Making bucket chains with 1/4? time delay fuse

[kokopyro]

I?ve tried using the search function, maybe my keywords are off, but I can?t really find anything on the subject. I need your help!

I purchased a bunch of 3 second bucket chains to fire this years show with but I was wanting to add longer delays on some of the shells by creating my own chains. I normally e match each individual shell but this year I?m limited on cues (only 720 at my disposal). So I?m giving this a try for the first time. My understanding of the construction of these chains are a 1? length of 1/4? fuse is set between each bucket before the drop to the lead. I?ve heard some people say that the way quick match burns so violently it can destroy the chain before all the shells have had a chance to ignite. One recommendation I seen had 1/4? fuse going to the lead of each shell, all being lit simultaneously upon ignition from the ematch, and then burning per the designated time on each lead.

How does 1/4? time fuse work? Is it lit from the core? Or will it burn as fast as the fuse it?s touching, I.e quick match speed on the exposed fuse?

If it?s only ignited from the core, does it matter how much fuse is getting inserted into the quick match to form a delay? How are you all preventing the destruction of these chains?

Finally, in creating these delays, would you do it with 1?-2? sections between shells or create leads to each shell with a specified delay? The latter of the two seems like it could eat up a lot of fuse fast.

Any experience on this?

Thank you all in advance for your help!

[kokopyro]

I have absolutely zero idea on why that post is so full of question marks between my words where apostrophes are supposed to go. I promise it was just as painful for me to read.

[Delloman]

Only 750?? I thought I was good with 108 and some slats as for your questions I don't know but I may have to sharpen my pencil

[displayfireworks1]

I have absolutely zero idea on why that post is so full of question marks between my words where apostrophes are supposed to go. I promise it was just as painful for me to read.

For some reason when you copy and paste to the forums, it turns all of the apostrophe to question marks . Whomever is reading this , please keep that in mind.

[Mattp]

A recommendation when using time fused chains is to get a bag of rubber bands after the shells are loaded, wrap one rubber band around every tube and slide it down a little,,, thus holding the fuse down lower than the muzzle you’ll get 99 percent if not all to fire properly .. ... to play with different size time fuses all properly timed to light at the same time but go off at different times.. just sounds so time consuming

[PyroJoeNEPA]

There are two ways to make delay chains with time fuse & quick match.
1. even pieces of 1/4" time fuse are placed in a row between each shell leader--as the q.m. burns, it is delayed before passing fire to the next shell leader...uses less time fuse but has the drawback of difficulty in creating short delays for a novice builder. I>E> the time fuse burns anywhere from 2.3 sec to 3 sec per inch---so, the time fuse between shell leaders is relatively short. Making "buckets for a small piece of time fuse is difficult.
2. The quick match runs the length of the rack of guns and EACH shell leader has a progressively long piece of time fuse--ist shell, no delay, 2nd shell 1" delay, 3rd shell, 2" delay, 4th shell, 3' delay---etc. The down side of this is that the trunk fuse lights ALL the individual shell fuses & delays at the same time--we have found more than one shell in the gun at the end of the night that the leader got blown apart, and the shell was sitting in the gun unfired.
*******DO NOT attempt to construct time delay chains with the grey Perchlorate quick match--it will NOT pass fire efficiently, and will rip itself apart where you tie it into buckets. First hand experience speaking here!!!!!
The down side of method #2 is that it uses a lot more time fuse than method #1.
I hope this gives you a clear idea of how the delay chains are constructed.
Also, answering your question, the 1/4" time fuse burns from the center core of the fuse--not the outside. Once it is lit, you may not see any evidence of it burning except for it spitting fire out of the end.
The way it is used to take fire is a small [1mm] hole is punched through the time fuse and two "whiskers" [pieces of black match] are threaded through the hole and tied off. Those two strands of black match catch fire from the quick match in the bucket and pass the fire into the center of the 1/4" time fuse lighting it.