Now in our

36th year

No. 408 September, 2015

HEAVY-METAL-FREE CRACKLING MICRO-STARS
Ken Ganney and Richard Harrison went nowhere, giving results that were, at best,
www.pyro-gear.co.uk mediocre and inconsistent. Eventually we found a
formulation that showed promise; although still
Polyvinylbutyral (PVB) is a material with remark-
only modest in performance, the effect proved to be
able properties when used in pyrotechnic composi-
reliable and repeatable. Further development led to
tions. Some of these properties – that it is an excel-
some highly effective compositions, examples of
lent binder when activated with alcohol, that it is
which are given in Table 1.
also a useful fuel, and that it seems to enhance
some strobe compositions – appear to have been Table 1. Sample Formulations
known at least since the early 1990s, but there Composition A B C
appear to be virtually no published formulae. Copper Oxide, 300 mesh 64.0 65.0 65.0
Magnalium, 250 mesh 32.0 32.5 29.5
We rediscovered these properties while research- PVB, Mowital 60H 2.0 2.5 2.5
ing materials that might be useful in creating a Phenolic Resin 2.0
crackling effect. Our attention was originally drawn Aluminum, atomized, 300 mesh 3.0
to this substance by the observation that some Nitrocellulose +10.0 +10.0 +12.0
proprietary nitrocellulose lacquers produce a mild
In all these formulations the nitrocellulose is
crackle in a mixture of copper oxide and mag-
specified as a dry weight. If used as a lacquer, the
nalium, but that solutions of pure nitrocellulose do
actual amount to be added will therefore depend
not. Nitrocellulose lacquers that are intended for
on the concentration of the solution.
use as paints contain a mixture of resins and plas-
ticizers, and PVB came up as one of the possible Composition A is the first truly successful mix
constituents. Once its name had arisen, we be- that we found. In terms of both subjective impres-
came aware of fascinating rumors that it was being sion and simple measurements of the noise level,
used in China and in at least one of the Maltese we believe it compares favorably with many of the
fireworks factories. more traditional lead- or bismuth-based formula-
tions. Given that there are many types of phenolic
Our research has occupied us for more than eight
Continued on page 3.
months, during which time we have investigated
hundreds of variations of a range of different for- FIREWORKS FOR SALE
mulations, both with and without nitrocellulose. 97 Cases of Safe & Sane For Sale.
Most of the routes we took started from what Please Reply by Email at
seemed to us to be well-founded principles but [email protected] or call 860-384-9376
 AMERICAN FIREWORKS NEWS

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WARNING
This publication may contain depictions and descriptions of fireworks.
The information is based on the experience of the author(s) using spe-
cific tools and ingredients under specific conditions not necessarily de-
scribed in the article. No warranties are made. Readers are cautioned
that they must form their own opinion as to the application of anything
found in this publication.
STAFF, EDITORIAL OFFICE AND PERMANENT ADDRESS:
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Feature Writer: Jason Musselwhite
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2 September, 2015
 AMERICAN FIREWORKS NEWS

resin on the market, we were at first concerned Once dry, the micro-stars appear to ignite easily
that the effect might depend on the particular resin and do not need priming if they are to be used in a
we had used. However, a series of trials, first with matrix star, or as cores for colored stars. If they are
a few different synthetic resins and then with a to be used on their own, priming is advisable and
couple of natural resins – vinsol and red gum – we have found the most suitable prime to be a
convinced us that this factor was unimportant. slight modification of the Spanish ‘monocapa’
Having established that a number of different res- prime, where the iron oxide is replaced by ferrosili-
ins could be used, we wondered just how critical con, as shown in Table 2.
this component was to the performance and decid- Table 2. Priming Composition
ed to see what would happen if we omitted it en- Potassium Perchlorate 24.6
tirely. Composition B was the result, and is the Potassium Nitrate 31.1
simplest formulation that we have found. In terms Charcoal, airfloat 11.5
of noise output, it is at least as good – and possibly Red Gum 4.1
Sulfur 4.9
better – than composition A.
Ferrosilicon 7.4
Many people have found that adding a small per- Magnalium 12.3
centage of aluminum improves the performance of PVB 4.1
crackle compositions. This consideration led us to You may notice that we have also replaced the
composition C, which appears to give a better per- original dextrin binder by an equal amount of PVB.
formance than either of the other two. We found Another advantage of this material is that rolling
that a small increase in the amount of nitrocellu- PVB-bound compositions, using 100% isopropyl
lose helped in this case. alcohol as the activating fluid, is so much easier
The mesh sizes given in Table 1 should be re- than with any other binder we have encountered.
garded as guidelines, as we have found these for- These crackle formulations are a very recent dis-
mulations to be reasonably tolerant to moderate covery and it would be surprising if there were not
variations of the particle sizes. We have, for exam- any further variations and improvements to be
ple, obtained similar results with a sample of cop- found. For reasons that we do not yet understand,
per oxide that passed 200 mesh but was 30% re- the inclusion of a small percentage of PVB appears
tained on 250 mesh. to be crucial to their performance. 
Bearing in mind that PVB is manufactured in a
variety of grades, it is important to stress that we
have, so far, tested our formulations using only the
variety specified in Table 1, and currently have no
information about the suitability of other grades.
Mowital 60H is manufactured by Kuraray, whose
European and U.S. websites – www.kuraray.eu
and www.kuraray.us.com – contain English-
language data sheets that might help to identify
corresponding types from other manufacturers. It
is also worth pointing out that our lacquer con-
tains pure nitrocellulose. Double-based powder is
not readily available to us and we have no idea of
the likely behavior of our compositions if combined
with a lacquer made from that kind of material.
Our compositions work best as 2 to 3 mm (say,
1/10 inch) cubes. We find there to be no benefit to
making the grains any larger, as there is then a
tendency for them to produce a succession of
crackles rather than a single report. We also find
that they are most effective if the PVB (and, if pre-
sent, the phenolic resin) is dissolved in the appro-
priate quantity of lacquer before the remaining in-
gredients are added. Solutions of PVB can be quite
viscous and it may prove necessary to add a little
more solvent to produce a suitable working con-
sistency.

