15 replies to this topic

[Gazza]

Hi all,

I have been considering giving-up my pyro hobby, for various reasons. I have to put-up with the remarks from some ignorant people who seem to think that I am some kind of nutter who's obsessed with e*plosives/e*plosions, when the truth is that I simply have an interest in the chemistry of fireworks and of their construction. I enjoy constructing my own fireworks and putting on displays for my family, etc. In my opinion, 'DIY pyro' is far more satisfying than buying consumer cat 3 fireworks; some of which are of inferior quality.
I must admit that a few people who think I am some kind of e*plosives-obsessed nutter seem to be bit lacking in the intelligence department!
It is difficult to find like-minded people in your locality- pyrotechnics is hardly a mainstream hobby like football, for example!
And of course, we live in an age of terrorism, paranoia and media sensationalism. After reading the posts regarding a UKPS member who was arrested for posessing a home-made firework, I am wondering whether it is worth continuing with this hobby.

What are your thoughts relating to this subject?

[Arthur Brown]

No-one understands the mind of others!

I can't see why people go fishing but they enjoy it -drown a few worms torment a few fish! If you have close neighbours that dont share your passion it is hard. They prob dont -and never will- understand your dicing with death with explosives.

[YT2095]

well I`m not even technically a Pyro, I`m just a chemist and I get the same lame ass comments, except we get Solvent abuse and other things thrown in as well!

just don`t Tell anyone except on a Need-to-know basis, it circumvents the majority of those types of ignorant comments

[digger]

I can understand, this issue. I first started testing in my back garden and it gained attention from the neighbors which was not to bad as they were quite interested (next door neighbor even gave me some kno3). However as time went by it became more common knowledge which I did not like. So now I test a max of 1/2 - 1 gram of composition in the garden (which goes unnoticed) for colour etc and if I make anything else it is tested in the countryside well away from people. So now no one mentions it anymore (although there are a couple of nosy neighbors that took a big interest in the contents of my detached garage for some time afterward).

I am quite lucky as the misses father has just bought a small farm so I should be able to get a facility built far far away from any residential buildings in the not to distant future.

Don't give up, just be careful who you talk to about your hobby as YT2095 says, only put on displays at the obvious times of the year, keep as low a profile as possible and it will die down eventually.

[dr thrust]

dont give up the "pyro" gazza i only do small scale testing of stars, fountains in the back garden and the rest i drive out to a remote location , i find this actually adds to the excitement and make's it feel more like a experiment, also i used to tell "people" about my hobby but they didn't really understand so i now tell a small white lie and mention " I'm into rocketry" and this seems to go down better

Edited by chris m, 15 January 2008 - 09:39 PM.

[The Legendary Graham]

the people who give you negative comments or act a bit funny toward your chosen hobby really dont know anything about what you do.

i get it all the time from the people i work with but i dont really care what they think as when i fire stuff off they are in awe.

i hate football cricket motor racing ect so i will never fall into the normal bloke conversation topics down the pub however i will never give up on what i do because it is fantastic.
Stick two fingers up to what people say/think and enjoy a hobby that 99% of people dont have a clue about.
how boring is it to be a normal geezer? go home have tea watch telly go see a match at the weekend ad nausium. go home mix some powder press some stars fire it off hehe no brainer really, keep enjoying it let the stereotypical people live in there own mundane world while we go out with a bang.

Edited by The Legandary Graham, 20 January 2008 - 10:02 PM.

[MMMMMM Pyro]

Bloody right Graham!

Who cares what others think? If you are getting crap from them either tell them that they can show it or just dont tell anyone anymore!

Regards,

Mike

[EnigmaticBiker]

YT2095 put it succinctly, only on a need to know basis.

I used to patiently explain how I was interested in the chemistry and whether I could make it work, to little effect.
Now the 80/20 rule for me, 80% will only believe their (or the medias') predjuces, no amount of explanation will remove the "you're making b0mb5" attitude.

It's bad enough rebuilding/riding old bikes, mention pyro as well and some people go into fits of anxiety.

I no longer knock at the doors of closed minds.

[marble]

Just stay quiet and only tell like minded people.

[seymour]

Most people that think I blow stuff up when they find that I make fireworks get very exited, and do not believe me when I insist that I actually DON'T want make the biggest explosion that the chemicals I have allows. However most people surprise me by accepting that I simply have the desire to make pretty things in the sky. Then they ask "how are colours made" and it usually takes about 15 seconds before their eyes glaze over.

[GBthriller]

Hi everyone, long time I know.

This is very topical for me. The very reason I havnt been here in probably a year or so is because of peoples ignorance. I put all the chemicals away, and threw buckets of cold water on my passion. All because I was fed up with people calling me a b*mm maker. They say it with a smile, with no ill will but whats the difference? Its all ignorance, potentially dangerous ignorance. Never have I purposly make a b00mber, a b*mm, or anything like it. Sure there have been mistakes, but you know... And those idiots all ask "whens the next show?!". Uh never.

I missed being here and reading your posts. Glad my username password still works, thanks guys!!

[YT2095]

I also used to enjoy such things (on a small scale) and have now disposed of any fountains and catherine wheels and rockets that I used to make too.
I even burned my paperwork with my formulas and designs for such fireworks.
I don`t feel Too bad because of it, but I DID have my fun and made lots of folks happy at the time.

non the less, it`s a Damn pity that a few terrorist tw@s have managed to spoil it for everyone and brought this Mighty Country to its knees

[EnigmaticBiker]

non the less, it`s a Damn pity that a few terrorist tw@s have managed to spoil it for everyone and brought this Mighty Country to its knees

I disagree that it is the terrorists have done this, overreaction by the ignorant and those who gain power by exploiting fear more like. I don't recall this level of paranoia when the IRA (remember them?) destroyed a shopping center in Manchester.

Nevertheless, it is a damn pity as you say.

[dr thrust]

shall we all throw in the towel, and just talk about hypothetical firework manufacture when can we have are PGI?

[YT2095]

shall we all throw in the towel, and just talk about hypothetical firework manufacture

I have.

and now just stick to Main love of Science, nothing Really changes for ME all that much as I wasn`t a "Serious" Pyro with great ambitions, I just enjoyed the experimentation and color effects.
I never bought anything in Bulk or made tools for it, so it`s no great loss to to ME.
Having said that I CAN appreciate the dilema of those that Have and DO, and to be honest I think it`s rather unfair.
I get tarred with just the same brush AND extras though! so I do see how nasty the whole thing is

in a Nutshell, if we all had the Money, there wouldn`t be an Ounce of trouble! would there

but in fairness, I AM ranting, and even being called "Geek", "Nerd", "Mad scientist", "Boffin," etc... gets on my tits too!

Edited by YT2095, 15 February 2008 - 06:36 PM.