[SML] Fireworks basics

[billn at peak.org]

> Every firework I loaded and shot last week was from China. The largest
> shells we had were 8". We did have a 5" shell get trapped in the tube
> and exploded there taking out a few racks with it. That's why we take
> the safety precautions we do. It made the next days hand fired show a
> little more interesting in my head but thankfully it went off without
> a hitch.

The only times I have had a shell "trapped" in the mortar was when the shell
was loaded upside down. This was almost certainly due to the passfire becoming
disconnected from the top of the shell, so that it only remained attached to
the shell at the lift cup.

Since I stopped allowing inexperienced helpers to load shells without constant
and direct supervision, this problem has disappeared.

Bill