Gas mine

[Okimarine]

Just curious if anyone uses something more than heavy steel pipe for gas mines? I use steel pipe the gas / oil pipeliners use and is very heavy with a 16x16 3/8 metal base. Was thinking of trying a 15 gallon metal drum with 10 gallons of gas. I would of course test it with nothing but water first but was curious if anyone on here has tried it or some other lightweight material that holds more than 5 gallons of gas?

[Salutecake]

I'd wait for an expert opinion on that one. I would think the charge needed to push that much stuff up in the air even with the circumference of a 15 gallon drum would be pretty heavy duty.

[Backyardboom]

The bottoms and welds are the main weak points in fuel mine pipes. I have no doubts your idea will not work, bottom will fail for certain and I’m not sure how the side walls will take it either.

[Okimarine]

The bottoms and welds are the main weak points in fuel mine pipes. I have no doubts your idea will not work, bottom will fail for certain and I?m not sure how the side walls will take it either.

Theres a good possibility that you are correct. I have however watched a 55 gl drum of diesel fuel dropped out of an aircraft (low altitude) survive even though the chute didn't open. The welds did not break, but the sides walls bulged out and drum was 12-16 inches shorter than it should have been upon impact. The drum was palletized standing up and had a honeycomb cardboard material to help absorb the shock of the landing. Not a drop of fuel leaked out of it. Was really pretty impressive.

I have a 15 gl drum but use it to make homemade charcoal. If I can find a used one at a local maintenance shop I'm going to try it. If not, I have an old air compressor tank I have no doubt will survive.

If I happen to find a drum, I will record and post the results regardless of success.

[WithReport]

I've seen a test of a fairly large sawdust cremora back in 2018 in a large thin-walled steel tub - not quite the same as the 15-16 gal drum, the cremora went up - mostly. The tub was turned inside out and split down the sides and a good portion of the sawdust seemed to go outwards rather than up.

[Okimarine]

I've seen a test of a fairly large sawdust cremora back in 2018 in a large thin-walled steel tub - not quite the same as the 15-16 gal drum, the cremora went up - mostly. The tub was turned inside out and split down the sides and a good portion of the sawdust seemed to go outwards rather than up.

Yeah thats not something I want happening during a show, especially with gas. The crowd would be far enough away to be out of harms way but the fire dept would be itching to spray water on the resulting fire and my electronics. The drum is harder to aquire than I thought it would be. I've thrown many into scrap metal bins over the years once they were emptied but can't find one from a local maintenance shop. They used to sell grease and oils in them, must be a thing of the past and I'm not going to buy one just for testing.

[WithReport]

The drum is harder to aquire than I thought it would be. I've thrown many into scrap metal bins over the years once they were emptied but can't find one from a local maintenance shop. They used to sell grease and oils in them, must be a thing of the past and I'm not going to buy one just for testing.

U-line sells them (or 16 gal versions) but they are brand new prices.

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-19411/Drums/Steel-Drum-with-Lid-16-Gallon-Open-Top-Unlined

[topshelfpyro]

Just curious if anyone uses something more than heavy steel pipe for gas mines? I use steel pipe the gas / oil pipeliners use and is very heavy with a 16x16 3/8 metal base. Was thinking of trying a 15 gallon metal drum with 10 gallons of gas. I would of course test it with nothing but water first but was curious if anyone on here has tried it or some other lightweight material that holds more than 5 gallons of gas?


Is it because of the weight of the fuel mine pipe that you are trying to find an alternative for, or just a larger container? The pipes that Gary Steele makes are about 1/8" thick (3-4mm) on the 6 and 12" diameter. A drum will be less than half of that.

[Salutecake]

On second thought, with something that large, Although I would to see a gas mine that large go off, you're probably looking for trouble, I would imagine to push all the stuff out of a container that size your going to need a lot of black powder? A blast that size is going to attract a lot of attention. Probably end up like those people setting off large amounts of tannerite.

[topshelfpyro]

On second thought, with something that large, Although I would to see a gas mine that large go off, you're probably looking for trouble, I would imagine to push all the stuff out of a container that size your going to need a lot of black powder? A blast that size is going to attract a lot of attention. Probably end up like those people setting off large amounts of tannerite.

A 12" fuel mine is about 1lb of black powder and 5 gal of gas. They don't make very much noise but the force needed to push out 40-50lb of weight I would think would rupture thinner walled containers.

[topshelfpyro]

On second thought, with something that large, Although I would to see a gas mine that large go off, you're probably looking for trouble, I would imagine to push all the stuff out of a container that size your going to need a lot of black powder? A blast that size is going to attract a lot of attention. Probably end up like those people setting off large amounts of tannerite.

A 12" fuel mine is about 1lb of black powder and 5 gal of gas. They don't make very much noise but the force needed to push out 40-50lb of weight I would think would rupture thinner walled containers. The big fuel mine they set off at PGI this year was a few hundred gallons and it didn't make much noise either so noise really isn't an issue. Containment to force everything vertical would be.

[Salutecake]

I know gas mines don't make much noise , my point was that something that large is going to attract attention and get ready for some possible explaining, unless you have a good spot or some really good neighbors.

[topshelfpyro]

I know gas mines don't make much noise , my point was that something that large is going to attract attention and get ready for some possible explaining, unless you have a good spot or some really good neighbors.

