FEATURES: DIY Pyrotechnics
YES IT’S LEGAL
TO BUILD AND
SHOOT YOUR
OWN — WITH
HELP FROM THE
DIY FIREWORKS
COMMUNITY
Written by Victor Chaney
M
ake fireworks? That sure sounds like fun!
But isn’t that illegal in a lot of places?
No problem! Go to a fireworks convention,
where you can take classes. I got started at
the Western Winter Blast, held annually by the
Western Pyrotechnic Association. There, with
about 800 other people, I learned how to make
fireworks and shoot them in a safe, desert
environment. I also saw fireworks and shows
that dwarfed anything I’d ever seen before —
amazing pyrotechnic works of art. You can spend
hours making something that’s gone in 10 or 20
seconds, but what a glorious 20 seconds it is!
WHICH FIREWORKS CAN YOU MAKE?
The foundation of many firework creations is the
ball shell. A spherical shell of papier-mâché holds
the stars, which are the bright points of light that
make the colored trails. The shell is fired from
a mortar, or launch tube, where a lift charge of
black powder sends it on its way in a predictable,
pre-determined path of travel. Stars can be
placed in multiple layers, or petals.
Cylindrical shells, aka Italian shells, can be
greater than 12" in diameter and 3–4 feet or
longer. A shell of shells has several small shells
inside a big one.
Rockets are self-propelled and often explode
at the top of flight into stars or salutes, which are
loud bangs. They go up with a whoosh, and while
often smaller in payload than shells, the takeoff
and burst make a dramatic display. They are less
predictable in their path; some shell enthusiasts
refer to rockets as “the dark side” of pyrotechnics.
MAKING
FIREWORKS
26 makezine.com
VICTOR CHANEY
is a dentist and lifelong
maker who has been
making fireworks for 4
years. He has written for Nuts &
Volts Magazine and Instructables.
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