37 replies to this topic

[adamw]

Bare in mind the leglislation surrounding maroons in the UK...

[Frozentech]

Anthony, please stop talking a load of rubbish. All fireworks produce infrared radiation: heat! Firework compositions are formulated to produce visible light ranging from red at the longer wavelengths down to blue and violet at the shorter end of the visible spectrum. The only exception I can think of are the MTV compositions used in missile countermeasures, where the goal is to create a decoy heat signature.

The colours you see in fireworks are down to the molecular band spectra emissions of various metal salts.

Ultraviolet light is very energetic and can be quite dangerous. I think you would have quite a challenge producing it to any use in a firework!

Somewhat off topic, but up where I work at ( on the arctic coast of Alaska ) 70 deg N latitude, we commonly see the aurora borealis, well a friend brought up a very pricey set of military grade night vision goggles, and I was amazed at how many more effects the aurora has through a starlight scope ! Fireworks would overload the goggles or blind the wearer though.

[italteen3]

Bare in mind the leglislation surrounding maroons in the UK...

Sorry I did forget it was for consumer products the ideas that were needed. In the UK that is Categories 1-3 correct?

[adamw]

Of course, they would probably burn the phosphor and ruin the goggles... plus everything would look green!

For a cheap fireworks display, why not fire a single rocket and look through a kalaidascope (the tube with prisms and lenses inside)


italteen: This would probably also affect Category 4 ('Class A' ?) stuff too.

[raburgeson]

Well they will totally copout to cgi but it would be nice if some of the fireworks in a certin Harry Potter book were developed. It would make the movie so much cooler. Just a thought.

[fishy1]

Well they will totally copout to cgi but it would be nice if some of the fireworks in a certin Harry Potter book were developed. It would make the movie so much cooler. Just a thought.

i think the big dragon firework in LoTR was pretty good. no chance of making it, but it was pretty cool.

[seymour]

Awww, I am sure it is possable, just needs a nice fold out aluminium frame with a LOT of drivers, and a few shells, and a nice fire resistant wings... It could be done, maby I'l give it a shot after my 6' shell...

[EnigmaticBiker]

Probably been done, but here goes...


Multi-part catherine wheels #1 .

Inspired by Tonis' excellent Irdieden DVD, thanks Toni.

A number of differently sized card disks with a common center hole, separated by tube grommets.
On each is mounted a curled tube (can't remember the correct term) type catherine wheel using hot melt glue.
The disks are nested so various coloured rings are produced, contra-rotating.
Stars included in combined effect/driver.
Small separate noise drivers could be added.
Single fuse ignition of course.

Advantages might be:

Cheap production, all card construction, biodegradable etc.
Stamped parts, cheap tooling.
Light for shipping costs.
Lots of scope for different production runs with minimal tooling/changeovers.

'Safe' firework type to conform to regs, low Cat no.

Maketing colours to match flags, eg. red/white/blue, red/gold/green, red/blue/white(stars?),
Large (but flat) display pack would be easy, good shelf prescence, lots of space for branding, etc.

Relatively easy to combine onto frames for display.

I could go on and on...

Disadvantages:

I don't get paid for this.

(whinge, gripe, too altruistic for own good, etc...)