September, 2015 3
 AMERICAN FIREWORKS NEWS

ALCOHOL FUELED PYRO — ture of alcohol, water, and an amphoteric oxide

gelling agent. Later mixes contained alcohol, nitro-
THE QUEST FOR GEL cellulose, and water. Indeed many of the alcohol
by Ian von Maltitz gel patents over the subsequent decades focused
As promised in the first article on this topic, this on improving the basic alcohol, nitrocellulose, and
chapter describes various approaches to making water mixes.
gelled alcohol. There are tons of patents relating to alcohol gels.
If one does a Google search on making gelled al- A lot of them focus on fuels similar to Sterno while
cohol one will discover a large number of refer- others focus on fire starters, hand lotions, shaving
ences to a popular method that uses two easily- gels and cosmetics.
obtained ingredients found in most kitchens: vine- Here is a table listing some of the more notable
gar and egg shells. Here one creates calcium ace- patents I have found:
tate, the essential ingredient used for creating an Patent
alcohol gel. Sadly this method has many draw- Year
Number
Title
backs. 1930 1,752,935 Artificial Fuel
The chief drawback of the vinegar/egg shells 1936 2,046,101 Solidified Composition
method is the long time it takes to end up with an 1952 2,613,142 Alcohol Fuel Gel
alcohol gel. Contrast this with the method that I 1969 3,472,940 Stable Gelled Alcohol Compositions
Containing Sodium Acyl Lactates
described in the last chapter, and which I will ex-
1972 3,666,482 Gelled Alcohol Containing Comestible
pand upon in this one. Here one has almost in- 1972 3,672,851 Gelled Alcohol Fuel Containing Nitro-
stant gratification. One mixes a small amount of cellulose and Boric Acid
powder with alcohol and in a very short while one 1973 3,754,877 Gelled Fuel Compositions
has the desired alcohol gel. Back to the vine- 1978 4,084,939 Audibly Burning Gelled Alcohol
gar/egg shells method. 1984 4,436,525 Fuel Gel for Charcoal or Wood Fires
Vinegar is essentially dilute acetic acid. Egg 1990 4,908,044 Semi Solid Ethanol Based Fuel
1990 4,971,597 Solid Alcohol Fuel with Hydration
shells consist mainly of calcium carbonate. Mixed
Inhibiting Coating
together they react to create calcium acetate in so-
lution and carbon dioxide gas. The reaction can be One particularly notable patent is patent number
speeded up by using calcium carbonate powder in- 3,672,851, which contains boric acid as a stabiliz-
stead of the egg shells but what one gains here ing agent. Its proposed solution is a lot simpler
time wise is obscured by the long time it takes to than the other patents it refers to. And it refers to
get rid of the excess water left by the vinegar. One quite a number. This patent in itself is a very use-
can either allow the water to evaporate over a peri- ful reference to other patents. But I am not fond of
od of time (usually several days) or boil it off. I opt- using boric acid as an essential ingredient because
ed for the latter in my experiments, using a labora- it in itself is a color producer that could interfere
tory glassware flask on a laboratory hotplate. The with other color producers.
process still took an unacceptably long time. Another particularly notable patent is patent
Making calcium acetate using the above method number 4,084,939. This describes audibly burning
is not only time consuming but also messy and gelled alcohol. There is a reason for this particular
somewhat stinky if one uses eggs shells instead of invention. One of the problems with some gelled
calcium carbonate powder. I do confess that I have alcohols is their stealth manner of burning. This
not experimented much with this method so am poses a burning hazard to persons unaware that
not able to do a fair comparison with other meth- they are close to an alcohol flame, a flame that is
ods concerning the final outcome. The gel that I also nearly invisible. I am not fond of the methods
ended up with had the approximate consistency of described in this patent, although there is quite a
cottage cheese and looked similar in color. Perhaps variety. There are much easier ways to get past the
it is possible to achieve a more gel-like product. I quiet burning problem. One way is to get back to
don’t know and care not to fuss enough with this the older, more primitive alcohol gels! Another is to
method to find out. use the method I describe at the end of this article.
The best-known gelled alcohol on the market is More recent developments in alcohol gels show a
Sterno. This is usually available at the local su- trend away from the nitrocellulose-based formula-
permarket and comes in small metal cans with tions of the past. Many of these use cellulose com-
press top lids. Typically one removes the lid and pounds of one description or another. Some of
lights the alcohol, letting it burn in the can. The these are readily available from such places as the
original Sterno gel appears to be made from a mix- local hardware store but a word of caution: many

