Multi Break Shell Design - Advanced Fireworks Construction

[WhiteNinja973]

cool

[wolfenpixels]

i wanted to say thank you for the lesson in multibreak shell techniques i had no idea it was that complicated with spiking and how to wrap. again big thanks from an amature looking to improve:)

[peroxides87]

In 3:26 I noticed that in the lift charge there is a little space between the black powder and the spolette. It must be so? Or can it be compressed?

[peroxides87]

Congratulations! Your channel and your videos are awesome and really useful, good explanation, not imprudences, safety, clear...

PD: good drawings ;D

[AxelTiger]

I mute adverts :D

[gothbro111]

this video helped me alot!! I have been having trouble with multi break shells like this. 1 quick question which you probably mentioned in the video but i didnt grasp: does each individual break get vertical and horizontal spiking or does each break only get vertical spiking?

[sealy123456789]

i'm so glad this guy wasn't born in Iran or Afghanistan. Al Qaeda would be having field days with him in their ranks....

[al3xtube11]

is it granulated or meal black powder placed in the middle

[Nighthawkinlight]

@al3xtube11 Granulated. The idea is to use a break charge that is unable to be compacted by the force of the lift.

[Berryice1]

What's the 3" shell constructing video called? I can't seem to find it xD Excellent video BTW!!

[cockster84]

awesome video i am pleased to see such detailed work it helps those of us just starting. i am trying to make my own fireworks this year and i'm still trying to find all the ingredient to make it happen but again thanks

[Jimmeh30]

Well I'll b @#)*& :)

I've never built any fireworks... but thanks to folks like you my friend... this years NYE is startin to look pretty good :)

I live in Australia and unless you live in Canberra (the nation's capital) things such as this are illegal to per chase.

Thanks for the info... makes complete sence. all's I need now is some instruction on what chem's/metals make what colours and what mixtures one can get away with and it's on! :)

[Nighthawkinlight]

@Jimmeh30 Glad I could help

[Juli87boss]

Hi! I'd wanted to know what product are the black squares that are arround the black power and how to make it. Thanks!

[Nighthawkinlight]

They are called stars. My website has a short list of compositions: grassrootsdiy(dot)com

To see how they are made from a composition check out my video: 'how to cut stars'

[ENGterrorman]

thanks very much NH , i have definately learned more about multi breaks shells and how to do best as possible to prevent accidents or failed shells.

would it be effective to cut a slit in quick fuse then insert visco, but with no time fuse or CM'ing

[Nighthawkinlight]

Sorry for the delay. I'm not sure I understand what you are asking

[HeavyFireworks]

Bro u rock man!! Awesome instructions video, I've learned alot of you!! I love making fireworkss and of course normal fireworks!! Keep it up man youre soo awesome!

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thanks, I'm glad I've helped you learn some things

[DownUnderPyro]

whoa, i only just watched this video after being subscribed to you since i opened this account, and i have a sense of basic ball shells and canister shells so i plan on making a 5 break 4" can shell. i will be starting work on this shell in the next week of two. thanks alot for the info mate, ill be sure to make a video response :D

[Nighthawkinlight]

You better use some fast spolettes. Good luck

[DownUnderPyro]

cheers mate :D and will do.

[Downfacingdog]

Many thanks!!!!

[andrewb3119107]

im fairly new to all this, but i understood it quite well, one thing i never thought of was fusing from the top, i guess now that i think about it it would be much much stronger that way

[christor17]

dude im totally stoked that i subscribed to your vids. i love fireworks and rockets and what not. ubt ive never really known how they work or how to make them. thanks a billion bro. keep up the bad ass work. im watching and learning

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thanks, I appreciate the comment

[TheBombBros]

i see a few flaws in the first shell but they are not so dangerous if they are properly avoideed. the time fuse (visco in your case) needs much support if it is going to be on the botttom. but a flowerpot can be avoided with a strong shell, a good seal around the time fuse, and keeping the shell a small size like 3". but im sure you already knew that as you announced in your video the drawing had flaws but is used to simply get a perspective on multibreak shells.

