How Fireworks Work
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- Опубликовано: 20 июл 2024
- Join pyrotechnics expert Mike Tockstein as he takes you through the inner workings of a fireworks display shell. How fireworks work, how fireworks get their colors, and myths about fireworks. Have questions? Leave them in the comments below!
Our "How Fireworks Work" series:
► • How Crackling Firework...
► • How Fireworks Shapes a...
► • How to Tell the Differ...
► • How Hot Are Fireworks?
► • How High Do Fireworks Go?
► • High Explosives Vs. Lo...
► • How Do Whistling Firew...
► • Fireworks In A Hot Car...
► • How Fireworks Work
► • Can Fireworks Be Shot ...
► • Consumer Fireworks Vs ...
► • Would Fireworks Work o...
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00:00 Introduction
00:12 Dispelling a Myth
00:53 How a Firework Shell Works
01:26 Quickmatch Fuse
01:55 Lift Charge
02:23 Time Fuse
02:51 Burst Charge
03:37 Cross Matching
04:14 Stars
05:14 Pattern Shells
06:16 Shell Casing / Construction
06:48 Outro 
Развлечения
Thank you, there is so much crap on RUclips, but this is the kind of stuff that keeps me going. A great video with industry information presented in an understandable manner by a guy that is obviously at the top of his profession. And let's not forget, no annoying music, thank you for that as well.
@Steb Stebanesier, thanks for the kind words, much appreciated.
Right. I hate annoying music
Spot on with this comment. Couldn’t agree more
I couldn't have said this better. Completely agree
For the shells that have designs like the happy face, is there a way to know which way everything will fly out once it explodes, that way it wouldn't be sideways from the crowds perspective?
Only for one of two dimensions. You could theoretically configure it as a "rocket" by lowering the center of pressure down below the shell (think a stick like a sky rocket), but that would only control one dimension. It would still be able to rotate around its center axis. So long story short, no, which is why when ever we do a happy face or other pattern shell look, we send multiple shells up so that statistically one or more will likely break with the proper orientation to the audience. Great question!
I've seen pattern shells blow every possible angle it just depends which way it tumbles before reaching apogee and the Burst charge ignites
You can build shells Like parosol shells, that is in the right direction
The shell spins in the air so no not really
For the most part no and for this reason I've always looked at this effect as kind of gimmicky. At the end of the day though if people enjoy the effect theres no harm in it.
This is such a great educational video - so clear, nothing overdramatised and simply explained. Thank you for teaching me something I had assumed completely incorrectly all these years!
@TheEnglishRedneck45 Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed it!
I don’t have any questions, but I do want to thank you, as one individual among many, who have positively impacted my life: mine, my wife, our families, friends and loved ones over the year. Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words!
I was a nuclear weapons specialist in the Air Force. Thank you for the video. Always wondered how the little guys worked.
Thanks for your service!
Great video! Much better than many other explanations of fireworks online. I really like that you don’t over simply and get into the details. Making fireworks is very impressive especially at the scale your doing it. Thanks for sharing!
We appreciate the kind words!
Worked as a tech for over 40 years and this is the best explanation i've ever seen, short of watching a shell being built.
Appreciate the kind words! Always good to hear from a fellow pyro.
This is one of the very best explanations of how a shell is constructed. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Jackson, glad you enjoyed it, appreciate the kind words.
Brilliant! I'll have to show my son this video tomorrow after he asked me how fireworks work at tonight's public display. Now I know how they work too! Thank you
Thanks for the kind words. We hope your son enjoys it too!
One of the best YT videos I’ve seen in a while. Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words Kevin, glad you enjoyed it!
Great display! Thanks for the info. Loved understanding how that works.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the kind words!
I miss the years doing shows with Bartolotta Fireworks.
Back then ... late 70 - mid 80's shot our shows by hand .. electrical systems hadn't been perfected yet.
Farthest I travelled was N. Tonawanda maybe S Tonawanda NY. I was past 16 because I could drive. I remember digging in the mortars, back then they were still steel, and man what a bitch we shot from an old landfill. I swear they only had put like 6" of topsoil ...
I remember being behind the Summerfest Mainstage and George Thorogood was the headlining act. He was supposed to do a couple encore's and then the Stars Spangled Banner for his final song. The fireworks were just a succession of salutes that were to be played in time with the music. I remember watching them feverishly loading salute after salute after salute and trying to keep time with the music using a flare ...
While I left for the military at 18. I was given the honor to shoot one show for my dad, RIP pop, I tell ya the fun of pulling the cap off the match touching the end .... and watching it burn slowly and then when it hit the paper the whump of it going up. Or .... someone yells ... pick up the pace and ya touched it at the paper .... and the shell was gone before you could actually look down.
