Here's a hot topic on fireworks:

Cover Story
Fireworks Business No.365 February, 2012

Foreign Participating Companies Wanted for the 13th Shanghai International Musical Fireworks Festival 2012

The Shanghai International Musical Fireworks Festival originated in 2000, and is held every year in early October during Chinese National Day. So far it has had twelve successful sessions. It has also been a pioneer in hosting international musical fireworks festivals in Asia, praised as one of the most charming festival celebrations in China by the China National Tourism Administration.

Six contests are included in every session of the Shanghai International Musical Fireworks Festival. Professional musical fireworks display companies from many different countries and regions take part in the contests which are in Pudong Century Park in Shanghai on the evening of September 30th, October 3rd, October 6th respectively (two contests in each night). An estimated 50,000 people, on-site and off-site, view the contests each night.

The degree of internationalization and social influence of the Shanghai International Musical Fireworks Festival has been enhanced rapidly over the past years, and now over 30 excellent teams from approximately 20 countries and regions such as China, USA, Canada, Argentina, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan, Korea and Australia have taken part in the competitions.

Since 2011, the Shanghai International Musical Fireworks Festival has added a new Chinese fireworks products championship and formed the competition pattern of one Chinese team versus five foreign teams in 6 contests. Our goal is to strive to make the Shanghai International Musical Fireworks Festival become the premier professional competition, with a first-class level in the international fireworks industry, and to take the leading position in Asia.

In addition we wish to develop into an international platform for the exchange of information about the fireworks industry at home and abroad, with mutual beneficial cooperation, and the spread of fireworks culture.

The 13th Shanghai International Musical Fireworks Festival, 2012 is on schedule, so we will invite five foreign companies to take part in this competition., We are looking forward to your participation. The deadline for registration: February 15th, 2012.

If you are considering entering the competition, the requirements:

1. Professional musical fireworks display company. qualified by the appropriate AHJ.

2. The technicians are capable of independently laying out music and fireworks products, and operating on the scene.

3. Your company has taken part in a world famous musical fireworks competition, and got a ranking.

(Note that Chinese fireworks companies welcome foreign partnership.)

If you take part in the competition, the followings are provided:

1. The design fee for laying out musical fireworks (time for layout is about 20 minutes and mainly with your country’s music).

2. Round-trip flight tickets for no more than 5 technicians. and board and lodging fee in Shanghai (no more than 6 days).

3. The fireworks products you want (if you use special fireworks products that your company manufactures, we will buy them and bear the transportation fee).

4. If you win the prize, you will get a bonus and a trophy.

Contact us: Address: Room 214, 4th Building, No. 2001 Centenary Ave, PuDong New Area, Shanghai, China. The official website: http://www.fireworkstown.com

Contact person: Abel Lee,

E-mail:fireworkstown.com@gmail.com

Cover Story
American Fireworks News No.363 December, 2011

DON’T THROW AWAY THOSE ROMAN CANDLE EMPTIES

I was discussing shell inserts with a guy at a PGI convention a few years ago and the conversation got around to bangers. No matter what you call them, nice aerial bangers do have a place in your display. This guy gave me some food for thought.

He said that while most flash comp will pretty much go BANG in various semi-confined situations, there’s nothing better to guarantee success than a strong walled case.

Well, sez I, that’s true but how about the hot, hot mixes that we’ve seen in some demos where just a Dixie cup of the stuff blew those plywood buildings all to splinters?

Yes, he replied, that’s true and there are always the thin-walled tubes sold by hobby suppliers and, of course, the Kraft tubes for those Italian-type inserts, the name of which I can’t pronounce.

But that’s not the guarantee we’re looking for in our aerial shells. He suggests used Roman candle tubes as one gigantic overlooked source of heavy walled tubes that make excellent banger tubes.

His suggestion was to NEVER discard used Roman candle tubes! First, he says, poke out the clay because, believe it or not, you can reuse that stuff when you need clay plugs (not for rocket nozzles!), and then run a rifle cleaning rod and patch through to remove the charred, hygroscopic residue.

If inspection reveals charring just discard that portion of the tube and use the part from the clay plug to the bottom. That’s usually fairly long so several pieces could be cut.

These tubes are usually ½” i.d. so a tube cut at 1½” and suitably plugged at both ends would make a nice chamber for flash comp. Likewise, tubes cut at 2” or 3” could yield very loud aerial bangers.

We discussed a possibly really impressive daylight shell that would be 1½” or 2” side-fused inserts arranged in a circle in the shell with fuses pointed inward and a tissue paper core of burst charge in the middle. The inserts would be thrown out in a circle and all go off at the same time, like some of those Malta beauties we’ve seen on video.

End plugs have to be robust too, not just simple paper plugs. There are several solutions, all pretty easy when you think about it.

Don’t throw away those Roman candle tubes! Thick wall tubes are always valuable to pyros.

Cover Story
Fireworks Business No.334 November, 2011

phmsa’s training & outreach program

By Elizabeth Musselwhite

Pipeline Hazardous Materials and Safety Administration (PHMSA) has a training and outreach program administered by the Hazmat Safety Assistance Team (HMSAT) that is designed to help train you and your employees about emergency response, hazmat basics, safety & compliance, and hazmat essentials.

Yes, that’s right! PHMSA is here to help you! At the National Fireworks Association annual Expo in September, PHMSA presented a seminar about their Training & Outreach program and to answer those pesky questions about those crazy EX numbers.

Ed Rastetter, investigator for PHMSA, no longer with special investigations, was the seminar presenter along with Shirley McNew with HMSAT. There are six people in charge at HMSAT, located in CA, DC, GA, IL, NJ, & TX. These key people mainly work out of their homes, but do still travel and cover their region.

To review, PHMSA’s responsibilities are to formulate, issue & revise, and enforce the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). They confer with multimodal shippers of hazmat materials and agencies, including FAA, FMCSA, FRA, and the Coast Guard. They also work with ATF Industry Operations and CBP (Customs & Border Protection).

HMSAT offers training for free in several two-day seminars and one-day workshops throughout the year and throughout the country. “Training seems to be a problem out there,” is the feeling of HMSAT. They offer a Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) for free. The new edition will be available in 2012.

As you already know, hazardous materials training is the law as defined in CFR’s Title 49, Subpart H, §172.700-172.704 and is required every three years.