4 September, 2015
 AMERICAN FIREWORKS NEWS

of these compounds have a generic chemical or trade

name that discusses a family of compounds rather CCO
ONNSSU
UMMEER
R FFIIR
REEW
WOOR
RKKSS
than just one. Some have wide variations in gelling
properties.
O
OUUTTLLO
OOOKK
Another problem that plagues the alcohol gel mak- By Jason Musselwhite
ers is that pH often plays a critical role. Here one typ- Now is the time for all pyros to
ically adjusts the alkalinity of the solution to the re- check their calendars for more
quired pH value. In some ways this is useful in that great pyro gatherings happening
one can slowly raise the pH until gelling occurs. Con- in the upcoming months.
trolling this process, however, can be tricky as any- I hope everyone had a py-
one familiar with pH control probably knows. rotastic time at the PGI conven-
tion. I was sorry Betty & I
When one talks about pH one assumes that the mix
missed it. But, we will definitely
contains water. Such an alcohol mix will thus contain
be at next year’s convention in
water whether one desires it or not. And there is an- La Porte. Dates are August 6-12.
other problem from a pyro perspective. Chemicals Believe it or not, you should book your room now! Avail-
added to adjust the pH can produce undesired reac- able hotels are already on the PGI website. You can find
tions with the chemicals added to produce colored it under CONVENTION – 2016 CONVENTION –
flames. The first that comes to mind is boric acid. ACCOMMODATIONS. I’ve already booked my room at the
I had a rather bad experience with a popular alcohol Best Western and the nice lady at the reservation office
gelling compound. It has been used for quite a while said she can’t wait for us to come back next year. Last
in industry and is usually used with its own peculiar time we were there, she had attended one night of dis-
stabilizing agent that adjusts the pH to the right level plays and it was awesome. All the more reason to wear
among other things. When I mixed in the stabilizing your badges around town to get the word out and get
more people interested in fireworks!
agent a gel was formed very quickly, similar to the
solid mix given by the calcium acetate method. Again The next major get-together is the National Fireworks
this did not give the appearance of a true gel. The sol- Association’s annual Expo. This year it is in Kingsport,
id white substance burned OK but left a horrible resi- Tennessee, September 7-12. Betty & I will be there and
due after burning. It also, in a weird kind of way, ap- AFN will have a booth at the Trade Show. We’ll be right
next to the National Council on Fireworks Safety and
peared to separate from a notable percentage of the
Mile High Inflatables, so you can’t miss us with those
alcohol, creating an alcohol soaked sponge rather
wavy arms flying about on those inflatables.
than an alcohol gel.
During the NFA Expo, a club event will be held by the
Yet again, further experimentation could result in a Western Pyrotechnic Association, September 10-12 in
more successful outcome. But why mess with it if one Hawthorne, Nevada. Their annual Do-It event is more for
has a virtually foolproof method without all the has- the hobbyist. This event is geared towards those who like
sles? What follows is the method I prefer. to develop and create pyrotechnic items.” More info:
The secret is a substance with the chemical name of www.westernpyro.org.
hydroxypropylcellulose. It is usually available under The following weekend after the NFA Expo and the
the trade name of Klucel. There are different grades of WPA’s Do-It event, is the annual St. Louis, Missouri
Klucel with different gelling properties. The most shoot, which is now called Pyromania. It will be held at
common grade is Klucel G. This is sold as a leather Brookdale Farms in Eureka on September 19th. Pyroma-
restorer or as a preservative for old books. I got my nia 2015: Feel the Boom is in its 10th year! I am fortunate
Klucel G from a supplier in Colorado who sells leather to be attending this event for the first time. I’ll be bring-
treatment products. He sells his product on eBay and ing a few items of my firecracker collectibles to show.
Amazon. Note that one must buy this product in pure Gates open at 10 a.m. For more information,
powder form rather than a product that is already www.pyromaniaevent.com.
mixed with alcohol. That’s all for September, as if that wasn’t enough! But,
there is one more important event that I must mention
To make an alcohol gel with Klucel G all one needs
occurring in October. The American Pyrotechnics Asso-
to do is sprinkle some Klucel G on the surface of the
ciation 67th annual general meeting and convention will
alcohol and stir it in. Gelling takes place almost im-
be held at the Grand Hyatt in Denver, Colorado, October
mediately but it is suggested one lets the process run 6-9. It’s been a long while since Betty & I were able to at-
to completion over a 24-hour period. The stuff works tend an APA convention, but when we did, it was well
with methyl, ethyl, and isopropyl alcohols. These worth the time away from work to gain valuable educa-
need not be 100% alcohol. I have gotten good results tion and hear updates on the head-spinning multitude of
with 70% isopropyl alcohol. regulations from the many alphabet agencies involved in
The next chapter will describe making alcohol gel our industry. There’s still time to register (Sept. 15 is
that burns with colored flames (single and multiple cut-off date) at www.americanpyro.com
colors) in detail. IvM Betty & I hope to see you at these various events. Look-
ing forward to it! JLM

