I think it's time to buy a firing system

[PyroGyro]

Get a good LOL out of the attached picture. This is my Fireworks this show for the 4th. 5 different boards, and a 50 shot mortar rack not even pictured here. All the red lines are fuse connections using combinations of Safety, Perfect, and Quick Fuse. All fuses are measured to the exact length (in time) of each firework. Look at all the connections between boards. This is basically one huge daisy chain. Believe it or not, I've been doing this for years, am meticulous about how I fuse and tape, and have had no issues with fireworks not going off. That said this is ridiculous and it's time to buy a cheap firing system. The reason I haven't bought one is each year I say "This is the last year I'm doing fireworks", but I wind up doing it next year anyway.

One question I have for you guys is this. Once you setup the cues, how do you know exactly when to trigger the next cue? Is it by knowing what the last firework does is from the cue you're on? A timer for the cue you're on?

Any recommendations on a decent but cheap firing system with a few cues and a remote?

http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=4157&stc=1

[Robbro097]

I have this and love it even now that i have a cobra im still going to use this in spots of show. Most consumer cakes have a built in finale so almost a signal to hit the next cuehttp://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=4158&stc=1

[PYRODAN]

Great googly moogly!! That looks like that guy trying to buy a used car commercial!

[Rick_In_Tampa]

The system Rob recommend is going to be hard to beat if you're looking for a cheap system with a lot of cues. I don't know if you can run a script on it, but if you want to get precise with the timing, you're going to need something that allows you to run a script to fire the effects. that said, you're going to also need to know exactly how long each effect lasts so you can build the script and line the effects up end to end, or maybe have a few seconds of overlap. Whatever you feel comfortable with.

[PyroGyro]

I have this and love it even now that i have a cobra im still going to use this in spots of show. Most consumer cakes have a built in finale so almost a signal to hit the next cue

Thanks Rob, Do you know if the cue timings can be programmed/scripted/sequenced? Also, pardon my ignorance, but looking at the picture of this system.. each remote box has a red circle with a number on it. Does this mean that the remote boxes labelled (1) for example are all pre-programmed to a certain cue when you get the system? Or can be? How do you know what cue your remote box has been programmed to?

[BeerGuyEd]

I use this system.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/36-Cue-wireless-remote-Fireworks-Firing-System-Dividual-Sequential-Salvo-Step/323193253879?hash=item4b3fd1aff7:g:AX8AAOSwrN9ax4N u

Although its my first year using it for the show I have used it several times for test firing items and dry tests. A couple of things I liked about the system is it comes with 12v battery connections for each mod, and the remote does step firing so you just have to hit a single button to have the system fire the next cue. Like all of the cheaper chinese ebay systems this one does not feature scripting/programming.

I bought mine for less during the off season when the company had a couple of systems up for bidding instead of the buy now option. Saved me about $50 off the price its selling for now.

[Robbro097]

Theyr is no scripting with it just a basic press a button fire a cue. It also has a fire all button and a rapid fire button that will fire your 12 cues on that chan about 1 a secondor sohttp://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=4169&stc=1. U could always start a stop watch and u follow your script if that percise of timing is important to you. U can program the 4 cue mods on whatever channel u like or as many on each as u want. I plan to have 5 set as the same cues this year for a certain effect. U just insert a paperclip into lil hole in mod when it flashes u press the button on the remote youd like to start those 4 on theyrs some youtube videos showing/explaining it. And if u want to add more cues you can buy the 12 cue systems with hand held remote for 27 and some change and just use the mods i plan on adding 12 every year just because y not. Its a simple system but it does work well and price is right.

[Mattp]

that is the same system i am using... and it works well(great for the price)... what i do to get the timing right is to write down my setlist in firing order..to include..the time, cue, channel, and duration of every item.... then use a timer to know when to press the next button. your pretty much already doing that to calculate the size/speed fuses to use.. so it should come easy to you to figure it out... those numbers on each module are the channels they come programmed on... but its very easy to reprogram them to any channel or cue you like.... and your drawing will sort of still look like that.. but will be wires instead of fuses...LOL

[hatsgoods]

4195

i just got me the exact system with the same amount of cues with same of 4 cue mods for the same price with free shipping. i haven't tried it out yet. i did however have a similar system that had 48 cues that had two 6 cue mods,5 of the 2 cue mods and the rest of the cues where made of the 4 cues mods. that system was made by a different manufacturer and did not have a key switch for power. it only had a big red light up rocker switch of it. i like how this model has the key witch comes in very handy for safety and plus the hard case that the control remote is built into has a spot on the outside of the case to put a small pad lock to keep peeps out. for even more safety, i take out all 6 AA batteries out of the tabletop remote and keep them separate from the remote. and when storing the system, i take out the batteries from the remote and put them in a Ziploc baggie and leave the bag in the remote case. i will be making a video a tad later tonight on the system and do some testing with it and of course as always i will have a video of it. i also lucked out and had a 12 cue system from the same builson company that runs off the same frequency and matches the other mods that came with the 60 cues. the 12 cues system i already had was the three of the 4 cues mods on the white handheld remote that all came in a army green plastic case with foam inside the case. i got it on sale off of eBay for just under $35 with free shipping and it also came with 12 really short ematch that where 11.5 inches long. so in other words i was able to add and program those 3 mods to the tabletop remote.

