Techniques for Connecting Firewire Initiators To Visco

[FBpyro]

This year I only have firewire initiators at my disposal and no talons, and I wanted to know what are some good techniques for interfacing the two to ensure successful ignition each and every time?

I realize for cakes I can poke directly into the lift charge of the 1st shot, and yes that is what I already do. However there are tricky items such as roman candles, strobes, and fountains in which you cannot do this. Instead I will have to mate the firewire directly to the visco fuse.

Anybody have success with this?

[BeerGuyEd]

I'm not entirely sure how everyone else does it but I bought some connectors to do ematch to visco.

https://electricmatch.com/pyrotechnics/see/15/5/visco-clip

You can find them at various places and even ebay sometimes.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

There are a few ways. I've used the "visco clips" that MJG sells and they worked fine. https://electricmatch.com/pyrotechnics/see/15/5/visco-clip

You can also just put the end of the visco into the shroud of the initiator (some advocate for jamming some fast fuse in there as well) and tape it up.

In either case I would cross-cut the visco BEFORE you mate it with a clip or shroud to ensure you have some good, fresh powder present for the initiator to ignite.

[Mattp]

My first year using initiators I pulled back the shroud... placed the fuse next to the match head.. then put the shroud back over both... and taped it up..had a good success rate.. but some of them didn’t light(I would imagine because of side ignition)... . I now use the clips.. with 100% success... may be too late to order them for this year.. but maybe not!!

[BeerGuyEd]

I now use the clips.. with 100% success...

This makes me feel really good about ordering some.

[joed2323]

I also use these clips, it just makes things easier. Especially for trying to light Roman candles, strobes anything where you cant stick the match head the lift.

Example, If I'm trying to light a fountain cake, 76 gold flitter fountain I still tend to run quick fuse and secure it next to the existing fuse then I run the quick fuse into the plastic clip and plug my igniter into the clip. Always tape up

[Jay_]

On my gold flitter fountains I just pulled the shroud back on my mjg, shoved it into the the quickmatch looking stuff in the center of the hole and taped it. I test fired one and it worked like a charm

[krayg]

I add a short length of quick fuse between the shroud and the green visco. Cut 45 degree angle on the end to expose more powder before sticking it into the shroud and tape it up well. Works fine for me.

[FruitLeups]

As opposed to doing some surgery on a fuse to expose more powder, has anyone opted to just put some extra powder in the cap?

I have some FFFF powder that I use in my other hobby (model rocketry) and was thinking I'd just toss a tiny bit in each cap.

[Deanbc]

I use extra powder all the time, just don’t over do it.

[cptnding]

As opposed to doing some surgery on a fuse to expose more powder, has anyone opted to just put some extra powder in the cap?

I have some FFFF powder that I use in my other hobby (model rocketry) and was thinking I'd just toss a tiny bit in each cap.

That has worked well for me in the past. Especially tiny diameter fuses like the ones on most fountains. They have hardly any powder in them to light. Just be sure and tape it up tight. Exposed powder will soak up moisture from the air like a sponge.

[Kenny East]

A little powder on top of the fountain, or a small piece of sticky match, or even a small piece of quick match to pass the fire... All work well for devices that are not pokeable.

[FruitLeups]

I use extra powder all the time, just don?t over do it.

Exactly. Just enough to provide a nice fire bridge from the wire to the exposed fuse core is all i was thinking of adding.

[joed2323]

A little powder on top of the fountain, or a small piece of sticky match, or even a small piece of quick match to pass the fire... All work well for devices that are not pokeable.

Will this work good for strobes?
I have 2fg is this good enough?

[hatsgoods]

i have used the clips from https://electricmatch.com/pyrotechnics/see/15/5/visco-clip and have always had luck with cutting the end of the visco at a 45 degree angle to expose a tad more of the core powder and have only 2 fail over the past 3 years witch where a bad match head but continuity came up good. i prefer these clips from them due to they are easier for me to use. and the last thing i do is after hooking the clip to the match head and visco, is i wrap the wire from the match lead 3 time around the clip and very last put a few wraps of thinner with masking tape - i use 1/2 inch wide masking tape just for these clips,- around the hooked up clip with the wire around it. i put the wire around the clip as a safety strain relief and the tape to hold the wire on the clip. i know that there is a notch of plastic on the clip that you can put the wire under, but i only found that it can only fit 1 wrap of wire under that flap built into the clip its self. i have ODC with stuff like that and dont feel safe as in it will fail to light and mess up stuff if the wire gets kicked out / around, so thats why i tape and wrap the wire around the way i do. i might make a video on this if i have a show to do this 4th of July this year. the show whould't be a show. it would be more of a hanging with friends and shooting stuff off here and there. if it not gonna be on the actual 4th it would mostly be on the 6th. if that doesn't fail then i am 95% sure ill have a engagement party show to do at the same people and location at. the location is where i just recently did a birthday party show for. i have a video of the setup and show on my YouTube. vid of that show here at this link: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjntod2jH7o

[pfm1700]

The clips everyone else is referring to have worked great for me. I usually poke all my cakes, but some zippers and smaller cakes are not worth the hassle, so I simply use the clips to connect to the visco. They are worth having in your pyro toolbox.

[Kenny East]

Will this work good for strobes?
I have 2fg is this good enough?

Should work fine, most strobes have a decent amount of prime... I'd take the ematch/initiator to it then add a bit of extra powder. I'm assuming you're asking about the bigger strobes and not the little half cup set deals.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

The strobes I've used from SO76 have a short piece of visco on top with a small circle of composition over it. You can usually pull the visco off and leave most of the comp on top. Then you can place an initiator in the center, tape it over, and you're good to go.