September, 2015 5
 AMERICAN FIREWORKS NEWS

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If you need to dispose of large
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801-244-1930
ask for Ken or Catherine

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Class 1-5.
Please email
[email protected]

6 September, 2015
 AMERICAN FIREWORKS NEWS
DOT- AND UN-MARKED FIRECRACKER LABELS: 1971-1999
By Hal Kantrud, Howard Davis & Terry Borgendale
Updated from original printing in July, 2001. Hal of manufacturers, importers, or places of manufac-
Kantrud points out that the article covers only the old ture of these brands (next pages). For these codes, we
D.O.T. marked material that was supposed to be su- have tried to follow the system used in Gaston's
perseded in 1993 by the U.N. classification, but many Guides to Chinese Firecracker Labels (1986, 1990,
companies did not comply, hence the dates shown 1998, 2000, and 2000 suppl; Robert J. Gaston,
may be confusing. privately published) whenever possible, but new
The purpose of this article is to list all the brands codes are introduced where needed. We decided to
and major design variants of brands, based on the la- keep the sometimes useful code PRC for the Peo-
bel graphics, of firecrackers exported from China and ples Republic of China, but not employ a code C for
Taiwan to the United States and legally marked and labels merely marked "Made in China”. Many
sold here from about 1971 through the 1999 market- brands listed here bear the codes for classic manu-
ing season. We chose the year 1971 because this is facturers or wholesalers such as Him Yuen, Po
when the government-imposed mark of I.C.C. (Inter- Sing, Kwong Yuen Hang Kee, Li & Fung, Wang
state Commerce Commission) was changed to D.O.T. Yick, and Yick Loong. Later production labels of
(Department of Transportation). Our list includes the same brands are often simply marked "Made in
many old brands that were in production before any China." Hyphenated codes indicate that two names
government labeling requirements were in effect. are found on individual labels.
These brands include Anchor, Black Cat, Bo-Peep,
This list does not contain modern brands that do
Camel, Cock, Duck, Giant Panda, Peacock, Warrior,
not have markings imposed by the United States gov-
and Zebra. Early compliance with the D.O.T. regula-
ernment even though many of these "China General
tions was not uniform, and the code was applied to
Export" brands are familiar to most collectors. Some
some labels with a rubber stamp; some packs bear
brands produced by the Horse, Link Triad, Flying
the code on stickers, obverse labels, or small pieces of
Fairy, and Red Lantern factories, e.g., Flying Fairy,
paper visibled sealed inside cellophane wrappers. A
Golden Red, Huan Chu, Nitrate Lightning, Shun Lee
few early labels bear both the I.C.C. and newer D.O.T.
Hung, and Superior Mandarin fall into this category.
codes. The newest brands on our list are those with
labels marked since 1994 with the United Nations We do not include Special Issue brands. These
code "UN 0336 1.4G Consumer Fireworks”, or recog- brands, or sometimes only their brick labels, may
nizable parts thereof. This code covers, for shipping carry the government markings but were never in-
and storage purposes, what are presently considered tended for general retail markets. These were import-
"Consumer Fireworks" in the USA. These were "Class ed for special events such as the annual conventions
C Common Fireworks" under the old I.C.C. and of the Pyrotechnics Guild International Incorporated,
D.O.T. regulations. The UN 0336 1.4G classification or as part of advertising schemes. Such brands in-
indicates the product is considered "low hazard" fire- clude Ass-Kickin’ Mule Hoof, Black Rooster, PGI, Su-
works by international standards. per Big Pig, and Country Style. The list does not in-
clude improperly marked replications of old brands
Our interpretation of brands is conservative. Brands
such as Camel and Duck, nor does it include the "de-
are differentiated on the basis of names, or graphics
signer" labeled or fake "fantasy" brands that were
in cases where brands of the same name bear mark-
never exported from the Orient, but have proliferated
edly different illustrations, e.g., Lightning “Bridge”
with the advent of electronic graphics and printing.
and Lightning “Two Buses”. Brands produced by vari-
These include A.T.F., Dolphin, Field of Stars, King,
ous manufacturers, as evidenced by names or “logos”,
Mammy, Paradise, Sailor Boy, Super Spud, and many
are not separated if differences in label graphics are
others.
minor. Major variants of brands (indented in list) are
based mostly on changes in background colors or re- Finally, as collectors ourselves, we must add a note
designs. No minor variants based on age classes or on rarity. All the brands listed here have been pro-
other criteria are listed. duced since at least 1971, and many are extremely
common. However, some brands such as Black Mask,
We do not indicate age classes of brands, but, when
H-Bomb, Thunder Bomb with the Great Wall or Pan-
known, we include the approximate year that the fire-
das graphics, and Twin Duck seem to have been im-
crackers entered the US market. We include brands
ported in small quantities and are already highly
of visco-fused, 50 milligram-powder-content tube sa-
sought after by collectors. Firecracker labels remind
lutes (“fake M-80’s”) sold in plastic bags or half-gross
us of good times - joyous celebrations like Independ-
boxes because of the difficulty of separating these
ence Day and Christmas – and are one of the few re-
items from loose, boxed visco-fused firecrackers often
maining examples of true folk art. Interest in collect-
called “watercrackers” or “safety fuse crackers”.
ing and preserving these treasures will surely contin-
We have included codes for the abbreviated names ue to grow!
Alamo ALA Alien Star Bombs 1999 All American Bear 1992

