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The Workings of Fireworks

The workings of ORIENTAL-STYLE SHELL fireworks String for lowering the shell Into the moitar Graphic by David Schlosser Research by Bryn Bailer Stars: Balls of chemicals that bum in bright colors. Metalic particles are added to- stars to create brilliant traie Plastic shell ARIZONA DAILY STAR As the Fourth of July draws near, there's magic in the air. Literally. Whether you're 7 or 70, it's wondrous to watch thenight sky dazzle and sizzle with colors. In reality, staging a major fireworks display is a sophisticated process. Take a kook: Inner shell Types of aerial fireworks Fireworks shells are packed in specitic ways to create differently shaped bursts. Here are the names of a few of the patterns: One big boom The size of the explosion a firework makes depends on the size of the shell. The largest shells that will be fired trom "A" Mountain are 12 inches in diameter, which will generate an explosion about 500 to 600 feet across. Black powder Primary stars 100 yards - Report charge: The loud boom that accompanies most fireworks doesn'tcome from the shell explod- ing. A separate "report charge" is added to make the sound. CHRYSANTHEMUMS are a full and flutty pattern of stars that hold their shape before fading Tme delay fuse * * A 12-inch shell will produce a burst about the length of two football fields. Finally the time-delay fuse 5 ontés the burst charge, which blows the shell apart. The stars bum as they fly away from the shell, creating colorful patterns. Some tireworks, have multiple sections, like the one above. This allows them to have two or more burst effects of different colors in rapid succession. The show at 'A' Mountain D Tempe-based Fireworks Productions of Arizona will COMETS have a big head and noticeable tail. 4 Hazardous cargo display Wednesday on "A' Mountain. As the shell climbs, the time-delay tuse, ignited by the blast charge, slowly burns. Transporting explosive fireworks is itself a big production. Rules for moving them are set by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the U.S. Department of fransportation Al fireworks shipments, for examples, are required to be placarded as explosive. Fireworks valued at $131.1 million were imported into the U.S. in 1999. D Pyrotechnicians at the "A" Mountain show will launch both Chinese- and American-made fireworks, mostly by hand. The show's dramatic finale will be launched electronically. D Fireworks Productions of Arizona stores its highly explosive shells in a special, ATF-approved magazine on the outskirts of Tempe. D Freworks at the "A" Mountain show will range in size from 3-inch shells to the 12-inch monsters used at the show's conclusion. CROSSETTE Is a comet that splits into small pieces. The fireworks are carefully loaded into a van for the drive to Tucson. The vehicle must be operated by a commercial driver qualified to drhve hazardous- materials loads. ITALIAN/AMERICAN-STYLE SHELL > Once at "A" Mountain, a crew of 10 takes most of the day to set up racks and mortars used to fire the shells. They also load the shells, so they're ready for the evenings show. Fuse MORTAR PALMS are several large comets with a trunk created by a big. flufty tail MORTAR STAND CONTROL PANEL Quick fuse Mortars are tubes made of thick cardboard, plastic or metal and closed at one end. They range from 2 to 24 inches in diameter, depending on the size of shell that will be fired from them. They can be as long as 6 feet. Time deky fuse Fireworks mortars can be arranged by partially burying them in sand, or in more elaborate displays, lined up in wood or metal racks. The mortars are angled to account for wind conditions and the desired direction of the blast Displays can be cortrolled manualy (ighting the fuses on the fireworks by hand), through a control panel which has ignition buttons, or by computer, as many high-end displays are. Fireworks are often synchronized to music, making timing of the launches critical Stars Back powder Break PEONIES are a loose pattern of color stars that break and drop. Burst charge TILILILILILIL. Cardboard tube Paper wrapper Ignition wires The operator initiates a launch, either by lighting the fuse manualy, or through an electronic control device. Lit charge Wires carry the 2 ignition charge to the proper mortars. WILLOWS are long-burning golden stars that tal close to the ground The 3 ignition wires set off a quick fuse, which detonates Shell the blacka the black-powder lift Creating the colors The chemical composition of the stars determines the color they will give off when they ignite. SOURCES: Americon charge on the bottom of the shell. The lift charge separates from the shell, blasting ik out of the mortar. Pyrotechnic Association WHITE Magnesium or aluminum powder M ORANGE/ AMBER 同 BLUE Encyclopedio Aericana Fireworks Productions YELLOW RED GREEN Sodium salts Charooal or iron Strontium nitrate Barium nitrate or chlorate Copper salts or carbonate of Arizona Knight Ridder The workings