285 replies to this topic

[alany]

I just use a mallet for all my BP rockets, stingers included. They work fine.

I don't bother with those plastic end plugs, I use clay and hot-melt for the smaller tubes. Larger tubes get paper wadding or homebrew cardboard plugs glued in. It's rarely a problem for me, I don't make salutes.

[Pepsi]

[ but I have had no luck at all making those plastic plugs stick. I have used all sorts of glues and they just keep blowing the tops off... what is your secret :-)

Secondly, could you have made your stinger without the your 6t press ???

Finally, looking at the background in your video suggests you live in the sticks... I too live in the sticks but my fireworks make to much noise :-) and I have already been warned by neighbours... arrrrrrhhhhh hahahaha. I drove about 2 km away the other night and set one off, thinking it would be out of hearing range. I came home and the wife said... wow, that was huge. I heard it from here DOH !!! Maybe I should down size... NOT!!

Again, good work man.

Oh yeah... feel like making another press :-) I saw a picture of yours and it's TOPS !!! Also, I am interested so post your details of your stinger construction and while your at it add it to www.pyrowiki.com tutorials :-)))))))

Thanks mate

Jamesy
[/quote]

G'day Richard...
Well Thank's, but they are so great.. if you slow the Video up and play it frame by frame you can see the spinning of the rocket as it accellerates, and BOY Does it Accellerate!!! I wish I could measure the speed.

BTW, I cant take any credit as Everything is From DAN WILLIAMS PAGE.. http://www.wecreate4...er/stinger.html ........................"Thank's Dan".

With regards to the plastic "Caplugs" I use them really for cosmetic effect.. on top of the fuel is about 2 grams of presses clay (Kitty Litter) then I PVA glue the red end plug in.
However, next step is to load some headers so it wont matter if the plug blows off.

Don't know about making the Rocket without the press,? At least with the press the Nozzle looks better than a bought one

The tubes are from Pyrotube.com 3.5" X 3/4" I.D.

The Tools used are Rich Wolter's (1lb Stinger)

The Nozzle is Pure Bentonite Clay @(4.5 grams)

Fuel is 24 Grams of 75/15/10 (Willow Coal) Ball Milled Meal powder milled for (5 hrs)
and pressed every 10 Grams.

Clay over fuel and end plug.

I put a drop of Sodium Silicate on the stabilizing Jet outlet, takes about 15-20 mins to dry.

Oh, and I use Black-Match for ignition fitted when loading fuel.

The one in the Video must have got up to around 1500' as you see its almost out of sight.. (BTW I wasnt aiming at the Star in the night Sky Background ) :-)

I live on the outskirts of a small town, what you see is my "Back Yard" :-) My Neighbour's,!? ....I supply ear-Plugs!

Hi Alan, couldn't you sleep last night??

Warm regards Jamsey... & keep it safe & Don't Grow Up!!

Pepsi.

Edited by Pepsi, 13 April 2006 - 10:16 PM.

[littlejohny]

Maximusg, If you haven't already try the yellowpages for nursery supplies. Thats where I found mine

[Pepsi]

Jeez....this is SCAREY STUFF.... http://www.nrm.qld.g..._fireworks.html

[alany]

That's Queensland for you. Ever since that accident they have gone overboard with the rhetoric. However what they say is technically accurate; ever since prohibition the amount of display fireworks on the black market has risen, there is very little consumer stuff coming into Australia any more, as only the NT still allows it, hence the explosion in the trade in display fireworks.

The problem seems to have decreased a lot recently though. Ever since the ACT banned fireworks (and several of the less reputable retailers there were forced to close) the use of fireworks in my area has almost stopped completely. At one point not a weekend went by without seeing several cakes shot off on the beach. Now we are lucky to hear distant fireworks once a month.

Fortunately Australia has almost no bootleg salute makers AFAIK. I guess the lack of easy access to oxidisers and dark Aluminium is largely responsible for this. However I'd expect that if prohibition is introduced in NT as well and a few years go by without any consumer fireworks the black market will step up to making M-80 style devices.