According to PHMSA’s website, “PHMSA's Office of Hazardous Materials Initiatives and Training established this Team (HMSAT) to increase industry awareness of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) and Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG). The HMSAT helps businesses locate resources needed to comply with the HMR and provides technical assistance to the emergency response and planning community. The HMSAT was created with the belief that regulatory compliance and emergency preparedness begin with awareness and training.”

They feel their website is the best place for regulatory information. Check out hazmat.dot.gov or call 800-467-4922 or 800-HMR49-22 from 9-5 EST. This number is not for emergencies but good for questions. Or send an email: infocntr@dot.gov. Or even send a fax to 202-366-7342.

Cover Story
Fireworks Business No.334 November, 2011

phmsa’s training & outreach program

By Elizabeth Musselwhite

As you already know, hazardous materials training is the law as defined in CFR’s Title 49, Subpart H, §172.700-172.704 and is required every three years.

Cover Story
American Fireworks News No.362 November, 2011

Production of Benzoate Color Agents

It was in 1989 that Dave Bleser announced to our fireworks world another method of producing colored flame using cheap and easily obtained sodium benzoate. Dave’s purple was the result of research being done by other than professional pyrotechnicians. Three years later Ken and Bonnie Kosanke published another development with this article. Over the years it has become one of our most requested reprints.

By K.L. & B.J. Kosanke

The use of copper(II) benzoate as a blue color agent was discussed by Bleser.¹ In large part, the endorsement for its use is based on its ability to serve as both color agent (copper) and fuel (benzoate). There is something to be said for this approach. For example, consider a color agent such as copper(II) carbonate (CuCO₃); it is only the copper that is useful in producing color. (See Reference 2 for a more complete description of colored flame production.) What is more, energy is required to free copper from its carbonate ion. Consequently, the flame temperature is lowered, which in turn results in less colored light output. It would be preferred if the copper could be made available without having to pay the full energy cost of freeing it from the carbonate ion. One way to do this is to chemically combine copper with a fuel such as the benzoate ion. Then, when the fuel is consumed, copper will be left over and ready to make the blue color-generating molecule, copper monochloride (CuCl). Because copper benzoate is not commonly available, Bleser described one way to produce it. There is, however, another way to produce copper benzoate. This process is a little more complicated, but the same basic process can also be used to make many other interesting pyro-chemicals, only one class of which are benzoates.

When an acid is mixed with a carbonate or bicarbonate in the presence of water, the resulting chemical reaction produces carbon dioxide [soda water gas, CO₂] and water [H₂O], plus the metal salt of the acid. One familiar example of the process is that observed when vinegar [a dilute solution of acetic acid, HC₂H₃O₂] is added to baking soda [sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO₃] producing the sodium salt of acetic acid [sodium acetate, Na(C₂H₃O₂)] with much frothing and fizzing as gaseous carbon dioxide escapes. The reaction is described in the following chemical equation:

HC₂H₃O_2(aq) + NaHCO_3(s) ®

Na(C₂H₃O₂)_(aq) + H₂O_(l) + CO_2(g) (1)

The physical states of the substances are indicated by (s) for solid, (l) for liquid, (g) for gas, and (aq) for aqueous or dissolved in water.

In a manner similar to Equation 1, the reaction of a benzoic acid solution [HC₇H₅O₂] with copper(II) carbonate [CuCO₃] yields the color agent and fuel, copper(II) benzoate [Cu(C₇H₅0₂)₂]. Equation 2.

2HC₇H₅O_2(aq) + CuCO_3(s) ®

Cu(C₇H₅O₂)_2(s) + H₂O₍₁₎ + CO_2(g) (2)

Since benzoic acid comes as a solid (much like boric acid or stearic acid, which are more familiar to pyrotechnists), it must be dissolved before it will react in this way. In addition, because benzoic acid is not very soluble, the water must be heated to encourage more of the benzoic acid to go into solution and thus allow the reaction to proceed. After the reaction is completed, recovery of the benzoate is easy; the carbon dioxide by-product is lost to the atmosphere, and the water by-product is removed by drying.

In Equation 2, if the copper(II) carbonate is replaced with strontium carbonate, strontium benzoate can be produced. Similarly, the use of barium carbonate produces barium benzoate, and calcium carbonate produces calcium benzoate.

Following is a simple procedure to produce these unusual, but effective color agents. See Table 1.

Table 1. Production or Benzoate Color Agents.

	Parts by		Parts by
Reactant	Weight^(a)	Product	weight^(b)
Benzoic acid	12
Metal Carbonates:		Metal Benzoates:
Barium carbonate	11	Barium benzoate	19
Calcium carbonate	5.5	Calcium benzoate	14
Copper(II) carbonate^(c)	6	Copper(II) benzoate	15
Strontium carbonate	8	Strontium benzoate	17

Notes:

(a) These amounts include a slight excess of carbonate to assure the complete reaction of the benzoic acid.

(b) These are the theoretical amounts that can be produced. In actual practice, the amount produced depends on the exact procedure followed. However, generally only about 80% of these amounts will be recovered for use.

(c) Note that copper(II) carbonate as used in fireworks is more accurately basic copper(II) carbonate, which is CuCO₃Cu(OH)₂. The weight shown in the table correctly reflects this fact.

Procedure

A) Place no more than about 50 parts by weight of water into a glass container. (It is desirable to use a minimum amount of water. With experience, it will often be found that less water can be used.) The container should be generously oversized so that when the reaction proceeds with the evolution of carbon dioxide, and the mixture froths-up, none will be spilled.

B) Using the information in Table 1, weigh the ingredients to make the desired metal benzoate; for example, to make barium benzoate, weigh out 12 parts benzoic acid and 11 parts barium carbonate.

C) Add all of the benzoic acid and about ¼ of the metal carbonate to the water and stir. The mixture may be a fairly thick slurry.

D) Begin warming the mixture until bubbles of carbon dioxide are observed. Stir the mixture to help break-up the froth of gas bubbles being produced.

E) When the production of CO₂ is essentially complete, add another increment of the carbonate. Repeat until all the remaining carbonate has been added.

F) Once all of the carbonate has been added and no more bubbling is observed, heat a little further and continue to stir to insure that the reaction is complete.

G) Before proceeding to the next step it is useful (and sometimes, important, depending on the solubility of the product benzoate) to boil off most of the excess water. Heat the mixture slowly until no significant amount of water remains visible. (This will assure a good yield of product even for benzoates that are highly soluble in water.)