Ahh the fun. I remember Bartolotta's early years in trailers behind the back barns at the chicken farm. Out of the family I really only remember Tuffie and Jeanie. Couple of years ago saw Jeanie and pretty sure it was mom bartolotta out in Palmyra at a stand there.
Oh by the way .... where did all those ground set pieces go. Seems like the last time I saw show that had ground pieces was at the shows in Genesee Depot's park.
Ah the memories.
I have a question.
Thanks for the great explanation but there are some affects at the very end of the explosion which cause tge stars to travel or move if you get what i mean.
How is this done?
Levi, what you are describing could either be an insert or flying fish fuse. An insert is exactly that, a small stand alone device that is inserted into the shell. Think of a small cardboard tube with composition in it, which ignites after the shell breaks. The insert could be a whistle, tourbillion, or a number of other effects. Flying fish fuse is a special type of fuse that gives a self propelling spreading in random directions spark effect. So for fish fuse, imagine a bunch of tiny pieces of fuse inside the shell that are designed to produce that effect. Thanks for the comments and question!
Here's some more info/visuals on what Mike is describing: www.skylighter.com/blogs/how-to-make-fireworks/stars-shell-inserts
Thank you something I wish there was more of these days on RUclips and that's videos that are informative, not dumbed down, nor highbrow either that are presented by someone who knows what they are talking about!
And not only that but then someone that is willing to take the time to share some of what he knows without music that makes you want to dig your ears out lol
So thank you on many fronts!
I have always thought that I would love to do what you'll do for living and after hearing all that you just explained I think I wood be quite capable of and enjoy doing so..... now if only I'd been born into one of the families in my part of the world that seem to control the larger end of the market.... Ohh well I can dream 👍
Keep up the amazing work! Cheers
Thanks for all the kind words! Glad you enjoyed the video!
I think this was a great and informative video! I enjoy learning about how things work and have been watching Workers assembling shells. Their work is so intricate!
Thanks for the kind words John!
Thankyou for defining internal structure of it. I was wondering since childhood about effects of it.
Great! Glad we were able to provide some insight. Thanks for your comment!
Mp
Loved the video, recently started working at a fireworks store that also does display and have gotten very interested in becoming a pyrotechnician.
Well, you have come to the right place. Make sure you check out our other videos, including our training video section.
This makes me really appreciate the work that Disney puts into their firework shows even more
@Kiwi Kiwi, you might appreciate this video then: ruclips.net/video/chWpijWjQCo/видео.html
@kiwi kiwi, our pleasure.
@@PyroInnovations He definitely changed how the public sees pyro displays forever!
You talk about the safety aspect of the mortar shells and it reminds me of the fireworks show put on next to the Trinity River near downtown Dallas in the 1980's. We were all scattered out in the grass and the wind was blowing from the same predictable southern direction in the summer. Then halfway through the show the wind changed and started coming from the north. Shell fragments were falling into the crowd and hurting people. We got up and ran for our cars parked a short distance away because they never stopped the show. Fragments were even falling in the parking area hitting cars. Either the people putting on the show just ignored the wind change and the crowd or they just didn't care. Either way that was the last time I ever watched a fireworks show up close.
This was so fun to watch! Thanks so much for sharing.
Our pleasure, glad you enjoyed it!
Great to hear about all this. I was really amazed by the fact that pro fireworks are actually mortar shells instead of rockets.
Thanks for your comments, glad we could help!
Theyre safer because there isnt a big rocket hauling at anyone sideways if things go wrong. Mortars throw everything up and there is no big stick to drop from the sky afterwards either :)
It's good to see a professional video on how fireworks work, by someone who is in the industry.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video. So much work goes into making a professional show. I do a yearly personal show from cakes I buy locally or online, but have always wanted to do large professional shows.
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed it!
Im 14 years old and i always wanted to become a pyrotechnic. Thank you for this informational video!!!
You’re very welcome! Once you turn 18 and if you reside on the west coast of the USA, you can apply to join our team here: www.pyroinnovations.com/becomecrew2.html
So friggin kewl. I should have chosen that as a career path.
Not too tough to do on the side actually. In normal times, when there are more shows and the aerial display companies need more assistance, keep an eye out for trainings. This is NOT the same as getting your pyro license. I attended a one day training advertised on Facebook run by one of the large companies. It was half a day of classroom training (mostly safety related) and a half day of hands-on setting up different types of shells out in the desert and firing them. Since then, I’ve probably done a dozen or so shows in 2 years fit 3 different companies. The time commitment fit a show is fairly low, usually 1 or 2 days. It’s tough work out in the elements and the pay is usually pretty low, but it’s a lot of fun. There is a federal background check done, so keep that in mind as well. Also your wife will be pissed that you never see 4th of July or NYE fireworks with her. 🙃
Please make some videos on making small shells like these and instruments and ingredients used in a shell.
