Shell fuse too short for tubes

[Xtrememachines]

I have a case of ball shells that only have a 10.5" fuse. All my racks are dr11 12" tubes. I dont want to extend every fuse. Does anyone sell dr9 racks with a short tube for ball shells?

[PyroFL]

I have a case of ball shells that only have a 10.5" fuse. All my racks are dr11 12" tubes. I dont want to extend every fuse. Does anyone sell dr9 racks with a short tube for ball shells?

You would be better off just making them longer but if you would like to order there are companies out there that sale them but none on this website.

Unfortunately I can’t tell you the name of the companies as they don’t do advertisements here.

Dave’s rules ..

[jamisonlm3]

Why would you buy a whole new rack to use with ball shells? Are the shells themselves too small too?

[BMoore]

New racks just because you have one case of shells with short fuses? Not worth it. I'm assuming by a case you mean 96 shells. You could extend all those fuses in a half hour.

Fuse length on consumer shells has been all over the place the past few years. A lot of them have been coming in short with short mortars to compensate. In some cases it appears they just take a hack saw to the mortars. I'm not sure if is a fuse shortage/expense or a weight saving measure or what, but short fuses are not uncommon.

[Xtrememachines]

Well the ball shells are made for dr9 tubes and all my racks are dr11, so I figured I would buy a rack of dr9 just for ball shells. I guess your right sped 30min and make the fuses longer.

[topshelfpyro]

DR9 tubes are definitely better for ball shells than the DR11.......if your going to continue to use ball shells DR9 tubes would be best. FYI 12" HDPE tubes in the aftermarket are 10.5" inside.......

[thomask280]

DR9 tubes are definitely better for ball shells than the DR11.......if your going to continue to use ball shells DR9 tubes would be best. FYI 12" HDPE tubes in the aftermarket are 10.5" inside.......
A half-a.. thing is to fasten the end of the short fuse just looped over the edge of the mortar with a rubber band. The lit fuse will burn through the band and drop the shell to the bottom of the mortar. Your choice to do this.

[BMoore]

DR9 tubes are definitely better for ball shells than the DR11.......if your going to continue to use ball shells DR9 tubes would be best. FYI 12" HDPE tubes in the aftermarket are 10.5" inside.......

Maybe, maybe not. DR9 has a smaller internal diameter and may work a little better for smaller ball shells such as generic festival balls which are closer to 1.5. There are ball shells out there that are 1.75" work best with DR11. In any case, the issue here is tube length, not internal diameter. Most mortars are either 12" or 15" so neither is going to work with a 10" fuse.

[BMoore]

A half-a.. thing is to fasten the end of the short fuse just looped over the edge of the mortar with a rubber band. The lit fuse will burn through the band and drop the shell to the bottom of the mortar. Your choice to do this.

Personally, I would not do this. If the shell wedges in the tube and doesn't fall you will have a low break. I always make sure my shells are all seated at the bottom of the mortar.

[topshelfpyro]

Most mortars are either 12" or 15" so neither is going to work with a 10" fuse.

Yea the outside length is 12" or 15" for aftermarket tubes generally but not the internal length. The wood plug removes 1.5" of internal length on HDPE aftermarket tubes which makes the internal length either 10.5 or 13.5.

drill a hole thru the side of the tube 1" from the top....

[topshelfpyro]

Maybe, maybe not. DR9 has a smaller internal diameter and may work a little better for smaller ball shells such as generic festival balls which are closer to 1.5. There are ball shells out there that are 1.75" work best with DR11.

The difference between DR9 and DR11 is .1" ID. a DR9 is 1.81 ID and DR11 is 1.91 ID average. If the fuse diameter wasn't a factor cans would work in DR9 just fine most of the time.

[BMoore]

The difference between DR9 and DR11 is .1" ID. a DR9 is 1.81 ID and DR11 is 1.91 ID average. If the fuse diameter wasn't a factor cans would work in DR9 just fine most of the time.

That is true. Nothing wrong with DR9. I just wouldn’t go investing in new racks I otherwise wouldn’t need just because of fuse length on this one case of shells.

I do like your idea of drinking a hole up top to put the fuse through. A lot of folks drill such a hole as an e-match tie off as well so that would kill two birds with one stone.