What electric match do you use ?

[Adam PA Artist]

Just wondering if anyone can recommend or atleast suggest a good quality E-match and what do you feel is a good length thats needed atleast 7 Feet ?
Whatever pertains to E-match good or bad id like to hear about it please share opinions...

[displayfireworks1]

Most people use the inexpensive Chinese electric match. If you want a quality match buy from my advertisers here. Now that you have an ATF license, they will ship them to you. Don't get short wire match, most newly license people make that mistake. Get 2 meter which is 6 feet I believe. Or just buy from Al at FireArt when he see him.
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http://www.martinezspecialtiesinc.com/

[PyroJoeNEPA]

Typically we use 3 meter for a show to keep the mods & rails away from the racks a bit. 5 meter for the bigger guns--6" & up.
Personally,for my own show I like to have some shorter [1 & 2 meter] around for candles & cakes where they might have to be scabbed in anyway. 3 meter on all the guns below 5". 5 meter for 5" .
And Zditto on what Dave said--see Al at FireArt. He will hook you up.

[Adam PA Artist]

Thanks Joe appreciate the details, and how many of your own shows do you shoot per year. Maybe i can help or get involved in one ?

[Adam PA Artist]

Yes thanks Dave ill look into some of your advertisers, and BTW way i tried to delete the duplicate of this thread but it would not allow me maybe you can take care of that for me..

[kmosmen]

I just got them for the following prices:

1M - $0.32 ea
2M - $0.53 ea
5M - $1.06 ea

Here is the seller: http://www.ebay.com/usr/liuyangfiringsystemstore

[hillbilly]

how does these work with consumer fireworks 1.4

[Bazerk]

how does these work with consumer fireworks 1.4

I used these last year on a of my 1.4 with absolutely no issues at all. I love remote firing. You should get into it. I promise, you will never look back once you do.

[PyroJoeNEPA]

Just a word of caution---the huge "grey cloud" hovering over the debate whether these are "consumer 1.4g" product or not has not -and probably won't- go away any time soon. BATF requires ematch to be stored in an "approved magazine". You can buy them under the radar & have them under the radar but sooner or later the "alphabet people" are going to crack down on them. China is not responsible for how they are stored when they are in your possession--you are.
Usually when they are shipped they are marked "test wire" or "Test clip" so they get through customs.
A safer, legal alternative--if you do not have a "54" and storage is to purchase the "firewire" igniters. They cost more, but are 100% legal for you to have & use. "Just Saying"..........

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Most people use the inexpensive Chinese electric match. If you want a quality match buy from my advertisers here. Now that you have an ATF license, they will ship them to you. Don't get short wire match, most newly license people make that mistake. Get 2 meter which is 6 feet I believe. Or just buy from Al at FireArt when he see him.
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http://www.martinezspecialtiesinc.com/

So please forgive my ignorance... I don't know anything about it, and I've obviously never used it, but... Why would you need an ATF license and an approved storage magazine to buy electric match?? Is it unstable? Susceptible to spontaneous ignition? Based on what I see online, it doesn't look to be any more dangerous than the 1.4G fireworks I have in my garage right now.

[Bazerk]

I believe that the real e-match composition is much more sensitive to voltage, static and can actually detonate by being crushed or hit with something like a hammer. During my ATF interview I asked about the Chinese ones and he said that they were working on determining whether they are allowed to be purchased without a license or not. He didnt give me a hard time about having them. My question is if I need a license to buy e-match and its supposed to be stored in a magazine, how are they allowed to ship it?

[PyroJoeNEPA]

I believe that the real e-match composition is much more sensitive to voltage, static and can actually detonate by being crushed or hit with something like a hammer. During my ATF interview I asked about the Chinese ones and he said that they were working on determining whether they are allowed to be purchased without a license or not. He didnt give me a hard time about having them. My question is if I need a license to buy e-match and its supposed to be stored in a magazine, how are they allowed to ship it?

from post #9.

Usually when they are shipped they are marked "test wire" or "Test clip" so they get through customs.
Also, "real" ematch??? either it is ematch or it isn't. ..with the exception of the firewire initiators.
An interesting side note---you will see lots of .3 meter [1 foot] ematch advertised from China & some without the shroud. If you are a model rocketry guy you are allowed to have these "igniters" without jumping thru all the hoops the BATF requires the pyro market to do. Go figure!!!!

[Rick_In_Tampa]

from post #9.

Also, "real" ematch??? either it is ematch or it isn't. ..with the exception of the firewire initiators.
An interesting side note---you will see lots of .3 meter [1 foot] ematch advertised from China & some without the shroud. If you are a model rocketry guy you are allowed to have these "igniters" without jumping thru all the hoops the BATF requires the pyro market to do. Go figure!!!!


Ok so someone please help me out with this one. Unless and until I can find a suitable storage option, I'm never going to see an ATF54 with my name on it. But I absolutely want to get a firing system like the Cobra 18 to shoot my shows. That means I'm only going to be able to get and use consumer ematch like this one that's listed as a "firewire electronic initiator.":
1270

So before I go out and spend $1500 on a Cobra system, can someone tell me if this "consumer" ematch (or "firewire electronic initiator") will work as reliably with the Cobra system as the "professional" grade stuff?? If not, is there something comparable out there that will?