Sometimes I think about taking my site down, lest some idiot take to making MgAl and Chlorate based devices from the information I provide. For the average school kid trying to be a kewl the bar is pretty high, sourcing the materials to make MgAl and a Chlorate cell is hopefully expensive enough to let them grow up a bit first. However bootleggers who are going to sell their devices for a few bucks each have no such limitations, and that scares me a lot. At the very least I think we should be much more careful about discussing Australian suppliers. Bootleggers could ruin the already tenous ability we have to carry out this hobby.

[littlejohny]

Sometimes I think about taking my site down, lest some idiot take to making MgAl and Chlorate based devices from the information I provide. For the average school kid trying to be a kewl the bar is pretty high, sourcing the materials to make MgAl and a Chlorate cell is hopefully expensive enough to let them grow up a bit first. However bootleggers who are going to sell their devices for a few bucks each have no such limitations, and that scares me a lot. At the very least I think we should be much more careful about discussing Australian suppliers. Bootleggers could ruin the already tenous ability we have to carry out this hobby.

Allright I will admit that I am only 15 turning 16 myself, but that doesn't mean that all "young" people are kewl bombers,

This was rather surprising to me when I heard this story,

A good friend of mines brother was working on a construction, site a few people were talking to him at a lunch break, people he didn't really know. They were trying to sell commercial fireworks; well my friend?s brother bought 3 3inch spherical shells on the side of the mortar tubes it was written in yellow letters Queensland pyros all over

[Pepsi]

At the very least I think we should be much more careful about discussing Australian suppliers. Bootleggers could ruin the already tenous ability we have to carry out this hobby.
[/quote]

Point taken Alan...
Regards
Pepsi

[m0sul]

quote from alany:

there is very little consumer stuff coming into Australia any more, as only the NT still allows it, hence the explosion in the trade in display fireworks.

Actually.... I happen to work in one of Tasmania's THREE fireworks shops which are open all year round and have been for close to 2 years. All are owned by a single party and trade under the name "Bright Star Fireworks" We sell nearly everything except "reloadable" items ie aerial shells, mortar tubes. You want crackers, rockets, cakes, mines, fountains, candles, etc etc etc we got the lot. Basically there is one main division and all the goods are divided into two groups. Those you need a govt permit for and those you dont. The permit is available to anyone over 18 with the right land requirements and council approvement. So far people have been sensible and there have been no major accidents so as far as we can tell we will be around for a while.

Welcome to Tassie!

[alany]

Wow, so TAS is still like the NT hey?

That's good to hear, unfortunately its an island, and road transport has always been the backbone of the illegal market here, in particular long-haul truck drivers would pick up pyro in Canberra for a slab of beer + cost and drop it in Sydney.

[m0sul]

Im not sure exactly how things are in NT but things have been working really well here in Tas. Basically we realise there are people who will be sensible and those who aren't, and so the approval process one has to take to get a permit places 99% of the safety and proper use responsibility in the hands of the user. You sign a lot of papers and "shows" are to be conducted at a time and place that police, fire brigade and council are aware of. It really isnt that bad to have to do it, its up to the permit holder whether they use all of thier goods on that night, however if they are caught using them after that date they are liable for prosecution. As far as smuggling goods interstate I know of people who have done it and succeeded and people who have been caught. So long as the screening and safety process keeps the use of fireworks here safe & sane there is no reason we wont be operating for a long time to come. Random shell bursts, whistling rockets and crackers going off at night are beginning to become a commonly heard thing so it seems the public here are stocking up

[alany]

NT is actually completely open AFAIK, with sales direct to the public, no permits, etc.

What you describe is more like what most other Australian states were like until recently, with single-use permits for a display. Things have changed quite a lot here in NSW since Jan 1st, in fact renewing my licence this year is far more expensive and complicated than previous years.

