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SHARP
2008-12-25, 00:15
As promised in the thread where I announced I'd gotten my Pyrotechnician certificate, here's a video of the last show I participated in.

And just because I know you'll want all the details, here you go.

The show was done on the 18th of this month, around 22.30 in the evening.
The firing position was a barge pushed into Cph harbour by a tugboat, and everything was lit by hand.
It had rained on and off while we were riggin' up (4 guys had been working from the morning, I joined in at around 17.30), and at the time we started firing it had become somewhat foggy.
The barge we fired from was 20 X 5 meters, and there was no railing.

All in all (IIRC) we fired around 15 batteries, and the same amount of Roman candles, 72 3" aerial shells, 40 4" aerial shells, and 27 6" aerial shells.

We started and finished with three 3" salutes, unfortunately the three first are missing.

All chain fusing was done with either sticky match, quick match, yellow igniter cord (8-12 m/sec) or red igniter cord (18-23 m/sec).

Calibers fired:

20mm - Bengal torches (not in the vid).
30mm - batteries.
47mm - Roman candles.
3" - aerial shells/various.
4" - aerial shells/various.
6" - aerial shells/gold brocades.

We'd planned on firing for about 15 minutes, but because of the weather we decided to kick up the pace a bit, unfortunately not all of it was recorded.

I could taste the powder residue for hours afterwards, and had to wash it down with liberal amounts of beer.
As I was at work on the barge at the time I didn't see the display myself, but if you have any questions, just ask
Enjoy. :)

A clickable green link. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzWCoQR1WvQ)

asilentbob
2008-12-25, 02:05
Good job!

I might or not not get to work a new years show this year... I find out around the 27/28th... It would be all under 3"... but any shows better than no show at all.

SHARP
2008-12-25, 02:44
Good job!

Thanks bob.

I might or not not get to work a new years show this year... I find out around the 27/28th...

You'd work on New Years Eve?
Hmm, personally I might, if we fired no later than 22.00, and someone else disassembled and packed the racks and whatnot, I really, really, really like to be off work and partying like there's no tomorrow at 00.00 at the latest.

It would be all under 3"...

Normally we wouldn't have gotten permission to fire the big 'uns in Copenhagen, 4" is max within the city, but for some reason we got a dispensation to send up a couple o' racks of 6"...:)
But then again, you can do a whole lot with a healthy amount of pro batteries, and a couple of angle racks for the roman candles.
Hell, even angeling the flank batteries a couple o' degrees out to the sides will give you a nice wide front (although you'll need more guys to light, fire by RC, or use a hell of a lot of quick match).
Not to mention parterre, fireworks don't have to leave the ground to look good, it's all about working with what you've got.;)

but any shows better than no show at all.

So true...

asilentbob
2008-12-25, 04:50
I think there is a relativly new regulation in the US that says that when fired from barges over water the minimum distances can be nearly cut in half. I can't remember any other circumstances, but there ya go.

Meh, I'm not a huge party goer. I'd probably just stay home and sip some hard cider or something other wise.

SHARP
2008-12-25, 07:22
Hmm, over here there's no difference, the safety distances to the spectators are the same...

Parterre - min. 15m in all directions.
Shells:
Up to 4" - min. 50m in all directions.
Up to 6" - min. 100m in all directions.
Up to 8" - min. 200m in all directions.
Double safety distance downwind if the wind speed is in excess of 1.5m/sec.
Anything above 8" shells requires a special permit, the safety distance for a 16" is 800m (largest shell fired in Denmark to date).

Why would they think shells are less dangerous if fired from the water?
I mean, if something goes wrong, a shell gets stuck in the tube, the tube is too weak and bursts, the stars will still travel their intended distance...
Granted, it's not very likely, and I've only seen one blown tube in my life (wasn't there when it happened, it looked like the shell had been filled with a HE).

Maybe you've had a lot stricter rules than us, but ours aren't exactly lax...

Mokothar
2008-12-25, 12:59
Congratulations!
Pretty much the best way to end a year.

Best wishes for the next one too.

SHARP
2008-12-26, 01:07
Congratulations!
Pretty much the best way to end a year.

Thanks, couldn't agree more.

Best wishes for the next one too.

Right back at ya', and stay in one piece.;)