posted
I live in a little town inside the KC metro area. We have our own police force and lots of restrictive rules about when you can do this of that, typical for over-regulated places where the taxes are way too high and the home prices are astronmical. We do have our own water department and unbelievable water pressure, so it does have some advantages.
One thing that is very restricted is the use of fireworks. Fortunately, it is never enforced! Generally by about now, I hear a few pops and smell some flash powder drifting in from somewhere. Last night I heard my first two M-80s. Wow! Summer has begun. From now until July 4, it will get progressively louder and will become a cacophony to the night of the fourth. We have two country clubs just north of me a couple blocks and they both put up incredible displays of aeriel blasts that drive all dogs who can still hear, under the beds. Fortunately this year, Gracie, my 12 year old pup has lost most of her hearing and will finally be immune. She no longer barks and sings along with the civil defense sirens.
OK. How come they outlawed M-80s in the early 50s and yet we still hear them being shot off? Who makes them and where in the world do they sell them? Now, I do not want anyone to blab and get someone busted, but do any of you also hear them being blown off? Are they universally being distributed around the country to just ultra special people to keep the rest of us lusting after a few of them to really scare the dickens out of our noisy neighbors who throw beer cans in the street? Do any of you know anything about the secret sub-culture of the mysterious M-80? Let's open up this myth and share what we 'have heard'. I would really enjoy just knowing what this sub-culture is and imagine having another half gross of them!
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
From what I've read, they are still made...but not for the consumer market. Farmers sometimes have access to them to scare off animals from their crops. Most of those being sold to consumers are illegal and poorly made. The modern "consumer" version makes lots of noise, but has 1/60th the amount of explosive.
-------------------- Doug Haffner Haffner Signs www.haffnersigns.com 309-338-9570 211 W. Williams Wyoming, Il 61491 Posts: 211 | From: Wyoming, Illinois | Registered: May 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
Preston just out of curiosity at what age do people get upset at a loud noise in your neighborhood, you know being in such ritzy surroundings and all that?
I'm sure if Ted was out of lockup, he could help with your quest
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
posted
the M-80 of the 60's is not what they sell today. those sold today pale in comparison. a 1960's M-80 would blow lockers off the wall, if it didnt come off the wall it would distort the door or blow it open. also the 60's version was water proof. light it throw it in a commode, and somewhere down the sewer line it would explode. now these are stories i heard never had anything to do with dumb schit like that.
[ June 04, 2012, 12:09 PM: Message edited by: old paint ]
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
They do sell "M-80s" at the firework stands, but they are just 1.5" firecrackers in larger "M-80" looking wrappers. They are what I call Faux M80s. The false labeling folks should get those people.
I had a guy who stopped by my shop years ago who had a half gross of the real ones and he needed to get rid of them real fast. Someone was looking for him, he claimed. I gave him ten bucks and I had plenty for a few years. Needless to say they were alot of fun as my shop was out in the country and no harm came to any living thing, other than a few weeds and a few deaf rabbits.
Anyway, would love to get some more. I know someone has them because I hear them all over. They should allow them only on the Forth and only to rational people who like us sign people, to just have fun and not blow up the neighbor's mail box.
Then beckons the question....Whatever happened to Cherrybombs?
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
I just spent ten days visiting my brother who was doing volunteer work in Jocotepec, Jalisco, Mexico.
Just about every night about 10 PM, one of the churches would set off a huge amount of fireworks into the sky over town. It wasn't necessary to set an alarm because about 6 AM, another church set off a bunch on the mountain overlooking town. I don't know what the point was because it didn't seem to instill the populace with the desire to rush to mass. I doubt any organization could get away with that here without having some really good lawyers on retainer.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
They said the M-80's were outlawed, along with Cherry Bombs, because they would blow your fingers off, or whatever. And they sure would blow the he-- out of stuff!!! Of course, that's hearsay on my part, and I wouldn't know much about it.....My neighbor might be able to shed some light on it, though. Something bad happened to one of his garbage cans, one summer, when they were away on vacation.......I'm told.
Wanna make a heck of a noise without all the gunpowder and stuff? Or the expense? Now this is what I'm told, mind you. Get a 2 liter soda bottle (empty), put in a small handful of dry ice pellets and about a half to 3/4 cup of water. Screw on the lid tightly, shake it up, and throw it!! I hear it makes a whale of a racket.
You may have to play around with amounts of ingredients a little, but it's awesome......so I'm told.
Incidentally, if you check out Si's thread below, you'll see that those phony M-80's you get now only have about 1/50th of the powder of the originals....WOW!
posted
Blah, blah, blah. Sure we know they are illegal, dangerous and can really cause some damage, but back to my original question...Has anyone been hearing any of them going off this year?
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
never was allowed to play with the "bad" fireworks like M80s- about all I could afford was tons of black cat common firecrackers, anyway- but the desire to live dangerous lead to my devastating invention: old glass christmas ornaments, stuffed with packing and a black cat inside= a small pop, but mucho flying glass shrapnel... very hard to explain some of wounds--- and how come we never had enough ornaments on the tree come christmas time...
-------------------- Michael Clanton Clanton Graphics/ Blackberry 19 Studio 1933 Blackberry Conway AR 72034 501-505-6794 clantongraphics@yahoo.com Posts: 1735 | From: Conway Arkansas | Registered: Oct 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Back in the 80's a friend of mine had a 1/4 stick of Dynomite. We went to the National Mall for the concert. Afterward in a clearing behind the porta pottys, we found a "puddle" and lit the fuse.
Five seconds later, the most devestating sound I have ever heard echoed for miles through downtown Washington DC. 60 seconds later, Everyone from Secret Service, FBI, and mounted MPD decended on the blast site.
I have lived a good clean life ever since.
-------------------- Mike Duncan Lettercraft Signs Posts: 1328 | From: Centreville, VA | Registered: Oct 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
preston every one knows..CHERRY BOMBS........go on hot rods!!!!!
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
I was at a Cadillac store yesterday to do some work and the New Car Manager, a 30 something guy, asked me what an M-80 was, when I asked if he had heard any, so far this season. I said a big fircracker, very loud. He said they were not selling them yet. Obviously, it has never registered in his head that there are some bigger ones. I said, "Like Cherry Bombs, Silver Salutes, Bull Dogs, you know...M-80s". He said back, "Oh yeah...my grandfather told me he had some when he was a kid." Now what has this world come to?
I asked several other car dogs yesterday, thinking maybe someone had come in to try and sell a few? No way! I guess they will remain a mystery, like finding cans of One Shot with lead.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
CAN OF ONE SHOT WITH LEAD.............i have some))))))
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic