pyrotechnics (thing)

The art of Pyrotechnics

Pyrotechnics is an art that by many people stops at lighting the odd firecracker and a few rockets on newyear's eve. The art is a lot more than that, involving a lot of different knowledges and theories

Disclaimer:

Yes, the information in this set of nodes can be used to make and set off bombs, to kill and maim, to create havoc etc etc etc. I have spent a lot of time discussing the correctness of noding this information, considering that children, terrorists and other mentally unstable people might get a hold of it.

I decided to node it after all. For one thing, although many of these ideas are more or less self-developed, if you are a terrorist or whatever, and you do want to set off a bomb, you can find similar recipies all over the internet (in the The Anarchist Cookbook's various incarnation etc)

Introduction and warnings:

The information contained in these nodes are not just usable for creating mayhem - for example, most of them were devised for my work as a pyrotechnician, for setting off stuff on stage and in film productions.

If you for any reason decide to use any of these things, remember that you are on your own. The information contained in here is written to an extent that I believe is correct (i.e I have only noded things I have done before, and that are known to work). However, your mileage may vary.

Nodes:

Practical nodes

• Pyrotechnics Safety Tips - Things you really ought to know before doing anything within pyrotechnic effects
• pyrotechnics first aid - ... In case something does go wrong...
• Pyrotechnician - What does a pyrotechnician do? Here, you also find an introduction to pyrotechnics, what kinds of effects are used where etc.

Technical nodes

• Electronic fuse and ignitor - fuses are so passé: How Pyrotechnic props are set off
• Blast Tank - Tanks used for making explosion-sounds safe
• Pyrotechnics Controller - So you have 50 props on stage.. Now how do you set them off?
• Motion Detonator - You want something to explode when it moves? Read this!
• Timer - You want to make a timed? Or a prop that goes off at a particular time? Read this!
• How to set yourself on fire - Well.. You know you want to! :)

Pyrotechnic Effects

• Airbursts - ceiling-hanging sparkly effects
• Blowing up a car - How car explosions and roll effects are done in movies
• Body Squibs - You know when someone is shot in a movie? The blood flying everywhere is because of body squibs.
• Breathing fire - How to (and how not to) breathe fire
• Fireworks - especially the node by WonkoTheSane contains a lot of good introductionary information about fireworks, both of the small variety, and of the commercial-grade type.
• Flame Projector - Big flames licking the sky - you get the picture.
• Gerbs - sparkly fountains
• Line Rockets - flying fast and low
• Maroons - loud bang
• Robotics - Failures in electrical installations
• Blackpowder - It doesn't get much more basic than this...

Vaguely related nodes

• Explosion - This explains some of the physics and chemistry behind explosions, the different kinds of explosions etc.
• Fake Blood - Used on stage, in particular in Body Squibs
• Flamethrower - (how to make one)
• Hand sanitizer - pretty fire effects on the ground

This is part of an ongoing project on pyrotechnics, explosive effects used in theater and film, and related topics. Please /msg me if you have any tips!