My Christmas In July

Some Of You Have Learned That The Wife (pw58) And Myself Are Professional Pyrotechnicians Shooting Shows Across Missouri. And We Also Work For A Company That Sells Class C, (consumer Grade Fireworks). I Was Lucky Enough To Fall Into A Deal Where This Company Pays Us To Do Something That I Would Do For Free Just To Be Able To Do It.

Since I Was Old Enough To Light A Fuse, There Has Only Been 2 Holidays In My Book, Christmas And July 4th. December 26 I Am Thinking About Fireworks, July 5th I Am Thinking About Christmas.

Some Of You Members Have Asked Me About Whats Going To Be The Best Fireworks To Get This Year For Family Shows. And There Has Been Other Questions About How To Get The Best Deal On Fireworks. And We All Have Gotten Bad Fireworks Over The Years I Am Going To Try To Help You Find That Pretty Stuff That Will Make You Top Dog With The Family And Friends.

If There Is Enough Interest In This Post Pw58 And I Will Post Information On Different Fireworks And What They Do. Please Post Your Questions And We Will Try To Answer Them.

One Of All Around Favorite Cakes (a Cake Is A Box With 1 Fuse And Muli Shot) Would Be Solid Gold, Its A Private Label That Is Available At Several Tents Across Missouri And Several Southern States. Solid Gold Shots Huge Bursting Willos (yes Just Like A Willo Tree) In Gold Color With Brocades With A Quickened Finale. This Cake Is Wonderful To End Your Family Show With And It Will Leave Them Wanting More.

The way the crappie have been biting for me do you have any underwater explosives?i'd like to blow the stubborn little bas%#*#s straight to hell:mad:

It sounds like ya'll are into the 4th big time but to be real honest since my kids are older now and my grandson isn't quite big enough the whole getting together for a bbq is more important than the fireworks for me but that doesn't mean i won't want some info when time gets closer,set us up a list of the top 20 fireworks that won't empty our wallets,i always go to the stand blind and start pointing not really knowing what i'm buying hopefully this year i'll have a pro's tips to help me out;)

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Originally Posted by bugman

The way the crappie have been biting for me do you have any underwater explosives?i'd like to blow the stubborn little bas%#*#s straight to hell:mad:

It sounds like ya'll are into the 4th big time but to be real honest since my kids are older now and my grandson isn't quite big enough the whole getting together for a bbq is more important than the fireworks for me but that doesn't mean i won't want some info when time gets closer,set us up a list of the top 20 fireworks that won't empty our wallets,i always go to the stand blind and start pointing not really knowing what i'm buying hopefully this year i'll have a pro's tips to help me out;)

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SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA. WE WILL PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF THE TOP 20 FOR A FAMILY SHOW. AND THEN PUT TOGETHER A LIST FOR THE LITTLE ONES. SOME OF THE STUFF THAT I HAVE SEEN FOR KIDS I SURE WOULDN'T WANT THEM IN THE HANDS OF KIDS I AM AROUND.

THE PROBLEMS WITH FIREWORKS IS JUST LIKE YOU STATED. PEOPLE GO TO A STAND BLIND AND START POINTING NOT REALLY KNOWING WHAT THEY ARE BUYING. THEY END UP EITHER GETTING JUNK OR STUFF THAT DOES THE SAME THING. AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE WORKING THE STANDS COULD CARE LESS BECAUSE THEY ARE TEMP HELP AND THEY HAVE LITTLE PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE. THE PLACE WERE WE WORK AT, THEY GO AT IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT. FIRST, WE WANT TO SEE YOU BACK NEXT YEAR. SECOND WE WANT YOU TO HAVE A GREAT FAMILY SHOW. THIRD AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ANYTHING THAT WE DO DOWN AT THE CONSUMER STORE REFLEXES BACK ON THE COMMERCIAL BUSINESS SO WE DO IT RIGHT OR WE DON'T DO IT.

THIS IS MY 5TH YEAR WORKING WITH FIREWORKS. AND I WILL WARN YOU THERE IS ALOT OF JUNK OUT THERE. AND JUST BECAUSE YOU PAID $75.00 FOR SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN IT IS ANY GOOD! THE BOSS WON'T PUT ANYTHING ON THE SHELVES UNLESS HE, HIS SON WHICH OWNS THE COMMERICAL BUSINESS, MY WIFE OR I HAVE SEEN IT FIRST. IF ITS NOT GOOD WE ARE NOT GOING TO SELL IT.

HAVE YOU EVER WALKED INTO A TENT OR A STORE AND HAD SOMEONE GO DOWN THE ROWS OF FIREWORKS AND TELL YOU WHAT EACH THING DOES? HAVE YOU EVER WENT TO A TENT AND HAVE SOMEONE MARK EACH ITEM AND TELL YOU HOW TO SET THEM UP AND WHAT ORDER TO SHOOT THEM IN? WE DO BOTH! BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY AND COME BACK.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO SHOP EARLY. IN MISSOURI WE CAN START SELLING ON JUNE 20. AND ALOT OF TIMES THE GOOD STUFF DON'T LAST LONG.

