Welcome to Connecticut Pyrotechnic Manufacturing, makers of the WASP series of aerial shell pasting machines.

                                                                                                                              -Jim Widmann, President

The WASP machines were created to apply gummed paper tape to aerial fireworks shells, and automate this most labor-intensive aspect of shell manufacture. These are true CNC (computer numeric control) machines that run off a laptop or desktop PC. They will effortlessly paste your shells, and produce the exact same paste job, all day long, every time.

             The WASP4 (3"- 12")                                       The WASP5 (4"- 12")

Product Overview 

The WASP machines apply a continous strip of gummed paper tape to spherical shells in an exact and precise manner. The WASP software uses a proprietary algorythm to provide a uniform covering of the shell for a perfectly round break.

In the picture below an ink marker was used to show the base pattern that the tape follows. The open "pole" at the middle of the shell is soon covered with the subsequent layer which is applied on a 90 degree axis. The next layer is applied on the 3rd axis to ensure full, even coverage. Note the accuracy of the pattern.

The WASP4 is a real workhorse machine. It pastes shells 3" through 12" and has enough power to turn even heavy 12" shells, and small shells up to 6" take about a minute. This machine features 920 oz./in. motors and two powerful 6amp/phase drivers. It takes just a few seconds to change from 3" through 6" shells and under 5 minutes to change to larger shells. The WASP4 comes with the WASP software and program files for shells 2.25" through 12". This is a heavy duty machine good for years of reliable service.

The WASP5 is the ultimate pasting machine. It can paste shells 4" through 12" and features a solid 3/8" thick aluminum spine that traverses the two drive wheel to provide tremendous strength. The machine is powered by massive 1200 oz.in motors and 7amp/phase drivers, and can turn even the heaviest 12's at production rates. It takes very little time to change sizes. The WASP5 is designed to perform day-in, day-out in heavy production environments.

How the WASP system works:
Shells pasted on a WASP machine are constructed in a typical fashion except that a small magnet is inserted into the fuse hole instead of the time fuse. The shell is then placed on the WASP machine and pasted and burnished. The magnet is located by using another magnet (or any other ferrous object) and then, using a sharp knife, a "plug" of pasted paper is cut out around the magnet to reveal the fuse hole. The crossmatched time-fuse is then inserted and sealed to the shell with string and glue, or a short "tube well" that is filled with a plug of adhesive around the fuse. A few strips of gummed tape seals the shell. 

Advantages of using a WASP machine:

• Paste shells all day long without fatigue
• 7 times faster than traditional hand techniques
• Exactly the same paste job, every time
• Completely automatic, stops by itself when program is done
• Burnish mode provides a smooth, finished appearance
• Easily adjusts to all your shell pasting needs
• Requires only AC power and your computer

Click on the link below to see how shells used to be pasted,

Video of traditional shell pasting technique

W.A.S.P. = Widmann's Automatic Shell Paster

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