26 replies to this topic

[Phoenix]

Has anyone ever seen these things go? They are pretty neat. My sailing club had some at their bonfire night display. Obviously, I couldn't investigate their construction in any detail there and then, since they weren't my rockets. However, this much I could tell from looking at the outside and watching them go:

- The heading was a 40-50mm ball shell (I don't carry callipers)
- It was pasted with strips of kraft paper. Could have been paper or plastic hemis.
- The break was very quiet, just a muffled pop.
- There was no visible flash from the break. Didn't look like flash powder.
- They produced a completely circular ring of stars.

Their performance surprised me, as I was under the impression regular breaks from small shells were very difficult. The break was, however, completely round, every time. A powerful burst charge and weaker casing would presumably help facilitate this. Whilst the quiet burst backed up the weak casing theory, the lack of a bright flash suggested to me that flash powder was not the burst charge. I am doubtful that black powder could produce this quality of break in so small a shell, so I suspect the burst charge may have been H3 (would this, as a chlorate comp, be allowed in consumer fireworks?). My attempt at a similarly sized (40mm) ring shell with a BP burst did not work, although I've only tried once, and I suppose, as a shell, it could have broken side on Has anyone else had any luck with small ring (or other pattern) shells. Post replies in UK Pyrotechnics.

I would definitely recommend these for next year, especially if noise is going to be a concern. These are quiet, but are just as spectacular as a larger rocket, in their own way. They are also much cheaper. Apparently members of the UK Firework Review can read an article on them, but not me. Here is the American Black Cat site (American firework sites make me jealous!), as I couldn't find a UK BC site.

Black Cat "Ring Shell Rocket Pack"

Edited by Phoenix, 04 February 2004 - 09:41 PM.

[adamw]

"- The break was very quiet, just a muffled pop."

Strange since ring shells tend to have more space occupied by burst charge and therefore a louder break. Like you said, there could have been minimal burst and the rest of the space filled with an inert medium such as cotton seed.

Personally, I am not a fan of ring shells - a waste of a shell in my opinion. Pretty much the same as making a 16" fish shell

But saturn shells on the otherhand.... mmmm!

[Phoenix]

I know what you mean - not a lot of visible effect for the amount of material and time required, but I was impressed as it was the first time I have seen a consumer rocket give anything more than a "dump" of stars. I would love to see more fancy break styles (not least saturn shells) in consumer fireworks, although I suppose the limits on size make this difficult.

PS: I guess "fancy break styles" isn't the correct term. What would Rev. Lancaster call them?

Edited by Phoenix, 05 February 2004 - 06:59 PM.

[italteen3]

I actually had these rockets last 4th of July here in the states. I do kow exactly what you mean too. small rocket not a loud break but yes they were always consistent round breaks. I will get video up of them if I can. IF anyone does come across these I too would recomend them. Another good rocket pack if your more for a noisy but full break is the Vampire or Dracula rocket pack(sorry cant remember exact name) but it does come in a coffin shaped box.

[StfuStuf]

They are Vampires, I had them for Halloween. They go up really far and have round breaks, I think they whistled as well... The colours were red and white? Something like that but they were really cool.

[italteen3]

Yes they are Vampires and I have video of 2 Vampire rockets and 2 Ring rockets firing simultaneously. IF any1 would like to see it post in here, PM me, or email me at crayzital3@aol.com and I will email it to you. Its not the best quality because of my computer but I am saving up for a firewire card.

[alany]

Why couldn't you make a ring rocket heading out of a squat canister shell?

More like a hocky puck kind of aspect ratio, with heavy disks and vertical spiking, but fairly thin walls and no horizontal spiking. Then inside you place stars in a ring around the outside wall (maybe tacked in place with hot-melt or rolled in tissue) and pack the burst in the middle perhaps with a flash or whistle booster?

How many gores to you think you can add to a crossette core before it shatters to dust or fails to split on all of them?

[The_Djinn]

Alany,

I pondered about using squat canister shells, but it appears the main cause for concern is the tumbling effect that may occur within the mortar upon firing. It appears that the line of thought is that there is a great possibility for the puck shaped shell to hang up in the mortar and flower pot? or worse (burst a perfectly good mortar tube)

Mark

[Matt]

Pffff, thats easy. Jut stack 6 of the b*st*rds in there

-Matt

[bernie]

Stack your flapjacks on top of a rocket. A truly amazing effect!

[alany]

I pondered about using squat canister shells, but it appears the main cause for concern is the tumbling effect that may occur within the mortar upon firing. It appears that the line of thought is that there is a great possibility for the puck shaped shell to hang up in the mortar and flower pot? or worse (burst a perfectly good mortar tube)

Yeah, that's why I'd never shoot them from a mortar, they might rotate and blow-by so much gas they'd not reach more than a few metres. However, you could stack them in a multibreak, or use them as inserts in a larger shell.

The main problem with fixing them to rockets would be their complete lack of aerodynamic features, I figure a cone wacked on top would fix that. In particular I was considering them as a stinger heading, nice and symmetric mass layout and a short profile which is ideal for stinger stability.

[bernie]

No cone necessary, it will fly.

[alany]

No cone necessary, it will fly.

Yeah, but I think it will have more stability problems than a conventional canister shell header, even though top-heavy rockets are more stable.

It would be interesting to lift it girandola style though, like a flying saucer. Interesting terminating effect too, but a lot of work to make.

[Matt]

The shell could be the wheel.... tie the drivers to the outside. dayum i just thought of a cannister shell idea. heh heh heh heh heh

-Matt

[alany]

Well, we will see if a rocket carries it OK:

http://nexus.cable.n...ex.php?page=151

Looks a bit weird.