-club event one year with this star.

Among all the different methods that can be used to make fireworks stars-cutting, rolling, pumping, pressing the composition in tubes for box-stars, layering composition between sheets of paper for falling-leaves stars-each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and is appropriate in certain situations. The method I will show you here, screen-slicing, may be the fastest, simplest, and easiest way to produce a finished batch of color stars ever invented.

In this particular project, stars will be sliced through a 3-mesh screen which has three openings per inch (nine openings per square inch). The individual openings in such a screen are about 5/16-inch square. A 3/16-inch thick patty of star composition will be pushed through that screen to cut the patty into cubic stars. Since the composition extrudes through the screen openings as it is forced around the relatively large screen wires, the stars end up being about 5/16-inch thick.

Once these stars are primed using the process described below, they end up being almost spherical and about 3/8-inch in diameter. This size is nice for rocket headings, mines, and aerial shells in the 1.75-inch to 4-inch range.

Using a larger 2-mesh screen (four openings per square inch) and a thicker patty (say 5/16-inch thick), and using more composition per patty (say 24 ounces) will produce finished stars in the 5/8-inch diameter range. These stars would work in 5- to 8-inch shells and devices.

Some advantages of this rubber-bound formula and manufacturing process include:

• Even before drying, these stars can be test-fired out of a star gun immediately after production to check their color. After 2-3 hours of drying in a warm breezy location or in a drying chamber, these stars are ready to be used in devices.
• These stars are relatively water resistant, with no water used in their manufacture. They are rubber-bound, which inhibits water absorption by otherwise hygroscopic chemical ingredients such as strontium nitrate.
• Rising tails for rockets or shells which exactly match the color of these stars can be manufactured at the same time the stars are made.
• Different varieties of colors and effects are possible using this method. More colors and effects will be presented in a follow-on project.
• Particles of metals such as titanium or ferro-titanium may be added to the color composition to create a silver-spark trail behind the burning colored star.
• You can produce just the right quantity and size of these stars for a particular size shell or other device, so you’ll have no leftover stars requiring magazine storage.

All of these attributes make these stars ideal for on-site manufacture at fireworks events where devices are made from scratch in a limited amount of time, and where no excess stars requiring transport and storage are desired.

Acknowledgements: Troy Fish, in Pyrotechnica VII, authored a detailed article on rubber-bound stars, “Green and Other Colored Flame Metal Fuel Compositions Using Parlon.” This article has inspired many explorations into this rubber-star-binding process, and recently Gary Smith has shared his experiences with one variation on this process, the screen-slicing method of cutting these stars. Without these two sources of inspiration, this current project would not have been possible.

Continue Reading: How to Make Screen-Sliced, Brilliant-Red Rubber Stars…

How to Make Screen-Sliced, Brilliant-Red Rubber Stars is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

Click here: TultepecFireworks

A whole buncha my pyro pals from the Florida Club are down there as I write this. And I am NOT.

I HATE when that happens!

Enjoy the video. And tell me what you think of it.

Harry

Insane Fireworks in Tultepec is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

Reducing particle sizes is commonly done with thumb and forefinger, screening, blade milling, ball milling, and more exotic and expensive alternatives. Each has its pros and cons.

A blade mill is a cheap chemical grinding mill, available everywhere, and incredibly efficient and fast. They are not suited for grinding large quantities of stuff, but for a pound or less of a single chemical, they are hard to beat. They mill faster, and are quick and easy to clean up. Bigger, ball mills have a place, too. Eventually, you will want to have both.

A spinning blade-type coffee grinder is what I use. They’re cheap, and available at Walmarts everywhere in several models. My advice is to get three. One for oxidizers, one for everything else, and a backup. Look for simplicity. Higher cost is a waste of money. Cheap and simple is best. Avoid tops that are tricky to get on and off, or having locking mechanisms on them.

How to use a blade mill. Use them this way and they will last and last: Put your chemicals into the mill. Put the top on, and holding the mill in your hands, off the table, turn the mill on and off intermittently for a few seconds at a time while you shake the mill at the same time to really circulate the material around inside.

How to burn out your mill. Turn it on and leave it on for a few minutes. It’s simple and foolproof. You can reliably burn it out every time this way. The most common reason blade mills burn up is the way they are used. I have two (out of 3 purchased originally) that have been used regularly for nearly 15 years. Cost me $12 each at Walmart.

The secret is not to leave them running very long. I run mine for very short periods, 15-30 seconds max, shaking the grinder at the same time it is on. Then I shut it off, and repeat the process *IF I HAVE TO*. Which I almost never do. I don’t get much additional reduction in particle size after 30 seconds of milling.

How to grind a lot of chemicals fast: I can blade mill a pound of potassium nitrate rocks into fine fluffy powder in 5 minutes or less. Just use small batches in your mill. Be sure and shake the mill at the same time you’re milling the powder. It speeds up the process and you can actually hear the coarse particles getting smaller. Don’t try and put too much in at a time. Smaller batches mill up faster. Bigger batches bog the mill down and slow the process.

