Covering Mortar Racks

[Playingwithfire85]

I am starting to get my racks together and situated for my show and I ran into an issue that I am worried about. I know some people put foil over their racks but for now I am curious as to if I cover tubes with "Dave's Magic Tape" will black box shells blow through it or is it too tough? I know canisters make light work of that tape but I am not sure about the black box shells.

[Pyro Nation]

Do not worry about tape stopping a shell... U can tear it with your hand then the shell will be no worries

a 3" shell can go through plywood...

[Playingwithfire85]

I have seen videos where a 3 inch shoots through plywood. I am more worried about el-cheapo ball shells (6 shells for $2.50) not having enough lift to break that tape. last thing I need is a 20 shot rack flower potting because of tape.

[Pyro Nation]

Well, to please ur concern take 1 shell and test it out...add extra fuse or efire it..

[mguerra]

You can use 3" masking tape. It works to prevent crossfire and is WAY easier to clean up than foil! Because you don't need to clean it up at most shoot sites. I never foil anymore.

[Playingwithfire85]

I definitely need to clean up where I am shooting. Its at a $3.5 mil historic home/farm and they're really picky. They don't want foil or paper going in their pond. I will try masking tape and see how well it holds. Thanks.

[N3OQO]

My yard is covered with paper every year after the holiday, firecrackers, cardboard and paper from mortars and cakes. I just clean up the cakes and run the mover, it makes GREAT mulch for the grass, my backyard looks like a fairway. ;)

[PuroJon]

I definitely need to clean up where I am shooting. Its at a $3.5 mil historic home/farm and they're really picky. They don't want foil or paper going in their pond. I will try masking tape and see how well it holds. Thanks.

When cleanup or shot garbage is important then you might consider getting a couple of welding blankets from a place like Harbor Freight. About $20 each for 4'x6', you can anchor them with tent stakes or concrete blocks, they last for years. Not only can protect the ground (or asphalt) and help retard afterburns from spreading, but it also makes it easier to clean up. Very handy with shooting cakes and catching the blow off of paper or foil, or for cakes are prone to afterburning. Its not going to get it all but sure gives you a head start on cleaning up in the dark. Harder to find and clean up mortar cartridge plugs, but such is life. You also can use massive-sized ground tarps and put the cheap welding blankets on top.

You also can just put cakes or racks in plastic garbage bags. And/or cut off all paper from the tops of cakes, etc. Only time I don't cut the paper off cakes is when there's light rain drizzle or something. Like when its not enough rain to cover stuff in plastic, but a drizzle that I don't like thinking is getting to fuse or match. I hate cleaning up those little paper bits after a shoot. They don't bother much ecologically, but it makes a shoot sight look messy after a show. You often can't see much of it at night but the client will see every scrap of it the next day.

If you have no rain - there's not much need to cover a tape-covered chain fuse. If racks are very close together I'd rather wrap them in foil and not need to worry about it. Others use plastic wrap or ground cloth the same way. If using Talons or ematches just be sure to check continuity both before and after wrapping.

Just an opinion...

[Pyro k]

My yard is covered with paper every year after the holiday, firecrackers, cardboard and paper from mortars and cakes. I just clean up the cakes and run the mover, it makes GREAT mulch for the grass, my backyard looks like a fairway. ;)

That's exactly how I clean up lol

[zmaster725]

I like to take a thick plastic or something called Visqueen and place it on the ground during the day, then place my cakes or racks on it. As it cools off of an evening and the dew settles in, there is a thin enough layer of water/moisture to prevent the plastic from melting or burning. I always buy the longer rolls that spread out pretty wide that way I don't have to cut off several sections. By having this on the ground it works as an awesome catcher for a lot off shell/cake fallout. The best part is the cleanup, all you do is take one corner at a time and just walk them together and you made a giant trashbag. Granted if its super hot and you don't get an evening dew, then it is probably going to make it a lot worse. This works for me very well and I have used this method at every shoot for several years.