37 replies to this topic

[Karl]

Your right about the night part, and with the fact that the company involved had spent all day prepping, staking out, fusing ect the last thing they want to do is go searching for small tubes ect.

The company involved came upto the zoo 30 minutes before the firing and told the ranger staff that they are closing that area soonish because it falls in the fallout area. So they knew that the animals could have been at risk.

Can anyone tell me what is in Pics 6 & 7, and pics 9 & 10 please?

Ill get a couple of more pics once the camera is charged, found some new things today. And what appears to be a slug of Flash. Now is this safe? Even though it's spent 3 days in the heavy rain? Its a small grey slug, what appears to have some sort of metallic element in it. (IE: Why I thought it was flash)

[JamesH]

That small slug of comp you found is probably an unignited star that has been blown blind from a shell etc. A metallic streamer type by the sounds of it.

[ProfHawking]

after a big display at school years and years ago, i found a small tube with a fuse out of the middle, clay at one end, and metallic comp at the other.
I wasnt sure what it was, but it sat in my collection of interesting bits and bobs with the french bangers and bottle rockets for about 2 years.
Finally i decided to see what it was so i attached a bigger fuse, and set it off in the garden.
Kaboom!
looking back, i spose it was lucky i didnt try and saw it up to see what was inside!
It certainly taught me to be wary of unknown fallout.

Is the slug you found cased in anything or is it just pure comp?

[Karl]

Yeah come to think of it, it does look star like, it is sort of cylindrical.


Notice the very fine metalic. Deffinetley a Cat4 star then?

Edited by Karl, 09 November 2005 - 10:25 PM.

[richard2]

Hi

A good few years ago our local firebrigade used to fire a show in our village (pre 97). On one occasion I clearly remember them throwing supposedly spent material onto the bonfire after the majority of spectators had left and ensuing carnage for us few. I also remember salvaging live materiel the next morning (at that time I was in early high school and not to sensible) however there was always an abundance of whistle-flash report inserts left unignited. I don't know why these were the effects that usually failed to ignite but they would certainly be very easy to miss in the cleanup (around 8mm od * 60mm, dark plastic). Those smaller tubes you show in your photos look as though they are spent to me - they have signs of discharge around the nozzles. There will always be some scrap paper left behind after a show and I feel if the only live thing you could find is a portfire then they are doing well.

Rich

[broadsword]

Pics 6+7 look like inserts for roman candles/cakes or shells.

Edited by broadsword, 10 November 2005 - 11:28 PM.

[Karl]

Found another two tubes today that are live. Very thick wall tube, with a nozzle and hotglue endcap. Inside was a slug of BP leading to some sort of flash report or whistle mix. The BP was rammed but the grey comp wasnt.
Pics later.
Karl

[Karl]

Sorry about the daily updates folks. Just that I go back there everyday and it seems to look like theres been a new new display the night before. Found another portfire today, a load of what seems to be unused time fuse and about a quarter of a 3" shell.

[Karl]

The shell


The sholder of one of the halfs


Inside of the shell

[ProfHawking]

thats bigger than a 3" im sure?
Is the timefuse in servicable condition? pics of that plz

thanks for the pics btw, i for one find it interesting, i havent had the chance to get up close to cat4 (yet)

[karlfoxman]

thats bigger than a 3" im sure?
Is the timefuse in servicable condition? pics of that plz

thanks for the pics btw, i for one find it interesting, i havent had the chance to get up close to cat4 (yet)

To me that looks like a spanish type hemi, some of the ones they produce are made of 4 hemis. Looks like there are two skins or plastic hemis glued together (note it is in a clean quarter) . From the scale of your hand it looks like either a 4 or 5 inch. Nice to see spent stuff, i used to go out looking for goodies after a big display in our village. I remember asking the crew if i could have a load of their card mortars and the said yes!! Had 3", 4" and 5" ones, i never though i would be firing stuff of that size myself....mind you it was 7-8 years ago. The time fuse is spent i should think remains of spanish time dalays from timing shells...i could be wrong though

Edited by karlfoxman, 11 November 2005 - 10:57 PM.

[fishy1]

are you going to burn that star?

[karlfoxman]

are you going to burn that star?

Fishy1 : That may look like a star but what if it was not? It could be a crossette, if it is i would not wanna be near it when it goes. Lighting something you find is not a good idea, if it was me i would try to see what its made of in a safe manor wearing ppe P.P.E!

Edited by karlfoxman, 11 November 2005 - 11:08 PM.

[fishy1]

Fishy1 : That may look like a star but what if it was not? It could be a crossette, if it is i would not wanna be near it when it goes. Lighting something you find is not a good idea, if it was me i would try to see what its made of in a safe manor wearing ppe P.P.E!

i mean like light it with a fuse or something and get away before it ignites.

[Mumbles]

That is odd. I have never heard of commercial firework manufacturers using plastic hemis. I suppose it does reduce time, but I would imagine the fallout factor from firing some few hundred shells would be more than enough to make them stick with paper. I suppose most of the commercial balls shells I have seen are chinese. Perhaps the spanish do it differently.