H) Allow the mixture to cool and then dump the product material (the metal benzoate) on a mat of paper towels to absorb most of the remaining water.

I) Allow the material to air dry for several days or place in an oven, at 225 °F, with air circulation until dry.

J) Pass the dried material through a screen to break up any lumps.

Cautions

Essentially all copper, strontium and barium salts are somewhat toxic. For example, the J.T. Baker Saf–T–Data health and contact ratings for these metal carbonates range from 1 (slight) to 2 (moderate). Because of the increased solubility of benzoates, their ratings will probably all be at least 2 (moderate). [As a point of reference, note that barium nitrate has a health rating of 3 (severe).] Accordingly, some degree of caution is appropriate when working with these materials. Certainly any glassware used to make these benzoates, and any oven used to dry them, should not be used to prepare food.

The authors have produced metal benzoates using this method, but have not developed formulations for them, nor have they tested the sensitivity of any formulation using them.

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical and editorial assistance of Wes Smith and Clive Jennings–White in the preparation of this article.

References

A) D. Bleser, “New Electric Purple,” American Fireworks News, No. 89, 1989.

B) K.L. Kosanke, “The Physics, Chemistry & Perception of Colored Flame, Part II,” Pyrotechnica IX, 1989.

Cover Story
American Fireworks News No.361 October, 2011

EXPO EXCELLENCE

By Elizabeth Musselwhite

Smiling faces and happy greetings were the hallmarks of the National Fireworks Association EXPO, held in Stevens Point, Wisconsin during the second week in September as an estimated 1,000 U.S. and Chinese fireworks people gathered to buy, sell and socialize for four days. The highly successful gathering produced many new and eager contacts for the Chinese tradesmen, while U.S. buyers discovered several new suppliers.

A surprising number of product demonstrations was given. Almost twenty vendors were allotted 10 to 15 minutes each and all put the time to good advantage, according to comments noted among the viewers. The prospect of demonstrating to these eager buyers was so promising that the time slots were quickly filled and some vendors were turned away. The nature of each demo required hand firing of individual items but the built-in delays necessitated by this procedure proved to be less annoying than expected. The results were so precise that viewers thought they were seeing computerized firing.

The seminar presentations were another outstanding feature of this get-together; they mostly addressed regulatory matters. We are all aware of the avalanche of new regulations coming out of Washington and some of these are landing on the fireworks trade. Any education available is very valuable indeed, and the seminars presented at the EXPO filled in many gaps in our ability to handle the regulators.

The trade show was overwhelming! Every available square foot of exhibition space in the dedicated three rooms was used, occupying 123 spots. Proving the popularity, it was discovered that at least eight vendors had been turned away for lack of space.

Most vendors showed their pride in their booths by colorful decorations and attractive displays. Viewers entering the arena were seen to be awed by the profusion of colors diversity of products, and the enthusiasm of the Chinese booth attendants.

Although the trade show lasted only two days, those days were filled with eager buyers and friendly sellers, offering a thrilling opportunity to establish new contacts. One highlight: Friday found a free lunch sponsored by Jakes Fireworks.

Perhaps the trade show days were best summed up by NFA secretary Nancy Blogin: “It is a dream come true for all of us who have worked so hard, and it is thanks to [the vendors] for making it look so nice.”

Some quick facts: A consumer fireworks competition was held on Saturday night featuring Dominator, Spirit of ’76, Kellners and Liberty Fireworks, competing with their line of 1.4 goods. Dominator won, as they did last year.

After the Smoke was a social gathering at the host hotel after the demos each night. Featured with the free food were soda and beer. After was sponsored by several different companies.

The Grand Public Display was dedicated to 9-11 and was very loud, very colorful and very beautiful. It was fired by Great Lakes Fireworks.

Next year’s EXPO will be in Joplin, Missouri.

Here's a hot topic on fireworks:

Cover Story
American Fireworks News No.360 September, 2011

REDUXING CIA DÉJÀ VU

Last month we discussed the “CIA Method” of expedient production of black powder and Randy Peck offered a procedure for recovering excess potassium nitrate and a quantity of alcohol. Now he’s back with yet another view.

The BP CIA Method "Revisited" article was excellent and I think very timely when considering our current energy costs. Milling for hours to achieve an intimate mixture and acceptable powder would certainly cause the electric meter to spin!

True, energy is needed to heat the mix, but only enough to get the potassium nitrate dissolved and then the other ingredients mixed in and brought to a boil.

True also that the charcoal and sulfur are ball milled together for 1 hour, but with the use of a Sponnenmill and two 1-gallon jars that can be milled together, enough can be prepared to make many 500 gram batches.

So all that is necessary is to merely weigh out the milled powder, the potassium nitrate, the required water, and the super-chilled denatured alcohol and it's ready to go.

It takes a lot of manipulation to get the charcoal and sulfur mixed in with the hot dissolved nitrate solution. When the dry powder begins to take on a wet appearance, it's nearly done.

A word of WARNING here - the pot will boil over! When the mix comes to a boil, it rises rapidly as a fluffy black bubbly mass. If removed from heat it will quickly sub-

side. I never would simply turn on the heat and walk away- this is a process that requires constant attention!

There is a cool down period of 20 to 30 minutes after the mix has come to a boil. Just prior to the time period ending, the alcohol is taken from the deep freezer and place it in a large stainless steel salad bowl.

The heat is reapplied to the mix to bring to a boil - that black fluffy bubbly mass again - and while quickly stirring it is just dumped into the alcohol and stirred again to cool the mix as quickly as possible. The steam and alcohol vapors are intense and the process is usually done outdoors.

After the mix has cooled it is poured into a cloth that's draped over another container. The ends are gathered and as much alcohol and water from the powder is squeezed out as is possible with gloved hands.

Then whatever means that works is used to press the powder into "BP Patties" and allowed to dry before granulating. An easy way to determine when they're dry is to weigh them and when they stop getting lighter, they're dry.

One popular trick is to make up more than is needed in the spring and keep them up overhead in the fireworks assembly shop where it's hot from the sun heating the roof. By the time July rolls around, there's no doubt they're dry and ready to granulate (break up) and pass through screens to obtain the different mesh sizes.

Finally, the addition of graphite will give your powder the same glossy black appearance as the store bought variety but this is a step I find unnecessary. RP

Cover Story
Fireworks Business No.331 August, 2011

SCARY BUT GOOD SEASON!

WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, TRADESMEN REPORT RESULTS AS EXPECTED

The results are in from our informal survey of consumer and display operators for the season up to the third week in July and, with a few exceptions, the news is all good.

Admittedly this is a very limited survey and the questions were phrased to gather opinions rather than hard numbers. Nevertheless, here is a snapshot of the U.S. fireworks trade in mid-summer, 2011.

We asked fifteen questions with a few aimed specifically at either display or consumer tradesmen. First we asked all: How was your season?

The consumer folks all agreed that it was not a great season. Comments appeared such as: “Flat” and “The same but sluggish.”

Display people had a much different view. All replied that the season so far was either OK or Good. Some replies: “Pretty good but costs are up.” “Very busy, right through Labor Day.” “Good with repeat customers and new inquiries.” “Very good.”

#2: Is season Up/Down/Same as last?

The consumer replies were evenly split between “down” and “same”.
The display people ALL reported that business was UP, despite worries over the economy. Some comments: “Up a little.” “Up a lot.” “Up slightly but down from 3 years ago.”

#3: Any problems getting stock from China?

The consumer replies indicated some containers arrived late in the season, but half said no problems.
Among display companies, 75% reported no problems while a few responses indicated late arrivals. Some responses volunteered that they were careful to choose reliable suppliers and so had no problems.

#4: Problems with federal regulators?

Everyone, consumer and display, replied NO.

#5: Problems with state/local authorities?

All consumer replies were NO. Likewise, all display companies replied NO but several complained of increases in various fees, some substantially increased. Two quotes were noteworthy. One display company said, “[This state] is very difficult to work with and looks to create problems where none exist.” Another stated: “The AHJ insisted on environmental concerns that were not founded on fact.”

#6: Problems with EX numbers?

Both consumer and display companies were evenly split, with half of each saying either Yes or No. The display folks were vocal: “[We’ve had] applications in process for more than a year and DOT doesn’t reply to our enquiries.” “Have many applications but no replies.” “They are incompetent.” “Can’t get numbers and it’s causing us to lose customers.”

The next three questions were for display companies.

#7: Did lack of inventory cause loss of displays?

All replied NO.

#8: Did sponsor funding cause loss of displays?

Yes was the response of 70% and the NOs reported some budget cuts. One telling comment: “Most shows that had to cut back on city funds were able to find sponsorship to make up the difference.”

#9: DOT field inspections?

We received only one Yes and that bore no explanation.

The next three questions were for consumer folks.

#10: Did you have a product demo?

Responses were split 50/50.

#11: Did all product arrive timely for the demo?

Of the Yes replies, all said product was late.

#12: Did the late product arrive in time for the 4^th?

All replies Yes, but comments indicated that some goods arrived so late that retailers turned to other suppliers.

#13: Did you have manpower shortages?

All consumer replies were Yes.
Likewise, all display replies were Yes. Some comments: ”Employee possessor is causing problems.” “We would rather have larger crews.” “We had difficulty in finding people capable of being trained as lead pyrotechnicians.”

#14: Lose business from overall economics?

All consumer replies were Yes. And there were some concern about smaller purchases.
Thirty percent of display replies were No. Comments from the Yes folks: “We may have been lucky because we heard of major shows usually shot by our competitors that were cancelled.” “July 4^th was normal but the rest of the year is down.”

#15: Your opinion of long term future?

Consumer folks were somewhat negative. Typical comment: “Not very rosy. Getting product from China will get tougher and tougher and more expensive.” Display replies were somewhat negative with a little insight: “Prices are trending in the wrong direction. I worry about the financial stability of the display industry.” “We’re cautiously optimistic. Business is still growing but at a lesser rate.” “No worse than any other government-controlled business.” “[We must] provide safe shows and professional, well trained crews. Thanks to all the display companies that strive for the highest level of safety and keep the spectators safe.” “Those who are prepared will survive.”

The last comment probably sums up the overall feel of this survey.

Two comments are worthy of your consideration. Both are from display company CEOs. The first is located in the northeast:

“I believe the Display and Consumer fireworks industry will continue to encounter unprecedented regulatory pressures. Success will be measured by our ability as an industry to work together to engage with the regulators, participate in any regulation change process and continue to invest in the development of safer equipment, sound procedures and quality product.”

The second is located in the Midwest:

“The cost of compliance has increased, as have insurance, fuel, etc. and we have to tell customers that their display will shrink if they keep the same budget. It is difficult to tell customers why they are not going to get 12” to 16” shells any longer because of ‘Harmonization of Global Hazardous Classifications’. In other words, the UN is telling us what we can put in our displays and USDOT is pushing to get the US market down to shells no larger than 7” and salutes down to about 1.75”, following Europe.”

This comment from another Midwest display CEO probably encapsulates the situation of the U.S. fireworks trade in 2011:

“I don’t know of any other business in which you work this hard, with this much risk, for so little return. I think [the industry] will survive but it will always be a struggle. It would greatly help if, as an industry, we truly worked together and did not try to regulate each other out of business. There is safety in numbers, and if there are only one or two giant companies left, it will not take much until even they are regulated out of business.”

Cover Story
American Fireworks News Issue No.359 August, 2011

SPECIAL PURPOSE FIRECRACKERS

By Lloyd Scott Oglesby

Many dramatic educational demonstrations of physics and mechanics require exactly the right size and shape of firecracker, from metal forming with water or mud to spread the blast effect, they are always a source of fun for boys who act up risking the well thrown wads of mud or splashes, to the teaching of shock wave mechanics used as propellants. And, of course, all the techniques of blasting, quarry work, shaft and addit mines, open pit mines, road cuts through hills and small mountains, blasting for canals and ditching, small scale blasting for pools, ponds, septic tanks and septic fields, the uses of explosives to reshape and move any material are so numerous they are impossible to list; there is now even serious consideration of using explosives to blow up objects in outer space to avoid their collisions with our planet.

All of that is best taught with modeling. Usually the medium for that is sand, wet or dry, or to model hard geologic material the sand is coated with a clay slurry and then with more or less compaction, left to dry. Smart fellas make the bore holes in that before it dries completely. My grandpa Woodruff was really good at teaching this way; his experience with explosives was extensive.

It is one thing to read about it in books like “Vibrations from Blasting” or stacks of US Government Printing Office manuals and how-to-do-it pamphlets and our literature from the large explosives manufacturers, but another and far better way is to work with models of each technique and some practical work at the actual examples of jobs explosives are used for.

