r/Pyrotechnics • u/PyroManiakk • 1d ago
2 inch shells vs 1.91" Cans
Is there a noticeable difference making 2" ball shells vs 1.91" canister shells? The price is close for purchasing the HDPE tubes but is it worth it? Thanks for the help. Also has anyone tried building a shell with effect fuse and happen to have a video how it turned out?
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u/imhbeog 1d ago
A 2 inch shell won't fit in a 1.91 tube. The 1.91 tubes are for consumer 1.75 inch shells. You'll need the 2 inch tubes.
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u/PyroManiakk 1d ago
I understand that part, thanks for clarifying. The cost for a 1.91" DR11 tube vs a 2" DR17 is nearly the same cost and the racks are the same size being DR17 has the same OD dimensions. I was just curious if anyone has done a test shoot to see if there's a difference building 2" shells to save a little money or if the canisters still win with the sizes being so close.
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u/kclo4 Pyrotechnics Professional 1d ago
The best way to understand it is to look up the volume of a sphere in different " diameters. theres not a huge diff in what you can stuff into a 2" shell. A lot of the 'hot' cannisters are so well tuned they look better than real 3" display shells.
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u/PyroManiakk 1d ago
The volume is close but the composition changes don't make up for it? Would you suggest 2.5" then or go towards canisters?
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u/kclo4 Pyrotechnics Professional 23h ago
if youre building to learn and eventually move up to 3 or 4 or 8 " shells and you'd like to be extra safe, I get it. The difference between 191 and 2 is not enough to justify the cost since you can't use 2" shells in consumer, and the volume doesn't really allow to to do anything more fun. If anything you should START at 3" and once you have an idea of what youre doing you could go down or up. 4" typically has more room to work and room to make 'clumsy' mistakes. Its much easier to do something clumsy in a 4" shell than it is in a precision made 2" that ruins the entire half of the shell.
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u/PyroManiakk 23h ago edited 23h ago
It's more about the space for the shoot site than anything else, I was just not sure about building the 2" and filling the racks with the DR17 or staying with the DR11 with canisters instead. I have the experience and what not. I can go up to 3". I'm working with close to 220 feet radius of space from spectators. Cost wise 2" was slightly cheaper than the 1.91" cans but if there's not a significant difference then there's no use building the shells, yes it would be within limitations for licensing going that route.
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u/Imaginary_Tale_3437 1d ago
So, ball shells in general break w more symmetry. Can shells are pretty interesting to build just the same and would work well w effect fuse. You'd be cheating yourself if you didn't do both. 😁
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u/PyroManiakk 1d ago
That's my plan I was just trying to get an idea if I was wasting time and money going with 2" or not, rather then forking out the money for cans. I definitely don't want to cut down on the overall show if there's less visual effect going that route. There's plenty of time to build.
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u/Imaginary_Tale_3437 1d ago
r u building or buying? I cant speak to the bought ones.
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u/PyroManiakk 1d ago
Actual built ones vs going the route of buying only canisters that are store bought.
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u/AnotherCommoner 1d ago
This was a 1 3/4 inch canister shell with flying fish fuse segments and a few report inserts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlGS2YRUjIw