And i really liked your videos
Thanks for sharing such beautiful information ❤👍
This was very interesting. Great explanation. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it, you're very welcome!
Was wondering what's the effects of the shell you were holding when it was lit up
It spells out "INERT" when it explodes. That is why you see that word all over the device.
that was so worth the view
Thank's man voor the clear explenation. What is de ration between de size of the shell and the blackpowder undernead the shell?
Awesome explanation. 👍🏻👍🏻 how does one go about purchasing 8” mortar shells and do you have to carry a lic to use them? Thanks for any info. I’m in Texas.
You have to get what's known as a Type 54 License. There's a Background check, fees and you have to demonstrate to an ATF agent during an in-person interview where you will store all of your "Display" fireworks. There are specific requirements for storage in what is commonly known as a "Magazine". Each magazine can only have a certain quantity of explosive material and every time you are going to bring it to or from a show or a distributor, it has to be logged in and out. The ATF traditionally only cares (from what I understand) of its status - still in one piece or exploded. BUT your state and local city and towns have other rules - and they traditionally require permits, fees and inspection by the Fire Marshall as well as having fire dept on site as well as insurance. I believe these vary from place to place but I've heard some friends throw around the numbers $8,000 - $10,000 before a single thing is fired. @PyroInnovations - feel free to add anything else I missed since I don't have my Type 54.
Best thing to do is look up your local pyrotechnics clubs - they can teach you how to build some of these items and allow you to shoot off the product you made under the supervision of a licensed pyrotechnician. I joined Florida Pyrotechnics Art Guild earlier this year but have yet to get to a build event.
@@BoomInTheSky great reply to that question, thx!
Thanks for sharing, explained very clearly and simply.
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent video. Great explanation. I learned something.
Thanks! Glad we could be of service!
No wonder fireworks are so expensive, all that handmade work that goes into making them. Amazing video 👍
You are in deed correct! Thanks for the kind words!
That was a really good educational video. I learned alot.
Glad it was helpful!
Great explanation, we enjoyed your video. Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words!
My favorite shells are the ones that burst, and after the main effect dies out, there are one or more salute chages that go off. I know it's flash powder but how big are those salutes in comparison to say, the old M-80's? Some seem alot louder. Oh, and thanks for the great video.
Just based on the physical size differences, an M-80 would have nowhere near the amount of flash powder that a professional salute shell would.
@@PyroInnovations Thanks
Very well done. I've always wondered how these things worked.
About how high does that 8" shell go before exploding?
How much does a single 8" shell cost (on average, I realize they can vary)?
How much debris falls back to the ground? The shell casing looks very thick.
Thanks for the kind words! Standard rule of thumb for height is 100’ per inch of shell diameter, so for an 8” shell it would be roughly 800 feet. Check out this video, it covers some of that sort of info in more detail: ruclips.net/video/C7lCoRVoxLM/видео.html.
Cost can vary dramatically, best to look up price lists online, there are a number of vendors who publish them on the web.
Yes, everything that goes up, comes back down. The entity of the cardboard shell casing is the bulk of what comes down, it can come down in small fragments to entire hemispheres depending on how it broke. This is why we have a “fallout zone” or exclusion zone when it comes to professional fireworks displays, where only the well protected crew is allowed. Thanks for the comments, great questions!
@Pyro Innovations
Have you ever worked with pyro spectacular industries? Setup and worked a few shows with them a few years ago. Loved it. Wished I had more time to do displays with them.
@Tony O'Donnell, yes we have! As a matter of fact, we are officially partnered with them and shoot exclusively with them. Hope to see you out on a show one day!
Watching this as the 4th of July firework show across the street keeps me awake! “What’s going on out there?” 😂🎉
Glad we could both entertain and inform! Happy 4th!
How do you test new designs? Basically build one and light it at night and see what happens, or is there a way to model a new design without setting it off? Thanks for the great video!
Yes, that is exactly how they are tested. All devices used in displays are tested (by firing a number of them) for safety, consistency, and performance. Experienced manufacturers will have a good idea how a new design will perform, but ultimately they all get tested, which allows for slight modifications, rebuild, retest, to achieve the desired look.
Just wondering what your thoughts are on ground shells, ive seen them done in japan i think they say those are huge like something about 48 inch shells or something like that.