Pyrotechnists are not involved with all that very often but they are needed to make special firecrackers to model the work. Most of that can be done with a gram or two of flash. Occasionally it might take more than the ten gram firecracker the English call a banger. They call the new five gram bangers wimpy bangers. They feel ripped off and suppressed so they get on the Eurorail train and go to countries where 10 or 15 gram firecrackers are still for sale and at much lower prices. Since fireworks are sold in more than 90% of the nations on the planet a little travel reestablishes Liberty and Freedom well enough.

With about a quarter gram ordinary child-size firecracker it is possible to demonstrate the rather remarkable effectiveness of shock waves used to induce momentum changes and produce motion. Two sizes of tin cans, the smaller one is equipped with a firecracker placed almost entirely through a small hole made in the end or near that, is stood in water held in the larger can to a depth close to the firecracker inside the smaller can to be launched.

When the firecracker goes off inside the smaller can there is a greatly less-than-normal bang noise, and most of the shock wave energy normally dispersed as noise is converted to motion of the can and a splashing of the water. This simple apparatus, also useful for teaching about fuel-air mixtures as explosives, is quite efficient at converting heat and shockwave pressure to mechanical motion. The usual soup or beans size can is launched a hundred feet or more by really good firecrackers of less than half a gram, and usually out of sight by one gram firecrackers. Solder a tuna tin above the launch can and see how far it throws a ball or sand or gravel. Measure the altitudes at minimum and you have a way to measure shock wave intensity of the firecrackers.

On to experiments involving burning of the fuel with the air in the can, with and without the effective help of the water, and things get really educational. Water reflects the shockwave as well as providing momentary confinement of the hot pressurized gas. Try launching the same can with firecrackers without the water, and also without the other can, and see what that results in. Figure out why. Kids love this sort of science experimenting so show some boys the experiment. Measurements, notes, maybe graphs and make real science studies out of it for them. Launch parachutes, small paper gliders, more interestingly firecrackers, and let kids see how creative our hobby can be and as usual a bit of thrilling fun. Pass it on to school teachers. Some of the science teachers used to be the sort who would care. LSO

Cover Story
Fireworks Business Issue No.330 July, 2011

ATF APPROVES HIDDEN-SHACKLE LOCKS
FOR MAGAZINES

By Elizabeth Musselwhite

As of June 23rd, ATF has ruled that “federal explosive licensees and permittees may store explosives in magazines that are secured with hidden-shackle “hockey puck” locks, whether located indoors or outdoors”.

After receiving many requests from members of the explosives industry about changing the regulations for securing explosives in Type 1 through Type 5 magazines, the ATF actually read the requests and made a positive change!

Perhaps the current economic situation played a factor in their decision or perhaps it was common sense? The ATF realized the economic hardship that the members of the explosives industry had to endure to comply with the previous regulations of securing their magazines with padlocks fastened in separate hasps and staples protected with ¼-inch thick steel hoods that weren’t easily obtained since there weren’t enough manufacturers to keep up with the demand.

“Hidden-shackle puck locks are generally based on the same design, in which the lock shackles are completely enclosed within the steel lock body, thereby protecting the shackle from cutting or sawing action”, according to the official report from the Office of the Director of the ATF.

Recessed padlocks and padlocks with boron alloy shackles are also approved. ATF has found that “the alternate methods or procedures authorized by this ruling are not contrary to any provision of the law, will not increase costs to ATF and will not hinder the effective administration of the regulations”.

Of course, this new ruling of using a hidden shackle lock is approved provided only if all certain conditions are met at all times.

1. Each magazine door must be secured with the same number of hidden-shackle puck locks as prescribed in the regulations (e.g. two puck locks on outdoor type 4 magazines, one puck lock on mobile type 3 and type 5 magazines).

2. The hidden shackle puck lock body must be constructed of hardened steel and contain at least a five-pin tumbler cylinder. The lock shackle must be constructed of a case-hardened steel or boron alloy and measure a minimum nominal diameter of ⅜-inch.

3. Each hidden-shackle puck lock must be protected within a solid steel hasp and shroud, or by a ¼-inch thick steel hood that prevents the prying or lever action on the puck lock.

4. The steel hasp must contain a ¼-inch thick steel shroud that surrounds the lock. Openings in the shroud required to access the lock keyway and open the magazine door must be small enough to prevent sawing, levering, or prying action on the puck lock.

5. The spaces between the steel hasps and locks, and steel shrouds and locks, must be small enough to prevent sawing, levering, or prying action on the puck lock.

6. The hasp or hood must be attached to the magazine doors by welding, or installed with at least ⅜-inch thick carriage bolts (with nuts on inside of door) so that they cannot be removed when the doors are closed and locked.

And if using recessed padlocks, the following conditions must be met at all times:

1. Each magazine door (lid) must be secured with two recessed padlocks that have at least five tumblers and a case-hardened steel or boron alloy shackle of at least ⅜-inch diameter.

2. The recessed opening that houses the locks must be small enough to prevent sawing, levering, or prying action on the locks when the locks are installed.

3. The lock shackles must be securely affixed to the interior staples so the padlocks cannot be removed without gaining access to the magazine interior.

This new ruling also supersedes all previous variance approvals for explosives magazines secured with hidden-shackle “hockey puck” locks or recessed padlocks.

Here's a hot topic on fireworks:

Cover Story
America Fireworks News Issue No.357 June, 2011

THAT MOST AWESOME PINK

by Ian von Maltitz

One of my favorite pyro books is the classic Pyrotechnics by George W. Weingart. Among a lot of other treasures it contains one of my favorite formulas. It is a formula for a pink fire or star, which became my favorite pink formula.

In spite of its perceived vice of being rather smoky, it is truly an awesome pink. The best fireworks pink I have ever seen. I wouldn’t trade it for any other, even though its materials may cost a bit more. Its formula is:

Potassium perchlorate 16

Plaster of Paris 4

Shellac 3

Weingart refers to this formula in three different places.

Recently, to my chagrin, several people on PML started bad mouthing my favorite pink formula. They hadn’t got it to work. It gave them rather horrible colors that could not be described as pink. But it had worked for me and for others that I knew. So they must have been doing something wrong I thought.

To be fair to others I did a bit of soul searching. Had my first experiments with this pink formula worked so well because I had used an exceptionally pure grade of potassium perchlorate? Or was I perhaps lucky in my choice of plaster of Paris or shellac?