LOL good point! A random ball of fire in areas they should not be or unexpectedly will freak people out.....I warned my audience about them this year and was thanked for doing so afterwards. Lol

[WithReport]

... will freak people out... Lol

In my experience, it is not the fire ball that cased the freakout (our yard is surrounded by tall pines and it was a single 4" mortar), but the amazing smoke ring that lingered for about 45 minutes on a nice calm day caused panic.

We had all the crime pages and sheriffs pages going nuts. I had friends showing me pictures from more than 6 miles away someone said their were cars were stopping on the highway. One community page had +250 pictures and comments in no time, until they shut the comments down, here are some of the fun ones:

my son swore he saw a UFO

they said there was an explosion when the neighbor on the other side lit the bon fire

Damn kids and their vape pens.

portal created by extraterrestrials,

my husband is convinced they are birds.

It?s just black ring cloud cancer caused by windmills

insects and sterling's are known to fly like this. When weather fluctuates the find warm air currents and hover around them. It's also seen during mating season.

Probably a drone

shoot it down and find out what it is.

It is a circle of energy caused by a tower near you


Also about 15 minutes into the neighborhood panic, our fire chief called.


http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=5974&stc=1

[Arclight]

I did one with 16' of 50grain/foot detcord and 2.5 gallons of fuel. No mortar, as the detcord can easily rupture thin plastic containers. The only trouble with these is that they don't light if you use too much bang. I think the flame is very short-lived and it can send it out so quickly as to blow itself out.

[topshelfpyro]

In my experience, it is not the fire ball that cased the freakout (our yard is surrounded by tall pines and it was a single 4" mortar), but the amazing smoke ring that lingered for about 45 minutes on a nice calm day caused panic.

We had all the crime pages and sheriffs pages going nuts. I had friends showing me pictures from more than 6 miles away someone said their were cars were stopping on the highway. One community page had +250 pictures and comments in no time, until they shut the comments down, here are some of the fun ones:

my son swore he saw a UFO

they said there was an explosion when the neighbor on the other side lit the bon fire

Damn kids and their vape pens.

portal created by extraterrestrials,

my husband is convinced they are birds.

It?s just black ring cloud cancer caused by windmills

insects and sterling's are known to fly like this. When weather fluctuates the find warm air currents and hover around them. It's also seen during mating season.

Probably a drone

shoot it down and find out what it is.

It is a circle of energy caused by a tower near you


Also about 15 minutes into the neighborhood panic, our fire chief called.


5974

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!! I've only done them at night and you couldn't really see the smoke ring past the tops of the trees. It was a 6" and then 2- 6" 15' apart. The actual fire didn't get above the tree tops but it was the first time I've done them for my people.

[Okimarine]

Is it because of the weight of the fuel mine pipe that you are trying to find an alternative for, or just a larger container? The pipes that Gary Steele makes are about 1/8" thick (3-4mm) on the 6 and 12" diameter. A drum will be less than half of that.

Its both. I have (4) 6" and (2)10" (I said 12" in an earlier post by accident). They are steel pipe the gas and oil pipeliners use. Very heavy by itself and more so with the 16x16 metal base. That and I want a bigger fireball, maybe 10 gallons of gas. My black powder it homemade and faster than what it typically used. I think I use around 130ish grams for the 10" which hold 5 gallons.

[Okimarine]

On second thought, with something that large, Although I would to see a gas mine that large go off, you're probably looking for trouble, I would imagine to push all the stuff out of a container that size your going to need a lot of black powder? A blast that size is going to attract a lot of attention. Probably end up like those people setting off large amounts of tannerite.

I'm not worried about the attention. My shows are permitted, signed off on by the local fire dept and state fire marshals office. Plus, the locations are out in the country. One location for our youth camp has neighbors within view but my pastor always calls them to let them know about the show. Other location is 84 acres with only my sisters house within view. She does invite all the neighbors on her country road though. Pretty sure they all showed up this year as there was alot of folks I didnt know.

[topshelfpyro]

Its both. I have (4) 6" and (2)10" (I said 12" in an earlier post by accident). They are steel pipe the gas and oil pipeliners use. Very heavy by itself and more so with the 16x16 metal base. That and I want a bigger fireball, maybe 10 gallons of gas. My black powder it homemade and faster than what it typically used. I think I use around 130ish grams for the 10" which hold 5 gallons.

If you want a bigger fireball just put your existing pipe next to each other. The resulting fireball will look like 1. Those fireballs that Bill Corbett does that are 100's of gallons are shot out of many many pipes.

[WithReport]

If you want a bigger fireball just put your existing pipe next to each other. The resulting fireball will look like 1. Those fireballs that Bill Corbett does that are 100's of gallons are shot out of many many pipes.

correct, like this...

http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=5983&stc=1

[Okimarine]

If you want a bigger fireball just put your existing pipe next to each other. The resulting fireball will look like 1. Those fireballs that Bill Corbett does that are 100's of gallons are shot out of many many pipes.

Great info to have. Thanks, I did not know this.

[topshelfpyro]

Great info to have. Thanks, I did not know this.

Anytime! I didn't know it either till I did. You only know what you know. We're all here to help each other keep our body parts attached. Lol. Sometimes we can come off as an asshole it's normally not intentional! At least in my case......