Cleaning blade mills: Dump and tap as much powder out as you can get out that way. Then use a paintbrush to get down into the mill and the top to remove the rest. Remove everything you can see. The tops can usually be run through a dishwasher, but be sure they’re completely dry before reuse. The base unit with the motor cannot be submerged, but you can certainly use a damp cloth on the inside of them.

Lifetime of a blade mill: Mills used for oxidizers will break sooner. The corrosive action of the oxidizer dust will eventually kill the little mill. Not to worry. You have a spare.

Milling fuels and oxidizers together. You can only do this once. If you survive the first attempt, you will certainly never do it again. Depending on the reactivity of the particular chemicals you’re trying to mill together, your injuries may range from bad burns to death. Never attempt to blade-mill oxidizers and fuels together.

Tell Me What You Think: Was this Article Helpful to You or Not?

Just leave a comment below. Thanks.

- Harry

Fireworks Chemical Milling – Fast is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

Here’s your link for Turbo Pyro:

http://www.turbopyro.com

———————————————————————-
I DON’T KNOW WHETHER YOU HEARD THIS YET
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I’ve added *more* stuff to Turbo Pyro. I want to make sure you have fun with your projects, so I added a bonus Smoke Bomb Kit and project–Making Jumbo Smoke Canisters eBook (including videos).

Be sure and get online fast and place your order. Again, there are only 400 Turbo Pyro Supplies Kits available.

Grab yours here:

http://www.turbopyro.com

P. S. You get instant access to the Turbo Pyro eBook and the Smoke-Making eBook right after you order.

P. P. S. Be sure ahead of time your credit card has enough $$ left on it to make the charge. Otherwise you may miss out. (V, MC, Amex, Disc.)

Harry

Turbo Pyro goes LIVE at 12:00 Noon Eastern time today, June 19th is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man

We’re getting very close to releasing Turbo Pyro this week.

Here’s some info on 2 new bonuses I have added to the Turbo Pyro Supplies Kits, as well as some tips on getting your order to go through on product launch day.

Early Bird Bonus #1-limited number: If you are one of the first 75 people who buy the Turbo Pyro Supplies Kit, you’ll get a free copy of the North American Fireworks Trade Directory, a $44 value.

The Trade Directory lists all of the important fireworks related companies on the continent. This included importers, distributors, wholesale/retail, manufacturers, consumer fireworks, special effects, display fireworks, consultants, companies who offer shooter training, attorneys, display shooters, clubs, shooter training, trade associations, fireworks transportation, fireworks insurance, publishers/booksellers, lab services, customs brokers, and suppliers of everything pyrotechnic you can imagine.

This is a book everyone in fireworks should keep on hand forever. If your order arrives without one of the Trade Directories, it is because we ran out before your order was placed. Sorry, we don’t have but 75 of these.

Bonus #2: Colored Smoke Bomb Kit, a $60 value. You get a complete kit containing smoke mix, potassium chlorate oxidizer, tubes, end caps, fuse, and a new smoke bomb project written by Ned Gorski, never published before. This project and kit give you step-by-step instructions for making up to 20 big, fat smoke canisters.

Great for daytime effects. Definitely a step up from the consumer smokes you’ve probably seen. Very easy and fast to make. The chemicals and supplies for this one will be included in your Turbo Pyro Supplies boxes. The project, “Making Jumbo Smoke Canisters,” will be available to you as a free downloadable .pdf document.

More about the Turbo Pyro Supplies Kits. Once you order your Kit, it will be shipped from Skylighter right away. We want you to have them as soon as possible before the 4th of July. The kits are shipped in two boxes. They have to be shipped that way to keep oxidizers separate from flammable items. Since both boxes contain hazardous items, they have to be shipped by US Mail Parcel Post. Occasionally, the post office will not deliver both boxes on the same day. Please be patient. The second box will arrive.

The Turbo Pyro eBook. Once you order your eBook, you will be given instructions on downloading it. It is a big file, over 10 megabytes. You will want to use the fastest Internet connection you can get. It cannot be emailed to you. The book comes in Adobe .pdf format. Sorry, no other formats, and no printed versions are available. Please read Chapter 1 immediately for more information about using the book, and playing the videos.

How to Order Turbo Pyro. If you are on our mailing list, you will receive a notice telling the exact time the link to the Ordering page will open.

When that time comes, as quickly as you can, go there and place your order. You will not see the familiar Skylighter.com shopping cart. Don’t worry. Just follow the instructions onscreen and place your order as quickly as you can. Please do not start an order and not finish it; you may lose your chance at the book and/or the Kit.

We cannot predict how many people will be trying to get through the same process at the same time. You may experience delays. Just keep trying. Have your credit card ready before you start.

Your credit card will not be charged at the time you place your order. We will charge your card on the day we actually ship, which will most likely be this Friday. You will be emailed a shipping notice and tracking number at that time. So be sure you whitelist any Skylighter.com email, to be sure and receive your shipping info. Your card will be charged the exact amount showing on your receipt. It would be a good idea to print that out and keep it.

That’s about it for now.

Harry Gilliam

2 New Bonuses Added to Turbo Pyro is a post from: Confessions of a Fireworks Man