I quickly discounted the idea of the choice of shellac being a problem for others. I reasoned too that impure potassium perchlorate would give itself away when used in other color formulas. So it boiled down to the plaster of Paris.

My first introduction to plaster of Paris as a kid was the beautiful white dental grade. In those days plaster of Paris molds were very popular where one made little figurines out of plaster of Paris. The dental grade plaster made the best-looking figurines by far. The plaster figurines were often painted with water colors, with some even putting a coat of varnish on the finished work of art.

In my early teens I took the uses for Plaster of Paris figurines one step further by painting them with a cobalt chloride formulation that showed the state of the weather: pink for wet and blue for dry. My interest in chemistry didn’t end there of course. Pyrotechnics got its peculiarly strong grip on me and the rest is history.

I do confess that for a while I was rather naïve. I thought that all plaster of Paris was the beautiful white stuff my dad and I had been using. I slowly found out that others had plaster of Paris that wasn’t quite as white as mine. And when I got more involved in the Boy Scouts I found that some were using a very ugly brownish-colored plaster to capture imprints of animal tracks.

Getting back to present times, I guessed that others had used the equivalent of the ugly stuff I had seen before. Typically this is the much cheaper grade of plaster of Paris used in construction. I was tempted to leave it at that but decided to do a little research anyway. Some of my findings were quite unexpected.

Just as expected, the ugly-looking stuff was the stuff supplied by places such as hardware stores and was admitted to be a mixture of both calcium sulfate (true plaster of Paris) and calcium carbonate. Aha! Any amount of calcium carbonate is bound to contaminate the flame color and push it towards the orange side of the spectrum. But then I came across the unexpected.

I went to two of the most popular hobby craft stores, Hobby Lobby and Michaels, and looked at what they had to offer in way of plaster of Paris. Both had the stuff. However, both had plaster that was off-white in color. One of them actually listed calcium carbonate as being one of the ingredients. Ouch!

I then looked for dental grade plaster and found that it wasn’t that easy to get hold of. I had already scheduled a dental appointment at that time and decided to ask my dentist where he got his. When I did, he promptly disappeared for a few minutes and came back with a plastic bag containing the beautiful white stuff. I am confident that the white stuff is the right stuff and someday I will get around to making the pink stuff again. IvM

Let's start with a great four part series on Blue Whistles

I never felt more like singing the blues -
Or thoughts on the pursuit of a blue whistle

by Richard Dilg

For many years it had been said that the most difficult color to achieve for pyrotechnic flames is that of a good blue flame color. Today, it can be argued that there are a number of good blue color formulae that a pyrotechnist can use. T. Shimizu, C. Jennings-White, and C. Wilson, whose studies and formulae come readily to mind as contributors to the bank of pyro studies regarding pyrotechnic blues, can be given as examples. C. Jennings-White, E. McCaskie, and others come to mind for contributing to published information regarding blue colored strobe formulae.

Colored whistles are a topic of interest to some. Colors of potassium purple (lavender) and sodium yellow have long been the staple colors associated with whistle flame color where no deliberate effort was made to produce a specific flame color for whistles. Deliberate or intentional attempts at designing a flame color for whistles have more recently resulted in colors of white, red, and green. However, achieving a blue colored whistle is seemingly an even more elusive quest than that for a blue star formula. The designer of a blue whistle needs to overcome some seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Hopefully these difficulties will not render the task an impossible one.

Nearly 18 years ago at the end of an AFN article¹ entitled Whistle While You Work, I suggested that the advent of seeing colored whistles appeared to be a next step that one might expect to see. Well instead, whistling or screaming rockets were in fact what appeared and proliferated as a novel use of pyrotechnic whistles and whistle formulae.

A number of contemporary authors have described in some fashion or other some thoughts on color and whistles together. Although Maxwell does not address whistle and colors together he does mention much about the dynamics of the whistle mechanism and does set the standard by giving the classic potassium perchlorate/potassium benzoate formula in his 1952 definitive article². Oztap’s ideas can be found in later Pyrotechnica articles^3,4 where he presents some primitive concepts of combining color with whistles. His use of burn rate catalysts and wet mixing techniques seemed to have contributed to much of the basis for the common whistling rocket information that is in use today. J. Domanico has written⁵ and demonstrated⁶ much on whistles including color and whistle combinations. Many of his efforts seem based on using the standard potassium perchlorate/potassium benzoate formulation with simple additions of additives like strontium nitrate, barium nitrate, boron, and metals (titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, magnalium) to achieve colored/tinted whistle flames – red, green, green, and white/white sparks, respectively. R. Amons has written about newer phthalate-based whistle fuels in a 1997 JoP article⁷. He did not address the combination of color and whistles in detail there but he did set the basis for a more sophisticated approach that one could utilize to achieve functioning colored whistles. He has conducted work in synthesizing phthalate and other organic acid salts and has formulated effective colored whistle formulae, especially for red and green colored whistles⁸.

In Amons’ PML (pyrotechnics mailing list) posting of 1-6-2006, he states that he is continuing his work with colored whistles:

“…, I'm still working (tuning) on them and the red and green ones are quite good. I've never been able to produce a decent blue one though. The problem with the blue whistles is that the blue color is very easily washed out; more of a faint hue. Anyway I'm also planning a paper on these things, but progress is slow. …”

For purposes of this article, however, I wanted to focus in on his statement concerning the difficulties with making blue whistles. Besides Amons, others have attempted making a blue colored whistle. Kosanke mentions in a passing fashion in the lecture notes⁹ to his pyro chemistry course the example, by way of a graphic, of how simple combination of color and whistle formulae attempts failed to produce a working blue whistle. Early 2006 PML postings by others also cited failed attempts using copper benzoate formulations in a response to a question posed there by H. Gilliam. Although I did not publish any pertinent information at the time, within a few years’ time of my own earlier AFN article, I too had attempted working with some copper salts but was not successful in getting a blue whistle.

