Homemade Pyrotechnics

[FinnAmerican]

Just curious~I've seen many posts here talking about homemade fireworks. Is it legal to make them..? Can you make them without a license..?
I do not wish to make my own. Sounds dangerous. Are you allowed to make small legal 50 milligram Firecrackers..? Are home made fireworks and their ingredients legal to store at home without a permit...?

excerpt from ATF website
"Because consumer fireworks contain pyrotechnic compositions classified by ATF as explosive materials, the manufacturing of consumer fireworks requires a federal explosives license from ATF."

(APA) American Pyrotechnics Association:
"NEVER attempt to make your own fireworks."

Keystone Fireworks website:
"According to the ATF, it is illegal to make your own fireworks in every state. It is also illegal to possess any homemade firework that has not been government approved as a consumer firework. Never attempt to make your own fireworks..."

Skylighter website:
SO, HOW CAN YOU BUY WHATEVER YOU WANT?
Also fairly simple. Just apply for and get an ATF explosives manufacturing license. It's a lot easier and less expensive than you may think. Once you have that license, you can buy anything you want from us, with absolutely no restrictions.

[Delloman]

It is legal to make and use on your own property under federal law but you take them off your property over a public road you have committed a crime. Don't sell anything as long as your not in Commerce alot of rules don't apply like needing a hasmat to transport 1.3. unless you have your 54 without the 54 its easier for the government to say your a bomb maker.

[ohiocomputerguy]

So theoretically, if someone wanted to make their own "gerbs" to use at a family picnic and transported them from their property to another family member's house, you have commited a crime. It seems to me that it is simply safer to buy what you want, but the company's want to make sure you pay a premium for for the 1.4 pro stuff (which by the way appears to be a much safer product than standard consumer fireworks). So if the average "JOE" want's to put on a backyard show which is pretty doable with a cheap chinese firing system and he wants to find like a 60 second gerb or maybe lances to do a set-piece, you have to improvise and use things that are not designed for the task. You can't make your own, because you can't transport them. What's a back yard guy to do? In ohio, you can't even have them shipped in from another state, so options seem limited. are things like this even available in the us? https://www.tradefireworks.net/product/category-4-fireworks/gerbs-fountains/gold-to-silver-gerb

[Engineer Cat]

So theoretically, if someone wanted to make their own "gerbs" to use at a family picnic and transported them from their property to another family member's house, you have commited a crime. It seems to me that it is simply safer to buy what you want, but the company's want to make sure you pay a premium for for the 1.4 pro stuff (which by the way appears to be a much safer product than standard consumer fireworks). So if the average "JOE" want's to put on a backyard show which is pretty doable with a cheap chinese firing system and he wants to find like a 60 second gerb or maybe lances to do a set-piece, you have to improvise and use things that are not designed for the task. You can't make your own, because you can't transport them. What's a back yard guy to do? In ohio, you can't even have them shipped in from another state, so options seem limited. are things like this even available in the us? https://www.tradefireworks.net/product/category-4-fireworks/gerbs-fountains/gold-to-silver-gerb

Technically when you cannibalize a consumer cake to use it's components for other effects, that product is no longer considered 1.4 because it has been manipulated to do something other than what it was classified and tested to do. I would argue that being it was a consumer cake, broken down into different components, it is still more stable than 1.3 products and shouldn't have to be handled and stored like it is a commercial prodcut, but that argument would lose in court.

[Engineer Cat]

are things like this even available in the us? https://www.tradefireworks.net/product/category-4-fireworks/gerbs-fountains/gold-to-silver-gerb

In 1.4pro yes. Raccoon has some
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS1pXd0bbxE

[ohiocomputerguy]

It seems the 1.4 pro stuff only last about 10 to 20 seconds where the ones I linked to last about a minute.

[Engineer Cat]

It seems the 1.4 pro stuff only last about 10 to 20 seconds where the ones I linked to last about a minute.

Yea, I mean you can use 3 and shoot one every 20 seconds if you really need them to go for 1 min. Just have to make due with what you can legally buy. I can buy the 1 min ones but wouldn't because that effect last to long for what I'm trying to do with them in my shows.

[Arclight]

I don't think DIY fireworks are worth if for shells and cakes. It might be worth if if you want something hard to get, like large 1.3G fountains, pinwheels (can be made from salvaged 1.4 components also) or big smoke bombs suitable for daytime shows.