Fun with fireworks

Had a good time last night with some Guy Fawkes leftover. Sparklers are probably the most common fireworks you can get your hands on, and since we are all responsibile grown ups now, it is only appropriate to add a little bit more spice to the old recipe ;)

Before we start I will have to warn you, in modifying your fireworks like this, it would probably be illegal for your region, just like taking an axe and smash up your neighbor's car. So I'm simply describing what can be done, which doesn't mean you should do it, it's your own choice.

Now, to make a good fun loud sparkler bomb you will need:

• 10+ sparklers (those thing with grey magnesium stuff on a metal wire, the more the marrier)
• lots and lots of tape (duct tape, or in my case transparent wrapping tape)
• a lighter

Figure 1 - Equipment needed.

Method:

1. Get the sparklers and make them into a bundle, with the grey thick part pointing to the same direction.
   
   
2. Pull one sparkler half way out of the bundle to act as a fuse, with the grey part still half within the bundle. You want enough length sticking out so you will have enough time to run, but also enough bits inside the rest of the sparklers so it will trigger the reaction.
   
   
3. Start wrapping the whole thing with tape. This works better if there's two people, one holds onto the sparkler bundle, the other one hold onto the tape.
   
   
4. Start wrapping VERY VERY tightly for MANY layers. With the wrapping tape we had, we pulled so hard that it streched and broke the tape, but the idea is to keep it air tight, so it will go out with a boom. Make sure you sealed the hole between the fuse sparkler and the bundle of the sparkers on top properly.
   
   This step is crucial for the explosion to work, too little tape would melt under the heat of the sparkler, and all you will get is a giant sparkler.
   
   
   Figure 2 - Your end product should look something like this, you don't need to cover all the way down to the wire handle, it's only the crazy American who took this photo. (stole the photo somewhere from google)
   
   
   
5. Find somewhere nice and remote (e.g. a park) plan your escape route.
   
   
6. Plant the sparkler with the metal wire handle bit into the ground, so it stands by itself. This is better than placing it sideways because a) the moisture on the ground affects the bruning, b) the heats goes up and reduces the melting of tapes.
   
   
7. Light the top fuse sparkler, walk away quickly. The bomb might be more powerful than you thought.
   
   If all goes according to plan, you will hear a loud explosion, and a white flash.
   

There are several ways to add more fun into the design, this is merely the simplest and most economical setting. You can miss out the tapes if you just want a big massive sparkling flameball. You can add more casing to the tape structure to give it more bang.