BYPyro
03-30-2020, 01:08 AM
Hello Everyone! I have been a member for for a while, just never took the time to introduce myself. Well, I guess better late than never, right?.........
I guess the three things that you really need to know about me are: (1) I am a combat veteran, of the US Army, (2) I am a PyroJunkie, (3) I am originally from a small town in South-Central Alabama.....Everything between those two statements are just a big 'ol bucket of nuts and screws collected over the years!
Now, for any that may be further interested,....here ya go,
I started out with a few friends, shooting small backyard shows for friends and family, about 19 years ago. Back then, shooting a show was a little bit different than it is today. All of the You Tube videos and blogging sites that we have today, did not exist back then. If you wanted to know how to do something, you had 2 options.... Go ask "'Ol 6-Fingers" (who was considered the local expert), or figure it out for yourself (which was generally the best option). Being safe was handing your friend the lighter and saying "Your Turn!".
Several years later, I ran into a couple of Old Guys (which is funny, because they were about the same age as I am now) that were getting ready to set up for a 1.3 show. I remember how impressed I was when I found out what they did, especially since they had all of their digits attached! When they asked me if I was interested in helping out, I think I just about passed out. I guess you could call that day a turning point in my life my life. I ended up working with those two guys for a few years. During that time, they passed on a lifetime of knowledge to me. I owe them a lot, and will always be thankful. However, despite everything that they taught me, the thing that I will always be the most grateful to them for, is them teaching me how to be safe! Every site that we pulled up on, Mr. Bill (which was the eldest of the two) always gave the same speech before we started......Always remember that every rule in that book is written in blood. Some of them may sound silly, but someone payed dearly to have it written! Let's all go home together, instead of pieces!!
A few years later, I moved to Tennessee with my full time job. Not knowing anyone in the Pyro World from this area, I moved back into 1.4G. Now, a lot of people may think that this would be a step backwards, but it wasn't for me. The experiences that I had shared in the 1.3 wold gave me a whole new perspective of consumer fireworks. I looked at it as a challenge.
In my eyes, it is pretty easy to put on captivating firework show with professional 1.3g fireworks. The fireworks themselves do most of the hard work. It?s pretty hard for an audience to look away when those large shells explode with a huge boom and, paint the entire night sky with an enigma of gigantic color blossoms. However, it takes a special kind of skill and artistry to be able to evoke the same level of excitement in a crowd, using consumer fireworks. That was my new undertaking! However, firework stands were not allowed where I live, at that time, which was my next dilemma. To solve that one, I just became a dealer.
A few years later, one of the guys that I work with was talking about a company that he used to shoot 1.3 for, which made me realize how much I missed it. I looked the company up online and filled out an application. The next thing I know, they are welcoming me aboard, shaking my hand and sending me out on a show....
Today, I am still shooting 1.3 shows as a licensed Pyrotechnician in the states of Tennessee and Alabama, still selling fireworks and, always looking forward to my next 1.4 show! I have definitely learned quite a bit of knowledge on both sides of the fence....1.3 and 1.4, and am always looking for an opportunity to pass it along. However, the single most important piece of knowledge that I have, and enjoy teaching the most, is how to be safe. I have already tried everything out there the wrong way at least once, sometimes twice...just to make sure. There's no reason for anyone to re-invent the wheel!
Well.........That's about all I got to say 'bout that!
I guess the three things that you really need to know about me are: (1) I am a combat veteran, of the US Army, (2) I am a PyroJunkie, (3) I am originally from a small town in South-Central Alabama.....Everything between those two statements are just a big 'ol bucket of nuts and screws collected over the years!
Now, for any that may be further interested,....here ya go,
I started out with a few friends, shooting small backyard shows for friends and family, about 19 years ago. Back then, shooting a show was a little bit different than it is today. All of the You Tube videos and blogging sites that we have today, did not exist back then. If you wanted to know how to do something, you had 2 options.... Go ask "'Ol 6-Fingers" (who was considered the local expert), or figure it out for yourself (which was generally the best option). Being safe was handing your friend the lighter and saying "Your Turn!".
Several years later, I ran into a couple of Old Guys (which is funny, because they were about the same age as I am now) that were getting ready to set up for a 1.3 show. I remember how impressed I was when I found out what they did, especially since they had all of their digits attached! When they asked me if I was interested in helping out, I think I just about passed out. I guess you could call that day a turning point in my life my life. I ended up working with those two guys for a few years. During that time, they passed on a lifetime of knowledge to me. I owe them a lot, and will always be thankful. However, despite everything that they taught me, the thing that I will always be the most grateful to them for, is them teaching me how to be safe! Every site that we pulled up on, Mr. Bill (which was the eldest of the two) always gave the same speech before we started......Always remember that every rule in that book is written in blood. Some of them may sound silly, but someone payed dearly to have it written! Let's all go home together, instead of pieces!!
A few years later, I moved to Tennessee with my full time job. Not knowing anyone in the Pyro World from this area, I moved back into 1.4G. Now, a lot of people may think that this would be a step backwards, but it wasn't for me. The experiences that I had shared in the 1.3 wold gave me a whole new perspective of consumer fireworks. I looked at it as a challenge.
In my eyes, it is pretty easy to put on captivating firework show with professional 1.3g fireworks. The fireworks themselves do most of the hard work. It?s pretty hard for an audience to look away when those large shells explode with a huge boom and, paint the entire night sky with an enigma of gigantic color blossoms. However, it takes a special kind of skill and artistry to be able to evoke the same level of excitement in a crowd, using consumer fireworks. That was my new undertaking! However, firework stands were not allowed where I live, at that time, which was my next dilemma. To solve that one, I just became a dealer.
A few years later, one of the guys that I work with was talking about a company that he used to shoot 1.3 for, which made me realize how much I missed it. I looked the company up online and filled out an application. The next thing I know, they are welcoming me aboard, shaking my hand and sending me out on a show....
Today, I am still shooting 1.3 shows as a licensed Pyrotechnician in the states of Tennessee and Alabama, still selling fireworks and, always looking forward to my next 1.4 show! I have definitely learned quite a bit of knowledge on both sides of the fence....1.3 and 1.4, and am always looking for an opportunity to pass it along. However, the single most important piece of knowledge that I have, and enjoy teaching the most, is how to be safe. I have already tried everything out there the wrong way at least once, sometimes twice...just to make sure. There's no reason for anyone to re-invent the wheel!
Well.........That's about all I got to say 'bout that!