getting rid of old flares

[oldmanofthehills]

My puzzlement is why the CG are so against us just lighting them on bonfire night while well away from water. Do you think they would really suspect a ship was in danger in back garden 100ft above an inland river? Is it even credible that any neighbours could distinguish them from the genuinely explosive fireworks sold freely in shops round here?

I have burnt a few in my guardian just to let the Navigator see how they worked and no police or firebrigade came round - unlike when I burned the brash and scrub from tree felling and a police helicopter drifted over from its normal joyride chasing duties but glumly went away on seeing only an elderly gardener and his bonfire

 

[vodzurk]

Don't want to sound confrontational, but why is it so important to "safely" dispose of old flares?

Clearly there's a fire risk of simply disposing of them as household waste.

To make them safe, what's wrong with, say, cutting them open while holding them in a bucket of water?

Once neutralised in this way, they're surely no more dangerous than household chemicals thrown away in the usual way.

I'd be scared of activating them in an uncontrolled manner.

Somewhere in there is gunpowder. Somewhere else is something that ignites it in a gradual burn, even if it falls in the water I believe.

By cutting through it, all that "gradual" could be removed... 30 seconds worth of explosives lighting all in one go... Bye bye hand(s).

Disclaimer: I know nothing. Only to treat them with respect.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Gun powder is just that , a powder else it would not go bang (unlike high explosives which detonate on shock not by burn). Larger grains for cartridges to burn slow, fine for bombs back in the day etc.

Flares use solid matter a bit like solid state rocket boosters, and solid state boosters are stable and dont go bang. Flares cant go bang. Treat with respect but dont fear. They wont go off any old how, but need to be lit presumably by a match like insert being struck. If you cut in half the bottom part should not light and if by strange chance it should smoulder because your saw got hot just drop it on floor or in bucket.

Fireworks are more dangerous as we like things that go bang and they are mostly not designed to be held at arms length

 

[penberth3]

...To make them safe, what's wrong with, say, cutting them open while holding them in a bucket of water?...

Pyrotechnics will fire under water. Old flares might have deteriorated, which might mean they fire more vigorously than the manufacturer intended. Don't try it.

 

[Old Bumbulum]

Mine are all being fired off tonight.
It is ridiculous for the CG to suggest that parachute flares let off inland away from mountains and moors would attract any notice at all, let alone trigger an emergency response. In fact they'd go completely unnoticed among all the other fireworks.

 

[vodzurk]

Mine are all being fired off tonight.
It is ridiculous for the CG to suggest that parachute flares let off inland away from mountains and moors would attract any notice at all, let alone trigger an emergency response. In fact they'd go completely unnoticed among all the other fireworks.

From someone who isn't me... Found on the internet or something... he reckons not to light them, but if you reject that advice, he also reckoned...

1. Wear a gauntlet! Bloody things have the handle go alight (instead of just out the top) or blow flame back over where they're held. SWIM did wear a guantlet and dropped it at last minute onto mud as flames started coming out of handle piece (where plastic handle joins to tube).
2. They make a mess, so watch out if its your garden.
3. Wear protective eyewear... they spurt bits out, erratically, on fire, with tiny bit of wind blowing them backwards. SWIM did wear protective eyewear, and is thankful.
4. Cover bare arms.
5. Consider breathing mask.

 

[CLB]

Mine are all being fired off tonight.
It is ridiculous for the CG to suggest that parachute flares let off inland away from mountains and moors would attract any notice at all, let alone trigger an emergency response. In fact they'd go completely unnoticed among all the other fireworks.

You may not realise that parachute flares are designed to stay alight until after they have hit the ground. Setting them off over land has a very real chance of starting a fire. I do hope you didn't/don't/won't do it.

 

[colingr]

Mine are all being fired off tonight.
It is ridiculous for the CG to suggest that parachute flares let off inland away from mountains and moors would attract any notice at all, let alone trigger an emergency response. In fact they'd go completely unnoticed among all the other fireworks.

The problem with parachutes is that they're not guaranteed to go out until they land in the sea (or inland on someones house / cat / car head). Especially old ones which are not guaranteed to take off properly at all.

Edit: CLB beat me to it.

 

[Hadenough]

Mine are all being fired off tonight.
It is ridiculous for the CG to suggest that parachute flares let off inland away from mountains and moors would attract any notice at all, let alone trigger an emergency response. In fact they'd go completely unnoticed among all the other fireworks.

How did you get on? Any neighbours homeless?