Essentially two definite difficulties or obstacles can be pointed to in these less than successful attempts. First, is the observed outcome in trying standard formulation mixes with copper salts as fuel or additives very often tend to result in non-functioning whistles – no whistling sound is generated. Second, is that the flame color obtained with such formulations is practically always not a blue but an off white to white color. Apparently, then, these observations suggest that the use of copper salts somehow interferes with and does not readily promote the same vibrational burning mechanics of traditional pyrotechnic whistles when alkali and alkaline metal salts are used as fuels. Rather, they seemingly follow another chemical kinetics/-reaction route that does not produce a whistling sound. As for the whitish color, this probably can be described by the color mixing theory as aptly expounded upon by Kosanke recently in a number of his published articles/books/notes – including the twenty part series appearing in recent AFN issues¹⁰. When copper salts are used, the emitters that can and apparently do form (such as CuCl (blue violet to blue) and CuOH (greenish)) in blue whistle formulation attempts yield emissions that result in a mixed flame color being the dominant color perceived – a whitish to white hue. Chromaticity diagrams as used in the Kosanke literature¹¹ help illustrate this.

As of this writing, R. Amons¹²has seemingly already overcome some of these difficulties and has formulated and fired blue color whistles. Even so, he admits that he is not completely satisfied as of yet and is continuing with further refinements.

Maybe I should change my tune verses from I never felt more like singing the blues to a more patriotic theme like Three cheers for the red, white, and blue. Perhaps I can once again whistle while I work but in a more colorful way ! J

References

1. R. Dilg, Whistle While You Work, AFN, No. 75, December 1987, Part 2, p.2.

2. W.R. Maxwell, Pyrotechnic Whistles, Paper 111, 4th Symposium on Combustion at MIT September, 1952, The Williams & Wilkins Company, Baltimore, Maryland, 1953, pp. 906 – 914.

[Also reprinted in J. of Pyrotechnics, No. 4,1996, pp. 37-46.]

3. S. Oztap, The Pyrotechnic Whistle and its Applications, Pyrotechnica XI, June, 1987, pp. 49-54.

4. S. Oztap, The Pyrotechnic Whistle and its Applications, Part 2, Pyrotechnica XIII, August, 1990, pp. 19-21.

5. J. Domanico, Pyrotechnic Whistles: Bigger, Better, and now in Colors, Paper 2001-17, Vol.1, Proceedings for the 6^th International Symposium on Fireworks, Orlando, Florida, December, 2001, pp75-86. (The reference to colors is a little misleading but the references on page 86 cite some of the representative writings by Dr. Domanico.)

6, J. Domanico, The Secrets of Pyrotechnic Whistles, 2000, available from AFN as video Volume 34 of the series How the Pros…, Item (Video) V9g.

7. R. Amons, Consideration of Alternate Whistle Fuels, J. of Pyrotechnics, No. 6, 1997, pp. 65-68.

8. R. Amons, Personal communication, 2006.

9. K.L. & B.J. Kosanke, Lecture Notes for Pyrotechnic Chemistry, Revision 4, Section 10, p 13, Pyrotechnic Reference series No. 2, J. of Pyrotechnics, Inc., Whitewater, CO, 81527, [ISBN 1-889526-16-9], 2004.

10. K. Kosanke, and B. Kosanke, American Fireworks News, AFN No. 266 Nov 2003 to AFN No. 285, June 2005, a 20 part series on the Chemistry of Colored Flames.

11. Ibid., AFN No. 282, March 2005, p.11.

12. Ref. 8.

Part II

The Blue Pyrotechnic Whistle – part 2

by Richard Dilg

In the June 2006 issue¹ [AFN #296, article title: I NEVER FELT MORE LIKE SINGING THE BLUES] I presented some thoughts on blue pyro whistles. Here is an update.

Portrait Of A Whistling Flame - The Blue Whistle

Fig. 1 Blue Whistle Flame

The figure above shows an actual color picture taken of the flame emanating upward from atop a functioning blue whistle where various regions of the flame have been designated by outlining and have been marked with letters. The central regions of the flame are outlined and marked “A” and appear bright white in color. Moving outward and upward the next surrounding flame regions are outlined and marked “B” and appear greenish blue in color. The outer most regions are outlined and marked “C” and appear dark blue in color. Atop the top center of flame region “A” and splitting regions “B” and “C” are faint orange red sparks that are outlined and are rising centrally upward; these appear faint and blurred since the sparks are surrounded by flame regions “B” and “C”.

Assuming that the whistling flame radiates heat in a similar fashion to other flames then the regions “A”, “B”, and “C” in the flame can also be indicators of different temperature zones within the flame. The region marked “A” is the hottest. Region B” is the next hottest but cooler than “A” and hotter than “C”. Region “C” is still in the hot or warm part of the flame but it is the coolest of the three regions.

The regions also represent areas within the flame that are populated with varying amounts of chemical species some of which are responsible for the color emissions seen in the region. Speculation can be made as to what some of these species may be based on previous study of blue color flames. Region “A” contains the largest population of color emitting species and other species that all blend together to form the bright white light in that region. Some of the probable predominant color emitting species as well as some other species likely populating region “A” are CuCl, CuOH, K+, and very likely Cx, and CnHm where those latter species² are varying sized carbon molecules and low molecular weight hydrocarbon species. For region “B” the probable predominant color emitting species are CuCl and CuOH. And for region “C” the probable predominant color emitting specie is CuCl or most likely (CuCl)₃ according to one reference³.

Spectral Information – Visible Spectrum and Chromaticity Data

Attempts were made to obtain a visible light spectrum of the blue whistle flame. Using a commercial spectrometer⁴ the spectrum shown in figure 2 was obtained. Using this equipment others have previously generated spectral information for other pyrotechnic formulations⁵ (star formulae).

Incandescence (black body radiation) from solid reaction products (possibly such as Cx, K₂O, KCl, Cu₂O, CuO, and possibly others) formed and being ejected from and due to the mechanics of the whistling mechanism/process may be responsible for the elevated base line radiation levels seen across nearly the entire range of spectral wavelengths.

Evidence for the presence of both CuCl and CuOH emitting species is shown by their “fingerprint” peaks in the spectrum in figure 2. Ø

Fig. 3 Blue Whistle Flame – Chromaticity diagram

Using the data from the visible light spectrum, the chromaticity diagram was also generated and is shown in figure 3. The chromaticity coordinates were x = 0.258, y = 0.236, the dominant wavelength was 467 nm, and the color purity was 29%. This chromaticity information indeed confirms the visually evident overall blue hue given off by the burning blue whistle flame.

Unfortunately I did not have any instrumentation (other than my own ears) with which to characterize the sound quality produced by the functioning whistle. The whistling sound was definitely loud and rivals that produced by whistles using older benzoate or salicylate formulations.

