37 replies to this topic

[RegimentalPyro]

Guys,

I've been given the opprtunity by a chinese importer to come up with a list of innovations/"I'dLikeToSee's"/"NiceToHave's" that the UK market would cherish. Obviously I've got my own ideas of course but I thought I would extend this opportunity for BPS members to brainstorm and actually have a say in what gets sent over from China next year.

Please don't be afraid of posting silly/impractical ideas. It will be someone elses idea to sort the wheat from the chaff and oddly enough the best thoughts can come out of silliness!

Please post your suggestions under this thread. What would YOU like to see happen in commercial fireworks (either from a consumer or from a pyrotechnician point-of-view). Here's a few to get you started.

Caveat! What follows on this thread is a list of *ideas*. They are NOT to be taken as viable projects for the amateur or pro-amateur. Doing so will almost certainly be dangerous to life / property as well as illegal!


1) Fluorescent shells. "Stars" are made of a substance that fluoreceses under UV. A single UV parachute flare is sent up and then the fluorescent shells are burst around it. Stars glow coldly without burning and can thus fall to ground!

2) Rocket plane. A rocket is sent up which at apogee turns into a glider [wings snap out maybe?]. Also at apogee a waterfall gerb is lit. The rocket / plane will circle to ground slowly, trailing waterfall sparks. Gerb is set to end before plane reaches ground. Possibly re-useable?

3) Ematch ignitor points. All pyro has a point [hole? covered by label?] that will accept an ematch ignitor Gets round the problem whereby you have to modify [illegal!] a firework to make it fire electrically.

4) Fire out point on cakes - Lit when cake/candle fires last shot. So daisychaining your show is possible.

Over to you!

[Richard H]

Some interesting ideas there Regi, but some of those would probably fall foul of BS7114 or be poo-pooed by the HSE. I know of a manufacturer who looked into daisy chain connection points on Cat 3 material and it was given a frosty reception. Similarly the igniter points, no matter how discrete could also cause a problem.

The idea of a 'fire-out' point is interesting, and I think it would have to be cleared with the HSE. If I understand you right, you would place your two or more cakes etc in close proximity or tape together to produce the ignition train.

For the firework to comply you simply have to have a delay fuse, and bypassing it, no matter how neatly, would make the item become Cat 4.

Designing such features for Cat 4 would be fine, but as you know there are many cakes that feature daisy chaining or items with quick igniter connectors, particularly Vulcan. I think many of the members here, and yourself, would want to see their collective brainstorming to be available to the British consumer. Perhaps move away from advanced fusing features and look at new effects.

I am yet to see a Cat 3 rainbow fan cake for example.

[karlfoxman]

I have always wanted to see a set of shells that represent all the planets of the solar system, small silver chrysanthemum for Mercury. Raging orange/red/yellow with tourbillions for Venus. Nice blue/green/white for Earth. Deep red for Mars. Huge yellow Saturn shell for......Saturn! Massive peoney in orange with red spot and maybe planets for Jupiter. Pastel blue w/ white parts for Neptune. Uranus a small blue w/ white ring. Pluto a tiny chrysanthemum of blue/silver. What ya think, am i mad?

Oh and yeah Rainbow fan cake mmmmmmm

Edited by karlfoxman, 22 February 2006 - 11:32 AM.

[Andrew]

I have always wanted to see a set of shells that represent all the planets of the solar system,

I'd like to see that too, do you think it could be done with the sun as well, and all to scale!!! That would be expensive! very impressive though.

Nice Ideas.

[JamesH]

How about all in one shell, a solar system shell!? I suppose that would be a fancy sun and planets shell!

On another note, how about a rocket that starts shooting stars outwards in a spiral as it ascends, it could be done using latteral rings of small roman candles etc.

Edited by JamesH, 22 February 2006 - 03:05 PM.

[italteen3]

I believe I created a similar thread for new shell ideas a year or two back. I will dig it up later as I have work soon. I also have a whole idea book of new types of cakes and shells I want to try to create one day and hopefully put into competition at the PGI. Will post up a few ideas later.

[sizzle]

Regimental: Is this importer our local supplier? If so, more barrage selection and SIB's.

I would like to see more large fountain/mine combintations.

Edited by sizzle, 22 February 2006 - 06:38 PM.

[karlfoxman]

Wheres you ultra violet spider bursts with infared brockade?

Edit: You edited your post and added my idea, nice one. I guess we will need special glasses to see the UV and IR spectrums

Edited by karlfoxman, 02 March 2006 - 04:33 PM.

[Steve]

I have an idea, that I've yet to seriously try out, two go getters or modified fast burning lances tied together with a bit of string or whatever. Have them fired out in pairs from roman candles, so you have like binary stars.

[fishy1]

I have an idea, that I've yet to seriously try out, two go getters or modified fast burning lances tied together with a bit of string or whatever. Have them fired out in pairs from roman candles, so you have like binary stars.

wouldn't the string get melted/burn?

[Steve]

No, because it would be attached to the outside of the go-getter, which does not, in itself, get burnt.
During preliminary trials, firing them out of a mortar (in a mine style firework) the lift powder doesn't even char the linin thread i used.

[fishy1]

No, because it would be attached to the outside of the go-getter, which does not, in itself, get burnt.
During preliminary trials, firing them out of a mortar (in a mine style firework) the lift powder doesn't even char the linin thread i used.

sounds like an interesting idea.

[Spyrotechnics]

Ultra violet and infra red in firework colours IS possible and it could certainly be done. Btw you wouldn't need special glasses at all to view

go on then Anthony, your chance to explain how we would see the UltraViolet and Infra red from a firework??