How to Make Firework Pinwheels

Fireworks date back to 7th century China.

A firework pinwheel is a firework that creates a rotating wheel of different colored flames. Firework pinwheels are used in pyrotechnics shows and on the 4th of July to celebrate American Independence Day. Smaller pinwheel fireworks can be created on a piece of cardboard, and can also be made to whistle as the firework explodes.

Things You'll Need

• 3 layers of cardboard
• Scissors
• Painter's tape or duct tape
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Drill
• Glue
• 2 generic whistling fireworks
• 3 green sparklers
• 3 red sparklers
• Firework fuse
• Large piece of wood or cardboard

Instructions

1. Cut three rectangular pieces of cardboard, each around 3 inches by 12 inches. Tape all three layers together on each side with painter's tape or duct tape.

2. Use a ruler and a pencil to draw a straight line diagonally from the upper left corner of the cardboard to the lower right corner, and vice versa. The pencil marks should make an "X" on the cardboard.

3. At the middle of the "X" mark, drill a small hole with a drill. Put glue around the inside and the outside edges of the hole so that the hole stays intact and the cardboard doesn't fray.

4. Take the outer paper off of two whistling fireworks. Use crazy glue or hot glue to glue each firework onto the short (3-inch) sides of the cardboard.

5. Tape three green sparklers together and tape three red sparklers together to make two clusters.

6. Turn the cardboard rectangle vertically so that it looks tall instead of horizontally long. Tape the cluster of red sparklers to the right side, or the "inside" of the cardboard. Tape it about 3 inches from the end of the cardboard. Tape the green cluster of sparklers to the left side, or the "outside" of the cardboard, as close to the top edge of the cardboard as possible. (The red and green sparklers should be diagonal from each other.)

7. Tape the fuse wire diagonally across the cardboard by putting the end of one fuse into the left end of the whistling firework, across the cardboard, and into the right end of the whistling firework on the other side.

8. Take a fuse wire and tape it onto the red fireworks diagonally across to the green fireworks. Tape both fuse wires together at the middle of the cardboard "X" and tape the fuse on top of the combined fuse wires.

9. Tape the cardboard onto a bigger piece of wood or cardboard. Light the fuse to set off the firework.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a sparkler box as the pieces of cardboard in Step 1.

• Fireworks have exploding flames that can be potentially dangerous, so always remember to stand a couple feet away from them.

• Fireworks are also illegal in some states, so check your state's local fireworks laws to determine their legality before obtaining and using fireworks.

References

• DIY Whistling Pinwheel Firework
• Consumer Product Safety Commission: Fireworks