Fireworks 2013 advice for you guys and Mr_White (I'll PM you for a chat about your display directly).
First things first, if you're spending £100 or £1000+ get yourself over to UKFR for access to a wealth of firework info. Check out the Fireworks Reviews and Video section and have a look at the videos of great pieces available. Also check out the Sponsors section and find out which of the decent fireworks suppliers are close to you!!!
http://www.fireworks-forum.org.uk/
Also have a read of this thread on supermarket fireworks and general advice:
http://www.fireworks-forum.org.uk/threads/supermarket-fireworks-read-before-buying.21538/
Two of the best youtube pages for firework videos are from Galactic Fireworks and Firework Crazy, so go have a look!
http://www.youtube.com/user/GalacticFireworks
http://www.youtube.com/user/fireworkcrazy
Safety
Very very important to always keep yourself and others safe when letting off fireworks. CAT2 pieces are for smaller gardens and have a recommend safety distance of 8m minimum, CAT3 pieces are bigger and better but you really do need to be 25m away for safety and to enjoy them fully.
If you're firing then ensure as a BARE MINIMUM you have gloves and safety specs on. Solid boots, fire retardant coveralls and a hard hat are advised if you're stepping amongst groups of fireworks going off. Check me out below with a shot from my home display last year.
When you set out fireworks, DO NOT just put them on grass. This isn't a solid enough base, they could easily fall over from the force during firing! Ideally put them on a bit of wood or even flat tiles, paving slabs etc. Then use a couple of stakes, one at the front, one at the rear, then wrap some tape around them. This is for everyone's safety and to ensure they fire perfectly!
Planning
Keep an eye on the weather as you may have to waterproof your pyro. Large see through bins liners from a supermarket work well, or just wrap the fireworks in clingfilm before staking. But ensure the fuse can be accessed easily, or just buy yourself a decent blowtorch and burn through the waterproofing to light the fuse. The standard for amateur and pro's is the Rothenberger Super Fire 2 blowtorch (~£70).
I've already discussed the safety aspects, so here is how I structure my displays. Everyone does it differently and that's half the fun of fireworks! Don't try and drag out a display for 30mins, as no one wants to stand outside for that long watching one fireworks after another. It's much better to go for a high impact 5-10 minute display and wow everyone!
- Start with something nice and pretty like fountains, maybe fire some rockets over the top or use a mine or two to shock your audience.
- Move onto smaller CAT2 cakes, or if you're adventurous and want a better effect then fire tem in multiples or even angle them apart.
- Move onto larger cake such as straight or fanned CAT3 gear, building up the pace of the display.
- THE FINALE...... The most important part and what people will remember. Multiple cakes should be used (angled if possible), ensure it's your best and largest pieces! Then fire some rockets over the top or afterwards to leave everyone in awe!
If you like to watch fireworks rather than running around under them, then consider a firing system. Simply speak to the supplier below, pickup a system then some Talon ingnitors and fire your display from a remote.
http://www.wirelessfireworks.co.uk/systems.htm
2013 Fireworks and Brands
It's an exciting year with some amazing new gear from 2 companies; Jorge and Magnum Series. Jorge are a polish brand and the effects in their cakes this year are stunning and different to many of the other well known brands out there such as Absolute, Brothers etc! Magnum Series are another company who've joined the market this year and the impressions of their cakes from the demo nights are hugely positive.
You really should find yourself a good supplier as they really are there to help you get the best pyro for your budget. As per the advice thread linked above, avoid spring up sellers in towns as they will generally sell crap brands at inflated prices and are just there to make as much money as possible. Brands such as DRD, Bulldog and Nightstar should be avoided.
My thoughts on my favourite brands are as follows. There are many other brands, but I'd stick with these or what a true fireworks specialist recommends:
Absolute
- Another big brand with some nice pieces. Used them on occasions and they have some cracking pieces, be it smaller CAT 2, or larger CAT3.
