Making Squibs With Igniters Inside Of Firecrackers

[slimdog55]

I wanted to test something out. I would like to make my own squibs. (The actual firecracker like explosive charge.) Here's how I would make it.

1. First, I would get "Kraft Paper" and roll a tube that is 1 1/2 Inches long. (Same as a standard firecracker.)

2. Then I would put some Scotch Tape to hold the tube together.

3. Then I take some glue (Super Glue) and glue one end shut.

4. I then wait until glue is completly dry.

5. Then I would take a standard firecracker and empty out all the powder from it.

6. I take all the powder from the firecracker, and pour it into my Kraft Paper tube.

7. I now take 1 Model Rocket Igniter (I got Estes Igniters) and put it into the Kraft Paper tube, making sure that the end of it is touching the powder.

8. I now take some glue (Super Glue) and glue the top of it shut. (With the igniter still in the firecracker.)

So now I have pretty much a firecracker, but with 2 wires from the igniter sticking out of it, instead of a wick.

I got all of this info from this site.

http://www.reaganwiseman.com/data/Pyro/bullethit.html

On the site, it says to use a hot glue gun, but I'm afraid I might ignite the powder. So I'm just going to use super glue instead.

Now some questions.

1. Will this idea work?

2. I know that powder (Gun Powder, Flash Powder, ect...) needs to be pressurized in order for it to explode. Will gluing the ends with super glue be enough?

3. Any tips you can give me that will help me out?

The reason I want to do this is becuase with the squibs I got now, Model Rocket Igniter on the wick of the firecracker, takes too long to explode. (A long delay.) So hopefully, these squibs will detonate instantly. When I test it, I'm going to do it on the ground. Safety First. I will record me detonating it so you all could see it.

[Epsilon]

If you are really into this, I suggest becoming a pyrotechnition. It'd be loads of fun, and there would be no guessing games that could potentially kill yourself.

[slimdog55]

I was thinking of becoming one. But how long does it take to become one? It would be a lot cheaper to get pyrotechnics for my movies. (Don't have to hire anyone.) It'll be something I'll look into in the future.

[Epsilon]

Oh from what I hear, it costs almost nothing at all. It's mainly apprenticeship doing live shows and whatnot!

[slimdog55]

I just made two of them. I also made a nailboard, and bought some wire at The Home Depot. All I need is a car battery, or maybe a motorcycle battery. (More Compact.) I'll be recording them detonating tomorrow so you can all see.

P.S. I didn't use super glue to glue the ends. I used a hot glue gun like the tutorial said.

[slimdog55]

Bad news. It didn't work. The powder in Black Cat firecrackers just doesn't light. So I used black powder instead of the firecracker powder. It worked, but not so good. The Kraft Paper I used didn't even go into peices like firecrackers. It wasn't powerful, and there was a lot of smoke. (Well, it's black powder.) But it went off in less than a second. I don't know what to do. Maybe I'll mix some of the powder from the firecracker with the black powder. We'll see what happens. Here's the video.

File Type - WMV
Size - 903.74 KB's
Length - 0:03

http://uploadhut.com/view.php/264580.wmv

[DEDFX]

That was pretty good, If you look closely you can see your hand shake the same beat like the firecracker went off.

[townshend88]

im pretty sure that you need to make sure the powder is compacted really well. if its too loose, it wont explode, it will just fizzle. i would say keep the powder in the firecracker and find some way to ignite it, or instead try and make the powder in your tube really tight, like tamp it down. be very very carful tamping it down though, and i wouldnt use black powder since that is so powerful.

[slimdog55]

I made another one. I mixed the black powder with the firecracker powder. I also left the cut off wicks in the tube with the powder. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Also, I'm running out of Estes Model Rocket Igniters. They are really expensive. I'm thinking of making my own igniters.

Anybody know of a good homemade igniter that would work great with these squibs? (I already have 36 guage Nichrome Wire.)

[townshend88]

i think you could buy some sort of make your own igniter flammable stuff on a hobby shop website. as for the estes things being expensive, i found a six pack at michaels arts and crafts store for under 5 bucks, which is expensive if you buy a lot but not bad if you use them judiciously.

by the way, do you have any suggestions on how to reduce the time period between pushing the ignition button and having the cracker detonate? does using a larger battery like a car batter decrease detonation periods?

[slimdog55]

A car battery will make the igniter light much faster. But the firecracker wick still has to ignite. And that will be a 1-2 second delay. That's why I'm trying to make my own squibs. So it goes off right away. Also, the video of the firecracker I made last night will be up here in about 2 hours.

[DEDFX]

nice, i used to try to make squibs... until I ran out of firecrackers.... Damn Massachusetts laws.

[townshend88]

DEDFX, firecrackers are illegal in VA as well, but i'm almost positive you can find places on the internet that ship to all states. i used to get this magazine when i was a kid called phoenix fireworks or something (i dont know if thats the name or not) and though i never ordered from it im pretty sure i could have. just do a little surfing and im sure you can find a place that sells them. if that fails, you can always make your own with black powder, which is legal to buy most everywhere for rifile loading as long as your 18 or 21.

EDIT: here is a link to the website of phantom fireworks, which is what i was thinking of. i dont think they will ship to mass. or va. but possibly you can meet someone on here who would act as a middleman and you could use his address. . http://www.fireworks.com/fireworks_gall ... gnitor.asp

that link will also take you to a thing for an electronic ignition system....maybe that might work for squibs too.

[slimdog55]

OK. Here's the second video.

File Type - WMV
Size - 2.49 MB
Length - 0:09

http://uploadhut.com/view.php/266919.wmv

I left the cut off fuses of the firecracker in the tube. The powder was a mix of mostly black powder and some firecracker powder. I compressed the powder as much as I could.

Still it's not that powerful. I was thinking of some Pyrodex in the tube. (I think it's a smokeless powder. So there would be no smoke.) But I don't think Pyrodex burns as fast as black powder. So I don't know if it would blow up. Anyone want to expirement for me? I don't have Pyrodex so I can't test this.

[DEDFX]

Yeah thanks. I used to be a huge pyro and don't know if they will send fireworks to me, since UPS checks their stuff in all. I live next to New Hampshire where they're legal but firecrackers aren't.

[Spike_P_2]

i could use these fro when i make R E. I was tryign out some stuff with firecrackers and bottle rockets, strapped in place on a road atlas i got in a class. It only blew into the first three pages. but then bottle rockets have a bit more kick to it than that. so.