yvanblo Posted June 27, 2017 Posted June 27, 2017 (edited) Ok, I made a firework last year that I don't think anyone has made before. If you've seen one, or made one, let me know. So I gathered up a bunch of maple seeds, you know, the helicopter seeds that are so fun to throw in the air, I cleaned up all the annoying slivers that are attached, and then loaded them into a special shell. When launched, it has a secondary small charge that pushed the helicopters out of the shell, and they all come fluttering down. It's quite cool. Oh, and I used dried cedar foliage coated in BP as the secondary charge. I can launch about a hundred helicopters per shot, and it can be reloaded fairly easily for another shot. How fun is that? Edited June 27, 2017 by yvanblo
lloyd Posted June 27, 2017 Posted June 27, 2017 OoooKay! That's one I've never made before! <grin> Lloyd 1
yvanblo Posted June 27, 2017 Author Posted June 27, 2017 I live in WA state near the Evergreen state college, so there are a lot of what we call 'greeners' around here. Going green has been a trend for a while, and last year I thought I might be able to make some 'green' fireworks. I think I did just that, and invented a new 'firework'. Perhaps it's been done before.
usapyro Posted June 27, 2017 Posted June 27, 2017 Lol, that's a unique one. I use to play with those when I was a kid. I wonder if there is a way to attach them to a very small rocket to make them fly... 1
braddsn Posted June 28, 2017 Posted June 28, 2017 This post reminds me, I need to learn to make the 'falling leaves' effect.
yvanblo Posted June 28, 2017 Author Posted June 28, 2017 Jordanm, when I launched it last year I spaced on the video... no idea how or why, but I'll take a video this year and post it.
Tourbillon Posted June 28, 2017 Posted June 28, 2017 I always thought it would be fun to shoot those plastic LED helicopters (that you usually launch with a rubber band) out of a tube like a parachute. 1
yvanblo Posted July 6, 2017 Author Posted July 6, 2017 (edited) Ok, here it is. Bear in mind, I ran our of time to make it an actual mortar round, and I think that it may be better this way. I still need to tweak my design a bit though, and make my hopper a little bigger. Enjoy:https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4WOTHp81bPJNk0yNm5scUZmUUE Edited July 6, 2017 by yvanblo 1
jordanm Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 Its not loading for me for some reason. Ok, here it is. Bear in mind, I ran our of time to make it an actual mortar round, and I think that it may be better this way. I still need to tweak my design a bit though, and make my hopper a little bigger. Enjoy:https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4WOTHp81bPJNk0yNm5scUZmUUE
yvanblo Posted July 6, 2017 Author Posted July 6, 2017 Jordanm, when I click the link it takes me to what looks like an image. If I click on the image, it plays the video. I've tried it in Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer, and they all load the way I described. Hope that works for you. I'm certainly going to work on this in the future. I think there is some potential here for greatness. More height, not wooden structure to get caught on, and way more helicopters per shot... Hmm, if I were to coat each wing with BP and titanium.....
rogeryermaw Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 the kiddos sure seemed to enjoy it. i may have to give this a try! 1
lloyd Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 That's sort-of in the same 'ken' as my Fairy Fountain. It's simple, it's quiet, it's not 'spectacular' -- but it's pleasing. The ladies just love it, and I think it's a nice break from some of the noise and violence, myself. Those kids' reaction exemplified that. Sometimes, the simplest things will entertain a LOT more than you expect they will! Lloyd 1
OldMarine Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 Finally got the video to play. That looked like one heckuva champagne popper! 1
jordanm Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 It may be because im at work. Ill try it later tonight.
rogeryermaw Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 Sorry if you answered this already, but how do you separate the seeds from the break? To keep them from getting scorched? Those maple seeds are awful fragile... 1
yvanblo Posted July 7, 2017 Author Posted July 7, 2017 Pyrotechnician, they are fragile indeed. I first made a cup and beefed up the bottom. Then I made another beefy cup that fits snugly, open side down, inside the first cup, but it's only about 1/4 height of the first cup. The ejection charge is placed at the bottom of the first cup in the cavity of the second cup. Then the seeds are placed in the empty space of the first cup, then it's covered with tissue paper. I also added a string that ties the 2 cups together so that no one is hit with a beefy cup... safety first. You can literally stand under it when it goes off, and you will be totally safe. It's a firework designed with kids satisfaction and safety in mind. I hope that made sense.
yvanblo Posted July 7, 2017 Author Posted July 7, 2017 (edited) Lloyd, I agree with everything you said. And, yeah, it's a lot like the fairy fountain; quiet, simple, graceful and wonderful. I had several people tell me that my fairy fountains were their favorite this year. I even made a fairy waterfall, which was quite pleasing. Then there was the other fairy fountain thing I made... it was less graceful, and it tipped over... BUT it was mounted to a long arm on a bicycle wheel 12 feet off the ground, and spun by 2 drivers... I'll try to find a video from another angle. But watch this: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4WOTHp81bPJTmh0cjh5SWdOZG8 Edited July 7, 2017 by yvanblo
mikeee Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 Another pyrotechnic device that no one has seen is the Yellow Stone fountain.Has been some increase in activity in that region lately, when it goes off should be a good show.Still trying to decide what a safe distance for viewing would be. :-) 1
OldMarine Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 Another pyrotechnic device that no one has seen is the Yellow Stone fountain.Has been some increase in activity in that region lately, when it goes off should be a good show.Still trying to decide what a safe distance for viewing would be. :-)From what I've read Australia would be a good viewing spot.
MrB Posted July 8, 2017 Posted July 8, 2017 Still trying to decide what a safe distance for viewing would be. :-) Moonbase alpha. From what I've read Australia would be a good viewing spot. Only if you are bored with life.
OldMarine Posted July 8, 2017 Posted July 8, 2017 It'll get pretty exciting when half the North American continent flies past!
jordanm Posted July 10, 2017 Posted July 10, 2017 Another pyrotechnic device that no one has seen is the Yellow Stone fountain.Has been some increase in activity in that region lately, when it goes off should be a good show.Still trying to decide what a safe distance for viewing would be. :-)That's true! I hope Michigan is a safe viewing distance but then again it depends on which way the wind is going.
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