22 replies to this topic

[David]

Rockets, certainly big rockets, seem to be pretty much finished now. No big deal, for me. In the past I was consistently disappointed with rockets- always expecting something a little better than the actual performance- and value-wise I don't think they are as good as cakes. I was never very impressed with the Weco range - although I didn't see them all, in fairness.

That said, I did have some fun firing rockets when we still had the farm - can't beat them on your own for the sheer "whoosh" and the spectacle. Anyway, given that they typically arn't produced as Cat 4 it looks like we might be saying goodbye to rockets for ever in the near future.

Everytime we say goodbye- I cry a little.... I wonder why a little...

[Arthur Brown]

It will rely on the Chinese actually producing shipping and selling ranges of rockets without flash in the header. Sadly the smaller shellbursts seem to be donr at the moment with more flash that is permitted in UN 1.4 so they become 1.3 which cannot be sent by courier in the UK.

Added:

For risk assessed shows rockets of any size create a falling debris hazard. the used sticks from the pound plus rockets are big enough to cause damage - afflicting your insurance. Remember rockets fly into the wind while everything else flies downwind, so there is a two way fallout zone, this can make crowd and firework placing tricky with other than still air.

Edited by Arthur Brown, 29 April 2008 - 09:05 PM.

[David]

Yeah- personnally I don't fire rockets unless I'm firing them on my own.

Truth be told, I'm just not fond of them.

One of the last notable "big rockets" on the UK market was this- King Rocket which, fair play to it, was pretty nifty. I'm not sure who is doing the commentary!

[phildunford]

Must say I lament the loss of any firework.

Rockets have been let off in this country (and most others I think) for, well, for ever I guess!

Rockets were and are part of most garden displays and I can't recall anything very dreadful ever happening in my garden or surrounding area. I do agree that some rockets got just too big and did present a fallout hazard (OMG, I let the 'H' word out!) and some flash headers were just plain silly! Also not very practical at most commercial displays.

Hopefully, sensible 2oz and 4oz rockets will continue to be available to Joe Public.

If not, at least most of us on here can make them if we want to...

Edited by phildunford, 30 April 2008 - 01:57 PM.

[Arthur Brown]

IMO the "Rocket grew from modest beginnings to the 3ft stick with a 3inch ball shell on top. Small shells burst better with flash so there was a lot of flash in the head, Really a 3" shell is a cat4 pro user item, the rocket motor was almost a decoy! Call it a 3" shell and it was cat4 and trade, call it a rocket and it was cat3 and retail.

[pyrotrev]

Rockets won't disappear altogether, it's the bigger ones that will become 1.3G hazard type and hence difficult for most shops to stock. The quantity of flash is not the yardstick the HSE have taken to decide whether rockets are 1.3G or 1.4G, it's total powder content, though the cause for the change in classification was likely the the amount of flash used - check out the CHAF video if you're not convinced

Edited by pyrotrev, 01 May 2008 - 06:05 PM.

[Firework Crazy]

Watch this space!!!

[David]

I may have spoken too soon- it appears that bigger rockets are still around, after all.

[Mortartube]

I may have spoken too soon- it appears that bigger rockets are still around, after all.

Have you got one and had it apart?

I bet it is mainly empty cardboard tubing to make it LOOK big, with a smaller motor and small shell or similar in the top. Even in the last few years various manufacturers have been doing this "Window dressing" as discussed in a thread I began last year about rip off items being mainly empty.

Edited by Mortartube, 01 August 2008 - 08:59 AM.

[screwball]

I may have spoken too soon- it appears that bigger rockets are still around, after all.

all that has happened to them this year is they have been re-classified as 1.3G from 1.4G this means most shops cannot store them or post them out to you as the rules and regs for 1.3G are differnt to 1.4G in the same way that certain barrages or large cakes have been re-classified in the same manner

some shops such as Epic Fireworks are ok as they meet the storage requirements and use thier own ADR trained drivers for delivery so can still stock and send out large barages and rockets

some other shops are getting round or should say complying with the new rules and regs by using special boxes made for the 1.3G items , these boxes contain steel mesh and this brings the 1.3G items back down to 1.4G again at what extra cost i dont know but i know the boxes are very secure and its not a 30 sec job to get into them and you can forget about putting them on the fire afterwards to get rid of them LOL

[David]

I may have spoken too soon- it appears that bigger rockets are still around, after all.

Have you got one and had it apart?

I bet it is mainly empty cardboard tubing to make it LOOK big, with a smaller motor and small shell or similar in the top. Even in the last few years various manufacturers have been doing this "Window dressing" as discussed in a thread I began last year about rip off items being mainly empty.

Well, "big" rockets have always been window dressed - I like the expression "bullshit rockets!" But never the less, they are still pretty decent IE they are good, but not as good as they are made to look- the ones that sell for about £6 each tend to be the best value, all things considered.

That said, I havn't actually seen them yet, only in catalogues.

Edited by David, 01 August 2008 - 10:32 AM.

[David]

I spoke too soon- likes like the big rockets are certainly here this season! I'll reserve judgement on them until I've seen a few in action, but they look pretty similar to the rockets available 3 years ago- big bursts, some volume, but not the massive stuff of years gone by.

[screwball]

I spoke too soon- likes like the big rockets are certainly here this season! I'll reserve judgement on them until I've seen a few in action, but they look pretty similar to the rockets available 3 years ago- big bursts, some volume, but not the massive stuff of years gone by.

havnt you seen all the new items Epic Fireworks have this year rocket wise ? theres at least 2 in the range that seem pretty big to me check out their Super Stealth rocket and Sky Thriller :-) they also have a 25 shot rocket pod that fires all 25 at once insted of in several volleys like some others do

[David]

Yeah- I've seen some of them on You Tube, but not fired any yet! Sky Thriller looks the pick of the bunch.

Edited by David, 25 August 2008 - 03:42 PM.

[Spyrotechnics]

but not the massive stuff of years gone by

Given the new packaging that some firms have adopted there is NO difference in performance for this years rockets

And yes, we will have large rockets in stock. We like to stock rockets that also offer that something different, Kimboltron Mammoth and Jumbo rockets offer more than the stereotypical gold willow. They have tourbillions, whistles etc as well as rich colours

Stu

Edited by Starsky72, 25 August 2008 - 03:41 PM.