Fireworks

[NaterGator]

Who's doing what this year?

I submitted my paperwork to the ATF and am coordinating my first e-ignition display. Once the paperwork clears for the class 54 license we'll get the shells in. So far it looks like our show will be ~125 class 1.3G shells with plenty of class 1.4G stuff to supplement. We're looking at only 15 6" shells though, and probably 20 5" and 20 4" shells. The rest will be 3" shells.

Anyone else shoot the big ones on the 4th? Or anyone spending the last of their gas money on class 1.4 shells?

[wob]

You're an interesting bird.

[Cuerno Largo]

Not planning on buying much along the lines of fireworks this year. Just the usual firework stand stuff.

However, this thread reminds me of when I lived in Waco. There were some people who lived in a trailer house down the road from me. The damn thing had holes in the floor. They BORROWED a cat to catch the mice that were in the thing.

The first year I lived there, I bought a respectable amount of fireworks.

My puny little 300 dollar purchase did not come close to touching the extavaganza that the people that lived in this trailer house unleashed. They must have spent at least 5000 dollars in fireworks. It was awesome.

The following two years that I lived there, I never bought another firework. I would invite all of my freinds over and we would sit in my backyard and watch the show. They did this both 4th of July and New Years.

I guess they had fun, but they sure did live in a shithole. Landlord sold their property and the new owner sent them on their way , then torched the trailer.

[NaterGator]

LOL. I can only guess that the state regulations in Texas are few and far between compared to here in NC.

Here the local fire marshal has to come out and certify the magazine and the show's setup. Luckily we're not the biggest concern as there is a full fledged quarry across the road with class 1.1 explosives

The price per gm of powder on our 1.3 shells is significantly better from our supplier than consumer grade 1.4 shells. If we spent $10,000 on shells we'd have one hell of a show.

Major city shows use these same shells, but most of their stuff is 6" shells up to 12" (and I believe sometimes larger) which get pricey quick. I also don't have the necessary firing racks to accommodate 12" shells (you need steel pipe and sand filled barrels) nor the distance from the audience. Then again if we fired 12ers from in the valley with people as close to the show as they are, they'd all probably go deaf

This was last year's (edit, from the music it must be two years ago) show for the kids. Only about 2/3rds of our racks came out for it because it was manual reload and lit with road torches. It's safe to say that e-firing is alot less dangerous, so I'll unload all the racks and pack 'em up once. The break you see at about 24s is a 4" shell.
YouTube - fireworks

If you enjoy fireworks and have the space, I highly suggest getting licensed. A) You learn how to do it safely. B) You get access to wholesalers and get huge shells at a better price per gm. C) It's just fawking fun.

[DSRTRDR]

ahem, a member of my homeowners association is a licensed fireworks dude - the HOA even pays him

his show is great and runs non-stop for some 45 minutes, gets announced in the local newspaper, and the fire marshal and police show up because of the crowds the neighborhood draws every year (on top of individuals blasting like no tomorrow for days on end - yeah fireworks are illegal in NE )

I am going to be traveling on business this year

we watched the fireworks on the river in Baton Rouge last year, really liked it except that it was too hot and humid

[NaterGator]

A nonstop show for some-odd 45 mins that would be uber pricey. I have to say I enjoy the sound of the shells in the mountains; a 6" burst sounds like no other in the mountains.


We used to have a kickass show in Tampa. IIRC they spent like $750,000 on shells in one of the shows and had 4 barges loaded to capacity in the bay. It was an insane barrage of salutes/reports and nice bursts. I wish we could pull something a tenth as awesome off, but with just me and one other guy setting it up it'd take days.

[smkymntn]

I saw a show in tampa called Boomsday or something like that- the finale lasted for what seemed like 3-5 minutes of cannon sounding explosions- this was in the early nineties on bayshore blvd.

[Cuerno Largo]

Originally Posted by NaterGator

The break you see at about 24s is a 4" shell.
YouTube - fireworks
.

Yep, that is about like what they did. I'm pretty sure they were not legal.

