Lighters or Matches?
#1 Guest_PyromaniaMan_*
Posted 03 July 2005 - 05:05 PM
Can you see that flame? as hot a bunsen burner ).
But what do you use?
#2
Posted 03 July 2005 - 06:23 PM
For lighting fireworks I use a portfire or a chefs blowtorch.
#3
Posted 03 July 2005 - 06:32 PM
Edited by karlfoxman, 03 July 2005 - 06:36 PM.
#4 Guest_PyromaniaMan_*
Posted 03 July 2005 - 06:32 PM
#5
Posted 03 July 2005 - 06:39 PM
#6 Guest_PyromaniaMan_*
Posted 03 July 2005 - 06:47 PM
Cool. I also have one of those torches hanging about, they are great! just slot in a disposable lighter, then you have a blowtorch! Maplin is one of my favourite shops, especially for pyro. "What?!? Maplin Electronics sells pyro?!?!" No, but they sell wire, nichrome wire, relays, swithes, and zippy boxesportfires are tubes filled with slow burning comp, mainly green i think. they burn for about 5mins or so and you hold them at one end. mini fountain i guess but made for lighting fireworks.
Edited by PyromaniaMan, 03 July 2005 - 06:47 PM.
#7
Posted 03 July 2005 - 06:51 PM
#8
Posted 03 July 2005 - 07:08 PM
BPA L1 & L2
#9
Posted 03 July 2005 - 07:12 PM
#10 Guest_PyromaniaMan_*
Posted 03 July 2005 - 08:36 PM
You ARE joking right, thats the only maplin shop i go too! the beehive center? ::GRINS WIDELY::dont tell but i have a couple of my 4 inch mortars in the warehouse as we speak, aint taken them home yet!! ha ha! we sell string too! ever been to the cambridge one? the lighters are real good for pyro!
#11
Posted 03 July 2005 - 09:47 PM
#12
Posted 03 July 2005 - 10:51 PM
I have found normal plastic lighters with a "flint" and steel ignitor to be far more reliable, if harder to use for their lack of a hot, pointable, windproof flame. My solution is to use one of these when just doing a few items or testing something, and use a portfire for a larger display (not that I do very many "displays" of more that three or for items). In the case of just testing a few items, where timing isn't an issue, I can wait for a drop in the wind to light the fuse. If it's too windy to use a normal lighter like this, it's probably too windy to be setting off fireworks.
BTW, if anyone ever comes across as jet flame lighter with a "flint" and steel ignitor, I'd love to know about it. I've never seen one.
#13
Posted 04 July 2005 - 05:49 AM
For hand-fired displays I *always* use a portfire. Portfires burn hotter and with much dross, they also put out more light, which is all good for the purpose. You've just got to be careful you don't let the dross fall on your feet or clothes, and you develop a natural instinct to hold it down wind so you don't get a face full of smoke. The colour composition based ones produce almost no liquid dross, but tend to chimney really badly and smell far worse, you are always knocking them against your boot to remove the ash pipe. Not sure which I prefer, conventional or coloured portfires. I think my favourite is a white lance comp based one, but the antimony trisulfide is expensive and the smoke is probably more toxic than a KNO3/S/meal one. I've also had problems sustaining combustion with the conventional composition if it is made too narrow or held vertically downwards.
Those catalyst jet lighters are OK, better than a conventional cigarette lighter for sure, but they have crappy butane capacity and your hand is *far* too close to the business end for lighting fuses IMO. They do tend to put out more long-wave light because of the incadescent catalyst foil/wool, but still not enough to work with. With the torch I use you can hold the base and be almost a foot from the flame, even that isn't enough at times, you still need a glove or have to put up with the odd tiny pin-pr**k burn. Piped match is the worst, it can spit a long way and in odd directions, especially as it kinks over the lip of the mortar, best to always use a delay fuse so you can get away.
I've never tried a propane brazing torch with piezo ignition, but a lot of US pyros use them. They have a bigger, hot flame and a nice long neck and tank to extend the danger away from you. But I suspect lugging them around all night is more of a workout for the wrist.
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#14 Guest_PyromaniaMan_*
#15
Posted 06 July 2005 - 03:19 PM
I now wrap a piece of touch paper around the end of the fuse. This has several advantages.........it saves on the amount of precious visco you need to use, lights much easier and stop ones lighter getting ruined - Job done!!
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