How to Make Fireworks

Step 5 Lifting charge

Peel of the making tape that protected the time fuse. Cut two lengths of black match and bend them over the exposed end of the time fuse. Wrap a line of string numerous of time around the black match to secure them to the time fuse. Then either secure the string with a dot of hot glue or tie a knot.

The black match will be a prime for the time fuse and make it easier to ignite. Without it the time fuse might fail to ignite and make it a dud shell.

The next step is the lift. Take your desired lifting cup and poke a hole in the bottom, big enough to put the quick match or shooting wire through. The quick match or shooting wire should be long enough, so that when the shell is loaded in the mortar, there will stick a bit out of the mortar. If you use quick match insert a piece of visco fuse it. This will be the delay between when the shell is ignited, till it shoots out of the mortar.

Next put the quick match (not the visco fuse end) or shooting wire through the hole punched in the lifting cup. If using quick match, tear a bit of the paper off the end, so that the black match will be exposed. If using shooting wire, attatch your e-match. Next slide the quick match or shooting wire back, so it centres in the middle of the lifting cup. Secure the hole with a bit of hot glue or gummed paper.

Add you lift charge in the lifting cup, in this example 15.3 grams of pulverone was used. The amount used all depends on the quality of your black powder. The rule of thumb is to use approximately 1/10 lift of the shells weight. The shell's final weight (everything included) was around 150 grams.

Comments

[ashreeve]

Sorry new at this and i am confused about the line "insert a piece of visco fuse it" could you clarify?

[baseball05]

Do you have to use black powder?? What happens if i use flash powder as a lift charge?...

[pudi.dk]

Only black powder should be used for lift charge. With black powder, when you put too much in it doesn't explode. Rather, too much will just burn up. With flash powder you risk destroying the shell and the mortar, and you put yourself in danger.

[baseball05]

Ok thanks... Does it matter what type of black powder i use? If so what kind and where can i buy it from?

[pudi.dk]

Use the old fashion black powder, not smokeless. A fairly heavy grain such as 2FA grade is needed, finely powdered meal grade won't work.

[baseball05]

ok thanks man. Do i need to granulate the black powder? I see videos all over youtube showing how to grandulate black powder and make it a lifting powder by adding dextrin and rubbing alcohol. It that all neccisary or can i just look up 2FA black powder on google and buy some?