September, 2015 7
 AMERICAN FIREWORKS NEWS
All Red H Coyote BRK, MC Lightning "Bridge" RL
All Red Celebration "Lion-dance Lions" H Cracker Bomb SR 1999 Lightning Strike 1994
Anchor WY Crazy Debbie CRD 1999 Lightning "Two Buses" RL
Apollo PS Crazy Debbie's Crazy Crackers CRD 1999 Link Triad LT
Apollo of the Ozarks Silver Salute 1999 DeathStalker Timebomb 1995 Blue
Ass Kickin' Mule 1998 Detonator CFI 1999 Blue and Yellow
Ass Kickin' Raging Bull 1998 Devil Dog SCH-YLH Link Triad Lady Firecrackers LT 1985
Atomic "The Best" PS Diamond Head Hawaii C 1979 Lotus APTG 1999
B-99 Bullet-Crackers PS Dixie Boy Lotus Bomb APTG 1999
Baby Coyote MC Dixie Dynamite FOA 1999 Lucky Dragon Multi-Bomb Rainbow 1998
Baby Gorilla Double Gold-Coin HY, PRC M-1 Silver Bomb 1999
Brown Gorillas in Grass KYHK, RB Double Lions HHL-NYP M2K 1999
Brown Gorillas in Leaves PS "Double Peacocks" PS M-60 G 1999
Blue Gorillas in Leaves KYHK-RB Dragon Fangs M-70 WHFC 1996
Gray Gorillas in Flowers RB Dragon Fire PS-CO M-80 KHT, YL, YLH
Bald Eagle Dragon Firecracker 1997 M-80 "The Best" 1997
Beauty J 1990 Dragon Lady PS M-80's PS
Big Apple Bomb SCD 1981; HB 1992 Duck YL-TBT M-100 Air Thunder 1997
Big Bang HS-PRC El Torro 1998 M-100 Atomic Bomb
Big Bear RB Emperor 1999 White 1994
Big Bomb KYHK, KW, K, J Excalibur CD 1996 Red 1997
Big Jake J 1987 Fat Rat 1998 M-100 Black Panther J 1990
Big Stick CFI 1998 Final Countdown Celebration Crackers JF 1999 M-100 Great Grizzly 1993
Big Thunder 1999 Firecracker With Safety Fuse 1985 ("generic wa- M-150 1997
Bikini Beach 1999 ter crackers") M-1000 Salute M 1993
Black Cat LF; LF-PF Flashing Thunder 1988; HB 1992 M-5000 Ground Bomb
Black Cat Premium 1999 Flash Tomthumbs FB 1990 Mad Dog 1997
Black Fury PF Flower Basket Bomb ("Two Cranes") FB 1991 Mad Hornet 1994
Black Hawk KHT Flying Dragon 1981 Mad Rat MFW 1979
Black Jack Firework SCD 1981 Gangster B 1978, 1999 Magic Crackers
Black Jack HB 1992 Giant Panda LSH "Maiden/Clouds" KW 1989
Black Jack Pirate FFW, HYYK Giraffe 1992 Mammon J 1990
Black Mask PF Globe Bear KHT Max-Pop M-66-1 1997
Black Widow WD Golden Deer RL Mighty Mini Bombs KYHK
Blazing Commando, The FFW Golden Dragon RL Mighty Mite AN, RL
Block Buster KYHK Goldenhorse SY Striped
Block Buster "Dragon" MA 1992 Golden Red LT Red and Yellow
Block Buster Laser 1986 Gorilla Mini-Bomb KYHK
Bob Cat BRK-YLH-PRC, MC Brown Rough Gorilla RB Mississippi Gambler 1998
Boomer Black Smooth Gorilla KYHK-RB; YLH-RB Missile HYYK
Red RL Gorilla Throwing Firecracker KYHK; RB Mobster 1998
Blue RL Great Emperor, The HKP 1999 Monster KYHK
Striped AN 1997, RL 1978 Great Wall G 1989 Mule PS
Boomer "Boy Lighting Crackers" 1991 Grenade Bomb KYHK Mule "At Farm" 1994
Boomer 1" BOO 1997 Grizzly RS-YLH Mule "In Explosion" 1996
Boomer HH 1991 H-Bomb Mustang LF
Boomland RBM 1997 Hale Bomb 1989 Ninja 1994
Boot-Legger Bombs 1993 Happy Lightning LT Nitro Bomb 1993
Bootlegger (Zeke's) 1995 Hawk KHT Blue Burst
Bo-Peep YLH, PRC H.O.T. Giraffe Yellow Cracker
Bullet Cracker PS 1994 Hot Shot LEW OK PS
Bull's Eye 1999 Island Dragon G-IF 1992 Old Shanghai 1999
Camel WY Jaguar 1998 Pagoda G 1989
Cannon 1998 Jolly Joe's 1994 Panda H
Cannon FB Kahuna 1996 Panda TCT
Celebration Red Cracker NJF Kickapoo Kickers PS-WWR Pandas
Celebration Sam 1993 Killer Bee 1999 FB-AW 1986
Center Fire (Cannon) 1998 Lady Cracker FB 1990 AW 1995
Cherry KHT Lady Crackers RL AW "Street Scene" 1998
Cherry Bomb KHT, YL, YLH Blue and White Panther KF 1998
Chief Lone Eagle 1999 Green and Yellow Peacock PS SCH
Chief Lone Eagle Flash Salutes 1999 Red and White Penny Packs Crackers LB 1999
China Doll 1998 Lady Fingers KHT Peony KYHK, J 1990
China Dragon H 1998 Lady Firecracker LT Peony RL
Chinese Junk G 1989 Red and Orange Petards Tom Pouce FB
Cobra PS Green and Yellow Pigeon J 1990
Cock KY Lady Fwngers (misprint) Pitbull 1996
Combat Commando 1998 Lady Hawk KHT Po Ha FB
Cowboy LFW Lady Manhattan 1992 Po Ha H
Laser 1986 Po Ha TH
Lightning Bolt 1998 Poha RL
Lightning Bolt M-2 Crackers 1998 President 1997

