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Mortar Rack Flight Fusing Techniques
You now have a collection of different types of mortar racks. The whole purpose of building all of those racks is so that you can launch multiple shells at a time by only lighting one fuse. In this section we are going to explain different ways that you can create different flights depending on how you setup the mortar racks, fusing.
Note: Make sure that when you are lighting multiple shells out of a rack that you properly secure the rack. The last thing you want to have happen is for a rack to tip over and start shooting shells all over the ground. Make sure to read the section of proper rack orientation.
When you connect the different fuses together make sure to look at the section on how to connect fuse together. The last thing you want is to have you finale break down at the end of your show because you failed to properly connect the fuses together.
| Finale Fusing (2 or all at a time) This way to fuse shells together is great for use during a finale or to simulate a larger cake. Depending on what type of fuse you use will determine how fast or slow your shells will fire. Typically the racks I build are two rows wide. The newer racks I am building you can still get the same effect by placing two racks next to each other. The best way to fuse the shells together is by running a fuse of either Quickmatch or Visco down the center (depends on the speed at which you want the shells to light). Then make a fresh angled cut at the end of each fuse of the shells. Now this is important, you want to make sure that the fuse end of the shell is pointing towards the side that you are going to light. Attach the fuses together according to the methods of joining fuse, to make a reliable connection. |
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| Multiple Group Firing (10 shots, 2 groups of 3, 1
group 4) This technique of fusing is great for sending up multiple flights of shells spaced apart. This technique is actually a combination of simultaneous firing and staggered firing. The idea is to setup your groups so that all of the fuses are evenly lined up tape the fuses together to secure each flight. Now you have to attach all of your groups (flights) to a central fuse, this can either be quickmatch or visco depending on how fast or slow you want the rack to fire the groups. Cut all of the ends of each group off to expose the fresh powder core. When attaching the group to the central fuse make sure that the end is attached so that it is face the direction from which the central fuse will be ignited. |
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| Simultaneous Firing Of One Group (3 shots in a
group) While one shell looks impressive imagine groups of different number of sizes going off at the same time. With this fusing you don't have to fuse all of the shell in the rack to one bunch. The best way to fuse a group of shells together, lets say three, is to line up each of there fuses so that they are evenly lined up. Now take either masking tape or packing tape and wrap around the group of fuses so that they are tight against each other. This will make sure that if you only get one of them lit that the rest of the fuses will light and burn roughly at the same time. You want to try to have at least 2 inches of the fuse of the shell touching. |
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| Staggered Firing (every other one on each side) Unlike the even line up of shells in the first example we are now going to shoot one from the left row and one from the right, alternating back and forth. The best way to do this is to try to space the fuses of the shell roughly a 1/2 inch apart when connecting the shells to the same fuse. Make a fresh angled cut at the end of the fuse of the shell. Make sure to align the shells fuse ends pointing toward the direction from which end you lit. This is great if you just want to fire only one at a time, and sit back and watch your show. |
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| Z Style Firing (Left to Right, Right to Left) |
