How to Make Fireworks

Up at Kellner's Demo nights one spring, I ran into the fireworks nut to be known to you only as Dan X. Dan had these nifty crack balls that go bang when you drop them or knock them together. Now...

A flame projector is generally defined as a tube from which a short-duration, colored fire is fired. They are most commonly used in stage special effects, but can add real interest to an outdoor fireworks show as well. Thanks to...

Ed. D. supplied this one. Thanks, Ed. I've made some tests with charcoals for black powder. I’d noticed that palm fronds burn very fast in a campfire. So, in one of my tests I used palm tree wood (taken from...

While these rockets are similar in scale to a consumer-fireworks black powder rocket, the motor is larger, and the aerial display is more impressive. Yet, they are still small and quiet enough to be launched anywhere a standard black powder...

By Ned Gorski If you are old enough to remember the old Oldsmobile advertising campaign, "These are not your grandfather's black powder rockets." This newer version of the charcoal-tailed rocket motor is commonly called the "nozzleless motor," but I call...

Whether they are fired from a mine, an aerial shell, or a rocket heading, firefly stars produce a cloud of orange charcoal-sparks, with many silver flickering sparks flashing off and on, resembling fireflies on a hot summer night. The effect...

We got this great little homemade sparkler project from Kevin Shelley. Thanks, Kevin. Here's how he makes this fast, neat sparkler using Skylighter flying fish fuse and falling leaves fuse. "I'm writing to you to tell you how fantastic the...

The firework chemical copper benzoate is a great blue firework star coloring agent. Only problem is that copper benzoate is not produced commercially in the US. Consequently pyros who want to use it have had to manufacture it themselves. We...

Thanks to Dave Stoddard for supplying this little article. These magnalium sky rockets are really quick to make using a rocket press; they're uncomplicated, yet very different than your average black powder sky rocket. Enjoy. I have developed a couple...

Make smoke bombs like this--the easy way. Easy to Make Smoke Bomb Project Making sugar smoke bombs is a wonderful first project or a project to do with your kids or grandkids. The process can teach you a lot about...

By Ned Gorski This is the second part of a two-part series on saxons. Before embarking on these advanced saxons, you should have learned all the techniques in the first part, "Basic Saxons." Now that we have those basic saxon...