Confession Time

[Rick_In_Tampa]

So I need to come clean and tell on myself. Ever since I started shooting shows I've been using milk crate mortar racks. I know they are a bone of contention in these threads, and up till now I've been a proponent of using them.

Well this year I had a scare. After the show like a good pyro I walked through the display area and checked for unfired effects. When I got to my mortar crates I noticed a few tubes missing from one of the crates. That was odd I thought. I know the crate was fully loaded with 25 DR-11 tubes when I prepped it. So I picked up the crate thinking it must be compromised somewhere. Nope. Fully intact. Just missing 2 tubes. So the search was on.

The first tube was found about 10 feet away. The second tube was found almost 50' away!! Both tubes were fully intact. Somehow, both tubes were simply ejected out of the crate, thankfully, after their mortars were fired.

So now I have to think about what could have caused this, and wonder if I should use them next year. Suddenly I don't have the trust I once had in using them. That scares me.

[Kooooou]

This year I had a heavy Whacky Tobacky hopping 3" off the ground on every third launch blast. I'd imagine your tubes that got flung outta the crate went through some similar energy transfer, but 50' is insane. Glad to hear there were no mishaps as a result.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Likewise my friend. Likewise.

[robdog]

Rick, what I do is use heavy duty ty wraps around the part of the mortar tubes that stick up above the milk crate. This cinches them all together and holds them in place.

[PYRODAN]

Hey Rick, isn't your neighbor a master carpenter?

[Pyro Paul]

Lord I hope so, cause Rick could sure use some help when it comes to carpentry work.

[PYRODAN]

LOL! Paul said that! Not me!4241

[morrison2951]

This year I had a heavy Whacky Tobacky hopping 3" off the ground on every third launch blast. I'd imagine your tubes that got flung outta the crate went through some similar energy transfer, but 50' is insane. Glad to hear there were no mishaps as a result.

I shot a case and a half of Whacky Tobacky in my show. Damn they hit hard!

My ears are still ringing....

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Lord I hope so, cause Rick could sure use some help when it comes to carpentry work.

Lol... I should probably be offended by that but I'm not! :p

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Hey Rick, isn't your neighbor a master carpenter?

You mean the guy with the two missing thumbs? Yes he is.

Unfortunately, he's in his 80's and from what I hear, not doing very well. He used to be in his garage making stuff every day. I haven't seen him or heard his saws going in months now. I know where you were going with that but I don't think it's going to happen.

[krayg]

There’s a YouTube video of a backyard display in David or plantation Florida where you could see some of the tubes flying out of the crates. The crates were on the grass and the bottom of the crates turned into a trampoline.

[esgrillo]

Ditch them Rick IMHO

[Rick_In_Tampa]

There’s a YouTube video of a backyard display in David or plantation Florida where you could see some of the tubes flying out of the crates. The crates were on the grass and the bottom of the crates turned into a trampoline.

Yeah that was Bazerk's show a few years ago. He was shooting salute too I believe. Definitely have to have them on boards so there's a solid base under them. The thing is, I did have them on boards. That's what makes it even stranger.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Ditch them Rick IMHO

I hear ya Ed. I'm leaning in that direction. I really am. I need to look at my options to replace them and make sure it's something I can handle.

[cptnding]

Rick,
I first started using milk crate racks about 15 years ago. The second time I used one the exact same thing happened right before my eyes. I was hand lighting then and only about 25' away. It was sitting on grass and ejected 5 or 6 tubes as they fired. Scared the shit out of me but I realized they were only bouncing out as they fired.
A good while back Bezerk posted a video of the same thing happening in his show.
There is an easy solution. Cut a piece of 3/4" plywood to fit the inside of the milk crate bottom and they won't bounce even a tiny bit. For a couple bucks they will cut them for you at Home Depot. Problem solved.
I've always avoided the MCR discussions as I understand that regular racks are safer. But with proper setback I just don't feel there is any added risk. For shooting in an alley, cul de sac, or any situation with very little distance I agree there is real added risk. In those situations I would consider regular racks as a risk as well.

[krayg]

Yeah that was Bazerk's show a few years ago. He was shooting salute too I believe. Definitely have to have them on boards so there's a solid base under them. The thing is, I did have them on boards. That's what makes it even stranger.