Ground shells can come in many different sizes, and for the most part are literally just an aerial shell on the ground. They only need to be filled with stars on one hemisphere, the other hemisphere might have a weight of some sort to keep it oriented properly, similar to a water shell. The Japanese do make some amazing ones, they have some of the best shell builders in the world. Great question!
Amazing explanation, just what I was wondering to know. But until now I still am intrigued on how do they made a cubic form on Disney Fireworks some times, that must be a little more tricky to do because of the circular explosion... 🤔 Or is it simple to do?!
Ps. Once i saw this open model you used to show in the video, I imagined how cool it would be if someone film the open model exploding on a SuperSlow camera. It would be amazing. 🙂
Luigi, thanks for your kind words and comment. A cube can be made in the exact same way as the other pattern shells, maybe a bit more tricky in arranging them and keeping them in place, but ultimately the same physical principles apply. Don't think of it as a "circular" explosion, think of it as a "symmetrical" or "uniform" explosion due to Pascal's law which describes how pressure is equal in all directions within the confined space.
Someone actually did that exact experiment a couple years back, can't remember where we saw it, but they basically glued a half built shell to a piece of ploycarbonate, and watched it burn and explode from the time it was ignited. Although very cool and able to provide a little insight, there were some flaws in their setup that would prevent a very accurate representation, especially since the glue would not hold with the same strength that a fully built shell would, causing leakage, lower pressures, and premature failure. Thanks again for your comment!
@@PyroInnovations thank you very much for the reply and the explanation. I think I got it. 🙂 I wish you health and sucess. Thanks
@Luigi, no problem, same to you!
This is Awesome
Thank you. 🎈
Great video! I had a bit of the casing from a ball shell that landed near me at the1975 (too bad it was not the Bicentennial!) 4th of July display in Pittsburgh, PA. Pretty cool souvenir for a kid back then! It also led me to look into how fireworks, well. worked. I had before also assumed they were rockets. (Rockets ARE cool, but I can understand the danger of a rocket with a pro level payload!).
We make sure we are far enough from the crowd so that doesn’t happen now-a-days, but… as a kid, I remember going to a firing site of a professional display the day after a show looking for a souvenir (i.e. shell fragments!), but since the crew cleaned up well, I didn’t find any. 😩 Thanks for the comment, it brought back some memories!
@@PyroInnovations To be fair even though this was almost 50 years ago 😳and I'm sure safety has been long improved, the fragment wasn't burning (or even hot at all) just a partial cardboard sphere that gently landed about 15 feet away from me at Point State Park (the park AND the now famous fountain were NEW then.) It's still the go-to place to see the annual Pittsburgh 4 of July fireworks. (Along with the West End Overlook). Today I live on the North Side close to "Heinz Field" (Right across from Downtown) so, from my street I see the display from BEHIND, But CLOSER! (They are shot from barges in the river...) I get the smell of burnt powder in my apartment if my windows are open. It's awesome!
So cool! Very informative and plenty of detail. I have a question: how are the crackling/whistling effects and the glittery pizzazz effect made?
Beckett, that is a great question! There is a lot of detail in explaining those effects, we have it on our list to dedicate a future video to them to do them justice. Thanks for your input!
Wow what an interesting video (and channel). Ok for my question, does the lift charge have to be greater than the time the black powder filled straw takes to burn so the shell detonates at the correct time. In other words, do you want the shell to detonate at the epogy, or when the shell is still climbing. I gather you don;t wat the shell to detonate when it's comming down, or worse at ground level.
Great question, and the answer is yes, you want the shell to explode at apogee. This yields the desired look, height, and doesn’t lead to stars hitting the ground, which would be a fire hazard. Professionally made shells rarely have any issues with burst height, unless they were not loaded all the way down in the mortar like they were supposed to be.
Fascinating! Thanks.
Our pleasure!
I always do fireworks on the 4th. Every year I keep upgrading what I do to increase safety. I use consumer grade, class c. I always angle my 60 gram mortars away from the shore of the lake, but they still seem to not really travel the angle of the tube. Any tricks to this? And i got some tubes that seem to be bigger than normal. Should I remove them? It's not a huge difference, but they are bigger
Hi Joe, you have to keep in mind that mortar shells are not rifled bullets. You could fire 100 shells one at a time out of the same mortar and they will all skew differently. Many things can influence which way they skew, too many to list here, so unless you are using professional high precision proximity product, the result you described is pretty typical. Testing a handful out of a single mortar could give you a statistical idea of where they might end up. As far as the size of the mortar, there is typically space around the shell in the mortar, and it can vary. Both the tube inner diameter and the outer diameter of the shell could vary slightly based on the manufacturer. Hope that helps!
