News and Blog
Stories from the firing line
Event recaps, newsletters, history and how-to from the Western Pyrotechnic Association.
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Do-it 2025 at Americas Arsenal of Democracy Hawthorne NV
You have to admit, we've had a lot of fun at do-it over the years. Despite all the fears, despite all the tears. The dog food trucks blazing in the…
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61 issues since 1996
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Thai Rockets Part 1 - Paul Moulder
Reprinted by permission of the author, originally published in fireworking.com, excellent Ned Gorski site you should all be subscribing to.
We're not peeling potatoes here
Time to take another look at fireworks safety
It was 20 years ago today
Sgt Pepper taught the band to play
"Extreme" Whistle Rockets
Some Do-its ago one of our members, an approximately 7 foot tall hispanic former marine appeared at Do-it. He said his name was "Arbor...
Remain in Mexico
WPA luminaries did not get enough in Havasu and travelled to Tultapec Mexico fireworks festival for another fix after the winter blast. ...
Is Independence Red the deepest ever?
"Trust the Science"
US consumer fireworks - Rise and Fall by Robert T. Kellner
Fountains, helicopters, novelties, Roman candles, skyrockets, sparkler and tube aerial items were all made in the United States. The...
Cool your jets: Dave Johnson 1989 Go Getter Paper
Back in the days when MgAl was just a gleam in the parlon star makers eye Dave Johnson was fooling around with magnesium based jetting...
De Colores Espanol: Pojete Spanish star formulas
Pojete Spanish Star formulas
Time to get Creative: Medlin on Time Fuse and Spollettes
Time to get creative
We get letters
Responses from the great Joel Baechle, lead chemist for MP associates, Ione, CA regarding the spollette business. Apparently there is...
Speaking of Fulcanelli
This page tries to give answers to questions everyone trying to make a successfull canister shell sooner or later will have to ask....
Spitfire - Make Spollettes the Fulcanelli way
Time fuse is getting harder to get. For larger shells it doesn't work well anyway because you want to spit fire into the center of the...
Go Get 'em Tiger
Go Getter fireworks are animated stars used in aerial shells or mines that create an effect similar to swimming or flying all over the...
Damned for all time
Ok you may have noticed from some of my earlier writings that I was really impressed with this idea happening in the spanish speaking...
WPA Newsletter #35-2: About Do-It 2024; A 4th of July Operator's Experience; Wild West of Czech Border Pyro; Pyro Dream Team Discussion Part 2; Krug & Widmann Analysis of Successful 62" Shell Launch
The Do-It 2024 is Tuesday Sept 17-22 in Hawthorne NV. It is fun!
Newsletter V35-1: Western WinterBlast® 2024 Recap; Dream Team Interview with Eric Tucker, Pyro Pete, Martin Hildeberg & Patrice Guy; and more
What is it about the desert? Things survive out here despite all Beautiful things Even the detritus, full of bullet holes Somehow the...
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