[helavor]

this is the first time i have ever thought about making fireworks and clicked on the video on accident, i loved it and it taught me so much, im definately going to subscribe. thank you

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thank you, I'm glad you got something out if it.

[maxx4671]

great video for a newbe like me

loved it

Id like to see more

proud to be a PGI member

maxx

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thanks, glad to hear you're a PGI member. Maybe see you at the next convention.

[garygoodskills]

dude im a flippin noob when it comes to all this but i understood it fairly well. great vids. keep it up, i subscribed

[Nighthawkinlight]

Great, I'm glad you got it ;)

[MrTimthemellon]

just a little idea why dont you just make another longer fuse attatched to the secound break and just make sure that you know what length it needs to be e.g time how long it takes for the shell to get from lighting to the air and when u want the secound shell to break then just light a fuse next to ruler so you know how long / time it takes for the break to happen ^^

[Nighthawkinlight]

Because fuse is not nearly reliable or fast enough for multibreaks.

[lilmarine93]

Thank you for the video. I'm going to try it in a few months with some 2" plastic shells and paper ones.

[jesseleo2]

i had a very very bad expirence with these shells cause me and my friend made one and the second shell didnt go off snd plummeted to the ground and my friend had to go tho the hospital because he tried to break it and it exploaded burning his face and arms and now is healthy with scars on his face :p

[ThePyroman38]

Hi, i was just wondering how to make chlorate flash powder, i know it's highly unstable but i just thought i'd give it ago as i havent been successful in making Nitrate + Al flash as it burns really slow and i want a big flash and a loud report if putting in to a shell anywho Thanks For the Gr8 Tutorials which have helped many people out alot :D PyroGOD

[Nighthawkinlight]

Chlorate flash is not a viable option for a salute, it is FAR to dangerous. Add sulfur to your nitrate flash.

[DarkHero1989]

If you cant even make a simple nitrate based flash then you dont have the experience and skill to start using chlorates.

And I know you wont listen to me so here is some safety advice.

Chlorate based flash compo's are extremely unstable because potassium chlorate (KCIO3) and sulphur (S) can ignite without warning.

A good alternate is Potassium Perchlorate (KCIO4) this doesnt ignites by itself when you add sulphur although dont inhale the dust it is poisonous use a decent dust mask.

[NielsMF]

why don't you use timefuse of better: spoolettes? visco isn't the most reliable fuse...

[Cooks28]

is a salutes core just made out of black powder

[Nighthawkinlight]

Sometimes. Usually not.

[rcfreak2493]

Why don't you work for NASA or something???

[Nighthawkinlight]

Ha, because they know I would rather see their ship go off like a firework than launch an ant colony into orbit...

[rcfreak2493]

HAHAHA i agree. youre vids have really inspired me to make some mortars and fireworks in general. thank you for all the vids. great work.

[nhanlm0601]

@rcfreak2493: good question for admiring ppl but the reality might me more complicated

[rcfreak2493]

lol i no i was just kidding.

[majorgamer2]

So is this how it goes? Light fuse, then fuse explodes lift powder while lighting 2nd fuse connected to first shell(bottom closest to lift powder), first shell breaks lighting the 2nd shell fuse(3rd fuse), then the last shell breaks(Top shell)

[Nighthawkinlight]

For the first shell I show, yes. Not for a traditional multibreak shell.

[dumdog927]

one question why do multibreak shells start from the top down douse it not force the shell downward?why not use the lift charge to lift the fuse?

[Nighthawkinlight]

They end up tumbling in the air after firing, so no, they do not get forced downward. They break from the top down because fusing on the bottom would be a weak spot easily penetrated by the lift. Instant failure of the shell would result.

[TheBombBros]

ive never made a multibreak but i do make and enjoy making 1.5 x3 inch shells. i might consider it someday when i have made enough powder and i dont use it all by making stars. but now that i have stars, i can do this.