of ORIENTAL-STYLE SHELL fireworks String for lowering the shell Into the moitar Graphic by David Schlosser Research by Bryn Bailer Stars: Balls of chemicals that bum in bright colors. Metalic particles are added to- stars to create brilliant traie Plastic shell ARIZONA DAILY STAR As the Fourth of July draws near, there's magic in the air. Literally. Whether you're 7 or 70, it's wondrous to watch thenight sky dazzle and sizzle with colors. In reality, staging a major fireworks display is a sophisticated process. Take a kook: Inner shell Types of aerial fireworks Fireworks shells are packed in specitic ways to create differently shaped bursts. Here are the names of a few of the patterns: One big boom The size of the explosion a firework makes depends on the size of the shell. The largest shells that will be fired trom "A" Mountain are 12 inches in diameter, which will generate an explosion about 500 to 600 feet across. Black powder Primary stars 100 yards - Report charge: The loud boom that accompanies most fireworks doesn'tcome from the shell explod- ing. A separate "report charge" is added to make the sound. CHRYSANTHEMUMS are a full and flutty pattern of stars that hold their shape before fading Tme delay fuse * * A 12-inch shell will produce a burst about the length of two football fields. Finally the time-delay fuse 5 ontés the burst charge, which blows the shell apart. The stars bum as they fly away from the shell, creating colorful patterns. Some tireworks, have multiple sections, like the one above. This allows them to have two or more burst effects of different colors in rapid succession. The show at 'A' Mountain D Tempe-based Fireworks Productions of Arizona will COMETS have a big head and noticeable tail. 4 Hazardous cargo display Wednesday on "A' Mountain. As the shell climbs, the time-delay tuse, ignited by the blast charge, slowly burns. Transporting explosive fireworks is itself a big production. Rules for moving them are set by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the U.S. Department of fransportation Al fireworks shipments, for examples, are required to be placarded as explosive. Fireworks valued at $131.1 million were imported into the U.S. in 1999. D Pyrotechnicians at the "A" Mountain show will launch both Chinese- and American-made fireworks, mostly by hand. The show's dramatic finale will be launched electronically. D Fireworks Productions of Arizona stores its highly explosive shells in a special, ATF-approved magazine on the outskirts of Tempe. D Freworks at the "A" Mountain show will range in size from 3-inch shells to the 12-inch monsters used at the show's conclusion. CROSSETTE Is a comet that splits into small pieces. The fireworks are carefully loaded into a van for the drive to Tucson. The vehicle must be operated by a commercial driver qualified to drhve hazardous- materials loads. ITALIAN/AMERICAN-STYLE SHELL > Once at "A" Mountain, a crew of 10 takes most of the day to set up racks and mortars used to fire the shells. They also load the shells, so they're ready for the evenings show. Fuse MORTAR PALMS are several large comets with a trunk created by a big. flufty tail MORTAR STAND CONTROL PANEL Quick fuse Mortars are tubes made of thick cardboard, plastic or metal and closed at one end. They range from 2 to 24 inches in diameter, depending on the size of shell that will be fired from them. They can be as long as 6 feet. Time deky fuse Fireworks mortars can be arranged by partially burying them in sand, or in more elaborate displays, lined up in wood or metal racks. The mortars are angled to account for wind conditions and the desired direction of the blast Displays can be cortrolled manualy (ighting the fuses on the fireworks by hand), through a control panel which has ignition buttons, or by computer, as many high-end displays are. Fireworks are often synchronized to music, making timing of the launches critical Stars Back powder Break PEONIES are a loose pattern of color stars that break and drop. Burst charge TILILILILILIL. Cardboard tube Paper wrapper Ignition wires The operator initiates a launch, either by lighting the fuse manualy, or through an electronic control device. Lit charge Wires carry the 2 ignition charge to the proper mortars. WILLOWS are long-burning golden stars that tal close to the ground The 3 ignition wires set off a quick fuse, which detonates Shell the blacka the black-powder lift Creating the colors The chemical composition of the stars determines the color they will give off when they ignite. SOURCES: Americon charge on the bottom of the shell. The lift charge separates from the shell, blasting ik out of the mortar. Pyrotechnic Association WHITE Magnesium or aluminum powder M ORANGE/ AMBER 同 BLUE Encyclopedio Aericana Fireworks Productions YELLOW RED GREEN Sodium salts Charooal or iron Strontium nitrate Barium nitrate or chlorate Copper salts or carbonate of Arizona Knight Ridder The workings of ORIENTAL-STYLE SHELL fireworks String for lowering the shell Into the moitar Graphic