DUE TO THE PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE AND THE TRUST THAT OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE IN US WE HAVE THEM CALL US AND WE PUT TOGETHER ALOT OF CUSTOM FAMILY SHOWS. NORMALLY EVERYONE GETS TOGHETHER AND PUTS SOME MONEY IN THE POT AND THEN SOMEONE WILL CALL ONE OF US WITH AN AMOUNT.

SOME OF OUR CUSTOM ORDERS ARE AS LOW AS A $100.00 BUT MOST ARE IN THE $200.00 TO $500.00 RANGE. AND YES WE HAVE SEVERAL IN THE $500.00 PLUS RANGE. WE HAVE ONE GUY WHO WILL POOL MONEY TOGETHER FROM ALL HIS NEIGHBORS AT BULL SHOALS, LAST YEAR IS TOTAL WAS WELL OVER $1500.00. HE DOES IT EVERY YEAR, HE COMES IN WITH HIS LIST FROM LAST YEAR. AND WHEN HE WALKS IN THE DOOR THE FIRST QUESTION IS WHATS HOT THIS YEAR? WHATS FUNNY IS HE LIVES IN KC AND HE COMES BY ON HIS WAY TO BULL SHOALS! THAT SHOULD SAY SOMETHING. HE LIKES OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE. WE HAVE ALOT OF CUSTOMERS DRIVE FROM LEBANON, SPRINGFIELD, BRANSON AND LOTS OF OTHER AREAS FOR OUR PERSONAL SERVICE. AND YES I DO DELIVER TO SOME AREAS.

I Had A Guy Tell Me One Time He Got A Great Deal At A Tent That Was Buy One Get One Free! And He Asked Why We Didn't Do That. I Asked Him About What He Had Paid For A Couple Of Items At The Buy One Get One Free Tent. He Told Me, I Took Him Over To The Same Products That He Had Purchased And I Was Able To Show Him That We Had The Same Stuff. We Were At Regular Price, Which Happened To Be A Little Less Than What He Had For The Same Items. Usually At A 50% Off Or A Buy One Get One Free Tent Your Going To Pay Just As Much Or More As A Tent That Don't Offer Discounts. Every Tent Or Stand Works Off The Same Mark Up. So Don't Get Caught In The So Called Big Discount On Fireworks. No One Is Going To Give You Nothing!

Alot Of The Costs In Fireworks Is From Shipping And Alot Of Labor. Most Are Shipped From China In Semi Containers Aboard Ships. The Fireworks Are Then Loaded At The Port On To Semi Trailers. The Trailers Are Then Delivered To The Wholesaler. They Are Not On Pallets So Each Trailer Is Hand Unloaded On To Pallets. Alot Of Times They Are Just Stacked In Warehouses Without Pallets. Then The Wholesaler Sells The Fireworks To A Fireworks Stand Operator. They Then Rent A Tent And Set Up The Stand. In The State Of Missouri They Can Start Selling June 20 And Sell Thru July 10 Most Close On July 5.

Keep An Eye On This Post As I Will Be Giving More Info On Fireworks And How Not To Have A Bad Fireworks Show For Your Family.

Thanks for your input.I usually give the grandkids 10-20 bucks andlet them pick it out,thats half the fun watching them decide-put stuff back-compare,etc...

We don't go all out,nice city show that we can see from the front yard,then the whole town seems to try to out do each other.We usually do the novelties and fountains...parachutes,strobes,smoke bombs,chickens.......

I wish they would list the burn time on fountains,we've had small .75 cent ones that far outlasted and out performed bigger and more expensive ones.

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Originally Posted by cook

Thanks for your input.I usually give the grandkids 10-20 bucks andlet them pick it out,thats half the fun watching them decide-put stuff back-compare,etc...

We don't go all out,nice city show that we can see from the front yard,then the whole town seems to try to out do each other.We usually do the novelties and fountains...parachutes,strobes,smoke bombs,chickens.......

I wish they would list the burn time on fountains,we've had small .75 cent ones that far outlasted and out performed bigger and more expensive ones.

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COOK,

I PLAY WITH STUFF THAT IS UP TO 12 INCHES AROUND! AND GRANTED IT IS ALOT OF FUN. MY CREW AND I HAVE SHOT SHOWS AT THE MISSOURI STATE FAIR BEHIND SOME OF THE TOP MUSIC ACTS IN THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE DONE ALOT OF THE SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS SHOWS AT HAMMONS FIELD, AND THE CITY OF BOLIVAR.

