Aerial Shells

[Twotails]

 

(Right)salute with Blackpowder rocket with Al

(Left) salute with Red flare

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Left to right)

 

Salute with rocket, ? rocket(unknown header, taped to the small morter so i dont lose it when im taking it to the site) small morter contains Salute with Red flare, Then Metal willow shell(with Metal willow rising tail), and Shell with four salute inserts(with Metal willow rising tail).

 

The order it will be set off in is, salute with Red flare, Salute with rocket, Then ?Rocket, Then the shell with inserts(with rising tail), and to end it the Metal Willow(with rising tail).

 

Hopfuly the rocket flys right, i've had horrable luck with them.

[Xtreme Pyro]

Intresting collection you got goin there Twotails, can't wait to the video

 

Hopfuly the rocket flys right, i've had horrable luck with them.

 

Im sure you'll do fine, remember practice makes perfect.

 

I have a question for you guys are there any advantages/disadvantages to splitting the time fuse for cross-match or punching the cross-match hole? Whenever I split it I seem to be having problems with loosening the powder core in my 3 inch ball shells, and when fired the time fuse lights but it never reaches the inside of the shell, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. Im using an exacto knife to split the time fuse, and tying the end off with dental floss. Any advice? Here's a picture:

[Bonny]

I have a question for you guys are there any advantages/disadvantages to splitting the time fuse for cross-match or punching the cross-match hole? Whenever I split it I seem to be having problems with loosening the powder core in my 3 inch ball shells, and when fired the time fuse lights but it never reaches the inside of the shell, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. Im using an exacto knife to split the time fuse, and tying the end off with dental floss. Any advice? Here's a picture:

 

I always slit the timefuse and have have never had problems. I always get some crumbling of the powder core when slitting. My method is to slit, insert crossmatch, then "glue" the end and the crossmatch in with NC/BP slurry and dip into meal or granular BP. I have also just used NC and then dipped in BP with no problems. Did your fuses get wet when pasting? Maybe you have a bad batch of fuse?

[Xtreme Pyro]

I always slit the timefuse and have have never had problems. I always get some crumbling of the powder core when slitting. My method is to slit, insert crossmatch, then "glue" the end and the crossmatch in with NC/BP slurry and dip into meal or granular BP. I have also just used NC and then dipped in BP with no problems. Did your fuses get wet when pasting? Maybe you have a bad batch of fuse?

 

Thanks for the prompt reply Bonny,

 

I cover my fuse with masking tape before I paste my shells, so I don't think it got wet. Ive ground tested the fuse and it burned just fine. It was weird because when I launched the shell I could see the fuse burning it almost acted as a comet when it was burning, but the shell never went off, it just came back down . A couple days later when I unwrapped the shell to inspect it (yes i realize it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do) there was absolutely no powder left in the fuse, and when I split the fuse in half it had only burned half way up the fuse. So I think the loose powder from the top of the fuse just trickled down into the bottom part.

Edited January 18, 2010 by Xtreme Pyro

[50AE]

Here's a compilation of some of my fireworks I made for the 2009 year.

The shells are after 2:12 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kMvlSUyvs0

[Twotails]

is it possable the fuse got crushed or folded?

[Xtreme Pyro]

is it possable the fuse got crushed or folded?

 

Im not sure, maybe. I think I just need to find a way to support the time fuse while cross matching so it wont "bend" at the middle while im splitting it.

[Mumbles]

I split all of my fuse, and have never had a problem. I use a straight razor blade like for scrapers or utility knives. I do only split the fuse on the take fire side. I cut it on an angle on the giving fire side if that makes any difference. I haven't had a problem with my fuse core crumbling though. You may want to try a fresh blade and see if it makes a difference.

[Bonny]

Im not sure, maybe. I think I just need to find a way to support the time fuse while cross matching so it wont "bend" at the middle while im splitting it.

 

How long of a pc are you using and what are you slitting it with? I've never had it bend.As Mumbles suggested a SHARP razor blade is ideal. I use a utility knife/boxcutter. Do you crossmatch before putting the fuse in the shell? I do it after pasting, last step before lifting and leadering. I also cut the fuse on an angle on the giving fire side.

