piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn.

realfire111 · January 12th, 2008, 07:57 AM

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wi...0,253105.story

leeca · January 12th, 2008, 09:56 AM

Sterno stoves & Bic lighters will be next, then birthday candles..

minor · January 12th, 2008, 10:08 AM

BS meter went off when it said they watched a video and then banned it,
even thought its made to specs. So basically they make up the rules as they go...

scarp9603 · January 12th, 2008, 10:21 AM

Most judges today subscribe to the "living, breathing constitution" theory --- which means by creatively "interpreting" the constitution and the laws judges can change the meaning as they see fit.

If the courts can can give you rights they can take them away.

realfire111 · January 12th, 2008, 10:37 AM

it is getting hard to think positive any more for me, too many nanny states, protect me from my self

pyro29 · January 12th, 2008, 11:43 AM

Pete's were banned because of the way they were being modified and "transformed" into another device. In the OSFM's eyes, it was easier to just remove their availablilty than to educate people on why it is dangerous and illegal.

leeca · January 12th, 2008, 12:43 PM

Many years back people would "Pinch" the piccolo pete with a vise or vise grips and they would whistles a bit and then blow up, But for many years now the piccolo petes have been made with a inner sleeve that has a slot running the length of the piccolo pete so even if they were to pinch them, the piccolo pete will just burn up and not pop.

The new design put an end to pinching piccolo pete's

missinglink · January 12th, 2008, 12:51 PM

You know I hate piccolo petes!

So if they had to pick one firework to do that to it would be that one.... but this is still ridiculous.

bcfireworks1 · January 12th, 2008, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeca

Many years back people would "Pinch" the piccolo pete with a vise or vise grips and they would whistles a bit and then blow up, But for many years now the piccolo petes have been made with a inner sleeve that has a slot running the length of the piccolo pete so even if they were to pinch them, the piccolo pete will just burn up and not pop.

The new design put an end to pinching piccolo pete's

The newer strategies go well beyond pinching and can't really be stopped by changing the device. The only way to stop it would be to remove the 'whistle'.

Quote:

Originally Posted by missinglink

You know I hate piccolo petes!

So if they had to pick one firework to do that to it would be that one.... but this is still ridiculous.

Hmmm....1 case of piccolo petes matched up for my entry in the board contest....

**Colin** · January 12th, 2008, 01:40 PM

The pinching thing can still be done - there's no way to avoid it. It's simple the nature of the composition inside (whistle mix). A burning piccolo pete is just about on the brink of exploding in the first place. If you agitate the composition by pinching, it will blow.

What's all the crap about the size of the flame? I haven't lit a TNT piccolo pete in a couple years, but I don't recall the flame being more than a couple inches high. And it sure doesn't burn as hot as a sparkler.

leeca · January 12th, 2008, 01:59 PM

I was intentionally not going there but of course you are right. As I recall the piccolo petes were never stacked up with my finale fountains because other than noise, they really did have much to them. They certainly they did not have the spray that most fountains have.

countryboy7978 · January 13th, 2008, 06:33 PM

I had a few boxes of FOA's version of this item. It has almost no flame or color at night. Maybe a few inches high. The kids love these so I buy them every year.

I do miss witch whistles though

CTPYRO180 · January 13th, 2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colin

What's all the crap about the size of the flame? I haven't lit a TNT piccolo pete in a couple years, but I don't recall the flame being more than a couple inches high. And it sure doesn't burn as hot as a sparkler.

There was more behind this lawsuit. The piccolo pete was in most of TNT Ct S&S assortments. Thousands of assortments were pulled on July 1st as a result of this "Questionable" device. FMs who had a bone to pick with TNT just got the weak link they were looking for..

TNT lost thousands if not millions of revenue....

Oh by the way ....

TNT was also the company that initiated the sparkler bill in CT....

The FMs had TNT in there sights and they hit them hard ......

RPS · January 13th, 2008, 11:39 PM

My thoughts on this situation are posted on my blog, I won't link to the post directly because I link to videos on modifying Piccolo Petes in it, but I'm sure you can find it from my profile if you care.

(since it has already been mentioned in this thread I don't think that breaks any rules...) The post includes a video of 237 of them at once!

Anyway, this is a stupid ruling, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was deliberately to go after fireworks in general and not a safety issue. They are no more dangerous than the fountains that are already legal.

