zookeeper

I'm curious to know if an American, with 15+ years of conducting professional displays, could make enough money to pay for the trip over, back, food/lodging, and a few pints at the pub?

...Or should I stay home?

(please be brutally honest.)

I had a display recently and a Lidu Brand triple salute (stacked) shell detonated in the mortar.

Has anyone else had similar problems with this product, or was it just a "fluke"?


...Just asking, to see if these may have a problem.

Some Chinese shell manufacturers have started the option of shipping "pre-ematched" or "pre-squibed" shells. These Chinese igniters are pasted right into the "paper cup" of the lift charge, and nothing is more upsetting, time consuming or unsafe when you have to change a defective ematch.

I also wonder about the safety of shipping shells that are "pre-ematched".

What are your thoughts about this new trend?

Just some thoughts and experiences...

If I have one more spectator come up and ask me, "Do ya' need a light?", I'm going to vomit.

I love when police come into the show site and ask, "can I play with the fireworks?" To which I reply "sure...can I play with your firearm?" (...they usually leave quickly, at that point)

Press persons asking "What's the worst thing that could happen during this display?"

Sunburn...enough said about that

Shooters, who are a little too "INTO" fireworks... if you get my drift.

Realizing, during a setup, that you are going to have to load far more shells than you had wanted to.

Sudden cloudbursts, and you're not quite as ready as you hoped!

Hand firing a display, during a New York winter, falling into a snowbank and extingushing the road flare.

Loading equipment onto a barge, for a water show, and going for surprise swim.

Let's hear some of your thoughts...

How popular are computer controlled pyromusicals in the UK? In the US it is getting to be a necessity for some displays. For example, the company I work for in New York has to use a Fire One system to shoot one show, or else the customer will use a different company, a very expensive venture

What types of electrical firing systems, computer and manual, are used in the UK?

Popular systems in the US:
Fire One
Pyromate
Pyrodigital

I'm interested to know, because I believe that with some personal talent, I think that you can make a manual electrically fired show look just as good as a computer fired show.