[NaterGator]

Originally Posted by smkymntn

I saw a show in tampa called Boomsday or something like that- the finale lasted for what seemed like 3-5 minutes of cannon sounding explosions- this was in the early nineties on bayshore blvd.

Yup, for some reason Tampa does good fireworks shows. Sometimes they launch from a park by the bayshore but when they go big they bring barges into the bay. It's pretty awesome from the bayshore when they shut it down, and now of course everything is run via computer and broadcast (with lag compensation) over FM radio.

Haven't been home for a fireworks show for the last few years. It's okay though, because I do them myself now

[NaterGator]

Originally Posted by Cuerno Largo

Yep, that is about like what they did. I'm pretty sure they were not legal.

They may have been. If you get the training and submit the paperwork (and in most areas get inspected) they cannot legally deny you if they can't cite a specific reason from the books why you aren't being permitted to have the license. The fee is a measly $50, it just takes minor effort and a bit of training (to which it helps to pay careful attention) to get qualified. A copy of the orange book (via PDF even) helps too.

[OZCAL]

Nate, aren't you in medical school?

[NaterGator]

Negative. Studying chemical engineering in college; currently in NC working as a 'technology coordinator' (whatever that is) for the summer.

[OZCAL]

Originally Posted by NaterGator

Negative. Studying chemical engineering in college; currently in NC working as a 'technology coordinator' (whatever that is) for the summer.

Well, then, carry on.

[NaterGator]

Come on somebody has to have plans for a big extravagant 4th celebration. This is 'Mud.

[atoyot]

fireworks in Northern California! Well not in my county anyway. To much yellow grass!

[White Shark]

We have brushfires, so we have fireworks all summer long...



..

[OZCAL]

Originally Posted by NaterGator

Come on somebody has to have plans for a big extravagant 4th celebration. This is 'Mud.

Yes, in So Cal, on the beach, loud and huge. But I have no $$ or calibre references (or Mohs scale or periodic chart references for that matter) - sorry.

[PacToy]

Originally Posted by NaterGator

A nonstop show for some-odd 45 mins that would be uber pricey. I have to say I enjoy the sound of the shells in the mountains; a 6" burst sounds like no other in the mountains.

Is the 6" shells the same as 155mm shells air bursting? Those 155s get your attention real quick and they really sound like no other. Wrong air burst subject?

We once had 1,750lbs of C4 do a air burst 50 yards in front of us. That was pretty exciting and interesting. I'm sure nothing else comes close to that.

Nate, don't worry about the cost of the 45 min fireworks show, you have mommy's American Express Platinum to cover it.

For everybody, Nate is like a encyclopedia of shit you never heard before. I read his posts because he is my friend and reading wise a pretty smart short shit.

[NaterGator]

Mmm got our shells today for the 4th. Supplier messed up our order a little though. We only got 9 6" shells, 18 5"s, 30 4"s, and 110 3"s. The good part is it only cost us $500 (an "oops" price)

Here is a 6er and the large-shell magazine.

[OZCAL]

Originally Posted by NaterGator

Mmm got our shells today for the 4th. Supplier messed up our order a little though. We only got 9 6" shells, 18 5"s, 30 4"s, and 110 3"s. The good part is it only cost us $500 (an "oops" price)

Here is a 6er and the large-shell magazine.

Nate, is there something wrong with your eye?

[Spud]

I will be blasting off a 12g.

[TJDIV]

there are typically fireworks in my bedroom. not going to reference the inches or duration, etc, but they are there.


maybe I could go camping, do MY fireworks AND light fireworks.

[Wile E Coyote]

Nate, I don't know how far east this news reaches, but every year in Lake Havasu is a fireworks convention, we get a show 1 or 2 nights a week for like a month each year, not including the 4th. We too use a barg to launch from, and set up mooring lines for the audience to tie their boats up to. A guy could get back to shore just walking along all the moored boats. Later on, boats are still getting pulled out at the launch ramps after midnight.

Edit: My memory is telling me that the pyro convention is at a local park (SARA Park) and the 4th celebration is on the lake.

[cruiser100]

We're going to have some 1.4g fun...



Anyone in ATL is welcome to come see us blow ourselves up...