by David Schlosser Research by Bryn Bailer Stars: Balls of chemicals that bum in bright colors. Metalic particles are added to- stars to create brilliant traie Plastic shell ARIZONA DAILY STAR As the Fourth of July draws near, there's magic in the air. Literally. Whether you're 7 or 70, it's wondrous to watch thenight sky dazzle and sizzle with colors. In reality, staging a major fireworks display is a sophisticated process. Take a kook: Inner shell Types of aerial fireworks Fireworks shells are packed in specitic ways to create differently shaped bursts. Here are the names of a few of the patterns: One big boom The size of the explosion a firework makes depends on the size of the shell. The largest shells that will be fired trom "A" Mountain are 12 inches in diameter, which will generate an explosion about 500 to 600 feet across. Black powder Primary stars 100 yards - Report charge: The loud boom that accompanies most fireworks doesn'tcome from the shell explod- ing. A separate "report charge" is added to make the sound. CHRYSANTHEMUMS are a full and flutty pattern of stars that hold their shape before fading Tme delay fuse * * A 12-inch shell will produce a burst about the length of two football fields. Finally the time-delay fuse 5 ontés the burst charge, which blows the shell apart. The stars bum as they fly away from the shell, creating colorful patterns. Some tireworks, have multiple sections, like the one above. This allows them to have two or more burst effects of different colors in rapid succession. The show at 'A' Mountain D Tempe-based Fireworks Productions of Arizona will COMETS have a big head and noticeable tail. 4 Hazardous cargo display Wednesday on "A' Mountain. As the shell climbs, the time-delay tuse, ignited by the blast charge, slowly burns. Transporting explosive fireworks is itself a big production. Rules for moving them are set by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the U.S. Department of fransportation Al fireworks shipments, for examples, are required to be placarded as explosive. Fireworks valued at $131.1 million were imported into the U.S. in 1999. D Pyrotechnicians at the "A" Mountain show will launch both Chinese- and American-made fireworks, mostly by hand. The show's dramatic finale will be launched electronically. D Fireworks Productions of Arizona stores its highly explosive shells in a special, ATF-approved magazine on the outskirts of Tempe. D Freworks at the "A" Mountain show will range in size from 3-inch shells to the 12-inch monsters used at the show's conclusion. CROSSETTE Is a comet that splits into small pieces. The fireworks are carefully loaded into a van for the drive to Tucson. The vehicle must be operated by a commercial driver qualified to drhve hazardous- materials loads. ITALIAN/AMERICAN-STYLE SHELL > Once at "A" Mountain, a crew of 10 takes most of the day to set up racks and mortars used to fire the shells. They also load the shells, so they're ready for the evenings show. Fuse MORTAR PALMS are several large comets with a trunk created by a big. flufty tail MORTAR STAND CONTROL PANEL Quick fuse Mortars are tubes made of thick cardboard, plastic or metal and closed at one end. They range from 2 to 24 inches in diameter, depending on the size of shell that will be fired from them. They can be as long as 6 feet. Time deky fuse Fireworks mortars can be arranged by partially burying them in sand, or in more elaborate displays, lined up in wood or metal racks. The mortars are angled to account for wind conditions and the desired direction of the blast Displays can be cortrolled manualy (ighting the fuses on the fireworks by hand), through a control panel which has ignition buttons, or by computer, as many high-end displays are. Fireworks are often synchronized to music, making timing of the launches critical Stars Back powder Break PEONIES are a loose pattern of color stars that break and drop. Burst charge TILILILILILIL. Cardboard tube Paper wrapper Ignition wires The operator initiates a launch, either by lighting the fuse manualy, or through an electronic control device. Lit charge Wires carry the 2 ignition charge to the proper mortars. WILLOWS are long-burning golden stars that tal close to the ground The 3 ignition wires set off a quick fuse, which detonates Shell the blacka the black-powder lift Creating the colors The chemical composition of the stars determines the color they will give off when they ignite. SOURCES: Americon charge on the bottom of the shell. The lift charge separates from the shell, blasting ik out of the mortar. Pyrotechnic Association WHITE Magnesium or aluminum powder M ORANGE/ AMBER 同 BLUE Encyclopedio Aericana Fireworks Productions YELLOW RED GREEN Sodium salts Charooal or iron Strontium nitrate Barium nitrate or chlorate Copper salts or carbonate of Arizona Knight Ridder The workings of ORIENTAL-STYLE SHELL fireworks String for lowering the shell Into the moitar Graphic by David Schlosser Research by Bryn Bailer Stars: Balls of chemicals that bum in bright