Salute (pyrotechnics)

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 It has been suggested that Cherry_bomb and M-80 (explosive) be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

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.

Though both news reporters and black-market dealers often make comparisons between the power of illegal salutes and a particular quantity of dynamite ("1/4 stick" or "as powerful as a fourth of a stick of dynamite"), such comparisons are not grounded in reality. Even a fractional stick of dynamite, with the requisite blasting cap needed for detonation, releases far more energy than any normal salute. For reference, a typical stick of dynamite contains over 10 times more explosive material than an authentic M-80 (35 grams of nitroglycerin versus 3 grams of flash powder). Furthermore, dynamite is more powerful than flash powder (compared by mass or volume), and it is denser. Thus the physical size of a flash powder salute is several times larger than its "equivalent" chunk of dynamite. Subjectively, the quantity of flash powder required to approximate the noise and shockwave of a stick of dynamite is several hundred grams.

Contents

[edit] Characteristics of Common Varieties

[edit] Cherry bomb

  • 1" Diameter
  • 750mg to 1 Gram of Flash Powder

Also known as kraft salutes, these are made of paper cup sets, coated with several layers of sawdust and sodium silicate, often finished with a reddish dye (Sudan Red).[1] Historically, the core contained a chlorate/aluminum/sulfur flash powder. Modern bootleg versions are likely to contain a less unstable 70/30 perchlorate flash. Substantially less powerful than most other popular salutes.[2]

[edit] Silver Salute

  • 1-1/2" Long
  • 1/2" I.D
  • 5/8" O.D
  • 1.5 Grams of Flash Powder[3]

Popular for a time, though neither as powerful nor as popular as the M-80. The silver salute was typically side fused, like 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. M-80's were side-fused, unlike many other cylindrical salutes. Current firecrackers legally sold under the name "M-80" are in fact much less powerful (50mg or less by law).[4]

[edit] Super M-80

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

Exterior casing varies very little, different loads are achieved by different thicknesses of plug. No true standard exists, since these are the products of bootleg manufacturers.

[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[6]

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

Note that legal firecrackers (50mg or less) are also sold under all of these names. No true standard exists, since these are the products of bootleg manufacturers.

[edit] Quarter Stick

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

May contain up to 30 grams of 600 mesh flash powder, although 15 is more common. No true standard exists, since these are the products of bootleg manufacturers.

[edit] Barrel Bomb

  • 3-1/2" Long
  • 1"I.D
  • 1-1/4"O.D
  • 30 to 60 Grams of Flash Powder[8]

No true standard exists, since these are the products of bootleg manufacturers.

[edit] M-1000 Half Stick

  • 6" Long
  • 3/4" I.D
  • 1" O.D
  • 50 to 100 Grams of Flash Powder[9]

No true standard exists, since these are the products of bootleg manufacturers.

[edit] Professional Salutes

  • As opposed to the rest of this list, these items are legally available to licensed pyrotechnicians for use in fireworks displays.
  • Available in many sizes and shapes.
  • Most professional salutes are aerial devices which are fired from a mortar tube, but there are also hanging 'cannonade' salutes which are suspended from a framework before firing.

The exact sizes and weights vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, with the most common sizes being 3" and 4" in diameter.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ T. Davis, The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives, Angriff Press, 1972. ISBN 0913022004
  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)
  9. ^ http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/fireworks/documents/FireworksEnforcementGuide2005SecondEdition.pdf (Page 29)