110 replies to this topic

[portfire]

Thanks for the comments guys They really are a labour of love, I enjoy every second of build time,,,,and firing, of course.

Digger, you mentioned you used fast visco for fusing the shot tubes, but was wondering the way in which you did. Do you use 1 length for each row, or smaller pieces linking the tubes? Any build pics?

[pyrotrev]

Excellent guide Portfire! ever considered a career in technical publishing?

[portfire]

Excellent guide Portfire! ever considered a career in technical publishing?

Thanks pyrotrev but, I'm slightly confused, do you think It's worthy enough to be a technical publication? Personally I think my english is crap.

[Bonny]

Awesome cakes Portfire and the tutorial looks great. The only thing that I don't like with cakes is that after all the work it's done in a flash and cannot be easily reloaded, or did I miss something?
I have built a 30 shot reloadable fan cake a-la-passfire and am happy with the ease of reloading. Could the brass tubes to transfer fire possibly be applied here?

[portfire]

Bonny- I know what you mean, It's alot of work for 20 seconds, but if you roll your tubes thick enough you should get 5-7 reloads out of them. The Z rows can be taken apart, cleaned and ready for reloading in 10-20 mins...This is on a 120 shot cake mind you. (expect a 600 shot non reloadable this year)

The 'fire all' rows have to be taken completely apart and re-fused. though I cant see why the brass tubing method won't work, although you would have to bend the tubing if you were making a Z cake.

Dean

[Bonny]

My goodness, a 600 shot will be pretty crazy! Can't wait to see that one. That's good that it can be reloaded 5-7 times. You might want to consider coating the inside of the tubes with a good layer of sodium silicate to further extend the life of em.
I think bending the brass tubing would be a real bitch, but maybe doable. I think for now I'll stick with my fan cakes.

[portfire]

My goodness, a 600 shot will be pretty crazy! Can't wait to see that one.

Only idea stage at the mo.....Although I start rolling the tubes pretty soon (i'll take pics of my fingers lol) I'll probibly reload the 120 shot and make a rainbow cake ......Karl

[digger]

Thanks for the comments guys They really are a labour of love, I enjoy every second of build time,,,,and firing, of course.

Digger, you mentioned you used fast visco for fusing the shot tubes, but was wondering the way in which you did. Do you use 1 length for each row, or smaller pieces linking the tubes? Any build pics?

I use lots of individual pieces to ensure if there is a misfire the sequence will stop. I will post some build pictures of the next one that I do so you can see the fusing technique.

mmm a 600 shot cake, that will be one very long cake, I know I was starting to get concerned when I got to the 20th row on mine. How many tubes per row will you be using and what will the bore be?. I have to know what the competition will be for the next show.

I will have to pull a few ideas out of the bag to make my next one a little bit innovative to stay in the running.

D

Edited by digger, 18 June 2008 - 08:05 PM.

[portfire]

mmm a 600 shot cake, that will be one very long cake, I know I was starting to get concerned when I got to the 20th row on mine. How many tubes per row will you be using and what will the bore be?. I have to know what the competition will be for the next show.

I will have to pull a few ideas out of the bag to make my next one a little bit innovative to stay in the running.

D

Yeah, It may have to be taken down in 2, 3 pieces lol. It's only at idea stage at the mo, but thinking 25 tubes per row with a 12mm bore. I may make it a to stage cake and move the bore to 15mm half way, but rolling 300 15mm tubes is goinig to be a nightmare lol.

I'm not sure wether I'll have this one done for the next meet, but will have for the November meet ( or is that the next one?)

[portfire]

Here's another video of Digger's cake..NOT mine, they seemed to be some confusion over the two. His is the better one, but I don't cheat and use Visco (well ony for timing between rows)

http://www.pyrobin.c...shot cake_1.mpg

[digger]

Here's another video of Digger's cake..NOT mine, they seemed to be some confusion over the two. His is the better one, but I don't cheat and use Visco (well ony for timing between rows)

http://www.pyrobin.c...shot cake_1.mpg

Thanks for that, a little close though to see the full effect

mmm cheating , timing is always good though when using the fast visco. It should be even better on the next one once a have made up a few new tools for the fusing method.

How is the tube rolling coming on for the monster then?

[portfire]

mmm cheating , timing is always good though when using the fast visco. It should be even better on the next one once a have made up a few new tools for the fusing method.

How is the tube rolling coming on for the monster then?

I'm only messing pal, I may even use it in the "monster", but have doubts using it. I DON'T want a hang-fire on a 600 shot cake. The BM I make for my cakes is 100% reliable, and can take some real "hammer" and still have a consistent burnrate.

How did you prepare the Visco, 45 degree cut, BP prime ?

[digger]

I'm only messing pal, I may even use it in the "monster", but have doubts using it. I DON'T want a hang-fire on a 600 shot cake. The BM I make for my cakes is 100% reliable, and can take some real "hammer" and still have a consistent burnrate.

How did you prepare the Visco, 45 degree cut, BP prime ?

Aha there in lies the key. There is virtually no chance of a hang fire with the way I fuse the cakes.

Rather than having an in and an out hole for the fuses I simply use an elongated hole into which both fuses are pushed, then a blob of hot glue is put over the pair (not necessary if you are concerned about what happens if a cake fails). Therefore there is no need for end priming etc as the next fuse is lit from the side fire of the first.

I will post some pics at some point in the future when I build another.

Edited by digger, 31 July 2008 - 05:14 PM.

[pyrotrev]

Aha there in lies the key. There is virtually no chance of a hang fire with the way I fuse the cakes.

Rather than having an in and an out hole for the fuses I simply use an elongated hole into which both fuses are pushed, then a blob of hot glue is put over the pair (not necessary if you are concerned about what happens if a cake fails). Therefore there is no need for end priming etc as the next fuse is lit from the side fire of the first.

I'll vouch for the efficacy of this method - I use it for making "micro-cakes" for sections of pyromusicals out of single shot candles.

[Pretty green flames]

Fantastic cake, really. Only shame that we couldn't see the whole spread in the sky.