[displayfireworks1]

When I first tested the FireWire electric match they did not work very well,then there was a change in the formalization, now suddenly they work well. The change in the formulation was post ATF approval process. I have a theory on why they improved in reliability, but I will keep that theory to myself. Remember the company that makes this product also makes the regulated "Real" electric match.
At Bezerk, what you said about the ATF person telling you makes sense, this has to be low priority to them. Although I do know of one license holder that was fined $250.00 for having them without storage. But when you look at this license holder he was popping up on the radar for other sloppy activity. Apparently some people don't know you can buy real electric match on eBay from China, even on Amazon.
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Both of this videos are now unlisted, one is from 2014 and the other is from 2015
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2014 unlisted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF_rY9gjRtw
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2015 unlisted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl0GN3uhWMg

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Wow.. There certainly seems to have been a big improvement in their formula since the first batch they sent you. It could be just my perception by looking at it through a video, but the newer batch seems to have more explosive material on the tip. Did that seem to be the case to you? In any event, they seemed to work as advertised, and that's exactly what I'm looking for. If I invest $1500 or more in a firing system for a back yard shoot, I don't want half the cakes to not light because I'm using some low budget, low grade BS ematch.

Let me put it another way to you if you don't mind. If you didn't have your 54 and you wanted to invest in a Cobra system to shoot maybe 50 cases of 500G cakes... Would you feel comfortable using this product from MJG?

By the way... Thanks so much for the videos!! They are an enormous help to Jr. Pyro's like me. You have no idea just how much we appreciate all the time and effort that goes into doing what you do. But I'm here to tell you, it's amazing and I for one will be forever grateful for your tutelage!

[goneshootin]

This is your house and I'll respect your rules.

I just wanted to say implying that Jeff Genzel at MJG changed the formula of the non regulated pyrogen used on the Fire Wire Initiators boarders is wrong on so many levels.

For anyone who is interested in the facts I'll enlighten you before you stick your foot any further in your mouth.

One of the chemical suppliers sold Jeff a bad chemical which resulted in some bad batch's of Fire Wire's. Unfortunately the problem was only discovered after users started complaining. Ever single person who contacted Jeff about the problem was compensated. Jeff contacted Harry at Skylighter and sourced a new batch of chemical to replace the bad batch. Since that time their have been no reliability issues.

The formula was not changed in anyway from the original.

Ban me if you wish but at least let the facts stand. Please confirm my facts with Jeff Genzel and Harry at Skylighter and keep your speculations in your back pocket where they belong.

[goneshootin]

slander

n. oral defamation, in which someone tells one or more persons an untruth about another which untruth will harm the reputation of the person defamed. Slander is a civil wrong (tort) and can be the basis for a lawsuit. Damages (payoff for worth) for slander may be limited to actual (special) damages unless there is malicious intent, since such damages are usually difficult to specify and harder to prove. Some statements such as an untrue accusation of having committed a crime, having a loathsome disease, or being unable to perform one's occupation are treated as slander per se since the harm and malice are obvious, and therefore usually result in general and even punitive damage recovery by the person harmed. Words spoken over the air on television or radio are treated as libel (written defamation) and not slander on the theory that broadcasting reaches a large audience as much if not more than printed publications.

[TylerBarnett]

^ What is any of that important? I didn't notice any talking down about MJG...even if someone was, product reviews/testing and coming to conclusions AND assumptions are perfectly fine. Also, because of internet, are you trying to reference libel instead of slander?

[goneshootin]

Implying the formula was changed boarders on slander/libel. Reviewing a product is fine. But in this case the non regulated designation hinges on the formula of the pyrogen. If the formula was changed from the original approved formula MJG would have to reapply to regulators or break the law.

Review away my friend. I sold 30k of these this season with reports of 3 out of 30k not firing for unknown reasons. Reviews are welcome. Speculation about changes to the formula based on a hunch of an uniformed individual are another matter.

[TylerBarnett]

I get it. I'm really glad to hear the issues were resolved and these things are firing off great. BUT...and I'm just playing devil's advocate (attorney brain, never stops)...I can buy a pizza from a chain and remark about how I think they must of changed the dough recipe because of all the quality doughs they've made, the new pizzas are crap. I hope I'm making that clear. People are free to assume whatever they like about a product, whether its factual or not, and it doesn't matter if a companies regulation "hinges" on it.

I'm super glad to hear that whatever issues these may have had all seem to be resolved now.

[djsmurf]

Wow.. There certainly seems to have been a big improvement in their formula since the first batch they sent you. It could be just my perception by looking at it through a video, but the newer batch seems to have more explosive material on the tip. Did that seem to be the case to you? In any event, they seemed to work as advertised, and that's exactly what I'm looking for. If I invest $1500 or more in a firing system for a back yard shoot, I don't want half the cakes to not light because I'm using some low budget, low grade BS ematch.

Let me put it another way to you if you don't mind. If you didn't have your 54 and you wanted to invest in a Cobra system to shoot maybe 50 cases of 500G cakes... Would you feel comfortable using this product from MJG?

