Display Fireworks distributor/sales West Michigan?

[JOSHBOSS05]

Greetings all! I am new to the board and trying to develop contingency storage plan to apply for the atf 54 license. I purchased Daves ATF licence DVDs and have been helpful, only thing is the contingent storage. I live in west michigan between Grand Rapids and lake michigan and hoping someone on the forum may know someone or if there is a good way for me to find one.

I appreciate any help on this.

Thanks

Josh

[PyroManiacs]

Hey Josh, Welcome to PyroTalk!

Im sure someone will have info for you.

[MIpyro]

I'll ask the guys in my club to see if there is a place out on the west side. I only know of 3 major ones in MI but they are all on the east side.

[JOSHBOSS05]

Thank you MIpyro

[PyroJoeNEPA]

Welcome to the Forum Josh. Have you tried talking to a local display company to see if you could get contingency with them? Your contingency storage doesn't have to be with a vendor you purchase your 1.3 product from.

[JOSHBOSS05]

The closest one I can find is just over 100 miles away on the MI/IN border. Do you know the maximum distance or what the ATF requires the distance falls in?

[Fire Art]

Our sister company, ACE Pyro LLC, is about 150 miles east of you.

We would be happy to help with contingency and supplying your needs.

Check out www.acepyro.com or contact me.

-Al

[hatsgoods]

try to stick to about 100 miles or so a little over should be an issue, but don't quote me.

The closest one I can find is just over 100 miles away on the MI/IN border. Do you know the maximum distance or what the ATF requires the distance falls in?

[displayfireworks1]

Go with the help from Al at Ace Pyro/Fire Art. You should be fine with that. Al will also be glad to sell you some 1.3 when you get it.

[Melp]

Hey Josh I live in grand rapids and just got my license 54. I used Daves CDs and had no problem. I had a letter from ACE and they were very helpful on getting me the letter. I took it on myself to get a type 4 mag. The total cost on my mag was 275.00. Im sure when you have your interview you would get the same agent that I had. My reasoning for the mag was if something ever did happen to were I had to bring product back to storage I didnt want to have to drive a 100 miles that night. She said that she agreed and it was a smart move to get it. It also gives you an opportunity to get your product a little early to work on your displays. If you have a separate shed or building to have a mag in it makes your interview go a lot easier.
If you have any questions just PM and I can help you with anything you need

[displayfireworks1]

At Melp
Something for you to consider once you get finale approval on that magazine. Once you have a magazine, you in turn can give contingency letters to people that want to obtain an ATF fireworks license. You do not necessarily need to be in the fireworks business to give contingency storage to someone else. Of course I would not expect you to give this courtesy to just anyone, however keep friends and family in mind if they would like to get their own ATF license. Another option is to sell contingency letters for a small fee to recoup the cost of the magazine.
Using your 50lb magazine as a an example, that does not mean you are required to limit your purchases to just 50lbs. Remember if it is contingency you may not necessarily need it. But then again if you do need it . it will only hold 50 lbs. But the usual course of events is to fire your fireworks rain or shine on the night of the shoot.
p.s don't call them ATF Agent, they do not like that, address them "ATF Inspector". It is common mistake.

[Melp]

I didnt think of that so your saying that I could give Josh a letter of contingency so that he could get his 54. Would the ATF agent be apprehensive on me giving a letter of storage on that small of a mag. My magazine was approved the day I had my interview, she had done her research on my magazine from our phone conversation first, and she also used google earth to check out my property before the interview. Having your own magazine was easy to do and went over really well with the agent. I know everyone is concerned with bulk salutes but if you mix colored shells in with them they are not consider bulk.

[ras1986]

At Melp
Something for you to consider once you get finale approval on that magazine. Once you have a magazine, you in turn can give contingency letters to people that want to obtain an ATF fireworks license. You do not necessarily need to be in the fireworks business to give contingency storage to someone else. Of course I would not expect you to give this courtesy to just anyone, however keep friends and family in mind if they would like to get their own ATF license. Another option is to sell contingency letters for a small fee to recoup the cost of the magazine.
Using your 50lb magazine as a an example, that does not mean you are required to limit your purchases to just 50lbs. Remember if it is contingency you may not necessarily need it. But then again if you do need it . it will only hold 50 lbs. But the usual course of events is to fire your fireworks rain or shine on the night of the shoot.
p.s don't call them ATF Agent, they do not like that, address them "ATF Inspector". It is common mistake.
Dave!!! I never have thought about this!!! Once my mag is approved I can charge a small fee for contingency....

