26 replies to this topic

[Deano 1]

This small display has taken me months to get together, but it was worth every minute. Out of 15 tubes, 11 launched and it was all down to my quickmatch failing. I don't think it was bad for my first attempt.
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=5EqqjviFplM

Be patient, nothing happens until 40 seconds.

Edited by Deano 1, 06 November 2009 - 10:42 PM.

[fruitfulsteve]

If you made that from scratch you done extremely well,but now your gonna have to better it next year.
Well done !!!!!!

[wjames]

wow, my first large firework was a starmine !!!!!


congratulations......care to share the finer details with us ?

[maxman]

Yes indeed, very good. Would you care to share the star comp and other finer details with us?

Maxman

[andyliv78]

That was pretty amazing!

[starseeker]

well done mate.

[Deano 1]

Thanks for all those kind words, the stars used were willow #3 , yankie flashers ( my favourite ), granite and winokur 20. All these star comps can be found in the pyroguide, http://www.pyroguide...title=Main_Page . I made some resin moulds so that I can press my own hemispheres, then just make them to the book. I used 10% lift charge, grade 3FA (ish), tested the hight and made spollettes that burn at 3.7 seconds ( I made them all the same although they had different hights ). My break charge was made from the seed pods of the budleigha ( butterfly tree ) bush, you can fill a carrier bag in minutes and just treat them like rice hulls. Hope this helps. ROCKETS NEXT YEAR.

[Alexander]

Wow, well done Sir. What size stars in what size shells?

[Gary]

You made those yourself? They're quite good! I would expect to see shells of such quality at a professional public display. There's a special satisfaction derived from constructing your own fireworks from scratch; something which far surpasses the enjoyment derived from firing consumer fireworks (and let's face it, a lot of consumer fireworks are quite expensive and their display performance is sometimes of a poor quality). What are 'yankee flasher' stars by the way?

[Deano 1]

You made those yourself? They're quite good! I would expect to see shells of such quality at a professional public display. There's a special satisfaction derived from constructing your own fireworks from scratch; something which far surpasses the enjoyment derived from firing consumer fireworks (and let's face it, a lot of consumer fireworks are quite expensive and their display performance is sometimes of a poor quality). What are 'yankee flasher' stars by the way?

Hi, I think this link will answer your question. I have used this site for all my star comps. The 4 star comps I used are all very easy to make, its same as anything, think about it, plan it, measure twice and get it right first time.
http://www.pyroguide..._Flashing_Stars
I did take pictures of my progress and I'll do my best to show them.

[Deano 1]

Wow, well done Sir. What size stars in what size shells?

Well Alexander, thats the first time I've been quoted a sir, thankyou. To answer your question, all my stars are either pumped from a medicine syringe or cut, and they average out to around 10mm. The shells are pressed from old catalogue pages ( 12 sheets pasted with pva ) in my moulds I made. Without actually braving the cold in my dressing gown and measuring them, I think they are around 3 inch. As I said to Gary, I'll do my best to get some pictures on for you to look at.

[Deano 1]

http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0234.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0235.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0236.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0238.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0242.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0248.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0250.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0239.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0240.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0245.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0248.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...66/DSCF0247.jpg
Have a gander through these, they're not in a very good order because its late, I've had lots of the hard stuff and I'm up at 6am.
I did say I used catalogue, but I tried sugar paper first, thats the coloured paper. Its OK but it costs.

Edited by Deano 1, 10 November 2009 - 11:52 PM.

[a_bab]

This is nice work. Congrats! The yankie flashers are trully impressive indeed. It's like Mr strobe married Ms glitter.

A picture with the molds/some explanations about the technique involved to get the hemis would be very helpfull for many of us here.

[Deano 1]

This is nice work. Congrats! The yankie flashers are trully impressive indeed. It's like Mr strobe married Ms glitter.

A picture with the molds/some explanations about the technique involved to get the hemis would be very helpfull for many of us here.

Watch this space . I need to make some more and photograph them.

[Deano 1]

Here we go, hope this helps.


http://i438.photobuc...mmshells028.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...mmshells048.jpg
These are my moulds I made by shaping a block of plaster of paris, taking a silicon mould and filling it with resin. I made them so that when I have pasted my finished shells they are nice and snug in my heavy duty cardboard tubes.
http://i438.photobuc...mmshells050.jpg
I do the pressing with my pillar drill, not running.

I start with a clean surface, a pile of catalogue pages cut on my bandsaw, brush, moulds, 2 parts pva to 1 part water and some squares of cling film.


http://i438.photobuc...mmshells029.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...mmshells031.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...mmshells033.jpgI paste twelve sheets with the glue, sandwich between cling film and manipulate it into the mould (spacing out the creases). I then press this with my pillar drill, not too hard, just enough to flatten out the creases.
http://i438.photobuc...mmshells034.jpgThen I trim it.
http://i438.photobuc...mmshells035.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...mmshells038.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...mmshells039.jpg
I then remove the inside piece of cling film and let them dry for a day or so.


http://i438.photobuc...mmshells041.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...mmshells042.jpg
They do warp slightly but not enough to cause any problems, they just flex back to shape
http://i438.photobuc...mmshells044.jpg
http://i438.photobuc...mmshells045.jpg