Has anyone tried this?

[Palermitano2]

I am curious has anyone out there ever used a spent cake as a poormans rack? I have a few hundred dr11s. So I dont need to. Again I was just wondering if its been done and how the end result was?

[indianahx]

I have heard of it........

But I'm assuming this would be a cake previously used, debris free, and NOT SMOLDERING......correct?? I just really couldn't see the point of doing so. Maybe used as a candle holder???

[Pyro Nation]

I have never even thought about it, but guess it could work.

[crackerbomb]

I have used a spent 200 gram cake to hold roman candles.

[Palermitano2]

I am glad I asked because holding candles is a good idea.

[PyroJoeNEPA]

I used a couple 9 shot 50mm [2"] cakes for additional salute shells for a finale two years ago. They worked fine, but i wouldn't use them more than once without treating the tubes. Also took a couple 25 shot 2" & used them for mines...but I am going from 1.4 to 1.3 here. and, finally, I had a 3" 4 shot that I salvaged the tubes to use for candles.

[pyro man 205]

I also have used a spent 200 gram cake to hold roman candles, fan cakes work great.

[Minishow]

A man that I know from work said he used a spent BIGS BMF to shoot some canister shells and it worked, however I have not tryed it personaly.

[indianahx]

I am glad I asked because holding candles is a good idea.

I'm sure you meant that its NOT a good idea.....

[PyroJoeNEPA]

I'm sure you meant that its NOT a good idea.....
I'm sure he meant using the tubes to hold the candles is a good idea!

[Palermitano2]

I'm sure you meant that its NOT a good idea.....
I meant using the cakes to hold candles...not to sway off the subject I once saw a guy hold a candle and it shot out the side and he was very badly burnt.....I mean bleeding badly burnt....

[nrubmx]

ive used spent cakes for rockets of all sizes

[Dart]

Yes, we've reused spent cakes for ball shells. It worked but not something I would recomend or make a habit of. Spent fan cakes do make nice poor mans candle racks.

[-Motorcity Pyro-]

I use them every year. Be sure to check the tubes for stress fractures or any other type of damage. Because the cakes were designed for consumer use, the tubes in 1.4 cakes are actually pretty strong. 10-12 shot cakes usually fit 1.75" shells nicely. If it's a little loose (typically with ball shells), wrap the shell a few times with tape.

[FRWKSFAN1]

Why? Is the risk worth saving a few $'s?

[pyromustang]

candles or rockets maybe. shell cakes are tested to shoot one time.imo

[Pyro Nation]

For me... my opinion... I really can justify the risk over the reward so to speak... in this case...

[crackerbomb]

For me... my opinion... I really can justify the risk over the reward so to speak... in this case...

I agree, Its just not worth it. You could get hurt or even worse the tube explodes and someone in the crowd gets hurt. Then your going to regret taking the chance to try to save a few bucks.

[indianahx]

Well I'm glad someone spoke up. I didn't want to rag too much......

When I shoot a cake, I don't even consider checking the thing out till the end of the show, and even at that point I certainly don't consider dropping a shell in it. It goes straight into the trash after an inspection and a nice bath. There's a reason we shoot shells out of the fiberglass and hdpe tubes that we have........for SAFETY. I have yet to see a cake that has mortars in it that are 12 inches long or greater.

[californiapyro]

eeh... visco does wonders. if you take a spent 2" cake (i used scuba diver, it looked strong) and then insert the top of the fuse into the next shot of the cake then drop a shell down, it makes a neat little "can shell cake" that was better than the original and half the price... and a foot of visco doesnt hurt either, safety first.

[PyroJoeNEPA]

I don't think anyone was implying dropping a shell into a cake the same day it was fired, but salvaging the cake to use at a later time. I've seen many people do this--the key is the quality & condition of the tubes. I've seen many cakes with cardboard tubes much stronger than some of the junk tubes supplied with festival ball kits that are supplied to last six shots [and they do]. All the tubes I have ever reloaded had a spot of white glue & kraft tape sealing the old in/out fuse holes & were "top fused" either with fast fuse or quick match. They are not something that I keep in "inventory" but discard after one or two uses--unless I coat the inside of the tubes. I do have a 9 shot 2" that i have used for four years & it is probably more solid than the day it was manufactured.
I agree, safety is the key factor here. Just a pyro attempt at "being green" & recycling--LOL.

[-Motorcity Pyro-]

As pyro Joe said, the tubes in cakes are much thicker the the Small Festival Ball tubes. I should have clarified that the tubes were loaded days after the cake was shot. I don't have the space or funds for racks. Figure a case of 12 shot (4/1) will give you 48 tubes to load and the pleasure of firing 4 cakes before your shoot :). How much does it cost to build a 48 shot plastic or fiberglass rack? Yup, about double the price...