[destroyer4416]

very nice video i'm quitely new but its very interesting! Thanks for doing all this trouble just to show us how tings work. I appreciate people like you.

-Greets DESTROYER-

[pppqqqjkl]

im 14 and ive made some rockets firecrackers and fountains and they worked well but where do you get all the stuff to make shells when you are 11 years old

[superdellkid]

I have one word... EBAY

I ask my mom & dad, I can buy the stuff!

[LucasA753]

You should not be experimenting with fireworks when your under 18. Especially not as a 14 / 11 year old.

[chainhit]

lol, I made nitroglycerin when I was 11

[superdellkid]

OK.... I have trid to make a shell before, it was a 3 break... All I had was black powder firecrackers and sparklers.

I made the case thing out of paper.

I used normal green visco fuse to fuse it.

I broke the sparklers up in to chunks and tested it in a little firecracker thing, it worked!

(more in next comment...)

[TyrantBB]

Are the individual shells spiked once and then spiked together as one, or are they put together unspiked and then spiked as one large shell?

[Nighthawkinlight]

They are individually spiked first. Keep in mind this is from my own experience, it's been a long time since I have seen how it is done traditionally. Have a look in the Fulcanelli papers if you can find a place to buy them. That is a must for all canister shell building eventually.

[Nighthawkinlight]

Ball shells. Unfortunately my construction video was removed by YouTube.

[superkev1995]

good job!

[elgranto7]

good design

[siliciumsilicium]

up to what number of blows can this desine go. and if you make more than 3 breaks you will need to watch ever timing and when does the shell starts blowinb becouse if it would the first time when it would be on the maximum hight it would blow the forth time just about the ground and stars could start a fire right???

[Nighthawkinlight]

I believe 16 is the record number. The breaks must be very close together To assure they are not reaching the ground when they are ignited.

[Jeffrocket55]

no offense hawk but drawing it and making it are worlds apart cant wait to see yours go up

[ropadilla]

great video ! i just have a question...how much and what type of blackpowder is used in the lift bag?

[Nighthawkinlight]

Usually 10% of the shell's weight is used for lift. I use just standard granulated black powder. I couldn't tell you the mesh, it's not critically important. I've used window screens to pasta strainers, it all works.

[tarpenman]

Hey nighthawk, I created a 2 break shell and if it works I'll put it on youtube, also I made a cake and another 1x2 inch shell, but it's green falling leaves so... watch them if you like

[Nighthawkinlight]

I will. I look forward to your 2 break shell.

[oiuytrewwert]

oh wow man that worcked soooo nice only i ran out of gum tape hope it still allright i hate spicking

[lonestar1775]

Very helpful, i no understand more but it got a little confusing towards the end so ill let it sink in and watch it again in a few days.

[jeffb8074]

thats a good tut i helped me with my star and break patterns thanks for the information :) 5/5

[yellowcard299]

Oh, by the way, what kind of glue do you use for gluing in the spoulette and do you use any string to wrap around it ?

[Nighthawkinlight]

White elmers glue does fine, just a touch. The pasting keeps the fire out nicely so not much glue is required. I have not wrapped them with string, but it sounds like a good idea to get a snugger fit.

[yellowcard299]

Thanks alot fot this video. I have had quite some experience with round shells, and i have made a few single break canister shells, which went quite good. Only the breaks could get a litter better. I'll have to work on my spiking and pasting.

[Sleepyhead54]

just liked to thank you for putting so much effort into this video. this video completely cleared just about all questions i had about multi-break shells.

[justapyrorocketeer]

Absolutely incredible,

you certainly have a talent for making these videos so clear and to the point. Untill i began to watch your vids i never had an interest in firework shells. Now, i feel i might look deeper into this subject.

thanks, keep um' coming!,

JPR

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thank you very much. I appreciate your comment.

[rcboaterman]

dude you have the best shell makin vids on youtube you helped me so much you rock and your smart

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thanks for your comment

[sharinganbyakugan]

definitely make more of these- the diagram really helps illustrate the processes

[Nighthawkinlight]

Yeah I have read Fulcanelli.

