Chapter 1 of 15 · 3787 words · ~19 min read

Part 1

[Illustration: Fig. 117. Fig. 118. Fig. 119. Fig. 121. Fig. 122. Fig. 123. Fig. 124.]

PYROTECHNY; OR, THE ART OF MAKING FIREWORKS, AT LITTLE COST, AND WITH COMPLETE SAFETY AND CLEANLINESS. WITH _ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS OF FORMS AND DIAGRAMS FOR MANUFACTURE AND EXHIBITION_.

[Illustration: [Fleuron]]

LONDON:

WARD, LOCK, AND TYLER, WARWICK HOUSE PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.

[Illustration: [Fleuron]]

CONTENTS.

PAGES PREFATORY REMARKS 1–10 General Requisites 11–14 Rockets, with Heads of Brilliant, Tailed, and Coloured Stars and Golden Rains 15–60 Roman Candles, with Brilliant, Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red Stars 61–74 Gerbes and Jets of Brilliant, Chinese, and Common Fires 74–93 Wheels of Various Devices, Horizontal and Vertical 93–108 Lances, White and Coloured 109–118 Coloured Lights for Illuminating Wheels, or Set-Pieces, or any larger kind of Firework 119–128 Tourbillons, Plain and Brilliant 128–140 Bengal White and Coloured Fires 140–158 Chinese Flyers or Saxons 158–172 Mines of Serpents and Crackers 172–183 Five-Pointed Star 183–188 Exhibition Pieces 188–197

[Illustration: [Fleuron]]

INDEX.

PAGE PREFATORY REMARKS 1

GENERAL REQUISITES 11 Scales and Weights 11 Pestle and Mortar 13 Sieves 14

ROCKETS 14 Definition of a Rocket 15 Outline Description 17 Spindle 18 Cases 18 Rolling Cases 20 Rocket Choking 22 Block and Spindle 23 Composition 26 Rocket Ramming 29 „ Priming 32 „ Pot 33 „ Cones 34 „ Stars 35 „ Stick 36 „ Stars 38 Golden Rain 39 Brilliant Stars 40 Tailed Stars 42 Coloured Stars 43 Quick-Match 45 Crimson Stars 46 Rose-Coloured Stars 50 Green Stars 50 Pale Rose-Coloured Stars 52 „ Green Stars 52 Golden-Yellow Stars 53 Blue Stars 53 Purple Stars 54 Golden Rains 56 Funnel and Wire 58 Portfires 59

ROMAN CANDLES 61 White Roman Candle Stars 63 Yellow „ „ „ 63 Greek „ „ „ 64 Composition 66 Roman Candle Cases 67 Charges for Roman Candles 68 Arrangement of Stars 71 Preparation of Touch-Paper 71 Quick-Match 71 Chemicals 73

GERBES AND JETS OF BRILLIANT, CHINESE, AND COMMON FIRES 74 Chinese and Brilliant Stars 75 Rolling Cases 77 Chinese Fire 78 Cases 82 Priming 83 Prince of Wales’ Feathers 84 Bouquet of Chinese Fire 84 Brilliant Fire 86 „ „ Composition 89 Common Sparkling Fires 90 Brilliant Fire—Effective Combination 91 „ Wheel 92

WHEELS OF VARIOUS DEVICES, HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL 93 2-oz. Wheel 95 Composition 96 White Fire 97 Common Single Triangle Wheel 99 Double Triangle Wheel 103 Vertical Wheel 103 Six Case Wheel 104 Horizontal „ 106 Capricious Wheel 107 Cases 108

LANCES, WHITE AND COLOURED 109 Composition for White Lances 110 „ „ Yellow 111 „ „ Green 112 „ „ Red 113 „ „ Rose-Coloured 113 „ „ Violet 114 „ „ Lilac 115 Sieves 115 V. R. Design 116 Arrangement of Colours 118

COLOURED LIGHTS 119 White Lights for Decoration 120 Yellow „ 121 Green „ 121 Red „ 122 Purple „ 123 Distinction between Coloured Lights and Coloured Fires 124 Fixing 125 Arrangement of Pieces 128

TOURBILLONS, PLAIN AND BRILLIANT 128 Cases 130 Composition for plain Tourbillons 132 „ „ Brilliant Tourbillons 132 Ramming 134 Regulation of Flight 136 Cradle 138

