24" aerial shell build

Aerial shells are lots of fun to make and shoot and if you do it right can be a beautiful sight in the sky and when they are 24" in diameter and weigh in at 175 pounds they tend to fill the entire sky :eg:

I recently had a chance to help build 4 of these monsters along with a dozen 16" shells and many many 12" and 10" and 8" shells for our annual convention which was held in Butler county Pennsylvania this year.

Here is a few pictures of the big guys

Me with a 24" and two 16" shells.


The 24" shell on a taping machine that will apply many thousands of feet of gummed tape to the shell till the wall is approx 1" thick or more.


Here we have stopped applying the tape and the shell is just turning in the machine to burnish down all the tape edges and make it nice and smooth.




Here are some 16" 12" 10" and 8" shells drying in the sun next a lift charge of black powder will be put on over the time fuse.



How they work.



Many 24" shells


There was some really nice rockets to see also, these had two drivers and double headings so they had two displays in the sky.


And here is the rest of them, I got to see every one of them go up and make beautiful displays.


Here they are in all there glory, this type of timing is hard to do but this guy has been a grand master 5 times so he makes it look easy.


Also some of the most impressive girandolas were being made there also, they have one of the most beautiful displays of any of the firework devices.
This is a small girandola, I have seen them at 14 foot across a very impressive sight to see fly.




One of the coolest shows I have seen in a long time, of course it's not going to look as good here as it did in person take my word for that :crackup:


Any one interested in getting involved with doing a display in your own home town or getting involved with the PGI you can contact me here or go to PGI (Pyrotechnics Guild International) and check it out.

Here is a guy making a timed shell I put this up to show that any one can do this if they are really interested


And some different pattern shells being shot in Japan.






If you liked this thread then check this one out> http://laserpointerforums.com/f57/just-do-85602.html#post1239651

That's quite a firework!

I've never really seen them being built, or even up close... very cool! Thanks for sharing.

+1 :beer:

Trevor

Very Nice work of art

Wish I could have gotten into stuff like this

Why is everything cool banned in Australia? But that girandola was amazing!

WoW, holy sh*t. lol THAT ladies and gents HAS to be the greatest job in the world.

That's why I do it :eg:

MessiTom said:

WoW, holy sh*t. lol THAT ladies and gents HAS to be the greatest job in the world.

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Your a PGI member FlamingPyro? Nice, I am a member of the WPA.

I saw my first 24" shell at last year's WinterBlast. The range was more than a quarter mile away, yet the comets flew right over my head.... Just an incredible sight.

I only get to manufacture twice a year, but I'm starting to hone in my 4 inchers. Still a beginner, but I hope by the time I am as old as the other members of my club I will be experienced as them.

If I ever get a chance to drive all the way to the PGI, we should meet up!

I also am a member of WPA and I was at WWB in Feb this year and will be back next year.

We actually camped at the track and will do so next year and I will be bringing my new rocket press to make some whistle/strobe and black powder rockets on site :eg:

It's 4.5 tons of goodness :crackup: actually it weighs 180 pounds but now I can press rocket motors to 9000 psi.


Next February come out and join us in the manufacturing area and make a couple rockets

PersonGuyDude said:

Your a PGI member FlamingPyro? Nice, I am a member of the WPA.

I saw my first 24" shell at last year's WinterBlast. The range was more than a quarter mile away, yet the comets flew right over my head.... Just an incredible sight.

I only get to manufacture twice a year, but I'm starting to hone in my 4 inchers. Still a beginner, but I hope by the time I am as old as the other members of my club I will be experienced as them.

If I ever get a chance to drive all the way to the PGI, we should meet up!

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Faarrrrrkkkkk, got any pics of how you launch those? Must be one hell of a thud.

That's really cool stuff! I didn't even know those shells looked like that, or for that matter thought about what goes into making them spin and stuff. I'd like to see how they get launched too.

Peace,
dave

Amazing Jeff!!

Flaminpyro said:

I also am a member of WPA and I was at WWB in Feb this year and will be back next year.

We actually camped at the track and will do so next year and I will be bringing my new rocket press to make some whistle/strobe and black powder rockets on site :eg:

It's 4.5 tons of goodness :crackup: actually it weighs 180 pounds but now I can press rocket motors to 9000 psi.


Next February come out and join us in the manufacturing area and make a couple rockets

Click to expand...

Oh nice! I was at WWB 2011 and 2012, but unfortunately this year I only had time for one convention (the upcoming Do-It in Hawthorne Nevada). I should be able to make to WWB 2014 though

I think I actually prefer Do-It to WWB. WWB is bigger, so the shows are bigger and better. However Do-It has a definite crazy streak through it, compared to WWB; mostly because Lake Havasu gets more cranky with us every year. I would say that Do-It is better for the manufacturers, more space and the firing ranges are less crowded.

I am hoping to make it Pyro Playa in 2014 as well, that should be interesting.

Wow very good then we will be seeing you in September out by the bumpy ground in Hawthorne.

I'll be bringing the new rocket press and more than a few pounds of chems to make whistle mix :eg:

Hope to make some girandolas also and a few shells, what will you be bringing to the party ?

What's that about Pyro Playa in 2014 :thinking:

PersonGuyDude said:

Oh nice! I was at WWB 2011 and 2012, but unfortunately this year I only had time for one convention (the upcoming Do-It in Hawthorne Nevada). I should be able to make to WWB 2014 though

I think I actually prefer Do-It to WWB. WWB is bigger, so the shows are bigger and better. However Do-It has a definite crazy streak through it, compared to WWB; mostly because Lake Havasu gets more cranky with us every year. I would say that Do-It is better for the manufacturers, more space and the firing ranges are less crowded.

I am hoping to make it Pyro Playa in 2014 as well, that should be interesting.

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It dawned on me. Your username REALLY makes sense now. lol

Gonna send a PM.