BUT WHERE I HAVE MY MOST FUN IS BEING IN THE CLASS C STORE AND WATCHING THE KIDS COME IN. JUST LIKE YOU SAID WATCHING THEM PICK IT OUT, COMPARE, DECIDE IF THEY WANT BOTTLE ROCKETS OR SMOKE BALLS. I CAN MAKE MORE MONEY SHOOTING COMMERCIAL SHOWS, BUT I WOULD RATHER BE IN THE STORE WATCHING THE KIDS! THE WIFE AND I ENJOY IT SO MUCH THAT SHE NORMALLY TAKES SOME VACATION DAYS JUST TO WORK AT THE STORE.

FIRST OFF GRANDDAD COOK, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE THE BUDGET A LITTLE THIS YEAR. FIREWORKS HAVE WENT UP JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE THIS YEAR.

FUNNY YOU MENTIONED CHICKENS, GOT TO SEE THEM LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY ARE CALLED HEN LAYING EGGS. GREAT FOR KIDS, AND FUNNY LOOKING. I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THE FOUNTAINS THEY SHOULD PUT THE BURN TIME ON THEM. BUT THEY WOULDN'T SELL AS MANY IF THEY DID. I ALSO THINK THEY SHOULD PUT BURN TIME ON SMOKE BALLS TOO.

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WHY I STARTED THIS THREAD. I AM GOING TO TRY TO HELP YOU MEMBERS WITH FIREWORKS, JUST LIKE YOU GUYS ARE HELPING ME WITH CRAPPIE FISHING.

FOUNTAINS, THERE ARE SOME GOOD ONES OUT THERE, CRAZY CONES ARE SOME OF THE CHEAPER FOUNTAINS, THEY ONLY COME IN 2 COLORS, LAST ABOUT 2 MINUTES AND SHOOT REALLY HIGH. CRACKLIN CRAWFISH IS A LIITLE FOUNTAIN ABOUT THE SIZE OF A HALF OF A ROLL OF QUARTERS. ITS 2 MINUTES OF CRACKLING AND IT LEAVES NO MESS AND IT IS GREAT FOR LITTLE KIDS. WHEN ITS DONE THERE IS NOTHING LEFT. FROG PRINCE NEW THIS YEAR LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE GREEN HEAD, IT HAS EYES AND MOUTH AND WE RATED IT VERY HIGH AT THE BUYERS SHOW. MANIAC IS ANOTHER NEW FOUNTAIN THIS YEAR AND IT HAS ALOT OF COLOR. HUGS AND KISSES THERE ARE 2 SIZES OF IT 500 GRAM AND 200 GRAM, IT HAS LEMON DROPS, COLOR CROSSETTES AND CRACKLING PEARLS. JIIGGLIN JIVIN JELLY BEANS IS ANOTHER NEW ONE FOR THIS YEAR, IT HAS BRILLIANT SPRAYS OF MULTI-COLOR BLOBS THAT LOOK LIKE JELLY BEANS! COLORS ARE BLUE, PURPLES, REDS, GREENS, ORANGES AND VIOLETS. AND THEN THERE IS ANNIHILATOR ANOTHER NEW FOUNTAIN THIS YEAR, COLORS FROM WHITE TO GOLD, SILVER GREEN, BLUE GOLD, FOLLOWED BY SILVER, RED, BLUE AND GREEN. GRANTED THE ABOVE FOUNTAINS ARE ABOVE THE $.75 PRICE RANGE BUT MOST ARE BELOW $10.00 BUT THEY ARE WELL WORTH THE EXTRA COSTS.

KEEP CHECKING BACK I WILL BE COVERING PARACHUTES, SMOKE BOMBS, NOVELTIES AND THE LARGER STUFF. I HAVE A PARACHUTE THAT I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT IS ONE OF THE BEST MULTI SHOT ON THE MARKET TODAY. IT WAS RATED FOR NIGHT TIME USE ONLY BUT IT WORKS GREAT IN THE DAY LIGHT.

Thanks, Dan...

Each year I spend about $100-$200 on fireworks. I'm all about the cakes but some I feel like I've really gotten taken on. Drop $30 or something and would have been better off taking a 15 second nap!

This year I probably won't spend as much, esp. with the neighbors spending their money! And sometimes I do get to thinking about what new gear I could get with that money!!

But I'd rather buy smart so I appreciate the info. One home run for me every year has been "Land Of Free". I just love the name. Some Chinaman with a bad translator, I guess. But the cost is low and the show is worth it. Heard of it? I'd like things along those lines. I forget who makes it...I'll find out.

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Originally Posted by Joedog

Thanks, Dan...

Each year I spend about $100-$200 on fireworks. I'm all about the cakes but some I feel like I've really gotten taken on. Drop $30 or something and would have been better off taking a 15 second nap!

