The dreaded...the evil....the nightmare of pyros.....

[gecko2015]

RAIN

No seriously though, I'm curious - I'd like to hear how other experienced pyros plan and deal with this. I know I've seen a few threads on here about it, but I've got a few questions.

I'm a literal 1 man show. I do all the planning, editing, buying, poking, plugging, taping, fusing, layout, and moving all to the shoot sight myself on 8x4 plywood boards with 3x comet and 3x slice racks - and I KNOW I'm not the only one here that runs most, if not all, of their show. I run 2x Cobra 72 modules and typically have 50-150 products in my show. I run 3 stations, each 50ft apart inline with 1 Cobra module on the left and right station, requiring the middle to need long 50ft lead wires to reach one of the left/right Cobra modules. So the day of the setup can take a few hours (which this year was my fastest year setting up - 50 products in 1.5 hours).

As most do, I do most of my prepping (poking, plugging, fusing, etc.) days before the show which does save me some time. But I often see videos of people poking, plugging, and taping on the day of the show on the shoot site!

Is there behind the scenes help I'm not seeing? If I were to do this on the day of, I'd estimate it'd take me 5-8 hours of setup time which if there was ANY rain that day, it would potentially ruin my show due to not having enough allotted time to setup.

I do plan on buying a Cobra slat, case, and cable this year to reach out to my middle station which will completely cut out my need for extended fire wires - saving me ALOT of time.

But I'd like to hear ALL of your experiences with rain prepping, actual rain shoot days, and what you have done to plan and protect your product from rain and what how successful (or unsuccessful) it was. Or if you just rescheduled your show for a better forecast date.

I know this question is a bit of a combo between how you setup on the day of your show AND how you protect your product from rain, but these two topics indeed go hand-in-hand. I've gotten better at the former and have some ideas of what I need to do to get faster at that, but since I've never had to deal with the latter, I'd like to hear any tips or experience people have had rain.

[Engineer Cat]

First of all, great shows you post from 2021 and 2022. In fact I am in the middle of showing my wife your 2021 show with the video of the jets shooting flairs and you shooting comets to match it. Absolutely fantastic production right there. The proximity to the house scares me a little though but hey, not my house. :)

As far as prep, I'm a 1 man show also but I have far less to deal with then you do. I currently only use 2 24 cue Firelinx FMs with around 65+ initiators. Everything from top to bottom done by me. I prep, poke and glue / screw products down to boards the on the last week before the shoot. On shoot day I just have to bring the boards down to the 10 x 20 dock and wire up the initiators. I usually leave wiring the cans if in series to the last day as well. As for the rain, last year I had to glue / screw down to boards in the rain so I had a 10 x 10 pop up tent I used to keep product dry. That year I didn't remove the tops of the cakes. Once done I moved the boards into small plastic shed for the night. Next day it was still raining and I had to get ISH moved down and wired so I covered them the best I can and moved them, then brought the Ez up tent on the dock and gained a 10 x 10 foot area to work in without getting wet. All the product was covered with tarps and I worked under the tarps when the tent wasn't covering the products to wire stuff to the mods. It was a PITA but a half hour before the shoot the rain stopped. We pulled the tarps off careful to protect from pooling water and just fired away. We didn't have any issue with shooting because of the rain. But there's a big bright PITA sticker on that year. LOL

Keep in mind because I shoot off a dock, I didn't have to deal with pooling water on the ground like in a grass or muddy field so I get a little luck there when it rains. For the most part, there is no change of date cause the party is rain or shine. If I had to I'd shoot it in the rain I would as long as the guests are willing to stand in the rain to watch. My mods are in a case so not worried about them.

[PyroWalker]

I had downpours of rain on my shoot day today. I had 560+ cues to set up. Everything was poked and fused before, just needed put in the field and connected to the modules. It was awful. Usually, I am a 1 woman show, but this year was just too big for me to do by myself. (See my fully story on the AOP message board, Hell Set Up Day). I had 4 family members helping, thank goodness. We had a few small breaks in the rain that we scrambled to get things done. We were using plastic garbage bags for the smaller racks and 1 shots, and painters plastic drop cloths on the pallets of cakes. These worked well because they kept things dry, and we just put fresh dry ones down every time we had to stop and start again.