[displayfireworks1]

That was just a suggestion for down the road , first get comfortable with the responsibility of having the magazines and the associated bookwork. Now that you have your own magazine you should consider getting a Fireworks Manufacturing license. This license will allow you to make and/or purchase fireworks. That will be three years from now as not to confuse things. The ATF prefers to switch license at the time of renewal. Unless you are in business and need it done quicker.
p.s stop calling them Agents. LOL

[ras1986]

Mmmm. Manufacturing license.... i want a type 1 magazine and build HUGE salutes like little big shots. Maybe my goal in 3 years is to have successfully built multiple salute shells..... up to ridiculous proportions. .... my uncle owns over 8000 acres of land a couple hours from my house. Can anyone say 12+ inch salute?

[ras1986]

Mmmm. Manufacturing license.... i want a type 1 magazine and build HUGE salutes like little big shots. Maybe my goal in 3 years is to have successfully built multiple salute shells..... up to ridiculous proportions. .... my uncle owns over 8000 acres of land a couple hours from my house. Can anyone say 12+ inch salute?

Sorry guys. Not to sound like a crazy asshole. This isn't something I want to do tomorrow... i do want to build own fireworks....... legally....... I've been building fireworks for years but that illusive salute just rides my back. I have a HUGE ball mill at my shop that is just begging me to put 5 lbs of aluminum in........ what's the point tho without the correct storage and licensing.

[PyroManiacs]

@ Ras1986.... You might appreciate this guy then...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-B9H3FoVOY

[ras1986]

@ Ras1986.... You might appreciate this guy then...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-B9H3FoVOY how have I never seen this guys work.......

[MIpyro]

My contingency is with ACE PYRO, but they are only 25 miles from me. That over 100 mile issue might be a problem but it is up to the AGENT that does your interview. I would contact the agent first and see what they say and go from there.

[displayfireworks1]

Don't call anyone at the ATF , if you call you are giving permission for someone to tell you "No". If you call, you will either not get a knowledgeable person on the phone, you will not interpret what exactly is said, you will indirectly tell them what answer to give you. Like most people in business or legal areas, they are very careful in what answers they give over the phone. The ATF is not really in the business of helping people obtain the ATF fireworks license, there are more in the business of processing applications and meeting regulations.
.
Complete the formal application process, include the contingency agreement from Ace Pyro. Let the formal application process take it course. When they receive it they will call you. It is not so easy for them to deny these applications. The 100 mile distance is not a line in the sand so to speak. It is actually not written anywhere in the regulations, that is what denial of the application difficult. Forget all that "Its up to the individual Inspector" stuff. The truth be told the decision to approve you is probably made before they call you to arrange for the interview. Some people like to add more to it for example, they may say the ATF Inspector knows I work for Zambelli Pyrotecnico etc. so he approved me right away. Your prior knowledge or experience has nothing to do with it. Its very similar to purchasing a handgun , suppressor etc.
.
.
Speaking of Contingency, an argument I would present on appeal if necessary. Using a large fireworks company like Zambelli Fireworks based in New Castle Pennsylvania. Say I work for them and do a fireworks display in the state of Texas. And the show gets cancelled. Where is all that Contingency now. 2000 miles away. The ATF does not tell Zambelli they can only do a fireworks display 100 miles away from the storage.

[Melp]

My letter of contingency would have worked fine and I would have been over 100 miles away from the storage. According to the Officer having the magazine actually made it easier to put my application thru. When she called to set up the interview she asked about my letter of contingency and thats when I told her that I had bought a type 4 job box magazine. She did all her research on my property and were it would be on my property. There was someone on the forum that was from Grand Haven Mi that had just received their license and he was even farther away than I was, I really don't think 100 miles has anything to do with it.
I know I will always suggest if your going for your license just get the magazine, you have your own storage, you can get your product early so you can work with it before hand and you dont have to worry about driving anywhere. You can store salutes in the magazine it just has to have color mixed with them. I heard that wholesalers are now mixing one or two color shells in the case just to make sure your covered in a type 4 mag.

[MIpyro]

There you go then...get a magazine or call up ACE PYRO, they will gladly give you a contingency letter.

[CTPYRO]

100 Miles is something the ATF does take into consideration. If there is a rainout you can't be hours/hundreds of miles away from the storage. My ATF inspector mentioned that

[mguerra]

I installed a magazine , type IV job box, simply to make the application go faster and easier. I did not know who would give me a contingency letter at that time. As it turned out the contingency storage would have been easy to get from from my, then unknown to me, supplier of 1.3 product. But by having my own mag I would not have to make the 2-1/2 hour round trip at midnight if it came to that! A job box is a cheap, easy and fast way to meet the letter of the law. However it only holds 50 pounds of comp by law if it is indoors. And even if it is outdoors, it isn't big enough to hold much more than that anyway. So you have to pick up your product the day of your shoot and hope like hell you actually shoot it. If weather or unknown circumstances (like a pissed off bureaucrat, grass fire next to the shoot site or...) cancel your show, now you have to figure out what to do with all that product. Better to have a BIG magazine or a letter of contingency. I plan to add a big magazine that can hold my entire show, as soon as possible.