BENGAL WHITE AND COLOURED FIRES 140 Cases 142 Common Bengal Lights 143 White Fire 144 Yellow „ 145 Green „ 146 Purple „ 148 Red „ 149 Encasings 152 To Fire 153 Combination 154 For Theatrical purposes 156

CHINESE FLYERS OR SAXONS 158 Single Saxon Flyers 158 Cases 159 Composition 161 To Fire 163 Combination 163 Double Saxon 164 Cases „ 164 Saxon Wheel 167 How to Light 169 Fixed Piece 169 Saxon Square 170 Exhibition Piece 171 Double Saxon 172

SERPENT MINES 172 Size 173 Mortars 174 Filling 175 Lighting 175 Composition 177 Spur-Fire 177 To Fire from Mortar 179

CRACKER MINES 180 Mortars 181

FIVE-POINTED STAR 183 Composition 184 To Fill the Case 185 To Fix 186

EXHIBITION PIECES 188 Large Vertical Wheel 188 Double Triangle Wheel 189 Framework 190 Lattice-work Piece 191 To prepare for Firing 192 Double Triangle Piece 193 Suggestions 196

[Illustration: [Fleuron]]

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT.

ROCKETS:— FIGURE PAGE Rocket 1 17 Diagram for Case 2 19 Rolling Board 3 21 Choking Knot 7 22 Block and Spindle 9 23 Scoop 16 30 Pot-Former 18 33 Rocket Pot 19 33 Cone-Former 20 34 Pot with Conical Top 21 35 Spatula 30 41 Quick-match and Pill Box 31 45 Plan for Cutting Cases 32 57 „ „ „ 33 57

GERBES AND JETS OF BRILLIANT, CHINESE AND COMMON FIRES:— Chinese Fire Case 41 76 „ „ 42 77 Plan for Rolling 43 77 Block with Iron Ring 47 82 Prince of Wales’ Feather 48 83 „ „ „ 49 84 Bouquet of Chinese Fire 50 84 Chinese Fire Piece 51 85 Brilliant Fire Case 52 88 „ „ „ 53 88 „ „ „ 54 89 Five-Pointed Star 54 91 Brilliant Wheel 55 92

WHEELS OF VARIOUS DEVICES, HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL:— 2-oz. Wheel-Case 56 95 „ „ „ 57 95 Covered Case 58 98 Framework for Single Triangle Wheel 59 99 „ „ „ „ 60 99 „ „ „ „ 61 99 Single Triangle Wheel 62 100 Quick-match 63 101 Wheel-Case 64 101 Doable Triangle Wheel 65 103 Six case Wheel 66 104 „ „ 67 105 Horizontal Wheel 68 106 Capricious „ 69 107

LANCES, WHITE AND COLOURED:— V. R. Design 73 116

COLOURED LIGHTS:— Mode of Fastening 74 124 „ „ 75 125

TOURBILLONS:— Tourbillon Case 80 130 „ „ 81 131

SAXONS:— Saxon Case 92 159 „ „ 92a 159 Double „ 96 164 „ „ 97 165

FIVE-POINTED STAR:— Five-Pointed Star Case 112 183 Drift 113 184 Frame for Five-Pointed Star 114 186

EXHIBITION PIECES:— Spindle for Wheels 116 188 Lattice-Work Piece 120 191

[Illustration: [Fleuron]]

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS IN SEPARATE PLATES, ON TINTED PAPER.