[Xtreme Pyro]

I split all of my fuse, and have never had a problem. I use a straight razor blade like for scrapers or utility knives. I do only split the fuse on the take fire side. I cut it on an angle on the giving fire side if that makes any difference. I haven't had a problem with my fuse core crumbling though. You may want to try a fresh blade and see if it makes a difference.

 

Thanks mumbles, ill try using a fresh blade to see if that helps. I don't cross-match the receiving end of the fuse either. I just put a powder bag over the end of the fuse to pass fire inside the shell.

 

How long of a pc are you using and what are you slitting it with? I've never had it bend.As Mumbles suggested a SHARP razor blade is ideal. I use a utility knife/boxcutter. Do you crossmatch before putting the fuse in the shell? I do it after pasting, last step before lifting and leadering. I also cut the fuse on an angle on the giving fire side.

 

I am using a 1 1/2" piece of fuse, and splitting the fuse a 1/2" down. I was slitting it with an exacto knife, but I am going to try a fresh blade on a utility knife as yourself, and mumbles suggested. I crossmatch my fuse after I paste my shell aswell.

 

Im going to make another shell, crossmatching with a utility knife instead. Ill let you guys know how it all turns out.

Edited January 18, 2010 by Xtreme Pyro

[Bonny]

Thanks mumbles, ill try using a fresh blade to see if that helps. I don't cross-match the receiving end of the fuse either. I just put a powder bag over the end of the fuse to pass fire inside the shell.

 

 

 

I am using a 1 1/2" piece of fuse, and splitting the fuse a 1/2" down. I was slitting it with an exacto knife, but I am going to try a fresh blade on a utility knife as yourself, and mumbles suggested. I crossmatch my fuse after I paste my shell aswell.

 

Im going to make another shell, crossmatching with a utility knife instead. Ill let you guys know how it all turns out.

 

The way I slit the fuse is by putting the blade (centred of course) on top, and then "rocking the blade back and forth with gentle downward pressure. Hope that helps.

[Ventsi]

I crossmatch my time fuse by placing it lengthwise and cutting it with a pair of Anvil Cutters, just one snip and there is a clean cut down the middle of the fuse. Then I put 1 or 2 piece of 3/4" long black match in the cut , push them all the way down and tie a hitch clove knot right above the black match.

 

On another note, I normally use 70/30 with Bright aluminum as my booster, I see a lot of folks using KNO3 flash instead, are there any advantages other than its less brisant?

[dagabu]

I have split and tied TF till I had blood running down my hand, phoey!!

 

I made a block and a punch, now I punch all my time fuse and will never cut and tie again. Going on 100 3" shells without one not passing fire. 1.5" punched at 1/4" from the ends, pinched with needle nose pliers, a drop of NCL on each side and sprinkled with mil spec 7 (7FA), 3 seconds till break.

[Bonny]

I have split and tied TF till I had blood running down my hand, phoey!!

 

That's when you should know it's time to take a break

[swervedriver]

So dagabu, is your fuse timed to 1" actual for 3 seconds? One inch between punches? I ask because my chinese fuse burns at 2.6 seconds per inch, so with a small crossmatch to core transfer delay, that sounds about like 3 seconds.

[Twotails]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjnvZSV-2PY

 

I had my timings Way off. but they were still fun.

[swervedriver]

Hey guys, I made a can shell following Fulcanelli's papers and was surprised the thing actually worked. haha, w00t! Anyhow, can someone who knows how these cannister shells should break look at my video and tell me what I can do to make it rounder? (or is the "circular" break an inherent feature of this type of shell?) I really enjoy the grassroots making of these from scratch, more of a challenge than cementing plastic hemis and more rewarding. Later

 

[Xtreme Pyro]

Hey guys, I made a can shell following Fulcanelli's papers and was surprised the thing actually worked. haha, w00t! Anyhow, can someone who knows how these cannister shells should break look at my video and tell me what I can do to make it rounder? (or is the "circular" break an inherent feature of this type of shell?) I really enjoy the grassroots making of these from scratch, more of a challenge than cementing plastic hemis and more rewarding. Later

 

 

Very well done on your can shell swervdriver. Ive never had any luck getting round breaks on my can shells either. You might talk to Pretty Green Flame as ive seen a few of his can shells break nice and round.

