Anyone ever use commercial fireworks in shells or mines?

[Rando]

For the past couple years, I've been making 4" "firecracker mines" for the 4th. I make a basic mine tube from 3 layers of kraft (closed at the bottom), put down a layer of 2FA black powder, add a cardboard cup with holes punched through it, and about a 5" layer of loose firecrackers. I run quick fuse down the side and into the black powder, secured with a strip of masking tape. The effect is like a shotgun of firecrackers exploding in the air. I've also used jumping jacks and the green crackling ball fireworks, but with these you have to be sure to heavily prime the fuse with nitrocellulose lacquer and BP. The paper fuses on firecrackers, lady fingers, and jumping jacks are easily ignited by the lift charge as they are.

 

Anyone doing anything similar? Always looking for new ideas.

[Bigmark]

Rando I've had about half and half success in this. Enough to keep me interested and keep doing it. I use ground bloom flowers and jumping jacks in rocket headings. I replace all visco with black match. And give it a glob of NC pressed in some granulated black powder.

[dlking59]

This sounds pretty neat. I would guess the ground bloom flowers look really nice. The firecrackers sounds good. Gave me some ideas. Thanks guys.

[Uarbor]

I had an idea that was close to this. I was thinking of using those sparklers on a wooden stick with a paper wrapped around them. Remove the paper and the stick break them into half-inch sections and Prime them like you would any other star. Does anyone think this would actually work?

[Arthur]

If their natural timing is right many retail fireworks make excellent inserts for something larger. Just look at the timing of the retail item and see how it fits with your design.

[myfriendtheenemy]

I have some Black Cat rockets that expel three tiny firecrackers at the top of its flight. Since I'm not good at making rockets yet I thought about putting a homemade 1 gram firecracker in there for more of a boom. I also crush up sparklers and stick them in my 3 gram firecrackers to make a different effect, although it's not as good as titanium.