Python 1995

8 September, 2015
 AMERICAN FIREWORKS NEWS
Rattlesnake 1991 Super Power RL Ton Crackers (celebration string) JZ
Red Cherry SDF Blue Turtle PS
Red Devil 1992 Red Twin Duck HHL
Red Hot Firecrackers 1998 Superman B 1981, 1999 USA 1995
Red Lantern Lightning (Red/Crackers) RL 1973 Swallow YL Uncle Sam "Holding Flag" 1997
Red Lantern Lightning (Blue/Lion) RL 1975 Super Shark KYHK 1979 Uncle Sam "Sammy McCracker" 1994
Reservation RL 1989 Tank 1998 Unicorn HHL
Rocket KYHK Texas Giant Uzi Cracker Bomb 1986
Rocket Super Bang KYHK Plain 1990 Viper PE 1994
Roller Coaster CB 1992 Mighty Mite 1993 Volcano Flash Bomb WLB 1992
Rolling Thunder Thunder JZ 1999 Warhead RS 1972
Rolling Thunder Delux 1998 Thunder Bomb "Pandas" H War Head FTH 1993
Royal Dragon 1993, 1995 Thunder Bomb "Great Wall" H Warpath 1999
San-Tee PS Thunder Bomb "Towers" Warrior KYHK
Scorpion PS Black D 1991, FF 1994, H 1971, SWR 1995, Water Dragon 1994
Sheba 1995 TH 1985, no logo 1987 Werewolf 1995
Shogun IOF 1999 Blue H 1987, no logo 1993 Western Hero RL 1986
Shot Gun SDF Red H 1986, TH 1992, no logo 1999 Whale 1973
Silver Salute G 1999 Yellow TH 1987 Wild Carackers MRW 1991 "catlike animal"
Silver Salute KYHK Thunder King Celebration Crackers 1998 Wild Cats MRW 1990
Skull EG 1993 Thunder Crackers FB Wild Crackers MRW 1991 "doglike animal"
Stars & Bars 1999 TNT Bomb Witch Super Bang KYHK
Stinger RS Black HU, KYHK, PS, YLH Wolf Pack PH-ARC
Successive Happy News RL 1991 Yellow HU, K 1986 Blue 1992
Sunset KYHK TNT 1996 Red 1997
Super 2000 LB 1999 Tiger Crackers H 1975 Wolverine P-S 1998
Super Blast 1990 Tiger Firecrackers TH 1981 Y2K S 1999
Super Charged RL Tiger-Head TH 1972 Zebra
Blue Tiger-Head Celebration Crackers Blue LF
Red Tiger Head Bomb H Blue and Green LF 1986, GG 1993
Red Bomb
Super Flash 1990 Tom Thumbs RL, H, FF, YLH
KYHK = Kwong Yuen Hang Kee (Baby Gorilla)
ABBREVIATIONS: LB = Lightning Bolt (Super 2000)
ALA = Alamo Fireworks, San Antonio, TX (Alamo) LD = Lucky Dragon (Rainbow)
AN = Angel (Boomer) LFW = Liddell Fireworks, Shreveport, LA (Cowboy)
APTC = Asia Pacific Trading Co., Honolulu, HI (Lotus) LT = Link Triad (Happy Lightning)
AW = A&W Sales Co., Muncie, PA (Pandas) MA = Mid American Fireworks, Springfield, MO (Block Buster
B = Buckeye Fireworks, Deerfield, OH (Gangster 1978) "Dragon")
BOO = Boomer Fireworks, Grand Island, NE (Boomer) MC = M&C Fireworks Distributors, Egan, SD (Baby Coyote)
BRK = Brookings Fireworks Co., Brookings, SD (Coyote) MFW = Mike's Fireworks (Mad Rat)
C = Compton Fireworks (Diamond Head) MWF = Mr. W. Fireworks, Inc. (Wild Cats)
CB = Cassorla Brothers (Rollercoaster) NJF = New Jersey Fireworks Mfg. Co., Elkton, MD (Celebration Red
CD = C. Daniels (Excalibur) Cracker)
CFI = Celebration Fireworks, Indianapolis, IN (Big Stick) PE = Pat Egan's (Viper)
CO = Cornet Stores, Honolulu, Hawaii (Dragon Fire) PF = President Firecrackers and Fireworks Ltd., Taiwan (Black Cat)
CRD = Crazy Debbie's Fireworks, Joplin, MO (Crazy Debbie) PH-ARC = Phantom-Alexander Rori Co., Ltd., Hong Kong (Wolf Pack)
