Different Types of Mortar Tubes
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Different Kinds of Mortar Tubes
There are many different types of mortar tubes that are used to shoot off fireworks. Hdpe, steel, fiberglass, and cardboard are some that are most commonly used. Each of them is very different from each other, and they each have different uses.
When firing aerial shells, you want to be very careful. Don’t stick anything over the tube when you are reloading another shell or lighting one. When you have shot one shell, let the tube cool off, and make sure there aren't any embers or ash at the bottom of the tube. To do this, tip the tube upside down and hit it on the ground a few times. The ash would fall on the ground. If you didn't do this, a shell could be lit from just putting it in the tube. That’s why you should be careful when reloading shells.
Hdpe mortar tubes would last indefinitely, if they are taken care of. Firing a shell out of these repeatedly, could cause the mortar tube to become soft. The heat from the shell shooting out of the mortar causes heat damage, which makes the tube a little soft. For hdpe mortar tubes, all you have to do is wait a little bit before firing another shell. This gives the tube time to cool. Then, the tube won’t be soft. If an aerial shell were to explode in the tube, the mortar is made to where the tube would just expand. This keeps shrapnel from flying everywhere.
Fiberglass mortar tubes are made also very strong. You can put shells in there one after another. These tubes won’t get soft or too hot when firing multiple shells out of it. Just to be safe, you can wait a little for the tube to cool down and make sure there isn't ash at the bottom. If an aerial shell were to flowerpot, explode in the tube, the fiberglass tube could shatter.
Steel mortar tubes are used when you are firing big multibreak cylinder shells, because hdpe, cardboard, or fiberglass mortar tubes wouldn't be able to handle the pressure. They might break when the aerial shell’s lift charge goes off. When using them, two-thirds of the tube needs to be buried underground. This is just a safety hazard. If the shell were to flowerpot, then the steel mortar could shatter and send shrapnel everywhere.
Cardboard mortar tubes are usually come with cheap aerial shells, like festival balls. They work alright for just the amount of aerial shells it comes with. You don’t want to use them over and over again, because they are too weak to use many times. Once you use up your aerial shells with the tube, you throw them away. If an aerial shell were to explode in the tube, the tube would blow up into small pieces. It wouldn't cause a shrapnel hazard, but the stars from the shell could hit you.
Each of these mortar tubes has their own purpose. Some are made to be very safe, some can handle multiple shells, some are good for huge multibreak shells, and some are good for a couple of shells. They each have their pros and cons, so you would have to pick the kind that works best for you.
"DESTRUCTIVE TESTING TRIALS HDPE MORTARS." Pyropage. Www.pyropage.com, Feb. 1988. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
"The Use of ABS Pipe for Mortars." Amateurpyro.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
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