- CAT2 picks are Sunset (£13), Marvel (£11). For CAT3 try and source Zero 2 Sixty (£45) for an amazing fan and crossette cake. Love it!!!
Brothers
- A big company who make some very good pieces, but I find them a little bland in all honesty, especially with Jorge and Magnum now on the scene.
- Picks for me are Magical Palms (stunning cake for £35), Tivoli (~£15) and Hercules (great for a finale ~£75).
BrightSky
Not well known, but they manufacture a number of Galactic fireworks own brand cakes and have tried to reach out more into the market this year. They have some amazing pieces, both small and large, being stunning. I've got a number of their bits this year.
- Picks for me are most of the little CAT2 cakes, but CAT3 is where they really win! Their 19shotters (available at Galactic) are cracking and I have a pair of each. Midnight Mayhem (~£60) is also epic!
Cosmic
- Old Cosmic and NG made some of the best bits out there, but Cosmic are now a different company with some good bits, but also a fair amount of tosh.
Cube
- I love love love Cube. Been around for donkeys years and have amazing effects, huge bursts and solid prices mean they are one of the best.
- Picks are generally what I have this year; Octane (~£50), Celtic (~£40), Titan (£20) with Nitro also being a great cake.
Devco
- Not easily found, but a few places down south and around London have this brand. It's a pity their bits are hard to find as these are some of the most powerful fireworks available.
- Pick for me has to be Rameses Revenge. A40 Fireworks near Oxford has these and many great brands. Premium brand and pricing again, but OOOFFFFF!!!!!!
Epic Fireworks
- Epic are based up near Sheffield just off the M1 and have fireworks made especially for themselves. Very powerful fireworks which look.......epic
but their prices have unfortunately gone up a fair amount. Still well worth it though!
- Picks are numerous, but everyone should fire a Screaming Spiders with a Thunderous Finale, around £110 for a mental finale!!!!!
Jorge
- We finally have their gear over here from this year and my... what gear it is. Their CAT2 gear is sensational and a shock for how small the cakes and tube bores are! CAT3 cakes are also stunning and have some effects usually only seen in professional gear (CAT4).
- Picks are..... well all of it, small or large! I have Katmanda, Uran and the mental terminator this year. But Jorge gear is a premium product, so the prices reflect this, although a good retailer will sort you out on a deal if you're luck, nice or buying enough
Magnum Series
- New boys on the scene and like Jorge, they have some amazing pieces and are very well priced.
- Picks have to be Treasure Chest (£35) and their other CAT2 cakes.
MARS
- Huge breaks, fast pace and loud as **** is Mars. Not stocked widely, but they make huge cakes that will set off car alarms and fill the sky. A video of Boneshaker was posted earlier which sums up the brand
- Picks are..... Boneshaker (£80), MOAB (~£50) (I have 2), Bermuda (~£30).
Royal Party
- Another one of the premium brands, but you won't go wrong with any of their pieces. Great value and stunning pyro!!! For me the best consumer firework out there is their 70 Shot Crown collection, either 'Diamonds' or 'Sapphires'. I had x2 Diamonds last year and it puts most other brands to shame.
Picks - Diamonds or Sapphires area must (£70 each), but Spread is a beautiful fan cake (~£40) with many other nice pieces.
Sovereign
- Another premium brand not stocked widely, but their pyro is some of the best out there for consumers. Solid prices, but still good value, I love their gear.
- Picks - Gold Cascade Fan (£60), Golden Shower, Space Inferno. Avoid Golden Glitter though, it's crap
My 2013 Stash
Gone all out this year and spent well about £1200, but luckily with my contacts this is about £2k worth for most people. Likely my last year doing a proper display as it's becoming an expensive hobby and other things in life are becoming far more important. Plus I finally bought a 12 Cue Pro firing system so I can actually see the final 1/2 of my display for once!!!!
Here's a picture of around 1/2 my stash. I also picked up a load of Cube gear, some Jorge bits and a shed load of Cosmic NG, Royal Party, Air Hawks and 100mm & 75mm mines.