That’s the one. I couldn’t remember his name. I used Joel Robinson’s specs to build my racks. They’re listed in his description and the video is under 3min. I’ve successfully used the ones I built using his specs for the past few years without any issues.

[cptnding]

Yeah that was Bazerk's show a few years ago. He was shooting salute too I believe. Definitely have to have them on boards so there's a solid base under them. The thing is, I did have them on boards. That's what makes it even stranger.

Yes, it was salutes. Sitting them on a board you can still get bounce unless the board is on a very solid surface.

[Pyro Paul]

Hell Rick, I'd build them for you if you could figure out how to get them from here to there. Sorry guys, I'm not an mcr fan as I've seen what happens when a good canister shell kato's in one of those things. I won't roast you over the spit like those guys in the fb pyrouniverse, just my opinion. Mentioning this on the fb group is like throwing raw meat to a bunch of hungry wolves... :p

[cptnding]

Hell Rick, I'd build them for you if you could figure out how to get them from here to there. Sorry guys, I'm not an mcr fan as I've seen what happens when a good canister shell kato's in one of those things. I won't roast you over the spit like those guys in the fb pyrouniverse, just my opinion. Mentioning this on the fb group is like throwing raw meat to a bunch of hungry wolves... :p


Yeah I've seen the roasting on there and other forums for years. I'm curious though. When you say "good canister shell" do you mean a regular 1.4g shell or one with better than expected performance? I've seen some videos of MCRs being detonated and there is no way that was a regular shell. I've tried loading Excals & Smoke & Mirror shells upside down to see if it would blow the tube. Did it with 3 of each in the same tube and it didn't even bulge it. Maybe Excals really do suck lol.
Please don't think I'm trying to start an argument as I completely respect your opinion. I definitely agree that for the average person MCRs are a really bad idea. I would guess the average person shoots with 50' - 100' of set back at most. Any rack with chain fused shells is a bad idea at that distance. Hell, a quality 12 shot 2' cake or NOAB is as well but that's how 95% of them get used. Those cakes will shoot higher than any regular canister shells and it's all cardboard.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

I appreciate that Paul, I really do. I'm going to have to devote some brain power to this one and figure out which direction I want to go. I'm too far down the road to be losing my house because someone gets hurt by a shell I'm shooting. Just not worth it.

[Pyro Paul]

the video I saw was a name brand good quality canister shell, it totally split the milk crate and sent all the tubes flying. Of course it was a worse case scenario thing with the kato in the center. I've had those things blow out new cardboard tubes so I don't doubt it's possible. Honestly I wasn't there so I couldn't tell you if it was staged or a legit demonstration, but I do trust the person that told me it was legit. No worries cptnding, I enjoy a good conversation about things so I don't take it as an argument. I did a test this year for a parabolic curve that I ended up pulling from my show, I was using bushy comets from Spirit of 76 which fly 50-60 feet up when shot from the 200g cake. the comet I had set at a 30 deg angle flew almost 200 feet which got me to thinking about artillery shells. If one of those things launched horizontally, it could possibly travel to the audience and then break in the midst of the spectators. I'm thinking of building plywood barriers to set noabs, mortar tubes and the bigger 500g cakes behind as I wouldn't want one of my grandchildren getting burnt if an accident like that happened. I worry about it now in good wooden racks with plywood or osb side rails. It's amazing that those things can travel that far when launched horizontally as opposed to verticle.

[Mattp]

ive used them 2 years in a row now... they just make it soooo easy, light,portable, 25 shots in a 12x12 box.... but with the higher possibility percentage of a cato.. may not be a good idea... and now has me re thinking it also...i mean if having way more smaller racks means that much more saftey and protection... may just need to do it...shooting off all these explosives with an audience watching... every shot that goes off im concerned with safety and making sure they go UP...even following the proper distances... if one shot sideways toward the audience... it will burst right there at the audience...so if having a safer method will give me even a little more piece of mind... that alone is worth it!!! im thinking something like the racks pyrodan uses... lucky for me i can easily build wooden racks... and i honestly wouldnt mind building some for you rick..(at no charge) but you'd have to pay for shipping...or take a nice drive up 95