firecracker squib

I

imfeelingblue

Member
has anyone ever tried using those small firecrackers as the explosive in squibs? firecrackers are cheap, small, and can be found in china town really easy. im wondering if it will ignite with a current. im gonna go check it out tomorrow.
 
I'm sure it will. I suspect it would also give your actor a nice burn and a healthy bruise. I think the typical firecracker might be much too powerful to safely use as a squib. But I'm no expert.
 
Can be done but generally not satisfactory as squibs. They're the wrong power for just about everything,tr, made with cheap black powder(lots of smoke), poor timing control, just all around not worth it.
 
You could easily hurt your actor with this type of DIY squib. Run a search. there are a ton of useful articles on how to do a safe, non-explosive squib.
 
I did this about twenty years ago. Works OK but the compressed air method seems really safe. The thing with firecrackers is you cant use the fuse. Timing is everything in video and film so pull the fuse out and replace with a model rocket igniter making this an electrical detonation. You also have to make the cracker water/blood proof since you will put it right into the blood condom. I used epoxy and dipped the cracker into it. I recommend finding another way to waterproof since the epoxy will become shrapnel. Also put a padded piece of metal behind the squib and in front of you actor. You will also have to pre-cut the cloths for the squib to break through. Don't forget, firecracker starts off with FIRE. Personally I wouldn't do this again to someone else without doing it to myself a dozen or so times first.
 
I construct explosive squibs and am actually stripping some wire right now for a few, and I must say No, with a capital N, to this idea. Constructing your own squib is one thing as it allows you to control the size of your charge down to the milligram as well as its directionality, but when working with cheap firecrackers there are naturally going to be some variations in power and directionality, AND as has already been noted, you're going to get a lot of smoke.

The other thing you have to think about is how you are going to ignite it. Reworking it to work on an electronic igniter will take some work, and lighting a match under someone's shirt is, obviously, a big no-no. I'd recommend either keying the effects in later (Possibly using Detonation Films' stuff) or try one of the non explosive methods like Backyard FX's fishing line method, or the pneumatic garden sprayer method.

My rule of thumb is, if you have to question putting the charge near a person, don't do it.

-Nick
 
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I'll agree with everyone else... plus those fuses give you about 5 seconds TOPS.

I had one blow up in my hand once, took a nice chunk of flesh off my thumb.
 
Now he didn't say he was using it on someone. Personally I still wouldn't use a fire cracker because of the variability the smoke and the shredded paper everywhere.

Another factor that nobody has mentioned is that they are VERY LOUD. Putting one on the body of an actor risks permanent hearing loss.

As a side note I've found that the little Christmas tree lights that everyone has a tone of spare bulbs for (if you have been pulling them from strings that have gone south) make excellent igniters. You need to break the bulb so that all that remains is the back part that holds the leads but that is very easy to do. The filament will blow almost instantly with a 9V battery. Rocket igniters A) cost a lot more and B) often take a beat to blow.
 
I've done it before just to try it out, and it worked out pretty good. What I used was a 4x4 piece of sheet metal taped to the actors chest for protection(I've heard of people using folded up cardboard as well)

Then I taped a blood pouch over top of the firecracker. For the blood pouch I made a bag out or plastic wrap, but I've heard condoms work pretty well too.

For the fake blood i used a mixture or corn syrup, red food coloring, water and a bit of halloween fake blood.

Make sure you use the firecrackers with the green fuse. They burn longer, are more reliable, and they don't emit the smoke and sparks that the regular cheap wicks have.

All-in-all, I think if you edit it properly it will work as a pretty believable gun shot. I'll post a link to the clip I have when I find it.

EDIT: Make sure the actor doesn't look directly at the squib as it blows up. And to ignite mine all I did was use a fairly long fuse through a tiny hole in the actors shirt, and lit it with a cigarette lighter. Again, shouldn't be a problem depending on the shot. But I'm sure you could think of a better way to light the fuse.
 
Ive done the same thing. I carefuly pulled out the fuse on the firecracker and glued in a homemade e-match. After much testing I tried it on myself. I didnt feel a thing and there was no smoke and only a tiny pop sound. It did blow the blood all over my camera though. But I wouldnt ask any of my friends or actors to use one.
 
As a qualified and licenced pyrotechnican (I got a little card in my wallet and everything) I would say thats a pretty bad idea. LeMaitre do half load microdets that are quite gentle but go with a pop and are designed to be strapped to actors. You would usualy use a metal or fibreglass sheild on the actor anyway, but since a microdet is designed with no shrapnel etc etc. Firecrackers are essentialy toys and just designed to go bang. They arnt really reliable .

Having said that, pulling the fuse out and shoving an ematch down the hole will do it nicely.

Have you considered doing it pneumatically?

My department is massive explosions, I dont usually do small ones, but I would never strap a firecracker to anyone (accept amy whinehouse)
 
Why go with an M80? I'm all about overkill...How about some thermite? I have some left over from some experiments that I did and I'd be willing to donate it to the cause.

-Nick
 
Mm, nah I think an 8 inch salute shell would be more impressive :-D

Fusing those things is scary, if it flowerpots or goes in the tube your all dead.
 
foxymcfox said:
Why go with an M80? I'm all about overkill...How about some thermite? I have some left over from some experiments that I did and I'd be willing to donate it to the cause.

-Nick
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I'm sure you could trick her into snorting a bunch of thermite. Now all you have to do is find a way to light it.
 
I think we have the start of a brilliant plan here, but even if we got her nose ring up to red hot it wouldn't be enough, I've seen thermite glow red hot without igniting, you need white hot. If we're going to have her snort the thermite, why not give her a straw made of magnesium to facilitate her snorting. See where I'm going here?

The world will thank us for this.

-Nick
 
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