 

Im also pretty happy because I no longer have problems with my time fuse (thanks to you guys here for helping me fix that problem.) Before I was having to use a somewhat sawing motion to get the blade to split the fuse, which is more than likley the reason the powder was leeching out of the core of the fuse, it was being bent back and forth from the cutting. Now I use a sharp utility knife and haven't had that problem since, I was able to split the fuse pressing straight down which eliminates my problems. Now I can offically switch to time fuse for my larger shells .

[Twotails]

Its good to hear. By the way, What Time fuse are you using? just curious, Im thinking of ordering some, but for now am useing Visco wrapped in masking tape.(havent had time or the erge to make spottletts, tried them once, liked them, but I think i'll try time fuse before the spottletts.)

 

I'll have to make another Lancaster gold can shell again, the stars are realy cool(Although they do contain 49% lampblack, and can be horrable, the stuff gets everywhere) The high % of lampblack leaves a nice tail, I'll have to post the video of my failed lancaster shell(flower potted, but looked cool any way)

[Xtreme Pyro]

Its good to hear. By the way, What Time fuse are you using? just curious, Im thinking of ordering some, but for now am useing Visco wrapped in masking tape.(havent had time or the erge to make spottletts, tried them once, liked them, but I think i'll try time fuse before the spottletts.)

 

I'll have to make another Lancaster gold can shell again, the stars are realy cool(Although they do contain 49% lampblack, and can be horrable, the stuff gets everywhere) The high % of lampblack leaves a nice tail, I'll have to post the video of my failed lancaster shell(flower potted, but looked cool any way)

 

Thanks Twotails, im using 1/4" Chinese Time Fuse that I bought from pyrogear. It seems to be pretty good, reliable stuff (when you use a sharp blade to split it with that is , haha). Ive never tried spolletes actually, I don't think they are worth the effort because if you think about it time fuse is basically the same thing. Spolletes do have a good side though, like if you want to add a tail or make a whistling spollete (sounds neat). I would have to agree with you on the lancaster gold it makes a really nice streamer star. Is this the video your referring to?

Edited January 28, 2010 by Xtreme Pyro

[Twotails]

Yup thats the one, I modified lancaster's original formula, for i only had NC to bind with.

[Mumbles]

That shell looked pretty good swervedriver. It's a little hard to tell as it seems to be more or less over you as the shell broke. The trick to getting them to break round is to have one of the ends facing you when it breaks. It isn't actually any rounder, but it looks like it. These shells will pretty much always break into a disk type of thing. If you start using flash bags, you can get it to break more like a ball shell.

 

To keep it symmetric it is important to keep the burst centered, and have evenly spaced spiking. I don't know what you used to spike it, but I really like hemp twine. My shells started breaking a little better when I switched over.

[Pretty green flame]

Swewerdriver, for a more round-ish break you may want to try filling the stars also onto the ends of the shell, not only around the wall.

 

Take a look here for an example.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J0WQxrCI6k

When I made this one, I also put a layer of stars on top of the break before closing with a cardboard disc. As you can see, the top end broke fairly round.

[qwezxc12]

Swewerdriver, for a more round-ish break you may want to try filling the stars also onto the ends of the shell, not only around the wall.

 

Take a look here for an example.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J0WQxrCI6k

When I made this one, I also put a layer of stars on top of the break before closing with a cardboard disc. As you can see, the top end broke fairly round.

 

Hmmm... a layer of stars on the end caps of an Italian style canister? Admittedly, I do not belong to a club or attend the larger amateur events here in the states, but I've never once seen that concept in a tutorial or discussion.

 

Sometimes the simplest ideas are brilliant. Kudos!

[swervedriver]

Hey thanks guys for the help. I thought it might make sense to put a layer of stars on the top and bottom since they blow directly away from the burst. I did spike with pasted hemp twine, two wraps of it. Do you guys do the tightly spaced double or triple wrap of horizontal spiking immediately next to the end disks before going into completing the evenly spaced horizontal squares? I'm thinking this could confine the ends of the can with more strength during initial burst so it balloons at the middle of the can to a rounder shape just before breaking.