Fusing shells

[UniversalPyro]

I need some advice, i want to fuse shells together with a time fuse so i can light one row at a time and let them fire away. i only want to shoot in rows, so if 3'' have 10 mortars, i would tie them together, and then hand light the next set. Then move to 4'' which have six mortars to a rack, then hand light next set and so on.

Or i might tie rows together and Electronic light them. But i need to know if risks are involved and what experienced shooters say about this.

[Pyro Nation]

I am a fan of electronic. Hand lighting to me though a lot of people do it is too risky. I prefer not to be close to a shell to fire them off. If I have to i add fuse to it so i know i can be a safe distance away.

[J's12talk]

I am a fan of electronic. Hand lighting to me though a lot of people do it is too risky. I prefer not to be close to a shell to fire them off. If I have to i add fuse to it so i know i can be a safe distance away.

Different strokes for different folks, I work over 20 shoots a year and there is no other place I want to be other than ground zero. Thats what gets the heart pumping, its one hell of a rush.

[J's12talk]

Ok I really didn't answer your main question. usually quick match is used to tie shells together, in order to slow it down there are time delays available on the market. These will offer a consistent delay between shells. You also can try choking a loop of quick match with string knots to slow it down. You can always try consumer fuse of the speed you like to tie your shells together.

[indianahx]

What exactly is the question here??

From what I'm reading, quickmatch would not be for you because one ignition source would mean almost instantaneous ignition of everything tied in.....correct me if I'm wrong but it seems that isn't what your looking for?

Are you looking for recommendations about time fuse between similar diameter shells? Like lighting your 3" shells with time fuse between them, then when they are done lighting your 4" shells with time fuse between each one of them and so on and so forth...???

Just need a little clarity....

[Thumpjunkey]

I have only seen it done with 1.4 stuff. I personally suck at it but the guys that can do it spend hours with different fuse trying to get it right. Here is what I can tell you. The main fuse is the key. The fuses on the other shells will go at the same pace as the main fuse. You have to figure out how big of a loop to allow on the main fuse between each shell based on the speed of the main fuse. Its one of those things that you just have to work with. Pick up a couple case of some cheap 1.4 shells and different fuse and just start working it out. I would think you could then apply that to the 1.3 stuff.

[californiapyro]

well what the rocket man does is he alternates lengths of qm and time fuse, lighting the shells with the qm and relying on the time fuse for the delay.

[PyroJoeNEPA]

Universal--are you looking for a specific delay time between each shell in a row--or just want to fuse them all together so you don't have to light each individual shell? Like the others have commented there are ways to time the ignition rate between shells in a row, but it is not all that accurate without a lot of testing. Even using the same type fuse you will find different burn rates from batch to batch. The biggest downfall I have found in doing this is that the row burns slower than you calculated & you end up with "dark sky" when you don't want it.
On a side note-a good way to test your timing on a string is to lay out your fuse & use a firecracker instead of a shell to test the timing. That lets you test fire it anytime without having to put shells in the air & is a lot cheaper. I have done that with the fuse laying over the tops of the mortars with the firecracker hanging down inside the gun-when it lights, it drops the firecracker into the gun a couple inches before it "pops" & you can hear the timing shots better.
Like J's12talk said about the quick match & delays-that would be the best way to go. I haven't been able to master the art of choking the QM yet to get the desired effect I wanted. Also, if you want to QM the string, you can use precut timed pigtails of visco from the QM line fuse to the individual shells. That, in my opinion, would be more practical for 1.3 product than a timed line of visco.

[mici59]

Here is what I would suggest. If you have time fuse cut it into like 3 inch pieces (usually resluts in a 5 second delay). The take Buckets (or you can use coin wrappers) and tie them on each end of the peices of time fuse( Ill call this the timer). Then its just a simple chain that you would make.

You take a piece of match and stick that into the first end of the timer along with the liter of the shell, tie it, then you take just a piece of match and tie it to the other end of the timer, now going into the 2nd timer you take the next shell and tie it into the timer with the end of the match that is coming outof the 1st timer, and coming out of that timer is just a piece of match...and so on....

so it goes

heres a little chart for my diagram
---- = piece of match
() = timer
=== = Liter of shell
* where you tie the chain

----&=== into *()* ---- & === *()*----&===*()*----&===*()*----&===

Ill try to get a picture of this, but its the best way to time delay shells, you can make whole strings of them and depending on how well you tie, it should never break.

[UniversalPyro]

Well first off, thanks for all the responses. I can get the timing down for shells, but i need to know if there is any precaution on doing this, or safety ideas i should think about. I will electric match all the rows, i will probably do at least 2 rows at a time so there is no "dark sky" or dull moment. But i did hear in dave's videos he did not recommend tying shells together. So i though there might be a safety feature to this or a good reason not to do it. But maybe im over reacting.

Does anyone else do this with 1.3 shells and what is your experience with it.

Thanks again for all the responses!

[Pyro Nation]

I do add some fuse depending on what I would like to happen. If I know I am using a 3" shell and want it to be completely out of the sky before the next one goes UP I use some visco and add it in between the two shells

[mici59]

Why wouldnt he recommend doing this? I feel timing or flighting chains of shells is a great way to keep up a good pace of a show. For one you are saving on squibs and two you dont have to worry about fuse buring too fast or too slow when handfiring. So you control the pace with your time fuse.

The only safety reason i can think of why timing shells isnt good is if say the first shell in the chain blows the rack and now you still have live shells that will eventually burn and go off. if the rack is gone who knows where they will go. Ive been shooting shows for a company for nearly 10 years and we do alot with timers and ive never had this happen. So I dont see anything wrong with it.

[indianahx]

One of daves videos is specifically called chaining 2.5" salutes and fast fuse (or something like that) where he chains the salutes himself.......doesn't recommend???????????????????

[UniversalPyro]

ya it was the fact of timing he said he's not a fan of it, also it something happens then the rest of the chain could cause damage.....

[Hector]

ya it was the fact of timing he said he's not a fan of it, also it something happens then the rest of the chain could cause damage.....

He actually said that he didn't like the ENTIRE show together without breaks in the fuse. If you chain the ENTIRE show together and something happens there is NO WAY to stop the rest of the show from going off. If you chain in flights then you are okay, because the worst case scenario is that the rest of the flight go's off and the show stops. I believe this was said in "Fireworks on the farm".