BillyBobBodean Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 This will be my fourth year building shells, and I still consider myself a newbie. Mostly I have built ball shells ( 3" and 4") with parlon "rubber" stars, and charcoal stars (TT, Spider, glitter). I am not comfortable with flash powder yet. My question is; it safe to use regular firecrackers as reports in shells? Is it safe to dissemble a firecracker and use the flash inside to make reports? This forum has taught me so much and I respect the advice and opinions you all give. Thanks!
Shunt Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 I tried it a few times in some 2" can shells I threw together to test my lift powder. I used the good quality ones with green visco fuse instead of the cheap ones with paper fuse, trimmed the visco to different lengths to make a cheap timed report ring break. About 80% took fire and the ones with longer fuses almost reached ground level before they went off. In a 3" or 4" shell that broke at proper height, they would probably be about as loud as a good bunny fart. As far as harvesting flash from 1.4, I personally would not do it. Reason #1: As I understand it, any alteration of 1.4 in the USA at least is illegal, and if the wrong person walks in at the wrong time you could possibly get into serious trouble, not that most beginners have never done such a thing. Reason #2: I have no idea what the specific composition inside is and how it might react to friction, pressure, static, ETC. Reason #3: If I ever did it I would certainly not use scissors or any tool that has metal to metal blades that may generate a spark. Even with a sharp utility knife, the paper may have fine grains of sand, metal, or other things impregnated into the paper or clay plug in the cracker that could cause a spark. Just my thoughts, I will leave it to the more experienced to comment further. I myself am uncomfortable with standard 70/30, and greatly respect what it can do. A person never knows what the actual purity/mesh/water content of the oxidizer on hand is even if ordered from the same supplier. The AL flake is even more of a problem. Some are MUCH more reactive than others as has been discussed on this forum and others. Some vendors like to advertise their offering as the "best", "most reactive for exploding targets" and other things like small micron size. I just cringe, and go back to good ole BP, and sometimes whistle mix, which is another thing that can turn bad in the blink of an eye, but at least I don't have to worry about airfloat flake metal getting in my eyes when I make it. 2
pyrokid Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 It's not worth the trouble to disassemble firecrackers to build larger devices. If you ignore the tedium and sore fingers associated with the process, there is still a good chance that it is more dangerous than mixing your own flash. The Chinese use inferior chemicals in their firecrackers, and they will be quiet up in the air. I think that building small reports for use in shells is a good test of your shell building skills since you have to ensure that the reports survive the break.
Livingston Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 Look by no means am I a pro but I have worked FP on consistent bases for the NYE hoilday. I live flotida so my environment maybe differ. You can mix your perc and Al in a wooden bowl with a wooden spoon or diaper it. You will fest it and fear it and never work with it. So it's ip to you to face it and experiment. The stuff is sensitive but not crazy sensitive. Good luck. I've been there and done that with consumer goods. A WASTE OF TIME WND MONEY!!!!
Floridapyro Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 (edited) I was at a group shoot once and made some mines with crackers in them. Well a bit of lift and then just dumped them in the mortar. It was fun to pass the time. I can't imagine they would be worth putting in a shell for a report though, since they don't have much report to speak of. Edited March 14, 2015 by Floridapyro
BillyBobBodean Posted March 15, 2015 Author Posted March 15, 2015 Thanks for all your replies! After reading through this I think that I'll leave the firecrackers to their own device. I will read up more on flash and try to keep learning through APC forums and videos. Thanks again for your time in responding, although I'm not a very active poster, I am an avid reader.
Peret Posted March 15, 2015 Posted March 15, 2015 If you unravel firecrackers from the brick they work ok in shells, but they're not very loud. You also need to prime the paper fuses or they won't light, and the time delay is a bit hit and miss. Consumer fireworks intended to be used on the ground at a range of a few feet are disappointing in shells. Dragons eggs do work, however, and if you manually press them into charcoal stars when you make the stars they give a satisfying delayed crackle. Another consumer firework that works well in shells is the whistle bottle rocket. Take the sticks and paper off, pull the visco out (it isn't needed) and put half a dozen of the bodies in a shell for a neat serpent effect. You would think they wouldn't light, but they do. To be quite sure, put a piece of blackmatch folded in half in the tubes, which are mostly empty with about 1/4 inch of composition at the end. You can't get a better insert for $4 a gross. 1
oldspark Posted April 14, 2015 Posted April 14, 2015 "they would probably be about as loud as a good bunny fart."Now there is a good name for the new lower powered firecrackers, Bunny Farts. The art work would be good also. 1
mikeee Posted April 15, 2015 Posted April 15, 2015 Easier, Safer and Cheaper to make your own powder and inserts. Read up on the binary mixing method, this is the safest method for mixing powder. You can always start off with black powder inserts which is safer then flash powder. 1
Shunt Posted April 15, 2015 Posted April 15, 2015 "they would probably be about as loud as a good bunny fart."Now there is a good name for the new lower powered firecrackers, Bunny Farts. The art work would be good also. Dang it oldspark, If I ever see bunny farts in my local 1.4 store/tent I intend to sue you to the sky and back for stealing my words. Just kidding, but maybe we could partner-up on the words and artwork for the Chinese and make a fortune. "Chicken blowing bubbles" was on the label for something I bought a while back... They could for sure use some creative marketing help Peret said: "Another consumer firework that works well in shells is the whistle bottle rocket." That is a good idea. I have used cheap "whizzers" and "hummers" also. They can be seen and heard in the sky to produce a good effect as well.
Arthur Posted April 15, 2015 Posted April 15, 2015 I'd advise against harvesting compound from fireworks because you don't actually know what it is. 1
braddsn Posted April 16, 2015 Posted April 16, 2015 I gotta agree with Arthur on this one. Who knows what you are harvesting... lol. Could be about anything! 1
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