[breedam]

it's so freakin' good! you are the best one on youtube with teaching how to make shells.

[namestakin]

Good drawings, if you tend to do more videos like this you should try to make one on patterned shells.

[meagain2222]

your video is well done.Very clear sound.

The pace of your desription is perfect.

Good set of drawings.Nice co-ordination

of description with your pens pointer.

A 10 out of 10.

[frzferdinand72]

oh my god you draw so well, i can't draw for shit =P

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thank you

[holdmyweed10]

r u maryed

[feyenoord991]

Nighthawk,

Youre videos are totally awsome, no other words. Never made any proper shells with burst charge, but i have the theory. And when i succeded making simple shells ill move on to more complicated shells.

I thank you alot =)

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thank you, I appreciate your comment

[Swervedriver71]

Very nice, your videos have come a long way. I'd give this 10 stars if I could. I'd love to see a detailed tut on building beraq? Or maybe how to close a double petal ball shell with a bucket to a pasted inner petal? Excellent sketches btw, you'd make a good engineer I think.

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thank you, I'll think about your suggestions.

[khman1995]

how come im a beginner and i got every word u said lol i made a multi brake shell IT WAS ALSOME!!!!can u do a vid on how to make a 8ball roman candle?

[birkses]

Thanks for the video. My knowledge of shells has increased more than if I had just watched a shell constructing video.

[Nicromew]

do you know exactly what benzo-lift is I have heard of it and I have sodium benzoate.

[Nighthawkinlight]

It is a mix of BP and whistle mix.

[oahuguy]

BEN I FUCKING LOVE YOU MAN!!!!!!

[Nighthawkinlight]

Haha thanks..I do my best

[dl08in]

Thanks for the video. It confirmed some of my thoughts about how multi-shot shells are made. I would like to see a similar video about making multi-shot ball shells too.

[Nighthawkinlight]

Multi break ball shells are pretty simple. All it takes is stiff cardboard tubes to put between them, and a few layers of pasting to hold them all together. The spolette of each shell is inside the tube attaching it to the shell that is meant to break one step earlier. A small hole is drilled into the top of each shell to allow fire to pass from it, to the next in line. To be sure of ignition throw a bit of BP into each separating tube. Depending how heavy the shell is, a passfire may be needed.

[mrstijntje]

Nice vid! However I rather make can shells the fulcanelli-way. I suppose you've read those works too? Please PM if you haven't. It really takes away some effort in making the casing. They also provide some extra information about multibreak shells.

[Nighthawkinlight]

Yes I have read the fulcanelli papers, though it's been a while. I'll have to look through them again before making my next canister shells.

[freedomisntfreeffs]

I just began to make shells, about 1" high and a little less then a half inch across with very small stars.

I thought that these are good to begin with but I have one question: How much BP or FP should i use to a lift charge? Please answer on both BP and FP because they aren't equally strong.

[Nighthawkinlight]

You should use 10% of the weight in black powder for lift. Flash powder cannot be used for lift.

[freedomisntfreeffs]

OK, thanks! But why cant flash powder be used as a lift charge? Ive spoked with some people and they have used it.

Is it because it doesn't lit the fuse? Just curious! :)

[Nighthawkinlight]

It is to powerful. It does not have the proper burn rate to lift shells. There is nothing flash is good for besides salutes, breaking crosettes, and enhancing shell breaks. Anyone who tells you that they use flash for lift is to inexperienced to have any business handling flash in the first place, let alone giving advice.

[oahuguy]

flash has the kooky nack for EXPLODING THE TUBE and also potting shells if not tearing it to shreds.take bens advice on this.

[progamer246]

great video! its also really long... :D

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thanks...Yeah it is pretty long isn't it? ;)

[progamer246]

and i also like ur art work :)

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[shamushi]

What would happenen if you placed a lift charge ontop of the first shell? Can it propel the second shell even further up? I'm not in physics yet, so I wouldnt know, Btw, Great Video!