[littlejohny]

Alany, how much does it cost to take the course, renewal, restrictions, etc?

If you know one, can I have a link. thanks

[alany]

I did my course with Acme in Queensland (well the course was held in Lismore).

http://www.acmefirew...au/training.htm

Not sure if they are running a course this year, or even if they have updated it to match all the changes, etc. Not even sure if you can get your licence that way any more, reading the application form for this year the changes are pretty severe. I haven't spoken to Chris for a while. He's a really nice bloke, give him an email/call and discuss with him.

NSW licence is now in two parts, you need the Pyrotechnician's Licence and the Unsupervised Handling Licence which requires a NSW and Commonwelth probity assessment. The PL is $250 per application, the UHL is $150 per application. Display notification is now $50 per display.

The licences are now for 5 years which is good, but the up-front cost and the UHL requirement is a huge price-hike from previous years. Reading the requirements (go to the Work Cover NSW site) it is pretty obvious they just want to kill the industry completely.

[jamesy]

Try and get a permit in Qld, hahaha what a joke. I have started the ball rolling and have organised work as a firework assistant but it will take about 12 months worth of shows before I can be assessed as an operator and even then I can?t buy a firework unless I operate under a contractor. To become a contractor takes at least another 12 months... talk about making it difficult. I have been studying the Qld code of practise for outdoor displays and WOW there are so many rules and regulations it's not funny... At the end of the day it's easier to do it in your back yard then the proper way. I mean who wants to wait 2 years before they can even buy a basic pyrotechnic device... where is the fun in that.




Alan, I have spoken to Chris a number of times and tell you what mate he is fuming... These changes have really hurt his business and he no longer conducts training courses. His response to my question on the phone resulted in him yelling out to his mate... "Hey this bloke on the phone wants to get his pyro licence hahaha, tell him how he can get it. hahaha... (in the background). What a joke ... tell him you can't mate. It's impossible now. " Chris then said, "I am sick of telling this to people, it's bull#%@ mate, ring the department of mines and express your thoughts." etc etc.

He is not happy, and nor are the rest of us. Only answer is... move to the US. At least for a short while you can enjoy freedom of buying what you want online.

[alany]

Yes Queensland regs are beyond a joke, ever since that accident they've gone completely overboard. It only makes people do it illegally. Well the regs in most states do that, and I can't say the $50 per-display fee now added in NSW will make it any better.

Its even $50 for the single-use permit now! Like anyone is going to bother talking to the locals, the police, the fire brigade (both of whom can and probably will veto a "back-yard" display), and then cough up their $50 on top of the pyro. It basically means you can't have pyro for a small event any more, like a 21st or even a small sports club. You need a budget near a kilobuck just to pay a professional to come and shoot a few candles. That strikes me as completely against the purpose of the single-use permit which was to allow skilled amateurs to put on a small display for the business, club or small fete scale.

Even as a newly licenced display operator, I don't know how the hell you are ment to practice your craft? You can only have displays where there is "a good and sufficient reason", and it must be "a public display, or a technical non-display purpose". Apparently the reality is you are ment to illegally buy some product and take it outback somewhere, shoot it all off and learn that way. Are we ment to try new things for the first time live with an audience? - Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

The theory is you will shoot with an established operator for *many* years before you get your wings so to speak. We all know how well that works in practice, especially with many operators guarding their turf jealously. Honestly though, working as a shooter for an established operator is quite good, they do all the paper work, insurance, they own/hire and truck around all the gear, you just supply the labour on the night. I've done that several times and its great. It isn't quite the same as being your own boss, but it lets you smell the smoke now and then and get paid for the privilege.

The real issue is that just enjoying consumer scale fireworks is no longer allowed. There is nothing in the regs for casual firework use, even on the typical festival days, and that really sucks for the enthausist. We aren't even talking about hobby building, just buying and shooting consumer product is so difficult now it just encourages illegal behavour.