Firework Buying Tips3336687
The 'standard' fireworks licence only permits a supplier to sell fireworks for a 3 week period before November 5th, a few days before New Year, Diwali and Chinese New Year.
If we deal with what to buy first, then the most essential thing to look for is that the fireworks comply with British Standard BS7114. This number must be printed on the box or firework, and shows that the product complies with strict safety standards. If you do not see this number, then leave nicely alone. These fireworks should not even be offered for sale, but unfortunately non compliant fireworks do still slip via the net.
Fireworks are divided into four categories, only two of which truly concern us right here. Category one is for such things as indoor fireworks, and category four is for professional display items, so most of what you see in the shops will be in categories two and 3.
The main criteria for category two fireworks are that the fuse should burn for between three and 13 seconds, and it must be viewed from at least 5 metres away. For category 3 the fuse is five to 15 seconds, and the viewing distance 25 metres. There are also criteria for debris fallout locations, but these are the primary defining criteria. You tend to get category two fireworks in the smaller sized show boxes, sold through mainstream suppliers' such as newsagents and supermarkets. The more spectacular category three items are usually sold as person items, and are generally to be found in much more specialist outlets.
One very easy, but fairly reliable tip for gauging the value and most likely performance of a firework is to feel the weight of it. Usually speaking, the heavier a firework is, the better display it will give you. This is by no indicates a hard and fast rule, but it is a extremely good rule of thumb.
Having been in the trade for 40 years now, I like to believe I have had a affordable amount of feed back on the subject of DIY firework displays, and the thing that crops up time and again is that most displays last for too long, with too many 'same again' fireworks! The issue could so easily be solved with a bit of forward planning. Instead of the usual scenario, exactly where six people all turn up with a small box of fireworks, very likely from a non specialist outlet, that fizzle and phutt their way through a lacklustre display, why not collect an agreed quantity of money from each guest instead, and then go to a specialist retailer, and buy a couple of really spectacular fireworks. Everyone will then see a shorter, but far much better display.
We now have a normal customer base, which entrust their spending budget to us every year, and rely us to construct a memorable show for them. Initially it may be difficult to persuade them to invest any exactly where in between £40 and £140 on one firework, but nearly without exception, as soon as they have gone that route, they by no means look back!