Aim for the tUrTLeS.
Great job on this video.
Thanks!
Very informative thanks!
You’re very welcome, glad you enjoyed it!
The video i didn't know i needed
No waste of time. Just good info. Thanks.
Thanks for the kind words!
This was so informative. Thanks for posting
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video and insight
Glad you enjoyed it!
in another video you said the height of detonation is 100 ft per 1 inch firework thickness so in this firework does the timefuse need to be 8 inch long to achieve the 800 ft detonation? or are there different timefuse burns?? thank you for all the information you provide..
Great question! Short answer is no, the 8” shell used in the example would not have an 8” time fuse. The time fuse shown in the example is exaggerated and would not be that long in a real shell of that size. The time fuse would actually be much shorter, and terminate in a passfire tube that would have something like black match in it, which would flash very fast (like quick match) to the end of the passfire tube in the center of the shell. Great question!
I noticed that in this video the launch charge was very loud but at a professional fireworks show it sounds very subdued. Sometimes you can hardly hear it and I've always wondered how they are launched into the air and why it sounded that way. It sounds like a big puff of air and my guess is it's not very loud because it's down in a tube.
It sounds subdued at a professional display (if you can hear it at all) because the audience is a good distance away from where the shells are being fired, a safety requirement outlined by federal and local laws. The mortars are very loud, it is literally like a cannon firing a cannon ball. The pyro crew is much closer, which is where the footage you are referencing was shot from. The larger the shell caliber, the louder the mortar is. Some of the ones you see in this video are 8" shells, so those are pretty incredible when they fire. That is one neat thing about being a pyrotechnician, we get two "bangs" for every one bang the audience gets, one when the mortar fires, and another when the shell explodes. Thanks for the comment!
@@PyroInnovations Very interesting, thanks for replying 👍
I absolutely love (dark salutes) or dark flash. It's so cool to get the boom with out the flash of light could you elaborate on them and give me your opinion about them
Nice commentary...thanks
Our pleasure!
Several fireworks displays made an impact on me during my 55 years in America. The first was going out to an amusement park on the 4th of July and having the winds carrying the firework shrapnel straight back down onto the crowd watching the show. Not good.
The second was at a friend of a friend who was doing his LAST personal firework show as he was in the final stages of cancer and wanted one last great show. It lasted almost an hour and blew away literally *EVERY* fireworks display I have ever seen before or since. Even national 4th of July displays pale in comparison.
Rip Jonas, your show was literally the best I will ever see.
This was so good, I would watch this fellow teach us about anything at all. Peanut butter? Snakes? World War 1? I'm in.
Peanut butter it is. 😜
A VERY interesting video, and very informative as well sir. I really enjoyed it.👍😁✌️
Awesome, thank you!
That was very educational 👍
Very interesting, thankyou
Glad you enjoyed it!
Where can I buy those?
How are the two halves brought together without the contents spilling out?
Great Question! The answer is, very carefully. :) Different shell builders have different techniques, especially when it comes to larger shells, and when you get to a certain size, say above 24" diameter, they are no longer two halves that are put together, it is a different construction process all together.
As Pyro Innovations says, 'very carefully' but it often involves a layer of fine tissue paper on each half, to hold things in place for just long enough to close the shell. The contents of each half are usually pretty firmly packed anyway and the tissue is not substantial enough to affect the ignition or function of the burst charge or stars/effects.
what color do you use for smoke? Trims
Very interesting, thanks!
Our pleasure!
Thank you! This was delightfully informative, and reminded me of the old episodes of Modern Marvels.
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed it!
Im impressed that the shell casing is strong enough to withstand all the g- forces at launch, but then "weak" enough to allow for a uniform explosion.
You are correct in that the shell strength plays into surviving the lift, but a uniform break is more dependent on shell strength consistency (no weak spots) and a rapidly burning burst charge that produces a lot of hot gas in a very short period of time.
Is the height of the explosion entirely determined by the size of the shell (and thus not changeable) or can a professional company adjust this? I noticed the lift cup seems permanently attached and probably manufactured that way. Sometimes my local fireworks show seems too low and just wondering if that can be adjusted.
Great question. Shells are almost always pre "lifted" (burst charge already attached) from the manufacturer. In most cases you have no reason to adjust this. If you needed the shell to go higher, more lift could be added, but an alternative is to just make the mortar longer that you are shooting it out of. Just like a pistol vs. a rifle, if you shoot the same caliber bullet out of each, the rifle round will come out faster and go further since the forces created by the gunpowder combustion have longer to accelerate the bullet before it leaves the gun barrel.
