Salute (pyrotechnics)

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In pyrotechnics a salute is a device primarily designed to make a loud report (bang), rather than have a visual effect. Most salutes will also have a very bright flash and may have titanium added for a cloud of sparks (titanium salute.) The salute may be fired on the ground (ground salute) or launched from a mortar as a shell (aerial salute). Due to the nature of the effect, large salutes are some of the more hazardous fireworks. Most of the "salutes" are made with flash powder. Flash powder has a very fast burn rate, unlike black powder. Flash powder also produces a flash and a bang because it burns so fast.

It should be noted that the amount of flash powder contained in any salute can vary widely, due to their bootlegging by different manufacturers. The vast majority of designations, with the exception of the true M-80, are made to suit and vary from maker to maker. In addition, due to varying powder grinds and formulation even firecrackers known to have the same quantity of powder can have widely divergent yields.


Contents

[edit] Characteristics of Common Varieties

[edit] Cherry bomb

1" Diameter 1 Gram of Flash Powder

The shell consists of several layers of sawdust and sodium silicate, coated with a light or on occasion dark reddish dye. The core contains 70/30 flash powder.[1]


[edit] Silver Salute

1-1/2" Long 1/2" I.D 5/8" O.D 1.5 Grams of Flash Powder[2]

Popular for a time, though neither as powerful nor as popular as the M-80.


[edit] M-80

1 1/2" Long 9/16" I.D 11/16" O.D 3 Grams of Flash Powder

Consists of a red tube and a green Visco fuse. Current firecrackers sold under the name "M-80" are in fact much less powerful (50mg or less).[3]


[edit] Super M-80

1-3/4" Long 3/4" I.D 1" O.D 6 to 10 Grams of Flash Powder[4]


Exterior casing varies very little, different loads are achieved by different thicknesses of plug.


[edit] M-100

2-1/8" to 2-1/2" Long 3/4" I.D 1" O.D 10 to 20 Grams of Flash Powder[5]


As above, yield determined by plug thickness. The M-100 is particularly popular, most likely due to respectable power coupled with a small size. Go by a variety of names:


[edit] Quarter Stick

3-1/2" Long 3/4" I.D 1" O.D 15 to 30 Grams of Flash Powder[6]


May contain up to 30 grams of 600 mesh flash powder, although 15 is more common.


[edit] Barrel Bomb

3-1/2" Long 1"I.D 1-1/4"O.D 30 to 60 Grams of Flash Powder[7]


[edit] M-1000 Half Stick

6" Long 3/4" I.D 1" O.D 50 to 100 Grams of Flash Powder[8]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/fireworks/documents/FireworksEnforcementGuide2005SecondEdition.pdf (Page 29)
  2. ^ http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/fireworks/documents/FireworksEnforcementGuide2005SecondEdition.pdf (Page 29)
  3. ^ http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/fireworks/documents/FireworksEnforcementGuide2005SecondEdition.pdf (Page 29)
  4. ^ http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/fireworks/documents/FireworksEnforcementGuide2005SecondEdition.pdf (Page 29)
  5. ^ http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/fireworks/documents/FireworksEnforcementGuide2005SecondEdition.pdf (Page 29)
  6. ^ http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/fireworks/documents/FireworksEnforcementGuide2005SecondEdition.pdf (Page 29)
  7. ^ http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/fireworks/documents/FireworksEnforcementGuide2005SecondEdition.pdf (Page 29)
  8. ^ http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/fireworks/documents/FireworksEnforcementGuide2005SecondEdition.pdf (Page 29)
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