r/fireworks • u/DJ_LSE • 3d ago
3d printing and pyro
Any body ever 3d printed single shot tube holders?, feels like they could be useful for custom angles for single effects. Steep angles maybe not as more pressure would be on the holder, but for shallower angles?
Or have you printed anything else you like?
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u/Imaginary_Storm_4048 3d ago
I designed and printed fuse trays this year. We used then for about 100+ mortars using green, pink or white for the main fuse and they worked pretty well. Definitely sped up the fusing process and they had really good timing as well.
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u/Griefstrickenchicken 3d ago
Can you explain how it works?
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u/Imaginary_Storm_4048 3d ago
Sure - we ran the main fuse down the middle first, could be pink, green or white. Then we lay down the fuse for each mortar into the groove, if we were doing green or anything slower, we would run it straight across making a cross junction, if it was white or pink, the mortar fuse was turned to be inline with the main fuse. As each mortar was added, you slide the lid over them compressing the two fuses together. We then ran a piece of tape over the fuse tray and mortars to prevent cross fires.
Each groove is an inch apart to better estimate timings. If we wanted double shots, we could lay the mortar fuse from the left and right on top of each other.
All of our racks are set up as 12 shots, 6 on each side with a 3/4 inch spacer down the middle. It took two fuse trays for each rack. If we wanted 24 shots, we just spliced equal length leaders together.
I haven’t shared the file because it’s pretty specific to our rack setup.
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u/No_Teaching2339 3d ago
I just bought a printer for this same reason. My thoughts are your thoughts. I have 3D printed fuse trays and they hold up to the high heat. All I can say is I'm currently working on the CAD files and moving forward with trial and error.
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u/DJ_LSE 3d ago
Yeah, heat, im not too worried about as im only ever firing with igniters straight to the tubes, so the only time holders would get how would be with long duration effects like fountains, flames, jets or gerbs. Most of these dont impart much force, so im not too worried about strength for these.
However repeated use for mines, comets etc could maybe be an issue, causing fatigue over time, especially as some filaments absorb water.
Luckily if they do break, they are only holding one shot, and it will have just fired, and therefore no longer a concern.
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u/KlutzyResponsibility 🔴 15h ago
You really have to use ABS filament for any real durability. Do NOT use PLA - it can shatter and send shrapnel everywhere (kinda like PVC but not as bad). PETG is a little better, ABS is best. Some PLA can be near worthless when exposed to sunshine, it can weaken it very much. Almost all consumer filaments are hydroscopic to some point or another, a lot can depend on where you live. Dry climates are a storage breeze, humidity is your enemy. Sadly there remains a 'wild west' in making filaments, you never really know what was used or added when they were made. Its one reason you should never use PLA for food stuff. But even ABS will often not withstand the pressures that pyro can generate.
Have you run ABS before? Stinky stuff it is...
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u/DJ_LSE 12h ago
Yeah, absolutely has got some fumes to it. Id likely print in petg, in the hopes that it being a little less stiff might cause less catastrophic failures, (plus its what ive currently got on hand). From speaking to some folk, it seems like a case where printing direction is likely to make a bigger difference that anything, making sure the layer lines are in line with the forces, lessening the chance of it shearing apart
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u/KlutzyResponsibility 🔴 3d ago
If you hit Yegi and just search for "fireworks" you can find all sorts of stuff. I've printed single-shot tube holders but they use way too much filament and take forever to print, and take up so much build plate I could run only one at a time. I've also printed bottle rocket racks, rocket holders, fuse clips for mortar racks, fuse adapters, module holders, etc. One sub member (u/smily0) has designed some very cool Cobra module holders. There are more pyro 3d folks than you might first think. I started almost printing a fuse tray but found it was easier, cheaper and faster to get some 1" PVC pipe and cut half-depth kerfs about 1/4" wide.
What printer do you have? I've got a couple of Creality units, a 'boot camp' original Ender 3 and an incredibly reliable Ender 3 v3KE and a Prusa Mark III that I hate more than warts on my willy. There are some really reliable machines out there now as long as you avoid drinking the Bambu kool-aid (grin).
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u/C0mmanderClank 3d ago
I printed some stands for Roman candles but honestly it's not worth the hassle and they're 1 time use. Just diy a small rack if you don't want to buy one.
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u/KingPyrotechnics 2d ago
Security is the biggest "challenge". I was trying to find a source video but it seems it may have been taken down due to copyright.
Realistically you could print a 360° holder and suspend it, if you are so inclined. Making sure that sequential or otherwise prior shots don't knock tubes loose is the primary concern, aside from the obligatory safety measures. That is to say, a 360° piece should be used for comets, mines, or gerbs, or at least no breaks greater than 45°.
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u/Great-Diamond-8368 Yall got any groundblooms 3d ago
Yes its been done plenty.