The blue whistle formula mix seems to have struck a balance between the light and sound producing mechanisms / chemistries that permit both the blue color and the whistling sound to be produced without the exclusion of the other.

Ah yes, the formula. You just might have been wondering about this all along and may have been asking “What is the formulation?”

The answer to that last question is the topic of the next part (part 3) of this series on the blue whistle. The cited references given here will be enumerated in that upcoming part as well.

Stay tuned for more on this colorful topic! RD

PART III

The Blue Pyrotechnic Whistle – part 3

by Richard Dilg

The story of the blue whistle continues.

In Praise of Phthalic Acid Salts

Some of you may possibly recall my two part 1987 AFN article^6a,b where I first cited a whistle formula listed in an earlier reference⁷. [ If you do, boy are you getting old ! ] In that AFN article on whistles, I described using each of the three isomeric forms of KHP, the mono potassium salt of phthalic acid. Mixing each mono potassium salt of phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, and terephthalic acid with potassium perchlorate, I had successfully made working whistles using all three of the isomeric salts. Some others who tried using these mixes claimed they had difficulty in getting them to work and seemingly abandoned them as too much trouble.

In the almost 20 years since, others^{8, 9} have written about the use of phthalic acid salts for pyrotechnic whistles.

One pyro investigator, Rembert Amons, has conducted some extensive investigation into the use of these salts (and other carboxylic acid salts) in making colored flame pyrotechnic whistles. Rembert’s red and green colored whistles are in particular worthy of mention. At the 2007 February WWB, J. Domanico presented some of Rembert’s formulae for red and green whistles during his whistle seminar/talk. Unfortunately Joe was pressed for time and he had to make only quick mention of them offering to provide those interested with the formulae after his talk. In those formulae, Rembert used strontium and barium salts of isophthalic acid to achieve some of his red and green colored flame whistles. I made mention of Rembert and his work in my June 2006 AFN article¹⁰.

In that AFN article I had mentioned that Rembert had come up with a formula for a blue whistle that he got to work. However, I was not as successful when I tried replicating his work.

Well, after a nearly year long research study that proved to be a struggle that included questioning the minds of pyro investigators on three continents and the efforts of many failed formulation attempts on my part, I finally was able to come up with a blue whistle mix that in fact did give a working blue whistle.

The formula I have come up with uses two isophthalic acid salts. Both were fairly easy to make from relatively inexpensive starting materials and in small quantity amounts. The chemistry involved is essentially simple acid / base neutralization. These salts were dried for several hours at about 150 degC (or about 310 degF) without problems. They were ground using mortar and pestle grinding.

My blue whistle formula then consisted of the following (expressed as parts by weight):

KP	65
KHiP	20
Cu2iP	5
CuCl	10
Dec	5

The KP was potassium perchlorate.
The KHiP was the mono potassium salt of isophthalic acid.
The Cu2iP material was the di-copper salt of isophthalic acid.
The CuCl was cuprous chloride.
Dec was dechlorane

After weighing out all of the whistle mix ingredients, the mix was blended together using methods of mixing that ensured intimate mixing. The mix had a talc-like consistency. The mix was loaded in increments into a convolute rolled half inch i.d. cardboard tube and pressed into the tube using a press.

No added catalysts, oils, waxes, nor solvents were introduced.

Back to the Future

Back in my 1987 article I sheepishly predicted that red, white, and blue color whistles would be seen in upcoming displays. Now, nearly 20 years later, red, white, and blue multi colored whistles can, in fact, be made. It probably won’t be long either before colored whistling rockets using colored whistle mixes proliferate. Rainbow and pastel colored flamed whistles are also likely to appear shortly.

If government regulators continue their insane shut down of the supply of chemicals under the guise of safety, and irrationally regulate materials useable in fireworks under the guise of environmental concerns, there may a very limited or no future here. So enjoy the pyro life now before it becomes just a memory !

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank Rembert Amons for his sharing of information and his insightful discussions with me on the topic of blue whistles. I want to thank Mike Wilson for his sharing of some of his interesting efforts at characterizing the pyrotechnic whistle. I wish to thank Matt Davies, Rutger Webb, and Bonnie Kosanke for their help in making it possible for me to get in touch with Mike Wilson and for their offers of help and encouragement.

Closer to home I wish to thank Stan Warren for his assistance throughout the course of my ongoing research. Thank you too to Laverne Niksch and Gerry Gits for their support.

Finally thanks goes to the Lord for His gifts of ears, eyes, mind, and time.

References

1. R. Dilg, “I Never Felt More Like Singing the Blues – or thoughts on the pursuit of a blue whistle”, AFN , No 296, June, 2006, pages 9 and 10.

2. M. Wilson, “The Combustion and Explosion of Pyrotechnic Whistling Composition”, Report DSTO-TR-0717, Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratory, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Melbourne, Australia, 1998.

3. D. Dolata, “Reassessment of the Identity of the Blue Light Emitter in Copper – Containing Pyrotechnic Flames – Is it really CuCl?”, Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 30 (2005) No. 1, pages 63 -66.

4. Ocean Optics

5. B.V. Ingram, “Color Purity Measurements of Traditional Pyrotechnic Star Formulas”, J. of Pyrotechnics, No, 17, 2003, pages 1-18.

6. a. R. Dilg, “Whistle While You Work”, part 1, AFN, No. 74, November, 1987, pages 4,5.

6. b. R. Dilg, “Whistle While You Work”, part 2, AFN, No. 75, December, 1987, pages 1-3.

7. J. Conkling, Chemistry of Pyrotechnics, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1985, page 178.

8. R. Amons, “Consideration of Alternate Whistle Fuels”, J.of Pyrotechnics, No. 6. 1997, pages 65-67.

9. M.L.Davies, “A Review of the Chemistry and Dynamics of Pyrotechnic Whistles,” J.of Pyrotechnics, No. 21, 2005, pages 1-12.

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I never felt more like singing the blues -
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References

The Blue Pyrotechnic Whistle – part 2

The Blue Pyrotechnic Whistle – part 3

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I never felt more like singing the blues - Or thoughts on the pursuit of a blue whistle

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The Blue Pyrotechnic Whistle – part 2

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ATF APPROVES HIDDEN-SHACKLE LOCKS
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I never felt more like singing the blues -
Or thoughts on the pursuit of a blue whistle