colors. Metalic particles are added to- stars to create brilliant traie Plastic shell ARIZONA DAILY STAR As the Fourth of July draws near, there's magic in the air. Literally. Whether you're 7 or 70, it's wondrous to watch thenight sky dazzle and sizzle with colors. In reality, staging a major fireworks display is a sophisticated process. Take a kook: Inner shell Types of aerial fireworks Fireworks shells are packed in specitic ways to create differently shaped bursts. Here are the names of a few of the patterns: One big boom The size of the explosion a firework makes depends on the size of the shell. The largest shells that will be fired trom "A" Mountain are 12 inches in diameter, which will generate an explosion about 500 to 600 feet across. Black powder Primary stars 100 yards - Report charge: The loud boom that accompanies most fireworks doesn'tcome from the shell explod- ing. A separate "report charge" is added to make the sound. CHRYSANTHEMUMS are a full and flutty pattern of stars that hold their shape before fading Tme delay fuse * * A 12-inch shell will produce a burst about the length of two football fields. Finally the time-delay fuse 5 ontés the burst charge, which blows the shell apart. The stars bum as they fly away from the shell, creating colorful patterns. Some tireworks, have multiple sections, like the one above. This allows them to have two or more burst effects of different colors in rapid succession. The show at 'A' Mountain D Tempe-based Fireworks Productions of Arizona will COMETS have a big head and noticeable tail. 4 Hazardous cargo display Wednesday on "A' Mountain. As the shell climbs, the time-delay tuse, ignited by the blast charge, slowly burns. Transporting explosive fireworks is itself a big production. Rules for moving them are set by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the U.S. Department of fransportation Al fireworks shipments, for examples, are required to be placarded as explosive. Fireworks valued at $131.1 million were imported into the U.S. in 1999. D Pyrotechnicians at the "A" Mountain show will launch both Chinese- and American-made fireworks, mostly by hand. The show's dramatic finale will be launched electronically. D Fireworks Productions of Arizona stores its highly explosive shells in a special, ATF-approved magazine on the outskirts of Tempe. D Freworks at the "A" Mountain show will range in size from 3-inch shells to the 12-inch monsters used at the show's conclusion. CROSSETTE Is a comet that splits into small pieces. The fireworks are carefully loaded into a van for the drive to Tucson. The vehicle must be operated by a commercial driver qualified to drhve hazardous- materials loads. ITALIAN/AMERICAN-STYLE SHELL > Once at "A" Mountain, a crew of 10 takes most of the day to set up racks and mortars used to fire the shells. They also load the shells, so they're ready for the evenings show. Fuse MORTAR PALMS are several large comets with a trunk created by a big. flufty tail MORTAR STAND CONTROL PANEL Quick fuse Mortars are tubes made of thick cardboard, plastic or metal and closed at one end. They range from 2 to 24 inches in diameter, depending on the size of shell that will be fired from them. They can be as long as 6 feet. Time deky fuse Fireworks mortars can be arranged by partially burying them in sand, or in more elaborate displays, lined up in wood or metal racks. The mortars are angled to account for wind conditions and the desired direction of the blast Displays can be cortrolled manualy (ighting the fuses on the fireworks by hand), through a control panel which has ignition buttons, or by computer, as many high-end displays are. Fireworks are often synchronized to music, making timing of the launches critical Stars Back powder Break PEONIES are a loose pattern of color stars that break and drop. Burst charge TILILILILILIL. Cardboard tube Paper wrapper Ignition wires The operator initiates a launch, either by lighting the fuse manualy, or through an electronic control device. Lit charge Wires carry the 2 ignition charge to the proper mortars. WILLOWS are long-burning golden stars that tal close to the ground The 3 ignition wires set off a quick fuse, which detonates Shell the blacka the black-powder lift Creating the colors The chemical composition of the stars determines the color they will give off when they ignite. SOURCES: Americon charge on the bottom of the shell. The lift charge separates from the shell, blasting ik out of the mortar. Pyrotechnic Association WHITE Magnesium or aluminum powder M ORANGE/ AMBER 同 BLUE Encyclopedio Aericana Fireworks Productions YELLOW RED GREEN Sodium salts Charooal or iron Strontium nitrate Barium nitrate or chlorate Copper salts or carbonate of Arizona Knight Ridder The workings of ORIENTAL-STYLE SHELL fireworks String for lowering the shell Into the moitar Graphic by David Schlosser Research by Bryn Bailer Stars: Balls of chemicals that bum in bright colors. Metalic particles are added to- stars to create brilliant traie Plastic shell