make balloons pop with no one holding them.

You can actually use the laser out of a CD burner in a new housing, but I dont know if they are considered high powered enough to require a laser license. If it does, dont do it. I feel like lasers are wayyyyyyyyy over-engineering this in the first place. A mouse trap with a piece of fish line to trigger it, or some sort of solinoid would be perfectly fine. Do you need to move the device off? Im sure the guts of an RC car would be plenty sufficient in terms of reliablity and power to make a pin pop a baloon.

Really? You think that a laser is over-engineering? If you ask me, I'd say that a mousetrap with a line and what not is getting close to a Rube Goldberg, and starting to dissect an RC car certainly wouldn't be the easiest way to go. Use a CD burner (or perhaps BluRay :p) laser. Point and shoot... quite literally. Doesn't get much simpler.
 
Really? You think that a laser is over-engineering? If you ask me, I'd say that a mousetrap with a line and what not is getting close to a Rube Goldberg, and starting to dissect an RC car certainly wouldn't be the easiest way to go. Use a CD burner (or perhaps BluRay :p) laser. Point and shoot... quite literally. Doesn't get much simpler.

just don't laser anyone's eye out ;)
 
Sorry, A Squibb is an electronic spark. You tape the electronic spark to the balloon with clear tale and run a wire from the sqib or multiple squibs and then tun a charge through the wire wire which fires the squib NO NOISE from the squib but all the balloons popping at once is a huge crowd pleaser and then the confetti rains down.

Also if you've seen someone get shot on TV they used a larger squib to give that being shot look.

Also
Conwin Online - Exploders


Balloon HQ presents: Balloon Special Effects
 
Sorry, A Squibb is an electronic spark.

Note Item 3 below. Electric OR Pyrotechnic. You need to specify electric squib. Though the thought of using something that is design to burn for just a moment attached to something that is potentially flammable in a building with an audience is not my idea of a good safe time

From Merriam Webster:
squib (skwib)
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: circa 1525
1 a : a short humorous or satiric writing or speech b : a short news item; especially : filler
2 a : a small firecracker b : a broken firecracker in which the powder burns with a fizz
3 : a small electric or pyrotechnic device used to ignite a charge
 
Note Item 3 below. Electric OR Pyrotechnic. You need to specify electric squib. Though the thought of using something that is design to burn for just a moment attached to something that is potentially flammable in a building with an audience is not my idea of a good safe time

From Merriam Webster:
squib (skwib)
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: circa 1525
1 a : a short humorous or satiric writing or speech b : a short news item; especially : filler
2 a : a small firecracker b : a broken firecracker in which the powder burns with a fizz
3 : a small electric or pyrotechnic device used to ignite a charge

Part 3 of that definition would be better if it read as follows:

a small electric device used to ignite a pyrotechnic charge

or even better:

a small electric device that creates a spark used to ignite a pyrotechnic charge

A squib is a pyrotechnic device. While I see where Jon is coming from, is a balloon flammable enough that a momentary spark will ignite it? In my experience, walking too close to balloon with a sparkler didn't set it on fire, but simply popped it. Now helium filled might be a different story...:shock:
 
I think you meant hydrogen filled. Helium is an inert gas.
 
a small electric device that creates a spark used to ignite a pyrotechnic charge

A squib is a pyrotechnic device. While I see where Jon is coming from, is a balloon flammable enough that a momentary spark will ignite it? In my experience, walking too close to balloon with a sparkler didn't set it on fire, but simply popped it. Now helium filled might be a different story...:shock:

Last I checked, yes, a squib is a pyrotechnic effect (requiring a properly licensed and certified pyrotechnician), however, a pyrotechnic squib requires an e-match to ignite it. By definition, a squib cannot be a device to ignite a pyrotechnic effect. Unless you consider an e-match a squib....
 
I thought I replied to this already! I must not have pressed the reply button.

I did not know that. I'm in an awkward situation, being possibly the only pyrotechnician in my area. There may be one other one here, but I haven't been able to find them. As a result, I only know my stuff from the book. It's a bit like being socially awkward and only knowing what a book says to say in certain situations. I don't have the luxury of "casual conversation" with another pyrotechnician. I guess its what I get for living out in the middle of 2 big cities with all the production companies.
 
Every pyrotechnician I've ever worked with has used the terms "squib" and "electric match" interchangeably in casual conversation.

Yes, being a pyrotechnician in a former life, I was taught (and read) that a squib is an electric match is a squib. Now, there may be different types of squibs/electric matches. Depending the the manufacturer, they may be labeled one or the other, but it is just that a label/name. ...potato...potatoe...
 
is it against the TOS for licensed pyrotechnicians to discuss pyro? I'd re-read the TOS but I'm just heading out for dinner. It would be awesome if I could network with other pyrotechnicians for ideas for shows, or even just general stuff.
 
You cannot discuss "how-to" in the forums. If you are sure who you are networking with is also a licensed technician, you are free to PM them. Problem is, since everyone can read the forum, we don't want someone who isn't licensed to attempt working with pyro.
 
good to know. Would i be safe to guess that discussing different pyrotechnic effects without the how to part would also extend to that?
 

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