E-cigarettes and Fireworks

[Foxfur]

I'm going to classes to earn my state pyrotechnician's license. The classes are held at a large display fireworks company that has a huge launch and burn range as well as stock warehouses. Last weekend at the first class I was vaping outside when one of the employees saw me. He said I needed to talk to "Ken" who was their lead tech about vaping. I asked how long he, the guy who told me that, had been vaping. He said he didn't but that Ken was a vapehead! Hmmm. I found Ken and talked with him. Ken switched one day and within a few months everybody else had too! I thought it had been all about safety but it turned out to be for the reason we all switched: Health. The classes are in Washington and they go up to Volcano regularly.

It really cracked me up when during breaks the vapers outnumbered the smokers 2 to 1. All the smokers asked lots of questions and had never seen these fancy robot cigarettes. I think we're going to have some new vapers soon...



Here's a post from my blog about the non-vape parts:
Blowing ..... Up For Fun And Profit

There's a bunch more pics and I put a lot of links within the text of the post so non-pyros can learn more about the fireworks they see at the big shows.

 

[Iffy]

Ya may have to change your ECF nomer to Inert!

 

[mooreted]

Wow, working with a bunch of vapers and blowing ... up. Nice.

 

[ITPython]

Let me guess, that large company was Zambelli?

Oh man I love fireworks, been messing with homemade stuff since I was a kid. And I think I have watched just about every firework video Dave has made on youtube (displayfireworks1).

The smell of fireworks alone is one of those smells that I wish they made a cologne out of! And for me the anticipation of the 4th of July makes me feel like a kid waiting for Christmas.


So cool stuff man, congrats! Wish I was the type of person who would get a job in fireworks, as I know I would love it.

 

[Foxfur]

I wish! Actually, it's EFI in WA state.
I've been making my own shells, rockets, and roman candles for more than 30 years. My wife loves 'em too! She asked me if I could make her a bacon & black powder air freshner....

 

[ITPython]

hehe, a wife who also loves fireworks, talk about win-win!

I think fireworks have a way of doing that, I know anytime I present and use my homemade offerings everybody gets so involved and interested. There is just something about fireworks that bring out the best in folks. I just wish the darn government and our states would stop regulating/banning this stuff so much. You may not have it as bad in Oregon, but here in Cali it is pretty much tantamount to murder to think about using 'fun' fireworks.

They just won't stop until the people are totally oppressed with they?

 

[six]

The title of your thread made me remember that the one and only thing that makes me mad about vaping is the 4th of july. I've needed to keep punks lit and my propane torch handy for the last two because I don't have a fat cigar to light off fireworks with.

 

[Tookiedoo]

Ain't it fun blowing up legal stuff? I'm licensed here in South Carolina as a display shooter. I shoot for a company on the large stuff, but for smaller shows I shoot with a couple of friends and myself. A little company we started called Backwoods Pyro. We have a blast, so to speak!

 

[DaveP]

Fireworks have been pretty much illegal in GA all my life. When I was a kid, my Dad and I would go to a remote gas station that kept their stash in a freezer. We'd go and buy a few packs of firecrackers, some bottle rockets, and those little satellite spinners for 4th of July.

When I lived on a local lake, my wife and I would stop in Alabama on the way home from Panama City in the summer and buy fireworks for the 4th. I'd set up some 1/2" PVC tubes on dock posts and we'd fire off our rockets over the lake. We became the family location for a 4th of July cookout for years. Everyone looked forward to Boom Day.

 

[Foxfur]

One thing I'll be doing lots of is smaller, $300, shows at friends farms. 4 inch shells can be had at $4-$6 each. The permit is $100 and since there's no costs for venue rental, etc, these are going to be lots of fun. The bonus is that my friends can work under my permit and have a chance to fire the big stuff themselves after safety training and supervision from me.

 

[taxman32]

That really sounds like fun!

 

[Foxfur]

We had our first live shoot last weekend. FUN!
I put up a mess of photos in a post on my blog:
Pyro School: Finally Blowing Sh*t Up! | Foxfur Amused