Cool👍
How much time does it take to put one firework together?
What are the easiest and what are the most difficult?
When you get to the event area where the fireworks are going to be shown, how much time do they take to setup?
Great questions! Let’s take them one at a time:
1) This can depend on the size of the shell and what sort of effects are being built into it. So if we take a standard star shell, you have to fabricate the stars (and burst and time fuse, etc), allow time for them to dry completely, assemble the shell, paste it, and then again allow it to dry completely. This is a multi day process.
2) Standard star shells are fairly straightforward since they are the bulk of what is made. If you start making shells with special inserts, say, a “shell of shells,” which is a shell with a bunch of smaller shells inside, you essentially have to go through the shell making process with all of the small insert shells, making each of those the same way you would make the larger main shell, let them fully dry, then make the main shell will all the small shells inside of it. This compounds the time it takes to make a “single” shell.
3) This depends on the show size and complexity. A typical (emphasis on typical) 4th of July display will take a 6-10 person crew 1-2 days to setup, whereas a small high school homecoming show might only take a few people a couple hours to set up.
Thanks for your questions!
@@PyroInnovations
Thank you. 🙂
Our pleasure!
Waited years for a video like this - thank you. Is black powder simply a very refined version of gunpowder? Sulphur, charcoal, potassium nitrate, but calibrated perfectly?
Glad you enjoyed the video. Gunpowder is really just a generic term. When guns were first invented, gunpowder and black powder were one in the same. Today however, nitrocellulose based "smokeless" powder is what is used in modern guns, so in that context gunpowder means something entirely different and is unrelated to black powder. Thanks for your question and comment!
@@PyroInnovations: Thank you! Have just seen a fireworks presentation video and learned about nitrocellulose and its accidental discovery. 🙂 Have learned lots today. Thanks again. 👍
1 How do you get the biggest bang from the shell, with big burst high in the sky; what makes it louder than other fireworks?
2 how do you make the firework go higher in the sky?
3 how do you make low to ground ones?
4 do you light the fuse first then put it in the cannon? Or once fired the cannon lights the fuse?
5 I seen displayed that the explosion lights up the stars longer how do stars stat lit longer as they fall down
1. The answer to this is complicated. Everything from the compositions used, if any burst charge boost was added, how rigid the shell casing is and if it was spiked or not, and if it is a color shell or a salute. Salutes are the loudest, as they have no color effects and are just flash powder.
2. The altitude a firework achieves is based on the weight of the shell, the amount of lift charge used, and the length of the mortar it is fired out of. Just like a pistol vs. a rifle, if you shoot the same caliber bullet out of each, the rifle round will come out faster and go further since the forces created by the gunpowder combustion have longer to accelerate the bullet before it leaves the gun barrel.
3. Same answer to number 2, if I understood your question correctly.
4. Check out our free online professional fireworks training website, it contains all the ins and outs of how we set up the different types of fireworks: pyroinnovations.com/fireworkstraining.html
5. The stars are larger and/or the composition that they are made from burns slower. The larger the shell, the larger the stars you can put in it.
@@PyroInnovations also one last one, what gives fireworks it's whistle noise being shot before it ignites? And thank you for your help, I love learning safely about pyrotechnics. 🙂
@@PyroInnovations this was from Google but I don't understand what it's saying, can you simplify it?
"The mixture is commonly referred to in the pyrotechnics industry as 'dragon's eggs'. ... This creates a standing wave in the tube, and as the distance between the end of the tube and the burning mixture increases, so does the wavelength, producing the characteristic descending whistle sound"
@@RUclipsExplore777 The Google information is incorrect. Dragon's Eggs are a crackle-like effect and have nothing to do with whistle effects. The description above is correct for the whistle effect. This is a complicated phenomenon and difficult to explain in a few sentences, so we have added it to our list of video explanations to create! Thanks for your question!
I like those super loud BOOM ones, you know the one that kinda echos, shakes the ground a little bit sounds kinda like a thud. Usually not much of a display except for a little bit of orange. It's usually one of the first fireworks to be shot off, I guess to get people's attention. What are those called ? Thanks.
It almost sounds like when the shuttle breaks the sound barrier.
I don't know if this helps but in another comment he said salute shells were the loudest.
@Eddini76, those are known as Salutes. A salute isn't much different than a regular star burst shell, except it is filled entirely with flash powder instead of stars and burst charge, everything else being the same. Salutes break too hard to have stars, but sometimes titanium flakes are added, which give the ball of white sparks when a salute explodes. Flash powder burns much more rapidly than standard burst, which gives the loud "report" that you hear.