FIGURE PLATE ROCKETS 1 Round-Ended Drift 4 1 Choking Piece 5 1 „ „ and Drift 6 1 Apparatus for Choking Cases 8 1 Mallet 10 1 Steel Spindle and Nipple 11 1 Rocket-Case on Nipple 12 1 Drift 13 1 „ 14 1 „ 15 1 „ 16 1 Former 17 1 Size of 1-oz. Case 23 1 „ 2 „ 24 1 „ 4 „ 25 1 „ 8 „ 26 1 Finished Rocket tied to Stick 27 1 Rocket-Post with Rocket suspended 28 1 Ring for Rocket 29 1 Funnel for Golden Rain Composition 34 2 The Rain Rammer 35 2 Case 36 2 The Tubular Mould 37 2 The Star Rammer 38 2 Finished Star 39 2 The Settle 40 2 Wooden Block with Metal Nipple and Point for 2-oz. Case 44 2 Nipple and Point for 1-oz. Case 45 2 „ „ for Small Fixed Case 46 2 Spindle for Wheels 70 3 Iron made to keep Wheels well away from Post during their Revolution 71 3 Post for Wheels 72 3 A A Front View of Large Vertical Wheel, Illuminated with Revolving Colours; B B Revolving pieces of Wood to which the Colours are Attached 76 3 Side View of that represented at A A, fig. 76 77 3 Improved position of Wheel-Cases at the Ends A A, fig. 76 78 3 Framework of Vertical Wheel showing the position of Coloured Lights 79 3 Block to receive the Tourbillon while it is being Bored 82 4 Block with Settle 83 4 Tourbillon 84 4 Revolving Cradle 85 4 Metal Tourbillon Scale 86 4 Brass Cross 87 5 Frame for Firing 88 5 Former for Coloured Fire Cases 90 5 Iron Fork to support Coloured Fires 91 5 Chinese Flyer 93 5 Instrument for filling Tourbillon Holes 94 6 Saxon Wooden Centre 95 6 Double Saxon 98 6 Saxon Square 99 6 „ Wheel 100 7 Three Single Saxon Piece 101 7 Exhibition Piece 102 8 Wooden Centre of a Double Saxon 103 8 Settle Proper for Making Saxons 104 7 Powder Parcel for Mortar 105 9 Serpent, with Quick-match attached 106 9 Bundle of Serpents 107 9 Pasteboard Mortar showing Contents 108 9 Iron Mortar 109 9 Bag and Serpents 110 10 Cracker Mines 111 10 Frame of Large Vertical Wheel 115 10 Framework of Exhibition Piece 117 11 Exhibition Piece, Fired 118 11 „ „ „ 119 11 Lattice-Work Piece 121 11 „ „ Fired 122 11 Mounted Framework 123 11 Exhibition Piece 124 11

[Illustration: [Fleuron]]

PYROTECHNY.

BY PRACTICUS.

PREFATORY REMARKS.

The art of Pyrotechny has, like almost every other art in these days of experiment and research, undergone many processes of change and improvement. In fact, that part of the art which relates especially to the preparation of coloured fires may be regarded as entirely new; for not only has the danger which arose from the spontaneously-combustible nature of some of the old compositions for this purpose been obviated and removed, but many new colours have also been introduced (principally by the foreign artists), and the pyrotechnist is thus enabled to produce new combinations and contrasts, which twenty years ago were altogether unknown.

But, notwithstanding all this improvement and progress, it is a remarkable fact that no work has been published in England upon this subject since the year 1830. We have not even kept pace with neighbouring nations in this respect, for an excellent work has appeared through the French press, entitled, “M. Chertier sur les Feux d’Artifice” (the book, however, is now out of print, I believe), and there is also a very capital manual of the art in German, “Martin Websky’s Lustfeuerwerkerei.”

It is true that articles have appeared from time to time in encyclopædias and books of that class, but these for the most part have been copied out of one into another, and of all that I have been able to see the best are so condensed as to be to those uninitiated in the art simply unintelligible and useless, and to the initiated often very confusing. Moreover, the professional pyrotechnists have thrown no small mystery over their work, and have done a great deal to further the idea that the awful Promethean rites to which they have been admitted are not to be thrown open to ordinary mortals, and I cannot help thinking that they have thus thwarted the very interests which it was to their advantage to forward. Let any one only enquire of professional photographers whether the practice of their art by amateurs has injured their business, and has not rather increased the demand upon them; and I see no reason why the same should not be the case with Pyrotechny, though not, of course, to the same extent, because its study is never likely to become so popular.

