Tips For Lighting Mortar-Style Fireworks This Fourth Of July
Posted on: 2 July 2020
Have you decided to get some fireworks this Fourth of July due to all the local firework shows being canceled? If so, you may have picked up some mortar-style fireworks. This type of firework can produce some amazing lights in the sky, but it's important that you know how to use them in a safe way.
Know the Anatomy Of The Mortar
Each mortar kit will come with a tube and typically 6 mortars. The way it works is that you place the mortars in the tube, light the fuse, and the mortar shoots into the sky. The mortar will have a very long fuse that sticks out of the ball located on top. The bottom of the mortar is a cylinder that has the lift charge that shoots the mortar out of the tube. If you have a canister shell, there will be an arrow pointing upward to the top of the shell.
There will also be a colored string on the mortar, which will tell you what the initial color of the firework will be when the mortar breaks open. If the string is black, this typically means that there will be a crackle effect when the firework explodes. However, each firework manufacturer may have a different way to tell you what the firework will look like, so make sure to read the box and learn what the color of the string means.
Unwrap The Fuse And Lower It Into The Tube
The fuse will be wrapped around the mortar, and you'll need to unwrap the fuse so that it is as straight as possible. You can lower the mortar into the tube by the fuse so that it is straight and hanging over the tube. Do not try to stick a lighter into the tube to reach a fuse that has fallen into it. You may light the fuse and set off the mortar while your hand and lighter are obstructing the path of the mortar.
You'll want to make sure that the mortar is completely flush against the bottom of the tube. If the mortar is not flush against the bottom, it is not going to get the lift it needs and will explode lower to the ground. Never look into the tube to tell if it has touched the bottom. You can generally hear a thump when it hits the bottom and can tell how deep it is by the length of the fuse that hangs over the tube. Residual heat from a recently lit mortar could cause the next mortar's fuse to light, so it is not safe to look into the tube.
To learn more, contact a resource that has fireworks for sale.
Share