@@PyroInnovations I live in N.H. sadly they are illegal here. They must be bigger though to be so loud. I also like the ones where the sparks break off into mini firework sparks.
Thanks! I don't like fireworks at all, but it's very interesting to understand their mechanics.
You are very welcome!
You don't like fireworks at all!? OMG! You're the first person in my whole entire life that I've ever heard of that did not like fireworks! Unbelievable!
What happens to the outer shell casing? Does it burn up?
The bursting of the shell causes the paper casing to shred into small pieces, it does not burn up.
Not always. Sometimes you get big chunks coming back down. That's why we need a fallout zone
Do you have to clean your mortars after each display to reduce black powder fowling? Do you ever use smokeless powder or pyrodex as a propellent?
Great questions. We only need to clean debris out of the mortars which would prevent a subsequent shell from sitting all the way on the bottom. Black powder fouling is a non-issue. Smokeless powders don’t burn fast enough out in the open to produce sufficient pressure behind the shell. Smokeless powders perform well in confinement which produce a higher pressure environment such as a firearm cartridge.
I've allways wondered...thanks
You're very welcome!
Made my first 3 and 4 inch shells last year. Some fails and some were good
what a cool video!
Thanks for the kind words!
Good day! can i know why lift charge is confined in plastic?
Is this for additional protection to prevent the Lift charge from spilling when the lift cup is torn? Thank you very much
Great video.
Thanks!
How does the burst charge not damage the load/shell on the way out of the tube? The explosion of the charge always sounds pretty violent.
Hi David, I think you are referring to the lift charge, not the burst charge, let me know if I misunderstood your question. The lift charge firing the shell out of the mortar is fairly violent; however, the hardened paper casing is more than enough to take the hit upon launch. The more common failure mechanism is not from the casing itself, but instead from a poorly sealed time fuse (time fuse is sealed to the shell casing). Any leak point can cause fire to leak into the shell during lift and cause a "flower pot" malfunction. Having said all that, it gets very complicated as you get above 12" shells, additional considerations like stand off distances and shell casing thicknesses become highly relevant in successfully getting the shell out of the mortar.
@@PyroInnovations Thanks! yes I meant lift charge.
Thanks
Give me a good deal of information to my desire of know how it works.
Glad we could help!
Can you show us how a salute firework is made, those are my favorite because of the boom!
A salute isn't much different, it is filled with flash powder instead of stars and burst charge, everything else being the same. Salutes break too hard to have stars, but sometimes titanium flakes are added, which give the ball of white sparks you see when a salute explodes.
Hi sir,
Please share a video on star roller, how to make a star roller, and what type of motor should i use for it???
At first I thought he was holding a huge onion.
Anything can be done, anything can be anything if you believe it hard enough
It is an onion.... Of explosives.
You think that’s something, you should see the hamburger it goes on! 😯
😂😂😂
I thought the same thing 😂😂😂
Is the casing completely destroyed when the shell explodes, or is there a cardboard fallout (of sorts) under the display?
I tangentially knew a CM at WDW who worked with the pyro there. Got some info from her, but never got to see any of the mortars on the castle or backstage. 😥 I did get to see the Illuminations barges, though...
The cardboard shell casing certainly comes back down after the shell explodes. Pieces can range from tiny shreds of cardboard to entire hemispheres. This is one of the main reasons we have what is know as a “fallout zone” or “exclusion zone” at professional display, where only the well protected crew is allowed to be during the show.
@@PyroInnovations Ah, makes sense. I always thought of the exclusion zone as a precaution in case a lifting charge failed, or unburnt pyro came down.
Makes sense it would be for the casings as well.
Anyway, you got me. I subscribed. There's nothing like painting the nighttime sky with light...
@@Backroad_Junkie Yes, you are correct about the other reasons for the exclusion zone, there are a number of them considering we are dealing with explosions. We couldn't agree more with your comment about painting the sky! Thanks for the sub!
Does the shell split down the center where the two halves are fastened together if not what stops this being a weak point
Great question! If not pasted properly or burst charge is not fast enough, yes, but if pasted properly and the correct amount of burst it will be unnoticeable. Some shells also have a boost within the burst consisting of a small amount of flash powder or whistle mix (which burns very fast). Thanks for the comment!
great video! wondering how environmentally friendly fireworks are in general. I don't think much effort is made to clean up the debris after a show, right?
Thanks Fernando! Actually, there is a substantial clean up effort after a show. The pyro crew always cleans the area immediately surrounding the firing site, trying to get most of the debris generated during the show. This is almost always followed by a team from the client that clean a broader area. We would venture to say that very little debris would be left behind after the scope of a typical clean up effort at a professional fireworks display. Great question!
