32 replies to this topic

[neo]

I?m 14... I started like a few month ago, I have just experimented with smoke powder (kno3 and sugar), but until new year I will have something more interesting to show, at least if every thing goes the way I want.
will order my first batch of kem's soon, when I have convince my parents that if I do it as safe you can then it isn?t so dangerous, then I have you guy?s to ask when I?m going to try other mixes.

neo out

[paul]

17 years old. I do pyro related stuff since I am 12. Over the time my father started to accept my hobby as he saw that I do chemistry related stuff, too. Now he "likes" my hobby.

[Yugen-biki]

I'm very soon 21 so I pushed the 21-25 button :-)

I found an old photo of me and a bunch of used mortars from 1989! I was about 6 year sold on that photo.
I used to collect all my money over a year and buy fireworks for everything. I put up some simpel displays useing "low tech" racks made out off cardboard :-) .

But from about 1995 to 1999 I started to get really intereted in how they were built. I cold not find any books so I dissasembled fireworks .
I made smokeb**bs out of sugar and kno3 from the super market. And my first green powder (a few grams ).

During 2000 I got my first chemicals from the internet. And 2001 or 2002 I bought Lancaster?s book. Now I have a few more and have read a lot of them that is on the market.

here I am 6 years old

Edited by Yugen-biki, 24 August 2004 - 08:58 PM.

[italteen3]

I am 17 right now. Got involved into making fireworks a little over a year ago when I turned 16. Wont mention the place but they got me into flash before anything else. Realised how stupid it was listened to my parents and decided not to stop altogether but go a much better route. I searched for a pyrotechnics forum and found this one. Set me straight purchased around $200 worth of books, videos, subscriptions, etc. on pyrotechnics so far and have much more purchasing and reading to do.

Starting on the construction of my first mill and working out the details on how to build lab on neighboors property.

Just wanted to share my past. I was very and still am ashamed. I do believe I am over my past and will continue on the path I have begun.

Sorry for very long and somewhat offtopic post I had to vent.

[chim-chim]

Now I feel old.
Thanks Stuart.

[bmiller14]

I am 15 and reading this I thought WOW! Many of us are very lucky to have parents that let us do this. All my friends parents shake there heads when I talk about pyro.

[Rip Rap]

When I talk to friends & reminisce about our childhoods, most talk about long, lazy summer holidays or Christmas day & presents etc. My fondest memories are of damp, cold November evenings. The smell of bonfires & burning leaves in the air.
About a week before Nov 5th, my Dad would buy fireworks (usually Standard) take them out of the original box & put them into a large metal buscuit tin. Every night from then until the big night, I would sneek a look into that tin. As soon as I lifted the lid - aahh that unmistakable firework smell. A sort of papery, chemical smell (unsurprisingly!) What a feast for the senses - jumping jacks, helicopters, chasers, hand held torches! All gone now I am afraid. It has been decided for us, that we are too irresponsible to be allowed access to such devices
Still, these sort of wonderful childhood memories are probably a common theme among most UK pyros of my age or older. I am 38 btw.

[blueflame]

When I talk to friends & reminisce about our childhoods, most talk about long, lazy summer holidays or Christmas day & presents etc. My fondest memories are of damp, cold November evenings. The smell of bonfires & burning leaves in the air.
About a week before Nov 5th, my Dad would buy fireworks (usually Standard) take them out of the original box & put them into a large metal buscuit tin. Every night from then until the big night, I would sneek a look into that tin.   As soon as I lifted the lid - aahh that unmistakable firework smell. A sort of papery, chemical smell (unsurprisingly!)  What a feast for the senses - jumping jacks, helicopters, chasers, hand held torches! All gone now I am afraid. It has been decided for us, that we are too irresponsible to be allowed access to such devices
Still, these sort of wonderful childhood memories are probably a common theme among most UK pyros of my age or older. I am 38 btw.

ah yes the good ol days, i have fond memorys of a firework called jack in the box,and colour changing flame matches, i remember being about 7 years old and being told by my brother that he was just about to light a roman candle ! im thinking a roman candle?? is it a candle made in rome or a firework made from candle wax? i remember the 1st time a cracked open a brooks banger with my brother and him saying we gonna make a genie one match later and puff it was gone, the smell you never forget im going back 30 or so years mind. does any one remember about 20 years ago those tiny little red things that made a ear drum busting bang and the suprising thing was they was only about 1 inch long and as thick as a matchstick but twice as loud as a british banger?

[BurlHorse]

Just turned 45 August 29th, And Got into this Whole thing when I was Grabbed to Help Set up a Zambelli Family Professional Display about 25 years ago, was hooked after I learned How to Chain Quickmatch finale shells with penny wrappers for Buckets using clove hitches, Of Course, The Old Anology Still applies, "He who hath smelt the smoke.........."

Regards, Stay Green, Bear

[PyroKid]

Hi all

I am currently 18 years old.

I have had a strong interest in fireworks/pyrotechnics since a small child.

I used to dream of becoming a profesional display operator.

My father always used to buy fireworks for nov 5th.

When we had out grown the rather small items that usually come with selection boxes and after dad had out grown his tolerence of lighting fireworks, we started attending the local display which is held yearly in a local church's field.

I have attended this display for a number of years.

This is where my desire to become a display operator became evident.

I have since then taken the BPA examination, with this year being my first year in professionaly fired displays.

Edited by PyroKid, 20 December 2004 - 05:24 PM.

[ChesterPFX]

I'm really old and should know better. Now, all of you (except Bear), get on with your homework then straight off to bed with you, you young whipper snappers.
'Cor in my day.....blah.....etc......six for a farthing.......zzzzzzzzz

[adamw]

... and I had to eat a handful of hot gravel, work twenty hours a day at the mill for tuppence a month!!

(only 5% of members will get this...)

[Richard H]

Eee by gum, it's grand to be a yorkshire lad

[jellywerker]

I just got into "real" pyrotechnics a few months ago, but have been interested in fire/fireworks/explosives since I was about 5 and was allowed to set off some fireworks at a friends house. Since then, well, things have only gotten bigger

Edit: I am 13, and am kinda like pyromaniaman read all the bad sources, then the good ones...

Edited by jellywerker, 04 January 2005 - 10:28 PM.