building the perfect pyro poke diy firework tool

This video is all about building pyro pokes for fireworks. I originally wanted to buy a pyro poke, but the only one I liked was a wooden version, so I decided to make my own. I planned to test a few different styles and ended up making several with wooden handles and several with epoxy handles. I started with the wood handles, creating two separate blanks from wood I glued together. For the first blank, I chose half maple and half cherry. For the second blank, I used maple sandwiched between walnut. I used a variety of tools to shape the handles into my preferred designs. My favorite shapes were from the maple and cherry blank because they were thinner and felt more comfortable in my hand. For the epoxy handles, I used silicone molds to achieve the desired shape. The molds were originally designed for cheese knives, but I thought they would work great for this project. The epoxy I used is rated for a maximum 1/2-inch pour, but since the molds were thicker, I poured the epoxy in two separate layers using different colors. I waited six hours between pours to ensure a strong chemical bond while creating a clean transition line between the colors. Once the handle shapes were complete, I cut various lengths of brass rod to insert into the handles. Brass rods are a great option because their non-sparking properties make them safer for poking into firework cakes. I found that the 1/4-inch diameter rod is the most useful, but the 1/8-inch diameter rod is great for creating starter holes. I set the brass rods into each handle with clear epoxy. To test the bond’s strength, I conducted a preliminary test by poking into a cardboard box. I wasn’t gentle during this test, and I was happy to see the epoxy bond held up well. To properly test the pyro pokes, I picked up four firework cakes and practiced poking them for firewire initiators. This allowed me to get hands-on experience with this method so I can remotely light fireworks with instantaneous ignition. For safety, I poked the fireworks and inserted the igniters outside to reduce the risk of fire in case of accidental ignition. I’m really happy with how these pyro pokes turned out and can’t wait to explore the new possibilities they offer. *I’m not an expert. If the method I used doesn’t seem safe, do not attempt it. Music: Steven Beddall - Best Kind of Love Jozeque - Augmaster Jozeque - Mage Evgeny Bardyuzha - Don't Hurt Me Sero - Think of Mind 00:00 Introduction 01:14 Building Wooden Handles 06:57 Making Epoxy Handles 09:48 Epoxy Handle Tips 10:54 Cutting Brass Rods 13:10 Testing Epoxy Bond 15:12 Firework Cake Prep 16:16 Poking the Cakes 19:19 Testing Igniters 21:22 Final Thoughts