[Nighthawkinlight]

No it wouldn't work. Without the confinement of a mortar, lift will not push anything. Also the shell spins, so there would be no way to tell where it would be facing.

[elementalrage]

Excellent "Lecture"! I would sit through these all day haha. Well drawn, and easy to understand.

P.S Still waiting for your comet tutorial :P

[extrasonic]

Very good !

[Flz012]

well done!

[Xxdarkness21xX]

i really enjoyed this video, very in depth and well explained

iv got a couple shells made for new years no videos till camera is fixed =(

[Njkeaper1]

hello once again well i just saw ur new vid and its reely good and it gave me a few tips and i will put to concideration of making a shell like tht ... i looked at ur main paig and u have vids on how to make ball shells but i need a vid of how to actually make the two halfs of the shell i baleev u said u glue 5 layers together and i think the shape of the paper iz like a star but im not shur can u help me by making a vid or giving me a like to a site ..thnxx

[Nighthawkinlight]

I replied to your last comment already. Look up shell hemis on google, with some searching you should be able to get some good info.

[ajlisknillat]

Wow,really well donne. Iv never donne a good shell,or haha yeah never donne a shell irl actually.Just donne stupid pipebomb shit..not recomended.always gets bad consecvenses xD Howver. 5/5 easily really good.and also even thoug I can´t make my own shells yet,due to my parents, Ireally learn princips of how it works,wich will increese my chanses of beeing good at this someday when I get to try it seriously. thankyou very much,love you videos very much!take care, merry chirstmas!!

[vodkajerry10]

awesome, very well presented! Thank you for taking the time on doing videos like this!

[Nighthawkinlight]

You're welcome, thank you.

[iceman8560]

awsome, 5 stars it was very usefull and i enjoyed it. i didnt know that in some shells you need protective disks. again awsome and very well explaned and directed.

[FOATE]

Awesome vid 5 stars ofcourse ;) your drawings are nice! With my larger can shells, my stars get crushed when the shell breaks, so it looks like it's snowing sparks instead of spreading the stars. Could this be caused by too much pasting layers? Or too much break charge? Or maybe a combination of the two? Any chance you could help me? ^_^

[Nighthawkinlight]

What sort of break do you use? If you use flash booster, I would suggest getting rid of some/all of it. Also, are you sure your stars are are shattering and not simply getting blown blind? Also if your stars are not fully dry, they will be much weaker. A final thing to do would be to use more binder in your stars, or a better binder.

Well there you go, quite a few possibilities. I highly doubt the problem is to much pasting.

[FOATE]

My stars dried 2 weeks in a heating cabinet where it's 30C. So they were dry, I used rolled D1 stars with flash in the core. 25/75 alcohol water mix. I used approx. 3 gram flash booster, rest was random pulverone. I'm absolutely sure they didn't blow blind. they were primed well even though it was D1. I used an enourmous amount of pasting becouse otherwise my shell would fit too loosely :P. Let's say like 2 cm thick pasting without even the spiking xD

[Nighthawkinlight]

Well, try a bit more binder in your next batch of stars, and no flash booster in your next shell. Canister shells almost never use flash boosters. Also, though I still don't think the pasting was the final reason for failure, it wouldn't hurt to make your next shell the proper size so you don't need so much.

[FOATE]

Thanks alot for your help. I'll certainly try out your suggestions. Seems like I'll go experiment with 3" canshells to make em perfect :)could the amount of break matter too btw? I had 1 layer of stars and the rest was just pulverone. Thanks again.

[Nighthawkinlight]

The amount of BP break shouldn't hurt your stars.

[PyroFlyinHawaiian]

wow great video 5/5! Really helped me understand the construction of multi breaks.

[Nighthawkinlight]

Awesome, that's what I was going for. Thanks for your comment

[Nighthawkinlight]

Yeah, basically so.

[AirrowRocket]

Wonderful!

[Flz012]

nice dude!

