Who shoots fireworks?

[Musick17]

I shoot fireworks 'professionally' you could say. I am employed by S&N Fireworks to shoot shows for towns on the 4th of july. This year I got to set up and shoot approximately $25,000 show that included about 3500 shells. It is a ton of fun and a great experience, and I would recommend it if you ever get the chance.

So I was just wondering if anyone hanging around here has got to do it before also?

And I'm not talking the 1.5 inch shells you can buy in some states and shoot in your back yard. While fun, those things dont compare to the 4-10 inch shells we shoot.

 

[Snoranger]

 

[BlackBII]

Snakes and Sparklers are the only good ones

 

[clifford97]

its not about YOU! its the con-su-mer.. lmao

i set up a firework display when i was 12, that had neighbors from 5 houses come and watch. took about 2.5 hrs to set up and time, took about 15-20 mins to burn and i only had to light 2 fuses

but those were just small stuff you can buy at the firework outlet, not professional grade like your talking. id love to get into that however, is there a good way to get my foot in the door with a company like that?

 

[cody93]

Snakes and Sparklers are the only good ones

snails think there boring, time to bring out the gasoline...

 

[press 1 for english]

I shoot fireworks 'professionally' you could say. I am employed by S&N Fireworks to shoot shows for towns on the 4th of july. This year I got to set up and shoot approximately $25,000 show that included about 3500 shells. It is a ton of fun and a great experience, and I would recommend it if you ever get the chance.

So I was just wondering if anyone hanging around here has got to do it before also?

And I'm not talking the 1.5 inch shells you can buy in some states and shoot in your back yard. While fun, those things dont compare to the 4-10 inch shells we shoot.

I thought you were in college.

 

[adsm08]

Legally?


I fired off a 6" mortar on the ground once because it was dark and I couldn't see and tried to shove it down a 4" tube.

 

[daniel3507]

Legally?


I fired off a 6" mortar on the ground once because it was dark and I couldn't see and tried to shove it down a 4" tube.

4" is close enough haha. Every other year at my friends house we get a quarter stick of dynamite and blow up his mailbox. Turns the damn thing inside out. At the end of the night we just pile up all the tubes and trash and have a nice fire. Makes clean up easier but we usually end up with a few mortars in there by mistake. Sends everyone running thats for sure.

 

[Musick17]

Lifes a Garden, Dig it!


And yeah I'm in college. I only do the firework thing on the 4th of july. The big show I do is the second largest in central illinois. Its about an 8 hour set up time and an hour tear down time. The show itself is 40-50 minutes usually.

A 6 inch shell on the ground can be very very dangerous. Ive been 'creative' when it comes to fireworks, but I have a new respect for them since I started doing this. Ive had several blow up just a few feet away and it can really shake ya.

The fuses on the professional grade stuff burns 1000 fps approximately, and we light everything with a road flare wired to a piece of rebar. It can get hecktic if your not careful.

A foot in the door? It really helps to know someone that is already involved. I was dating a girl and her dad has done it for year and he asked me if I wanted to try it. Turns out the big distributor is a guy from my town and lives just outside of town. I have know him and several dozen people involved that shoot through the hardware store I worked at. They do shows all over the midwest.

Here is a link to the Chenoa show I shot last year, and youll see why it can get crazy. The box that malfunctioned was lit by none other than your's truely! I was reluctant to even light it because the same box exploded at my feet the year before. But ya gotta do it for the crowd, right?

enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Qm48DALyJQ

 

[adsm08]

A 6 inch shell on the ground can be very very dangerous.

After about 1/2 the fuse I realized it wasn't working and just ran.

Nobody understood why I was running flat out until the tube tipped and started spinning.

It blew up the vegetable garden.

 

[Musick17]

After about 1/2 the fuse I realized it wasn't working and just ran.

Nobody understood why I was running flat out until the tube tipped and started spinning.

It blew up the vegetable garden.

at least no one got hurt! a 6 inch shell is no small thing!

we shoot a couple 10 inch shells every year. now those things are biggggg! about the size of a womans basketball.
This is a picture of my ex girlfriends dad holding a 10" shell

 

[Musick17]

Joe: So you're gonna tell me that you don't have no black cats, no Roman Candles, or screaming mimis?

"no"

Joe: Oh come on, man. You got no lady fingers, fuzz buttles, snicker bombs, church burners, finger blasters, gut busters, zippity do das, or crap flappers?

"No, I dont"

Joe: You're gonna stand there, ownin' a fireworks stand, and tell me you don't have no whistlin' bungholes, no spleen splitters, whisker biscuits, honkey lighters, hoosker doos, hoosker don'ts, cherry bombs, nipsy daisers, with or without the scooter stick, or one single whistlin' kitty chaser?

"No... because snakes and sparklers are the only ones I like. "

Joe: Well that might be your problem, it's not what you like, it's the consumer.


One of my absolute favorite movies!

 

[Musick17]

And here is a couple more of setting up this year. The shot of the line isnt the whole line it continues on past the ryder truck. And the other one is setting up the finale. About 600 shells just in the finale all wired together. Its intense.