Imagine this situation: a client wants you to ignite 100 comets around a race track and another 100 on top of a large bridge spanning across acres of water all done, simultaneously! So now you are thinking of the costs with 200 e-matches needed, reels of long wires, several computer node systems, and on and on. Sure it's common to face situations like this (some of us only wish!) and we are more than pleased to budget them out. But in our land of making these faster, easier, and better there is a new product: Lightning Tube. A replacement for a spark generating, non-shock tube alternative to conventional shock tube products. What does this mean?
Some will remember the Shock Tube system that was invented for the mining industry to avoid the use of long wires which can induce a radio frequency that will produce enough power to set off any explosives connected to it. The mining and the pyrotechnic industry love that instant ignition of any items attached to the cable but that is where the benefits end.
Shock tube is composed of high explosive materials (dump enough of the powder out and... well... lets just say no Pyro needs to do that) so it has to carry a high explosive transportation marking making it difficult to ship. Other problems exist such as the end resulting shock wave doesn't directly ignite loose pyrotechnic powders and the tube is actually deformed when ignited.
Enter Lightning Tube. This non-DOT regulated product will ship as a normal shipment without any HAZMAT fees to pay! (Users are required to have a valid and current ATFE license, type 4 storage and records keeping. Storage and records MUST be followed to ATFE specs.!) Unlike Shock tube you can bend, kink, or knot the tube or even operate with a small hole puncture and it will still transmit flame to the end of the cable. There is no noise, no vibration, and no sense of warming to the hands when it's held (Not recommended to hold any pyrotechnic device unless it was designed to do so.)
Lightning tube works better than shock tube in colder climate and can ignite slow delay mixtures without igniter mixtures. No need for an end igniter as you can ignite loose black powder directly from the output of the tube and you can keep devices as close together as you want because it doesn't need to create that "shock wave" effect.
It works by a principle of propagation with a molten metal spark travelling at 1200 m/s . It cannot be ignited by direct flame as the ignition requires a combination of impact and flame which is provided only by the starter. (That is why it's safe to transport)
The tube can be connected to Pyrotechnic delays to give precise timing of chains, add T joints to create full instantaneous fronts, or use it to replace regular quickmatch leaders. Imagine no electrical wires, less e-matchs, and because this tube can resist weather you don't need to cover long lengths of quickmatch!
Ken Kosanke of the Journal of Pyrotechnics writes 2 in-depth articles in the January and February Firework Business News editions.
The company carrying the product is also looking for worldwide distributors. Contact them at: LIGHTNING THERMOTUBE, LTD. 12707 North Freeway, Suite 330 Houston, TX 77060 1-800-279-4563 or 1-713-728-1437 website: www.lightningtube.com
Some will remember the Shock Tube system that was invented for the mining industry to avoid the use of long wires which can induce a radio frequency that will produce enough power to set off any explosives connected to it. The mining and the pyrotechnic industry love that instant ignition of any items attached to the cable but that is where the benefits end.
Shock tube is composed of high explosive materials (dump enough of the powder out and... well... lets just say no Pyro needs to do that) so it has to carry a high explosive transportation marking making it difficult to ship. Other problems exist such as the end resulting shock wave doesn't directly ignite loose pyrotechnic powders and the tube is actually deformed when ignited.
Enter Lightning Tube. This non-DOT regulated product will ship as a normal shipment without any HAZMAT fees to pay! (Users are required to have a valid and current ATFE license, type 4 storage and records keeping. Storage and records MUST be followed to ATFE specs.!) Unlike Shock tube you can bend, kink, or knot the tube or even operate with a small hole puncture and it will still transmit flame to the end of the cable. There is no noise, no vibration, and no sense of warming to the hands when it's held (Not recommended to hold any pyrotechnic device unless it was designed to do so.)
Lightning tube works better than shock tube in colder climate and can ignite slow delay mixtures without igniter mixtures. No need for an end igniter as you can ignite loose black powder directly from the output of the tube and you can keep devices as close together as you want because it doesn't need to create that "shock wave" effect.
It works by a principle of propagation with a molten metal spark travelling at 1200 m/s . It cannot be ignited by direct flame as the ignition requires a combination of impact and flame which is provided only by the starter. (That is why it's safe to transport)
The tube can be connected to Pyrotechnic delays to give precise timing of chains, add T joints to create full instantaneous fronts, or use it to replace regular quickmatch leaders. Imagine no electrical wires, less e-matchs, and because this tube can resist weather you don't need to cover long lengths of quickmatch!
Ken Kosanke of the Journal of Pyrotechnics writes 2 in-depth articles in the January and February Firework Business News editions.
The company carrying the product is also looking for worldwide distributors. Contact them at: LIGHTNING THERMOTUBE, LTD. 12707 North Freeway, Suite 330 Houston, TX 77060 1-800-279-4563 or 1-713-728-1437 website: www.lightningtube.com