The fact, then, that no work in English upon this subject has appeared during the last thirty years will, I trust, be regarded as a sufficient apology for the present publication. From its perusal, however, there will be derived nothing new to those who have already acquired a proficiency in the practice of firework-making, and, for aught I know, the professional pyrotechnist may even be puzzled by the absence of technical terms. But, on the other hand, I would have it understood that I am not writing with the purpose of describing for the benefit of little boys the mode of making squibs and crackers, nor am I going to tire my readers’ patience, nor to consume my own time, by drawing up an historical account of the pyrotechnic art in its successive stages; nor is it my intention to enter into abstract and abstruse discussions upon the mathematical proportions proper for the artist’s tools and apparatus; nor to trace, as has been so frequently done, the true and lineal pedigree of gunpowder. My object is simply this:—to furnish, for those who are unacquainted with the subject, such information as shall put them in the way of providing at any time for family parties, or school treats, an exhibition of fireworks, capable of affording an hour’s real amusement to any number of people. I say to any number of people, because it costs no more to exhibit such a display to one hundred than to ten, and because I believe that it is difficult to find the person who would rather not see a good exhibition of fireworks, or who would stigmatise the hour spent in looking at them as “slow.” It is evident that the public demand for exhibitions of this kind is greater and more widely spread than it was, and is still on the increase; and the only wonder is that, under these circumstances, no more practical system of Pyrotechny should have appeared through the press. I am not saying that this work will supply the want that many have experienced, for it will be entirely elementary; but I hope at some future time to bring out a more advanced and extensive work, should I discover that anything worth calling an interest in my subject is abroad. This work, however, will be thoroughly practical, and that with the special object of showing how exhibitions may be provided at a little cost.

Now, there are three things which have been generally alleged and admitted as sufficient reasons against the practice of Pyrotechny; these are, danger, dirt, and expense. Upon each of these three subjects I will state what experience has taught me to be the truth.

First, as to danger. The explosion of firework factories from time to time has given a high colour to the risk which the public considers inseparable from any such manufacture. Some time ago I had the curiosity to inquire as far as I could into the cause of these large explosions, and in no one instance could I discover that the accident arose from anything but carelessness on the part of workmen or some wilful and unwarrantable defiance of danger; and I am quite convinced that danger depends far more upon the operator himself than upon the materials used in his work. A barrel of gunpowder is not the thing one would choose for a seat while smoking a cigar or toasting a muffin; but be it remembered that there is no more danger to be apprehended from this barrel of gunpowder, when properly handled, than from a barrel of beer. And then, gunpowder is a material which the amateur will need only in very small quantities, being used far less than is generally supposed, and being only employed to give projective force or to make reports. Meal-powder, which is gunpowder in the state of dust and not in grains, is extensively used, but is in itself perfectly safe. Of course one can set fire to the one as easily as to the other, but why need it be dangerous on this account? There is nothing easier than to make the practice of Pyrotechny dangerous, but, at the same time, it is not only possible, but very easy, to manufacture fireworks without danger.

Now, as to the dirtiness of the work. It is generally believed that the making of fireworks renders cleanliness in the operator impossible, and is destructive of clothes on that account. Now, I maintain that cleanliness and dirt, as well as safety and danger, are mainly dependent upon the person, and not upon his work. He can fairly be called dirty only if he is never clean, or if he makes himself unnecessarily dirty. And so with the pyrotechnist. While handling such things as charcoal he does not expect his hands to be white, but he need not handle charcoal as if with the purpose of making his hands black. Every one must have observed how some people, in whatever they are engaged, in whatever they undertake, will do their work cleanly and neatly, while others can do nothing without “making a mess.” I myself have made the principal part of several exhibitions of fireworks, have mixed all the compositions, have done everything, in fact, except the actual ramming of the compositions into the cases, in my own sitting-room, which, I flatter myself, is as clean and tidy a room as one need wish to live in; and were it not for the presence of the boxes in which I keep my tools, &c., &c., no one, ten minutes after my work is over, would know what I had been about. This, however, I have only done for want of accommodation, for I would much prefer working in some outhouse or room given up to the purpose where my apparatus would be less out of place as furniture, and where, instead of having to get out all my things afresh every time, I could resume my work exactly at the point where I had left it, for by this means a great saving of time would be effected. I would also strongly recommend to the beginner the use of an apron, and some holland sleeves to fasten tightly round the wrist and extend above the elbow, for many of the compositions employed are of a subtle and dusty nature, and will penetrate the clothes until the operator becomes accustomed to use them in such a way as shall not make them troublesome in this respect. I know, however, on the best possible authority—viz., that of experience—that fireworks can be made without detriment to clothes and without violation of cleanliness.