January 12th, 2008, 07:57 AM	#1
realfire111 Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 45	piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wi...0,253105.story

January 12th, 2008, 09:56 AM	#2
leeca Supporting Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: So California Posts: 3,585	Re: piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. Sterno stoves & Bic lighters will be next, then birthday candles.. __________________ Help preserve fireworks in America Join The Fireworks Alliance. It is far better to have fireworks and no money, than it is to have money and no fireworks. Last edited by leeca; January 12th, 2008 at 10:26 AM.

January 12th, 2008, 10:08 AM	#3
minor Supporting Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: outside the US, where its all legal Posts: 166	Re: piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. BS meter went off when it said they watched a video and then banned it, even thought its made to specs. So basically they make up the rules as they go...

January 12th, 2008, 10:21 AM	#4
scarp9603 Supporting Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 359	Re: piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. Most judges today subscribe to the "living, breathing constitution" theory --- which means by creatively "interpreting" the constitution and the laws judges can change the meaning as they see fit. If the courts can can give you rights they can take them away. __________________ PGI Member PGI Shooter's Certificate HPA Member APA Shooter's Certificate

January 12th, 2008, 10:37 AM	#5
realfire111 Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 45	Re: piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. it is getting hard to think positive any more for me, too many nanny states, protect me from my self

January 12th, 2008, 11:43 AM	#6
pyro29 Supporting Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: yea, they're not legal here either... Posts: 1,065	Re: piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. Pete's were banned because of the way they were being modified and "transformed" into another device. In the OSFM's eyes, it was easier to just remove their availablilty than to educate people on why it is dangerous and illegal. __________________ CT, MD, NH, NY (Type A) Licensed Display Operator Type 20 Licensed PGI Certified Northern Lights Pyrotechnic Club, Inc PGI Member

January 12th, 2008, 12:43 PM	#7
leeca Supporting Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: So California Posts: 3,585	Re: piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. Many years back people would "Pinch" the piccolo pete with a vise or vise grips and they would whistles a bit and then blow up, But for many years now the piccolo petes have been made with a inner sleeve that has a slot running the length of the piccolo pete so even if they were to pinch them, the piccolo pete will just burn up and not pop. The new design put an end to pinching piccolo pete's __________________ Help preserve fireworks in America Join The Fireworks Alliance. It is far better to have fireworks and no money, than it is to have money and no fireworks.

January 12th, 2008, 12:51 PM	#8
missinglink Supporting Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Washington State Posts: 2,681	Re: piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. You know I hate piccolo petes! So if they had to pick one firework to do that to it would be that one.... but this is still ridiculous.

January 12th, 2008, 01:40 PM	#10
Colin Administrator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Port Angeles, WA Posts: 1,729	Re: piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. The pinching thing can still be done - there's no way to avoid it. It's simple the nature of the composition inside (whistle mix). A burning piccolo pete is just about on the brink of exploding in the first place. If you agitate the composition by pinching, it will blow. What's all the crap about the size of the flame? I haven't lit a TNT piccolo pete in a couple years, but I don't recall the flame being more than a couple inches high. And it sure doesn't burn as hot as a sparkler. __________________ - Colin Bradley Pyro Universe Founder & Webmaster BS Chemistry, WWU WA State Licensed Pyrotechnic Operator

January 12th, 2008, 01:59 PM	#11
leeca Supporting Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: So California Posts: 3,585	Re: piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. I was intentionally not going there but of course you are right. As I recall the piccolo petes were never stacked up with my finale fountains because other than noise, they really did have much to them. They certainly they did not have the spray that most fountains have. __________________ Help preserve fireworks in America Join The Fireworks Alliance. It is far better to have fireworks and no money, than it is to have money and no fireworks.

January 13th, 2008, 06:33 PM	#12
countryboy7978 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NW Indy Posts: 1,245	Re: piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. I had a few boxes of FOA's version of this item. It has almost no flame or color at night. Maybe a few inches high. The kids love these so I buy them every year. I do miss witch whistles though

January 13th, 2008, 11:39 PM	#14
RPS Supporting Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: WA Posts: 1,830	Re: piccolo pete ruled to dangerous for conn. My thoughts on this situation are posted on my blog, I won't link to the post directly because I link to videos on modifying Piccolo Petes in it, but I'm sure you can find it from my profile if you care. (since it has already been mentioned in this thread I don't think that breaks any rules...) The post includes a video of 237 of them at once! Anyway, this is a stupid ruling, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was deliberately to go after fireworks in general and not a safety issue. They are no more dangerous than the fountains that are already legal. __________________ My random fireworks blog: http://amnt.vox.com/