Remote Ignition of Fireworks

[Psymonkee]

Thought this was best posted over here so I'd get some slightly more normal responses....

Got a bunch of fireworks in the garage (pic coming soon :p) which I intend to set off sometime close to my birthday :)

Only problem is I have 16 rockets and a large selection of cakes/candles/mines and in all honesty it's gonna take a freaking age to set them all off individually....

Anyone got any clever ideas of ways to set them off remotely? :)

[Desmo]

Invite me. I'm stupid enough to stand next to fireworks whilst they're going off, I'll light as many as I can at one time. I'll even use a blowtorch for extra amusement :D

Sorry, you posted here for a slightly more normal reply ::/:


Ummmm, can you buy a slow burn fuse and rig it up to the fireworks? Light one end and retreat.

[Fayshun]

Ask Jonny, he'll know.

[Flibster]

Couple of lengths of mains wire with a piece of fuse wire joining them together, coiled around the fuse of the firework *the fuse wire that is....*

Then just overload the fuse wire. Car battery should be able to do it as it's a short across the fuse wire. That'll cause the fuse wire to glow and set the firework fuse alight.

It's been a while since I've done this though so my memory may not be entirely correct.

Seems these people had the same idea. - http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1556034/how_to_make_a_electrical_firework_igniter/

[LeperousDust]

Personally i like Desmos idea this is what i like doing too. Seeing how many fireworks you can get away with lighting all at once :D 4 rockets at a time is easy, two lighters two rockets per hand. You can probably manage 8, two rockets each with the fuses touching each other and light them in twos with two hands per pair. If you can make sense of that. Sense doesn't really come in to it with me and fireworks though :)

[Desmo]

We should go into business mate :D

[Jonny69]

Ask Jonny, he'll know.
Tru dat. Maplin do a 5 way firing box for remote firing.

Couple of lengths of mains wire with a piece of fuse wire joining them together, coiled around the fuse of the firework *the fuse wire that is....*

Then just overload the fuse wire. Car battery should be able to do it as it's a short across the fuse wire. That'll cause the fuse wire to glow and set the firework fuse alight.

It's been a while since I've done this though so my memory may not be entirely correct.

Seems these people had the same idea. - http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1556034/how_to_make_a_electrical_firework_igniter/
6V bulbs used to be my weapon of choice. Break the glass and poke the unbroken filament into the bit you want to light. add 6-12V and the filament flashes and ignites whatever is on the end...

[Glaucus]

go to a model shop and buy some solid rocket ignition fuses. Then goto a electrical shop and buy some dirt cheap wire and a 9v battery or two..

All parts are very cheap.

[Psymonkee]

ooo found a remote system for *gulp* 60 quid :shocked:

http://www.fireworkscrazy.co.uk/store/shopexd.asp?id=247&bc=no

kinda tempting :p

[Darrin]

AcidHell's idea is the best. Using what is designed for the task is always best. Model rocketry ignitors are cheap, easy to use, and fairly reliable. I've always found a car or motorcycle battery to be best in getting them to ignite every time. Wire them up through a series of momentary contact switches wired in parallel to the battery. All you have to do is tape the ignitor head to the base of the fuse (right up close to the firework) and you'll have a minimal delay before it goes off. Andthe reason I say use momentary contact switches is so that you don't end up leaving a switch in the closed position by mistake, making it so that the second you attatch the wires, everything goes BOOM!!




Don't ask me how I know about all this stuff....

[Jonny69]

I think the Maplin version of the link above is about £15. Might be wrong on that though...

[Psymonkee]

ooo will keep looking

pita doing the running with so many fireworks :(