Ping Lloyd: Blue Fireworks?

Question

My wife heard something on the radio about how you could judge the quality (or maybe the expense) of a fireworks show by how much blue was included.

I noticed that, in our town's fireworks show (which is never very good, but still fun to watch with a beer in hand from my back yard), there was virtu ally no pure blue. There were various shades of purple and some bluish whit e, but I think I only saw one single pure blue burst.

I also watch the NY and DC shows on TV. While they did have some blue, ther e was not nearly as much as there was of the other colors.

So what's the deal with that?

Lloyd E. Sponenburgh · Accepted Answer

rangerssuck  fired this volley in news:      Blue is not so difficult to produce, nor a 'sign of quality'.  But blues  are dim compared to all the other colors we can make.  Therefore, even  when included, they often don't show well.   Because they're dim, they  aren't perceived as being as spectacular as other colors. There are really no secrets to producing blue fireworks, although a  'good' blue is difficult to obtain.  Most folks settle for a somewhat  whitish blue that is brighter, and works better with other colors. They are not more expensive to make. Lloyd

rangerssuck · Answer

OK, Thanks for the clarification.

PrecisionmachinisT · Answer

Lloyd E. Sponenburgh · Answer

"PrecisionmachinisT" fired this volley in news:vsGdnW19RcM_43jMnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@scnresearch.com:

PT, The Veline (Bob Veline, an acquaintance) color system is a good 'starting point' for the general color spectrum.

It's primary benefits are that all the colors are compatible formulae that may be further mixed to produce the whole spectrum.

That said, they're metal-fueled colors, so they burn hot and tend toward white-ish in saturation. "True blues" must burn cool, so the Veline blue is not a very good one. A good blue uses an organic fuel, so is dim in light output, and wouldn't match the luminance of the other Veline colors, if so-done.

They're not the best 'professional' colors, but they're a terrific place for a beginning amateur fireworker to start. (Amature -even unlicensed- manufacturing is legal, by the way, depending upon where you live)

Lloyd

PrecisionmachinisT · Answer

+sys unlicensed-  Yeah it's been a while, I eventually got bored with the hobby...I never  used the Veline system `personally although I was certainly tempted  because it would have allowed me to substantially reduce my chemical  inventory. BTW, I've got quite a few chemicals stashed away still, any advise on  about to best sell or otherwise dispose of them would be appreciated...

Lloyd E. Sponenburgh · Answer

"PrecisionmachinisT" fired this volley in news:soudnURcva-JMHjMnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@scnresearch.com:

Engage in the "Passfire.com" web site, and/or the "Fireworking.com" site.

Amateurs of all skill levels participate there, and there's always a ready market for surplus chems.

Lloyd

Stumpy · Answer

Pink Floyd Blue Fireworks?

Ping Lloyd: Blue Fireworks?

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