Expense now, in the third place, remains to be considered. It is, perhaps, not generally borne in mind that the reason why fireworks are expensive to purchase is that they take time to manufacture. The brown paper of which the cases are made, and the compositions with which they are filled, are of little value as compared with the time of the workmen employed. Now one supposes that if firework-making is adopted as an amusement, there is sufficient spare time for its practice. But the amateur must not suppose that he can become proficient without some small outlay at the first; his tools and apparatus will cost him something, but when once procured they will enable him to make twenty exhibitions as well as one. And he will do well to bear in mind that if he will purchase such things of the persons whom I am about to recommend he will incur no unnecessary expense. He should also know what to order; and he will find that if he confine himself, as far as possible, to the manufacture of one useful size of each kind of firework, he will greatly diminish the number of tools necessary for making and filling his cases. Much expense will also be avoided by his purchasing the necessary chemicals, not in the smallest quantities procurable, this being the most uneconomical mode of purchase. I have avoided the employment of any of those costly preparations which have of late become known to the pyrotechnist, and are employed principally in the compositions for producing coloured fires; not, however, from any wish to ignore their excellence, but because I have been able to produce without them effects with which I have always been satisfied.

I shall now append a list of those fireworks the manufacture of which it is my intention to describe, and which in combination will be found to produce all the effects that the amateur need desire:—

Rockets, with heads of brilliant, tailed, and coloured stars, and golden rains.

Roman candles, with brilliant, blue, green, yellow, and red stars.

Gerbes and jets of brilliant, Chinese, and common fires.

Wheels of various devices, horizontal and vertical, plain and illuminated.

Bengal white and coloured slow fires for illumination.

Lances, white and coloured, for making up devices, such as names, crests, mottoes, wreaths, &c., &c.

Tourbillons, plain and brilliant.

Chinese flyers of different kinds.

Mines of serpents and crackers.

Brilliant suns, single and double, fixed and revolving.

Portfires for lighting exhibition pieces, &c.

The pieces which I have enumerated above will furnish all the necessary elements of an excellent display. And I have no hesitation in saying that by careful attention to my directions all these pieces may be successfully made. I shall recommend nothing but what has been found to succeed constantly in my hands, and may, I am sure, be made to answer in the hands of others. I entirely disclaim, however, any attempt to describe the modes of manufacture adopted by the professional pyrotechnists. I know nothing of the secrets of their trade, nor have I any desire to acquaint myself with them; I only know that my own system of working never plays me false, however different it may be from theirs.

There are, however, a few things which I strongly recommend the amateur not to attempt to make, for the reason that their manufacture entails a considerable amount of tedious and uninteresting work, and they may be bought ready made of the professional pyrotechnists at a cost to which no one need object. They are such things as quick-match, mine serpents, and crackers, and pin wheels, if indeed these are necessary.

I will now proceed to give an idea of the relative numbers in which the several pieces may be employed to form a good exhibition. This will, of course, be but a mere sketch or outline, intended to show how things, very simple in themselves, may be rendered very effective in combination:—

10 rockets: 3 of these with heads of brilliant stars, 3 with tailed stars, 2 with coloured stars, and 2 with golden rains.

10 Roman candles: 6 of these to throw brilliant stars, and 4 coloured stars.

12 wheel-cases: 3 to make a single triangle wheel, 4 to turn an illuminated vertical wheel, and 5 to turn a horizontal mine wheel.

3 tourbillons: 2 plain and 1 brilliant.

A Prince of Wales feather, consisting of 3 brilliant jets.

A bouquet of Chinese gerbes.

2 white Bengal fires, 2 green, and 2 red fires.

2 cracker and 2 serpent mines.

And for a finale, some small device executed in lances, which shall change into a 5 or 8 pointed brilliant star or sun, accompanied with Roman candles, and a mine, either of serpents or crackers.

This is the kind of exhibition which my papers are intended to enable the amateur to make. The above list will be found to contain no lack of variety, which, in my opinion, is the great point to be kept in view.

In order that the reader of these papers may find no difficulty or hindrance in the way of his putting my directions into practice, I shall state farther on, where all the materials, chemicals, tools, &c., &c., which he will require, can be purchased ready for use, of a kind and quality that I recommend, and at a reasonable price.