[PyroGyro]

The more I think about not having the ability to script/sequence the firing system, the more I don't like it. I often combine different fireworks and am big on having them end at the same time so they don't bleed into a new firework, and I want to spend more of my time watching the show, than triggering the cues. I went to set and forget. What am I looking at for cost for something that has 40 cues?

[Robbro097]

Check out cobra 18r2 remote and 36m mod or 2 18m if u go the 36m route i recommend slats cuz 36cues all in 1 spot is an awful lot of wires in 1 location

[Rick_In_Tampa]

I would respectfully suggest you don't think in terms of "40 cues." I started out with a cheap Chinese system because "that's all I need." Then I bought more cakes, and I had to buy more remotes. Then I bought more cakes, and I wanted to script them and I couldn't. So I wasted all that money because the system would no longer do what I wanted it to do.

So I would suggest you think in terms of capabilities and future expandability. I bought the Cobra because it does everything I want to do now, and, the options available to me now, far exceed anything I'm prepared to do. So I know that when/if I get the bug to go even bigger, I'll be able to use the system I already invested money into.

I hope that makes sense. I'm not trying to get you to buy a Cobra (although I love mine!), but you should definitely do your due diligence and at least take a look at the available options. Those systems may seem expensive now, but think about the money (AND TIME!) you put into other, cheaper options, only to go with something different later. Sometimes paying a little more up front is actually the cheaper option in the long run.

Just one man's opinion.... :)

[PyroGyro]

No worries Rick what you're saying makes sense. When I said 40 cues I really meant to say at least 40 cues to give you an idea of my minimal needs. That said I had a feeling you guys were going to come back with the 18M and 18R. Me, I'd need at least 2 18Ms. Throw in the 18R and now I'm looking at $900 on a good sale day. Seeing as every year I say this is my last year of doing this, and that I only shoot once a year anyway I can't see spending that kind of $$$ on a firing system system. Maybe I should just buy one of the cheaper manual systems and then do some combination of electronic firing and fusing cakes together to handle the scenario with multiple fireworks with different timings on the same cue firing at slightly different times. Or maybe look for a used Cobra system on ebay.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Remember now... You can fire more than 1 effect from a cue. So 18 cues isn't really just 18 cues. If you have just one 18M you can shoot a boatload of effects.

Obviously I don't know how you shoot your shows, but I just wanted to give you that nugget to think about. And you're right... You can probably pick up a used one for a lot cheaper than new. Scott also has some pretty nice Black Friday sales. The money I saved a few years ago covered the cost of an audio box! Again... Just food for thought.

[PYRODAN]

"When you buy quality, you only cry once."

[Rick_In_Tampa]

"When you buy quality, you only cry once."

Lol... Put another way, yes. lol...

[morrison2951]

Picked up a pre-owned 12 cue Quantum Fire QF- 2X6 firing system and it's good quality- likely the best of the best of the less expensive systems and no longer on the market. It'll do for me for now.

[MontanaMike]

We started off with 3 Cobra 18ms and a lot of twisted wires, but the more we got into the musical end of it, the more sense it made to have more cues. So now we have eight 18M's.

Still, for a guy on a budget, you could do a hell of a show even with one 18M and an 18R2 remote.

[PyroGyro]

Remember now... You can fire more than 1 effect from a cue. So 18 cues isn't really just 18 cues. If you have just one 18M you can shoot a boatload of effects.

Obviously I don't know how you shoot your shows, but I just wanted to give you that nugget to think about. And you're right... You can probably pick up a used one for a lot cheaper than new. Scott also has some pretty nice Black Friday sales. The money I saved a few years ago covered the cost of an audio box! Again... Just food for thought.

Wait a second, when you say that you can fire more than 1 effect from a cue, do you mean that you can connect more than one igniter to a single set of +/- terminals on the 18M, or any other system for that matter? If so this helps a lot and I think I could probably live with just (1) 18M if I combined the cueing with some fusing between cakes.

[joed2323]

Buy once cry once

[BeerGuyEd]

Yes any system has the ability to fire off more than 1 igniter per cue.

[morrison2951]

Yep, I'll be shooting up to 3 igniters per cue on my 12 cue Quantum Fire.