Pyrotechnics

• Herb works for Western Display Fireworks as the Lead Pyrotechnician for various fireworks display each year on the Fourth of July, including Clatskanie and Astoria, Oregon, and Long Beach and Liberty Lake, Washington. Herb is a certified pyrotechnician in Oregon and a licensed pyrotechnician in Washington, and has a commercial drivers license with hazardous material endorsement. He is also a member of the Pyrotechnics Guild International.
• Herb worked with Mark Willke of Full Volume 3D Productions to create a Blu-ray 3D of the Liberty Lake, Washington July 4, 2015 fireworks display, using the following equipment:
  • JVC GS-TD1 3D camcorder (both with and without the Cyclopital base extender attachment) (for setup sequences).
  • Pair of Panasonic HDC TM700 video cameras, mounted on tripods approximately 20 feet apart and quite some distance back from the launch area (for hyper firework bursts during show).
  • Pair of Creative Vado video cameras, mounted side-by-side on a tripod (for close shots of the mortars being lit).
  • GoPro 3D Hero System, mounted on Herb's helmet during the firing of the display.

  The latest (2022) edition of this Blu-ray includes highlights of six shows from 2015 - 2022, as well as five additional special features. For information on how to obtain a copy, or questions about viewing this Blu-ray on your 3D TV, contact Herb.

• Herb has designed a Mortar Cleaning Tool available on Thingiverse. The completed tool can be threaded onto a broomstick or paint handle for cleaning mortars. If you have a 3D printer, you can print this yourself. I printed this model using Black PLA. If you do not have a 3D printer, you can utilize a 3D printing service provider such as 3D Hubs to produce these and ship them to you for a nominal charge. (On Thingiverse, click on the Apps tab below the photo, then click on 3D Hubs. Click Launch App. Login to Makerbot using your Thingiverse login, or create a new account. Select the Quantity and Color, and enter your shipping address.)

  Note that the 3D printed part does not include the screws. To insert the screws, Tap threads into screw holes (using for example SPAX Multi-Purpose Construction Screws #8 x 2 inches), Cut heads off screws (leaving about 1 - 1.25 inches) and use locking pliers to screw the cut-off end of the screw into each hole. Leave about 0.43 inches of the screw protruding to clean 2.5 inch or larger mortars. Longer screws can optionally be used and more can be left protruding to clean larger mortars. 20 screws are required.