BUILDING FIREWORK RACKS
Mortar Rack | Angled Mortar | Fountain | Set Piece
How To Build A Firework Mortar Rack
Consumer mortars available in Thailand come in 3" or 4" single shot cardboard tubes which need to be safely stabilised before firing. If you're only firing off a couple of mortars then it's possible, though not advisable, to stabilise them using rocks, sand or whatever else comes to hand.
A far safer and better option is to use a mortar rack or racks built specifically for the task. All that's needed is a few sturdy pieces of wood, liquid nails, wood screws and a bit of time. Here is a brief run down on what you will need to make sturdy reusable racks for both sizes of mortar. Racks are also available to purchase pre-made from The Fireworks Company f you want to save yourself the time and effort.
Materials For 3" Mortar Rack
- (1) 2x8, 24" long Board
- (2) 1x8, 13.5" long Board
- (6) 1x4, 24" long Board
- (4) Used 3" Mortar Tubes
- (~30) 1½" screws and - (20) 2½" screws
Begin by marking a centerline lengthwise down both pieces of 1x8. Attach both pieces to the ends of the 2x8. Attach two 1x4 pieces between the two 1x8s - one on the bottom, the other on the top. Begin placing the mortars on the base of the 2x8, up against the dividers.
Once the tubes are sitting on the base, add the last four 1x4 pieces as shown in the diagram.
The rack is now complete. If you want, you can purchase a couple metal drawer handles and attach them to either end of the rack - it will make it a lot easier to pick up and move around.
To launch shells, place a long piece of quick match along the dividers and hot glue or tape it down. Put a 4" leader of Visco safety fuse in the end of the quick match. Use a knife to make slits in the quick match paper wherever there's a tube. Slide the mortar fuses into the holes in the quick match and secure using thin twine with a clove hitch.
If you want to slow things down a little, you can connect each mortar fuse to a length of visco using the Fuse Burn Rates Table as a rough guideline for the timings.
Caution: Racks must be stabilized before setting off the shells. Methods include..
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Use heavy blocks or rocks on either side, laid across the stabilisers.
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Fasten two eye bolts on each side of the rack - one near the top, and one near the bottom. Then slide rebar through the bolts and hammer into the ground a few inches.
- When making the racks it's also possible to fasten the stabilizers flat side down on the bottom of the rack as in the image below. This ia a good option for use on flat terrain or on dry sand where the rack can be partially buried.