CS = Consigned Sales Co. Inc., Grandview, MO (Killer Bee) PRC = Peoples Republic of China (Bo-Peep)
D = Delta (Thunderbomb) PS = Po Sing
EG = Egan Enterprises, Inc. (Skull) P-S = Prism-Safety 4th Fireworks Company, Inc., Hammondsville, OH
FB = Flower Basket (Flash Tomthumbs) (Wolverine)
FOA = Fireworks Over America, Springfield, MO (Dixie Dynamite) RB = Rich Brothers Fireworks, Sioux Falls, SD (Big Bear)
FTH = 4th of July Extravaganza (War Head) RBM = Reeves Boomland, Charleston, MO (Boomland)
G = Guangxi, China (Great Wall) RL = Red Lantern (Boomer)
GG = Golden Gate Fireworks, San Francisco, CA (Zebra) RS = R&S Marketing, Bozeman, MT (Grizzly)
H = Horse (All Red) S = Shogun Factory, China (Shogun)
HB = Herbie's Famous Fireworks (Black Jack) SCD = South Carolina Distributors (Black Jack Firework)
HH = Hoi Hing (Boomer) SCH = Schneitter's Fireworks, St. Joseph, MO (Peacock)
HHL = Ho Hsing Lung, Firecrackers and Fireworks, Taipei, ROC SDF = South Dakota Fireworks, Sioux Falls, SD (Red Cherry)
(Twin Duck) SR = Swan River (Cracker Bomb)
HKP = HKP Fire Hawk (The Great Emperor) SWR = Swallow River (Thunderbomb)
HS = Him Son (Big Bang) SY = Shen Yu Co. Ltd., Taiwan (Goldenhorse)
HU = Hunan, China TCT = TC Traders, Hong Kong (Panda)
IF = Island Fireworks, Hager City, WI (Island Dragon) TH = Tiger-Head (Po Ha)
IOF = Inter-Oriental Fireworks (Shogun) V = Vulcan Factory, China (Uncle Sam)
J = Jiangxi, China (Beauty) WD = Wald and Co., Kansas City and Greenwood, MO (Black Widow)
JF = Jake's Fireworks, Pittsburg, KS (Final Countdown) WHFC = Wholesale Fireworks Company (M-70)
JO = Johnson Enterprises, Ltd. (Missile) WLB = Westlake Brand (Volcano Flash)
JZ = Jin Zi (Thunder) WWR = Willcott, Walt and Ralph, Leavenworth, KS (Kickapoo Kickers)
K = Kiangsi, China (Big Bomb) WY = Wang Yick (Anchor)
KF = Kathy's Fireworks, Rodeo, NM (Panther) YL = Yick Loong, Macau (Cherry Bomb)
KHT = Kwong Hing Tai (Cherry) YLH = Yuen Loong Hong Firecracker Mfg.., Hong Kong (Bo-Peep) 
KW = Kwangtung, China (Big Bomb)

September, 2015 9
 AMERICAN FIREWORKS NEWS

BBRRIIG
GH HTT O
ORRAANNG GEE
M
MOORRTTAARRSS FFO ORR C
COONNSSUUMMEERR
FFIIRREEW
WOORRKKSS
No minimum.
AFN subscribers get 10% off –
promo code AFN10

Mortar Rack.com
570-828-8400 FAX: 570-828-8403
e-mail: [email protected]

TRADING POST
Advertising in Trading Post costs only 30¢ per word, $3. minimum.
Send check to American Fireworks News, 233 Silver Lake Rd.,
Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328. Closing date is the 20th of each month.

NOTICE TO READERS
Concerning any offer found in this publication to sell or transfer
products or information that are subject to governmental regulation,
such sales or transfers of the product or information will be made in
accord with Federal, State and local laws applicable to the buyer or
transferee. Explosives transfers are prohibited to felons, fugitives,
juveniles and other persons, as determined by such regulation.

2. SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SKY LANTERNS - Buy by the Pallet, Case or by the Piece; just the
best quality and pricing around. Many colors and designs to choose
from. http://www.wholesaleskylanterns.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HDPE MORTARS AND RACKS FOR SALE. Over 15 years manufac-
turing experience. Highest quality in the Pyro industry. Also large sup-
ply of 4½ shell casing material for sale. For full price and product list,
go to www.platteriverfireworks.com. Russ and Jody Koeller, owners.
(Not affiliated with any other entities.) Phone: 608-568-3793.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASP SUPERSTINGER shell pasting machine. NEW lower price:
$1750.00 includes all accessories and FREE tape dispenser. Also
have PHENOLIC RESIN for sale; 10lbs $67.00 delivered. New Prod-
uct: STAR SORTER. Visit www.ctpyro.com for details. Jim Widmann,
President. [email protected], 203-856-8313.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HUGE SELECTION, LOW PRICES, FAST SHIPPING, NO HAZ-MAT
FEES. American visco, various sizes of Chinese visco, pre-cut fuse,
custom length fuse cutting, fast-burning fuse, time fuse, mortars, spe-
cial effects fuse, cannons, paper and plastic shells, tubes, plugs, cup
sets, sky lanterns, scales, magnesium ribbon, T-shirts, novelty fire-
works, ball mills and more. WWW.CANNONFUSE.COM
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PYRO DIRECT: FULL LINE FIREWORKS SUPPLY COMPANY.
Fireworks Fuse – We carry everything from Chinese Time fuse, to
Cannon fuse. Comes in many different speeds from 20s per foot to
0.04s per foot. Special Effect fuse and more. Paper Tubes - ¼”, 9/16” ,
5/8”, ¾”, 1” Tubes ¾” and 1” x 36” convolute rocket tubes; over 14 siz-
es to choose from. We also carry paper and plastic end plugs.
http://www.pyrodirect.com or call 570-296-1790
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AMERICAN MADE HDPE MORTARS - Neon Orange Consumer
Mortars DR-11 1.91” i.d. - 12" and 15" long. All Consumer Mortars use
HARDWOOD plugs. Display Mortars 2" to 12”. See our full line of
Mortars at www.mortarrack.com or call 570-828-8400
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10 September, 2015
 AMERICAN FIREWORKS NEWS

2. SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUALITY WOOD PLUGS:
Cross-grain: 1½” thick plugs, 1¾”–16” diameter; End-grain plugs: 2”-
16” (many thicknesses available). For price list contact: Midwest
Wood Specialties, LLC, 25819 Silverthorn Rd. Cuba City,
WI 53807. Voice/Fax: 608-759-5514. VISA/MASTERCARD accepted.
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.midwestwoodspecialties.com
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YOU WON’T FIND BETTER QUALITY & VALUE ANYWHERE ELSE!
HDPE MORTARS (All i.d. measurements; All pipe is plugged) - 1⅞”,
2”, 2½”, 3”, 4”, 5”, 6”, 8”, 10”, 12”. HDPE RACKS: Our RACKS are
made from quality lumber and are glued AND screwed together. Avail-
able in MANY sizes. Custom racks available on request. Stick with a
company whose experience and reputation guarantee the best in quali-
ty equipment and service! Kastner HDPE Mortars & Racks, LLC,
5325 Classic Lane, Lot #7, Platteville, WI 53818. For current pricing
or to place an order, please call us at (608) 778-6587. Check out our
website for a detailed list, current pricing and to place an order:
www.kastnerHDPEmortars.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 NORTH AMERICAN FIREWORKS TRADE DIRECTORY. Still a
few copies left. www.fireworksnews.com or for the fastest delivery, give
us a phone call at 570-828-8417.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. BOOKS & VIDEOS

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*****FIREWORKS VIDEOS FOR SALE*****
2015 - 26th Annual Western Winter Blast at Lake Havasu, AZ. 2
hour video. (#94) $25.00, Blu-ray (#95) $30.00.
2014 NFA EXPO at Branson, MO. 8 hour video. (#92) $30.00,
Blu-ray (#93) $35.00.
2014 PGI Convention at Mason City, Iowa. 8 hour video. (# 88)
$40.00, Blu-ray (# 90) $45.00
2014 PGI Hot Fireworks at Mason City, Iowa. 2 hour video. (# 89)
$25.00, Blu-ray (# 91) $30.00.
Send for list of all Firework Videos back through 1988. Satisfaction
Guaranteed. Enclose money order, check or www.paypal.com .
[email protected]. Eldon Hershberger, 15707 Allen Ave., Belton,
MO 64012. 816-331-5297.
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6. MISCELLANEOUS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIREWORKS CONSULTING. Regulatory consulting and expert
witness. NFPA 1123, NFPA 1124 (Display Fireworks or Retail Sales of
Consumer Fireworks) and NFPA 1126 ATF, DOT, CPSC, OSHA and
state regulations. Charles P. Weeth, Weeth & Associates, LLC,
122 17th St S, La Crosse, WI 54601-4208 USA 608-784-3212 -
608-782-2822 [email protected] www.pyro-pages.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September, 2015 11
 AMERICAN FIREWORKS NEWS

Premier Supplier for All Your Pyrotechnic Needs

Sign up on our website

for promos and weekly sales.
We Offer:
Fuse, Paper Tubes, Discs, Plugs,
Sky Lanterns, Over Ten Different
DIY Easy Projects, Firing Systems
And much more!

570-296-1790
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.pyrodirect.com

12 September, 2015