By the way... Thanks so much for the videos!! They are an enormous help to Jr. Pyro's like me. You have no idea just how much we appreciate all the time and effort that goes into doing what you do. But I'm here to tell you, it's amazing and I for one will be forever grateful for your tutelage!

Rick I shot 2 shows this year with nothing but the MJG match, everything fired. I did have a match or two that failed continuity test, replaced them. After the fact found out where the wire was attached to the match head had broken. Could have happened when I was initially installing the match.

I was rather happy with the MJG stuff.

[displayfireworks1]

Howard, you signed up using a proxy server 90 minutes after I opened registration. I don't think you ever signed for pyrotalk before, you didn't need to use that proxy. Of the few people that try to stop me and talk bad me using a scale of 0 to 10 , with zero being never and 10 being most every day. Where do you feel you are on that scale if you had to pick a number. Never zero----------------------------------------------- Ten most every day. I'm curious if your number matches mine.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Rick I shot 2 shows this year with nothing but the MJG match, everything fired. I did have a match or two that failed continuity test, replaced them. After the fact found out where the wire was attached to the match head had broken. Could have happened when I was initially installing the match.

I was rather happy with the MJG stuff.

Smurf - It does help to know that, absolutely!! I've been brainstorming already for next years show, and I'm definitely going to need to use some ematch. The only question is whether I will have my 54 by then and I can use the "real stuff", or if I will need to use the MJG stuff. The ONLY reason I'm moving forward on the idea is because of Dave's video where he tested the new stuff and showed how much it's been improved since last year. Your comments only reinforce his findings. So I thank you for that!!

[Rick_In_Tampa]

slander

n. oral defamation, in which someone tells one or more persons an untruth about another which untruth will harm the reputation of the person defamed. Slander is a civil wrong (tort) and can be the basis for a lawsuit. Damages (payoff for worth) for slander may be limited to actual (special) damages unless there is malicious intent, since such damages are usually difficult to specify and harder to prove. Some statements such as an untrue accusation of having committed a crime, having a loathsome disease, or being unable to perform one's occupation are treated as slander per se since the harm and malice are obvious, and therefore usually result in general and even punitive damage recovery by the person harmed. Words spoken over the air on television or radio are treated as libel (written defamation) and not slander on the theory that broadcasting reaches a large audience as much if not more than printed publications.

OMFG dude... Lighten the hell up and save the outhouse lawyering nonsense for another forum that cares.

The man said "When I first tested the FireWire electric match they did not work very well,then there was a change in the formalization." You acknowledge this by saying " Jeff contacted Harry at Skylighter and sourced a new batch of chemical to replace the bad batch." . If you change from an inferior chemical to a superior chemical, that's a change in the "formalization" [sic].

The bottom line is Dave said the current product is MORE reliable and works well. So you run out and try to win a slander/liable suit based on that info. Good luck with that!

P.S. Make sure you reference the post I just made to Smurf where I said the ONLY reason I'm pursuing a show using MJG ematch is because of Dave's video showing how well they work.

[Westpapyro]

Well if we want to fight about it?
I agree with the man that sells it for a living. If someone says something about my livelihood I would 100% defend my products too.
Either close the thread or let the fight begin.

[displayfireworks1]

I don’t give much weight to goneshootin comments on this post. As far as I can tell he does not actually make this product, he is just selling it. If that is the case he probably should not be making those comments. He is actually benefiting from me featuring this product from time to time in my videos. He did however enlighten us about the poor quality of the chemicals in the first product run. The one thing you can say for Skylighter chemicals, the quality is always good.
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The company that makes the non-regulated igniters MJG Technologies is now one of my advertisers. I will be talking with them about these FireWire Initiators. The reputation on these was initially tarnished because of reliability on the first batch. That is still fresh in some people minds. The quality has apparently improved. I will be talking with MJG on ways to address this. There is a need for such a product and now with the fuse clips they are heading in the right directly. Many non ATF license holders have Cobras and need this.
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Howard, get a PayPal button on that website for the clips, you are going to need it pretty soon. I would also suggest additional PayPal buttons that include both the initiators and the clips together. A packaged deal, you know 20 FireWire Igniters and 20 fuse clips that sort of thing. You can embed one of my soon to be released FireWire videos on the site next to the picture of the product. I’m going to need your banners also. I’ll send you a PayPal invoice, I’m going to sign you up.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Well if we want to fight about it?
I agree with the man that sells it for a living. If someone says something about my livelihood I would 100% defend my products too.
Either close the thread or let the fight begin.

Nothing to fight about. Dave's video clearly indicated the product is good. The man that sells it made the same contention. I commented to Smurf that BECAUSE of Dave's video I'm comfortable buying the product. So everyone's on the same page. Therefore, all the nonsense about suing for liable and slander is just that. Nonsense. That was my point.

[PYRODAN]

I used 103 Fire wires this year. Plus another 30-40 testing on my Cobra. 6 did not fire during my show. The 6 that did not go I was able to determine were do to my error. I will buy more and use again. And this was my first year with electric firing.