(Topic ID: 270887)
You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider mattelder.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.
Quoted from CullenT:Looking good!
Headed to SC tomorrow
Will be my first fireworks run ever....
Thanks! Have fun shopping, and good luck with your show. There is so much out there to choose from. YouTube vids are a great resource for figuring out what you want to grab.
Quoted from woody76:Nice, All the stands around my way got setup this weekend.
Thank you! They are just starting to open up here in Iowa as well. Fortunately I live only a few hours from probably the best and certainly biggest fireworks place in the US, and they’re open year round (Fireworks Superstore, in Hannibal, Mo). I got the bulk of my stuff from there at super great prices, and grabbed the rest from a brick and mortar store here in Iowa. I think my tent buying days are over as their prices are outrageous. Anyway, have a great 4th. I hope you find some good ones to buy.
Quoted from jester523:Jealous. I live in phoenix, and there is not the best fireworks scene here....to easy to burn down.
I hear ya, man. Sorry. Fireworks were illegal here in Iowa until 2017, and even now lots and lots of Iowa cities have passed their own local ban on them after the state legalized it. Hopefully my city sticks it out and lets us have some fun.
Quoted from HighVoltage:Reading the names, I was thinking you could play the game "Pinball Machine or Firework"? Ha...
Whoops, you got doubles of High Falutin'!
I'd just like to find a nice, larger windmill. Last time I saw a good one was when I was a kid. I bought one at a stand last year, but it didn't measure up, and so short! Nothing like the 3 large white canister one I remember. Anyone recommend one? I got to go by the Indian reservation...
Yeah, I decided to get 2 High Falutin this year since we enjoyed it so much last year. It’s a great cake! That said, there are a lot of great cakes, but I got a really great price on this one in particular.
Quoted from HighVoltage:No windmills? They don't seem that popular anymore...
Sorry, I can’t recommend any. That’s one of the categories of fireworks that I don’t really buy. I typically stick to cakes, rockets, and artillery shells.
Quoted from romulusx:I had to bow out.I started a show in a temporary vacant lot next to me in 2007.Three years later I was standing in my garage looking at $1275 worth of fireworks to set off in a week.I stood there looking at all this firepower and was scared by how obsessed I had become with my show in my neighborhood.
Anyway I on to an epic cul de sac display that people still mention around this time of the year.I got out before I got hurt!
It’s definitely an easy thing to go overboard with. Every year my stash for the family show gets a bit bigger. But, it’s one of the rare times that our family finds the time to get together, so hopefully it continues.
Quoted from cooked71:Great photo. Been banned in Australia for years now, but fireworks are some of my best memories growing up. We used to have it on the Queens Birthday long weekend in June. We never thought of it as Queens Birthday- was always “Cracker Night”. We’d spend weeks building up a huge stash and then spend the whole 3 day long weekend blowing up whatever we could find.
Are they legal across the whole country in the US, or only some states?
Thanks! Sounds Like some great memories you have there.
Sorry to hear that they’re no longer legal in Australia. In the US it varies from state to state, and even within the states some counties and cities have their own local regulations. Here in Iowa they just legalized fireworks in 2017 (every class and type even), but many cities put local bans back in place immediately. So the laws vary greatly depending on where you are.
Quoted from John_I:I love fireworks and there are three MASSIVE fireworks warehouses nearby. Over the years I have seen a lot of crazy stuff happen and ruin what should be fun days, so here are some basic rules that I follow:
My number one rule is no more rockets ever. I have seen too much crazy crap happen. Once I lit off a huge oversized bottle rocket with an explosive that could be heard for a mile away using a PVC launcher that I built to ensure accuracy. That thing lifted off and got about 20 feet off the ground, made a 90 degree turn and headed down the block 100+ yards and detonated on the ground in the middle of a bunch of young kids. No one was hurt, but my neighbor hates me to this day. I have seen a lot of other stuff like this over the years - especially when people don't have proper launchers. My neighbor exploded a rocket on my roof and a couple feet in the other direction would have ignited the pine needles in my gutters.
My number two rule and the solution to number one is to always use mortars for aerial displays instead of rockets
Rule number three is to modify the mortar launchers by attaching them firmly to a 2x2 foot piece of 1/2 inch plywood so they physically cannot tip over. The mortars they sell these days are ridiculous and awesome at the same time. Last thing you want is one of them exploding anywhere but 100+ feet over head. My friend's next door neighbor burned down his new detached garage last July 4th because the mortar tube fell over in the grass after the fuse was lit. He apparently also went to the ER with some burns from trying to put out the fire.
Rule number four is that mortar tubes wear out and are rated for the ammo it comes with. Use the tube only with the ammo that it actually comes with and discard the tube when the ammo is gone. The tube might last years but on the other hand, I have seen them explode and the projectile stayed dangerously low and off target
Rule number five is safety glasses, fire extinguisher, hose, keep people back at a safe distance and other common sense stuff.
Rule number six is little or no alcohol for the person lighting the fuses.
Rule number seven is to remember that these things are built in China by 3rd graders. Never, ever trust them to work as expected, expect them to shoot fireballs at anyone nearby and always be really careful with duds. Flood duds with water from a hose if possible or wait for a really stupid long time before getting near.
Finally I will say "just say no" to letting your kids be anything other than distant observers and make sure they see you treating the fireworks with ultimate care.
All great advice. I take fireworks very seriously as well, and have taught my kids to respect them and keep their distance.
I do many of the same things you do to keep things as safe as possible. We use a large open area of one family member that lives out in the country, so that helps a lot. I also build short temporary plywood walls around the firing area to stop things from coming directly at anyone should something not go up as intended.
Sadly, many people don't handle them properly and it ends up causing injury and property damage and ruining things for everyone. They definitely are not toys.
Be safe and have fun everyone!
Quoted from MattElder:All great advice. I take fireworks very seriously as well, and have taught my kids to respect them and keep their distance.
I do many of the same things you do to keep things as safe as possible. We use a large open area of one family member that lives out in the country, so that helps a lot. I also build short temporary plywood walls around the firing area to stop things from coming directly at anyone should something not go up as intended.
Sadly, many people don't handle them properly and it ends up causing injury and property damage and ruining things for everyone. They definitely are not toys.
Be safe and have fun everyone!
Almost forgot one of the best safety features that I use....I use a remote firing system. Those things are amazing. It also allows me to sit with everyone else and enjoy the show while just pushing buttons.
Quoted from athens95:Looks like someone in China borrowed some pinball artwork for this one.
[quoted image]
Yep. I've noticed that one and 1or 2 or others over the years that did the same. I think one out there has AFM art on it.
Quoted from MattElder:With the 4th coming up soon I figured I'd start a thread to showcase some pics of fireworks stashes out there. Let's see what you have!
[quoted image]
Less than 2 weeks until the 4th. Let's see those fireworks stockpiles out there!
You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider mattelder.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.
Reply
Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.
Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!
Donate to PinsideGreat to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!