This year I probably won't spend as much, esp. with the neighbors spending their money! And sometimes I do get to thinking about what new gear I could get with that money!!

But I'd rather buy smart so I appreciate the info. One home run for me every year has been "Land Of Free". I just love the name. Some Chinaman with a bad translator, I guess. But the cost is low and the show is worth it. Heard of it? I'd like things along those lines. I forget who makes it...I'll find out.

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JOEDOG,

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS! WELL THIS YEAR TO BE ABLE TO GET WHAT YOU GOT LAST YEAR FOR $200.00 ITS GOING TO COST YOU ANYWHERE FROM $220.00 TO $240.00 JUST TO STAY THE SAME AS LAST YEAR. I HAVE BEEN PRICING NEW PRODUCT SINCE SUNDAY MORNING AND ITS NOT GOOD AND WE DON'T HAVE THE MARKUP THAT SOME PLACES HAVE. WE TRY TO WORK OFF A LITTLE SMALLER MARGIN. I EXPECT TO SEE SOME PLACES SELLING NORMAL BOTTLE ROCKETS FOR $1.50 TO $1.75 PER GROSS, UNLESS THEY ARE SELLING THEM AS A LOSS LEADER TO GET YOU IN THE DOOR. I UNDERSTAND DROPPING $30.00 ON SOMETHING AND BEING BETTER OFF TAKING A 15 SECOND NAP! THERE IS ALOT OF JUNK OUT THERE! THATS WHY I AM DOING THIS THREAD TO TRY TO HELP YOU GUYS WHO HAVE HELPED ME WITH MY CRAPPIE FISHING. I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT FIREWORKS, I LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY ABOUT THEM. BUT THIS IS ABOUT MY 5TH YEAR MESSING WITH THEM. WHEN I GO TO A BUYERS SHOW AND WATCH 50 CAKES AND ONLY PICK OUT 5 OR 6 TO STOCK THAT SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF LAND OF THE FREE. THERE IS ALOT OF STUFF OUT THERE. AND DON'T GET STUCK IN A RUT. JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS GOOD ONE YEAR DON'T ALWAYS MEAN ITS GOING TO BE GOOD NEXT YEAR. I AM GOING TO GET INTO SOME DIFFERENT CAKES THAT WIFE AND I LIKE A LITTLE BIT LATTER IN ANOTHER POST.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT JOEDOG WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE SAID "CAKE" I AM GOING TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. A CAKE IS A BOX WITH ONE FUSE THAT HAS MULTI SHOTS THAT COME OUT OF IT. THEY CAN LAST FROM 5 TO 25 SECONDS AND COST FROM $5.00 TO ALMOST A $100.00 EACH. CAKES CAN JUST SHOOT THE SAME EFFECT OR SHOOT SEVERAL DIFFERENT EFFECTS OUT OF ONE BOX. THERE ARE USUALLY 3 OR 4 DIFFERENT SIZES, 100 GRAM, 200 GRAM, 300 GRAM AND 500 GRAM SIZES. CAKES HAVE TAKEN THE PLACE IN MOST PEOPLES FAMILY SHOWS OF THE OLD ONE SHOT ARTILLERY. ARTILLERY IS WHERE YOU PUT THE BALL WITH A FUSE DOWN A SINGLE TUBE AND LIGHT THE FUSE. WITH A CAKE YOU CAN LIGHT THE FUSE STEP BACK AND SEE WHAT IT DOES. NORMALLY WITH A SINGLE ARTILLERY SHELL BY THE TIME YOU LIGHT THE FUSE AND STEP BACK YOU WILL ONLY SEE THE END OF THE EFFECT.

I remember reading last year/early this year about a fire in one of the major China shipping ports-not sure what burned,but I believe it caused a big back log on shipping for the summer.

Thanks for the fireworks "report"..(groan...bad pun)

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Originally Posted by cook

I remember reading last year/early this year about a fire in one of the major China shipping ports-not sure what burned,but I believe it caused a big back log on shipping for the summer.

Thanks for the fireworks "report"..(groan...bad pun)

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YOU ARE CORRECT AND THERE WAS A LARGE SHORTAGE OF COMMERCIAL GRADE FIREWORKS LAST YEAR. EVEN THE CLASS C CONSUMER GRADE FIREWORKS WERE EFFECTED. EVERY SINCE 9/11 THE REGULATIONS HAVE KEPT GETTING TIGHTER. I THINK THERE IS ONLY ONE OR TWO PORTS ALLOWING THE CLASS B COMMERICAL STUFF TO BE UNLOADED IN THE USA. THEN WITH ALL THE ADDITIONAL REGUULATIONS THE PIGGY BACK TRUCK LINES ARE ALMOST NOT WANTING TO DELIVER THE CONTAINERS. SHIPPING COSTS HAVE WENT THRU THE ROOF.