what did you learn this year?

[nrubmx]

just wondering if anybody learned a lesson this year.

ill share mine.

just because a fuse looks like it went out, does NOT mean it went out, i had a shell that the fuse looked like it went out on but about 5 min later it shot out of the tube. it was scary because we were shooting in a small area.

[Pyro Nation]

Yeah.. believe its called a hang fire...where fuse ends up burning slower than normal take awhile for the shell to go off...was a guy killed because of that this year... though he should of known better not to look down the mortar for atleast 20 min and after water dumped on it. Being said I feel for the family

[californiapyro]

lesson: don't put 49 cakes and 155 shells on one 8x4 board. it can reduce your show to a really kick-ass 3 1/2 minute finale

[Pyro Nation]

LOL...I take it you had some jumping going on...lol

[J's12talk]

Something I knew but learned again this year is the company you shoot for and the crew that you work with make all the difference in the world.

[californiapyro]

LOL...I take it you had some jumping going on...lol

haha, that's an understatement

[Pyro Nation]

did ya get video??

[crackerbomb]

I had a cake in the finale that burnt the fuse to the box and never fired, 10 minutes later it went off, thank God nobody was still around looking on what went off and didn't because it was a zipper cake.

[californiapyro]

did ya get video??

sorta, the camera had problems and only got a minute of it... still want the vid?

[californiapyro]

the cakes all went at once, then there was 30 seconds of normal show, then all the shells went. i got 15 seconds of delay then the shells on vid.

[Palermitano2]

I learned that everyone around me is useless and I do all the fusing and all the set up......Thank god for this sight because I think people are sick of me talking pyro. I also learned that I spend all the money and other people try to take credit for the show I put on.....That being said I lit a fast fuse without using a little piece of visco at the end a careless mistake that i will never do again......I am lucky i didnt get hurt.

[Pyro Nation]

I learned that everyone around me is useless and I do all the fusing and all the set up......Thank god for this sight because I think people are sick of me talking pyro. I also learned that I spend all the money and other people try to take credit for the show I put on.....That being said I lit a fast fuse without using a little piece of visco at the end a careless mistake that i will never do again......I am lucky i didnt get hurt.


WOW.... Were you at the show I did for my friends and family and there friends on July 1st...lol I have the same feelings... though did have help in moving items out to the field...lol

[PyroMike79]

What I learned was "get a firing system dummy". This was my last year as a long fuse guy and handlighting stuff. Its just too much work to set up and has so many ways to go wrong. Next year I will be better prepared.

[PyroJoeNEPA]

I learned a couple things this year:
1. Allow yourself 20% more time than you think it will take to set up. It gives you time to do what everyone else is doing--eating!!!
2. Big fingers don't work well with small chinese remote firing systems: I had 2-12cue wireless systems & a 40 cue hard wired system-My "Niagra Falls" was on cue 9, my "Twin Towers Tribute set piece was on 11. I hit #9 & my fat finger bumped 11 right below it--both went at the same time--I lost the effect of the Twin Towers piece which would have had "Where Were You" playing when it fired--it threw the whole music setup off track!
3. [Didn't "learn" this this year--but I wanted to mention it] ALWAYS maintain safe distances--I had my shooting area roped off & all the people where they should have been-I had a 3" shell flowerpot--[ i was shooting 1.4g & 1.3g] I appreciated no one was even close to the ground spray it threw out> The crowd loved it-they thought it was part of the show [like a giant Kryptonite!!!] Go Figure!!!
4. Chain fusing is, was, & will always be unpredictable as far as timing goes!!!
Next year will be a "semi-pro" firing system with lots of ques!

[tennpyro1]

i learned thats long lighters saves fingers from getting burnt while hand fireing

[Blackdevil77]

I learned to buy a few mortar racks instead of reloading a whole bunch of shells into the same 4-6 tubes. Really made everything drag on at a really slow pace

[PittPyro]

I learned that I need to take more time with my chain fusing and to do it all myself. Some of my mortar racks went too quickly (perhaps too much tape) making for a quicker show then anticipated. Good news is no one noticed and it all went off and safely.

Live and learn and the next show will be better for it (hopefully).

Video to come soon. I have been a little busy.

[Palermitano2]

WOW.... Were you at the show I did for my friends and family and there friends on July 1st...lol I have the same feelings... though did have help in moving items out to the field...lol

My Plan is to tell everyone i wont be shooting a show on 2012. Just to see what happens.. then at the last second BANG! I am gonna do all the work anyhow.. I cant wait for my 2 august shoots I have another 2 fellow pyros who do as much as i do so its actualy enjoyable..Its funny people come out of the woodwork to take credit......

[crackerbomb]

i learned thats long lighters saves fingers from getting burnt while hand fireing

If you are using a lighter, get a small propane torch or a road flare. I use a torch but want to get a small firing system.

[nrubmx]

I learned that everyone around me is useless and I do all the fusing and all the set up......Thank god for this sight because I think people are sick of me talking pyro. I also learned that I spend all the money and other people try to take credit for the show I put on.....That being said I lit a fast fuse without using a little piece of visco at the end a careless mistake that i will never do again......I am lucky i didnt get hurt.

i hear ya! i did all the fusing and set up myself also!

[Palermitano2]

I would rather do all the fusing its just nice to have someone else there who gives a hoot.....

[nrubmx]

I would rather do all the fusing its just nice to have someone else there who gives a hoot.....

yeah sometimes i like to do it myself just because its exaclty the way i want it

[Palermitano2]

True my brother wasnt there this year I think I missed him .....

[floridapyro]

That hand lighting over 100 items is exhausting and makes the show lag way to much. And at 37 years old I finally learned to go wholesale.

[Pyro Nation]

LOL... Nice Florida...lol

[pyro man 205]

to give your self more time on fusing, and not wait till you get to you shoot site when you are the only one doing the fusing.

[Robertlopez]

well i did not learn the lesson but a two houses down from me learned the hard way don't make the fire department mad they will find any thing to get you in trouble especially when you are lunching 4" shells in the air and a norther lesson they learned don't throw away the boxes of all of the illegal fireworks in the trash can where in they morning the fire department can find them and sure enough they did. the fire department got police to search the house and find a whole lot of fireworks in the house

not to smart