Yes. I was wondering if the cardboard & paper mache casing was vaporized, consumed, finely shredded or falls to earth somewhere.
The shell casing certainly comes back down after the shell explodes. Pieces can range from tiny shreds of cardboard to entire hemispheres. This is one of the main reasons we have what is know as a “fallout zone” or “exclusion zone” at professional display, where only the well protected crew is allowed to be during the show.
Underrated video
Thanks for the kind words!
I wanto see a shell which burststars out buthen they fire inwards toward the center. Can you do it?
Thank you so much for this explanation!! I'm from Germany and saw a few fireworks that contained hearts, absolutely loved them but kept wondering how that would be made! Interesting!! I had just assumed they would be rockets but i see why mortars are better for professional shows :o
Today I saw a show where they constricted cats and that looked so damn cool in the sky so i had to find out how that works and I'm glad i came across this explanation with examples!
what happens to the mortar shells? do they burn up? do they explode into small enough pieces?
i read through the comments and found that it is possible to find shell fragments sometimes! they come down in a zone where none of the viewers are allowed to be, only the protected crew.
do they have to be round? (to have a precise angle and speed etc probably yes, right?)
for example what would a mortar look like that shows up as a star shape in the sky? the outer shell a circle and in the front and back half more filling material and then around the midsection of the ball a star shape arranged with only the tips of the star close to the edge of the shell?
and how would one make a mortar that shows up as a round circle that changes colour twice (so three colours in one explosion)?
what makes the shrill whistling sound sometimes used?
"Great question. The whistling effects are generated by Potassium Benzoate packed into a resonator tube." thanks 👍
Thanks for the kind words! Great questions, let's answer one at a time. What goes up, must come down. The cardboard shell casings just fall down to the ground after the shell explodes, the pieces varying in size. This is one reason we have a "fallout" zone where no one other than the crew is allowed during a show.
No, they do not need to be round. Traditional Japanese style shells are round and a majority of what we typically use, but there are also Italian style shells that are cylindrical and can contain a variety of different effects and are a great compliment to round aerial shells during a show.
Pattern shells are made by simply laying the stars out in the shell, exactly how you want them to appear in the sky. Burst charge would fill the remaining portion of the shell. A number of different laws of physics contribute to this capability, but the law of conservation of momentum is the main driving force behind the ability to make a simple pattern shell.
Color changing stars are made by layering different compositions in appropriate thicknesses as you build the layering of a rolled star. The large shells, which can accommodate larger stars, can have a number of different color changing layers.
Thanks for the questions and comments!
Great explanation! How do you get into this industry and what type of job opportunities are available?
Thanks! How easy it is to get in the industry will depend on where you live. If you are on the west coast, you can apply with us here: pyroinnovations.com/becomecrew2.html If you aren't, then your best bet is to reach out to the local fire marshals office and see what companies do business in your area. Job opportunities can vary, but most are very seasonal, especially if you are just looking to become a pyrotechnic operator. The only full time positions are typically in roles such as sales rep, show producer, and other administrative positions, but those are fewer and farther in between.
Hey.. I have a question. Where does that shell goes after burst?
The shell casing simply falls to the ground. Professional displays have what are known as "fall-out areas" or "firing zones," which are cleared of anyone not part of the pyro crew. Pyro crews wears full PPEs, from head to toe when in the firing zone, such as hard hats, safety glasses, etc.
Pyro Innovations is correct, but omits some crucial information! Essentially, the shell casing cardboard is blasted to smithereens by the break charge and falls back to the ground in (mostly) tiny pieces, not as big chunks! This is unlike a rocket, for example, where the motor tube and stick remain intact and return to the ground as a potentially dangerous projectile!
@@alanmumford8806 , thanks for elaborating! But... you are off just a bit. Professional display shells, despite their powerful burst, sometimes come down in very large chunks, as much as an entire hemisphere (of the shell casing) is not uncommon, hence the exclusion zone during a professional display, since an 8" hemi will really thump ya if you get hit when it falls to the ground.
@@PyroInnovations Always ready to be corrected, but I did say 'mostly'. :-)
@@alanmumford8806 This is true! Thanks for being a good sport, and we certainly appreciated your input! The rocket comment you made was another good point.
Can we get the slowMo guys to film one explode from close up. (Not launching into the air but filming off a gantry 10m off the ground) and some bullet proof glass. Thanks.
Yes! We actually reached out to them for this very thing a number of years ago, but no response. :(
Wow… I love the creativity behind this. I’m looking into getting my 1.3g