ARIZONA DAILY STAR As the Fourth of July draws near, there's magic in the air. Literally. Whether you're 7 or 70, it's wondrous to watch thenight sky dazzle and sizzle with colors. In reality, staging a major fireworks display is a sophisticated process. Take a kook: Inner shell Types of aerial fireworks Fireworks shells are packed in specitic ways to create differently shaped bursts. Here are the names of a few of the patterns: One big boom The size of the explosion a firework makes depends on the size of the shell. The largest shells that will be fired trom "A" Mountain are 12 inches in diameter, which will generate an explosion about 500 to 600 feet across. Black powder Primary stars 100 yards - Report charge: The loud boom that accompanies most fireworks doesn'tcome from the shell explod- ing. A separate "report charge" is added to make the sound. CHRYSANTHEMUMS are a full and flutty pattern of stars that hold their shape before fading Tme delay fuse * * A 12-inch shell will produce a burst about the length of two football fields. Finally the time-delay fuse 5 ontés the burst charge, which blows the shell apart. The stars bum as they fly away from the shell, creating colorful patterns. Some tireworks, have multiple sections, like the one above. This allows them to have two or more burst effects of different colors in rapid succession. The show at 'A' Mountain D Tempe-based Fireworks Productions of Arizona will COMETS have a big head and noticeable tail. 4 Hazardous cargo display Wednesday on "A' Mountain. As the shell climbs, the time-delay tuse, ignited by the blast charge, slowly burns. Transporting explosive fireworks is itself a big production. Rules for moving them are set by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the U.S. Department of fransportation Al fireworks shipments, for examples, are required to be placarded as explosive. Fireworks valued at $131.1 million were imported into the U.S. in 1999. D Pyrotechnicians at the "A" Mountain show will launch both Chinese- and American-made fireworks, mostly by hand. The show's dramatic finale will be launched electronically. D Fireworks Productions of Arizona stores its highly explosive shells in a special, ATF-approved magazine on the outskirts of Tempe. D Freworks at the "A" Mountain show will range in size from 3-inch shells to the 12-inch monsters used at the show's conclusion. CROSSETTE Is a comet that splits into small pieces. The fireworks are carefully loaded into a van for the drive to Tucson. The vehicle must be operated by a commercial driver qualified to drhve hazardous- materials loads. ITALIAN/AMERICAN-STYLE SHELL > Once at "A" Mountain, a crew of 10 takes most of the day to set up racks and mortars used to fire the shells. They also load the shells, so they're ready for the evenings show. Fuse MORTAR PALMS are several large comets with a trunk created by a big. flufty tail MORTAR STAND CONTROL PANEL Quick fuse Mortars are tubes made of thick cardboard, plastic or metal and closed at one end. They range from 2 to 24 inches in diameter, depending on the size of shell that will be fired from them. They can be as long as 6 feet. Time deky fuse Fireworks mortars can be arranged by partially burying them in sand, or in more elaborate displays, lined up in wood or metal racks. The mortars are angled to account for wind conditions and the desired direction of the blast Displays can be cortrolled manualy (ighting the fuses on the fireworks by hand), through a control panel which has ignition buttons, or by computer, as many high-end displays are. Fireworks are often synchronized to music, making timing of the launches critical Stars Back powder Break PEONIES are a loose pattern of color stars that break and drop. Burst charge TILILILILILIL. Cardboard tube Paper wrapper Ignition wires The operator initiates a launch, either by lighting the fuse manualy, or through an electronic control device. Lit charge Wires carry the 2 ignition charge to the proper mortars. WILLOWS are long-burning golden stars that tal close to the ground The 3 ignition wires set off a quick fuse, which detonates Shell the blacka the black-powder lift Creating the colors The chemical composition of the stars determines the color they will give off when they ignite. SOURCES: Americon charge on the bottom of the shell. The lift charge separates from the shell, blasting ik out of the mortar. Pyrotechnic Association WHITE Magnesium or aluminum powder M ORANGE/ AMBER 同 BLUE Encyclopedio Aericana Fireworks Productions YELLOW RED GREEN Sodium salts Charooal or iron Strontium nitrate Barium nitrate or chlorate Copper salts or carbonate of Arizona Knight Ridder

The Workings of Fireworks

shared by amie on May 14
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Watching the sky light up with the shapes, sounds, and fizzles of fireworks is a popular past-time for those both young and old. The different shapes and colors are made by the various ways the firew...

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