[PyroFreakDJ]

Nice video! Vey usefull!

[alvaritito]

thanks!

[kentfireworks]

very good video and very interisting 5++ ;)

[dezenogniet19842006]

Nice vid mate! Very informtional, the more info the better! :) Keep em coming!

5*

[PyroCreationZ]

Very informative (though I already kinda knew how they're made). But that is one hell of a good vid mate. As you mentionned it's not something to try as a beginning pyro but it can sure be a help to more experienced people who want to build a multi break.

Could'nt do it better ;)

PS: you've got some great drawing skills!

Thank you for sharing the knowledge

[Nighthawkinlight]

Thank you, and you're welcome.

[KeViNv33]

Wow nice drawings mate and thanks for the info! Keep it up, 5*

[Nighthawkinlight]

Well thank you

[llindenau]

ive never made fireworks but i intend to try.

nice vid with some good information. thanks

[ventsi]

ver,very good video indeed

much more explanetory than anything ive seen

its like if college had a pyrotechnics class

id love to see more of these

but i doubt ill be building one of these any time soon

=]

[TheUnforgivn17]

That was pretty cool.

[theartilerysheller1]

i think sells of shells are a lot easier and look better

[Nighthawkinlight]

Ah ha, well, these multi break shells are often made with several of the breaks containing rings of smaller shells. Similar to a sun and planets. Now imagine a shell with five breaks, all sun and planets shells. That would be incredible.

A type of shell called beraq is made similarly, with each smaller shell being filled with flash. The smaller shells then break in rings and patterns, all based off this original design.

[dpg35000]

Great vid man!!! Thanks a lot

[TheTIsAPyro]

Very professional. Very informative. I learned quite a bit watching this video, that may help me build future cannister shells.

[tntskull]

very nice i understude it all and i think most people will.i have a 2 inch ball shell right now but i dont got a tube.

[TyrantBB]

Very good, I definitely learned a few things from this video. Personally I don't like the way you talked, like you were reading off a piece of paper. In fact I'm almost certain you were. Other than that I think this is a nice change from most people's videos, where they rush through and it's hard to understand. But I look forward to more videos like this in the future, very explanatory.

[Nighthawkinlight]

Indeed I did script this video, more than 4 pages worth. I really hated to have to do it that way. Both because it was a ton of work, and because as you said, you can tell when it's scripted.

Unfortunately I had to or I would never remember all I needed to say, and also the video would be FAR longer. Probably an hour or more.

In another video with less to touch on I'd be able to just do bullet points and other than that improvise, but in a video like this there was no other way for me to do it.

[nirvanafan833]

very very nice tutorial/explanation, don't worry, it wasn't too hard to understand, I think this will definately help people in construction shells, including me :)

5*, and great job on the tutorial.

[Nighthawkinlight]

Great to hear. Thank you

[BuiltCrazy]

very interesting and im pretty sure i understood most of it... if youre gonna make another vid like this you might not want to go so fast because im 13 and i had to pause youre video for a few secs and think about what you were saying.. good vid though 5*

[Nighthawkinlight]

Great, I'm glad you understood it. I would like to go slower, but I don't think that would be possible in this particular video. It's already 11+ minutes, and that was the very minimum I could cut it. I expected people would need to pause to get it, sorry for that.

Either way, any more videos I make like this for a while will likely not be about such an advanced device. It was a lot of work to put this video together, and I will certainly not miss working on it. But I am glad to have it posted.

[BuiltCrazy]

yea i see,... my next shells will definately be made differently =]

[Nighthawkinlight]

Interesting, I wonder why high quality isn't yet available for this video.

[TylerTR4G3DY]

what i like about your videos is that they're more professional.

you know what you're talking about when it comes to pyrotechnics

whereas most people here (including me at times) just throw stuff together and blow stuff up

[Nighthawkinlight]

Well thank you very much.

[pyrobombs]

comment 2, i really dont care, but definetley good video, 5/5

[LSUBOY74]

first comment,rate,cool vid 5***