I am going to do things different this year to help next year go faster. Here is my plan:
1. I am scripting different, so I can set up my modules to each position and not have things sharing that made setup a giant cord tetris game in the field. I had slices and cakes on the same module, but it was not positioning right for wire length in the field. If I script and address the show more methodically, it will make setup easier. I just let Finale 3D address the show, and it wasn't done the most logical way.
2. I had pre-poked and wired all my effects a head of time. I even had put all the shells and one shots in their racks ahead of time. Next year, since each spot will have their own modules, I will be plugging in and hanging my mods on the racks a head of time. This will greatly reduce the time plugging in, in the field.
3. I am going to make cake boards next year. I plan to move the setup to my big barn and glue cakes on plywood and have them hooked to the modules ahead of time. Normally, I just brought the cakes out to the pallets I have positioned in the field. This was way too time consuming with as big of a show as I had.
4. I am going to find or make waterproof address labels for my wiring. While I was able to keep the product dry, my address labels got wet and this made plugging in even harder as we were sorting everything and had to keep checking the script over and over to make sure it was right.
5. I never take the tops off of the cakes, and I don't plan to. This does help keep the internal fusing dry if there is a threat of rain.
6. I am ordering a bulk case of plastic drop cloths to just keep in my stash for next year. I was lucky I had enough this year.

Overall, the more you can figure out how to do ahead of time the better. Planning, Planning, Planning! I have my show for next year mostly scripted already, and I am going to be spending significant amount of time addressing in a smart way. I am going to spend a lot of time mapping my shoot site better for cakes in particular. I am going to be organizing my barn to provide the biggest space for setting up. (I have a dirt floor, but it does stay dry, so I will have to figure that out.) I guess it is good to have a year between shows!

[gecko2015]

Yeah, the 2021 video's camera angle and lens makes it look like the fireworks are RIGHT next to the house, but they're not as close as the video makes them look. Each station is 120-130ft away from the house (the video makes it look like they're 30ft). Ideally I'd prefer 150ft, but it's the most space I've got to work with. Although, my neighbor loves the shows and has offered her yard if I ever need it - which would give me 170ft. So I might do that next year.

I'm actually glad to hear you've got some experience with some rain that didn't ruin your show. I've got 6 10x10 tarps and I've always had them on standby, but I haven't had to use them yet. I like the idea of a pop-up tent. I might invest in that this year. But it sounds like from your experience tarps should do the trick. And yeah, I'm not too worried about my Cobra modules, they're both in cases.

I usually leave my cakes with their tops on just in case we get some slight rain as I don't mind the slight additional clean-up. But like you said, it's more-so the bottoms of the cakes I'd be worried about. I often see set-up videos of large shows where they'll just set their cakes on the grass. I know they can tarp them for rain, but I don't see how that protects from water on the ground leaching underneath the tarp making it to the bottoms of the cakes. Some of the cakes that come with nice bottom boards, I wouldn't worry about. But some cake bottoms are just thin cardboard or even no bottom at all.

Maybe all of this isn't really that big of an issue and consumer firework cakes are more water resilient than I think. I live in the south where the humidity is almost ALWAYS above 80% in the summer. For our show this year, the humidity levels were 100% all day. The soil where I live is also always overly saturated and thus doesn't drain water well, which very quickly pools water during rain storms. So I think all of that makes me overly conscious about moisture - especially when I pull out my Cobra controller or module and within 5 mins it's literally SOAKING wet - EVERY year LOL.

I really appreciate it!

[Arles]

I'm a one man show with prep work but have some extra help on set up day. I set up 5 firing spots, L, C, R, far L, and far R.

As an extra precaution, I use about 10 folding tables placed on their side that I put in front of the fireworks in case a rack or cake tips or comes apart that would hopefully help stop something headed directly for the crowd (tables aren't a substitute for distance, tables are extra precaution).

If there is any chance of rain, I will place the tables (on side) in the middle of each firing spot and then prepare very large tarps over each spot using the tables to create a tent over the fireworks. I set up each section one at a time and get the tarp ready by securing one side so that it is ready to pull over if rain would come so I just have to pull the tarp over and secure other sides if the rain comes. I use a large enough tarp so that I have at least a two foot buffer, but preferably more between any firework and the tarp edge. Tall stuff goes to the inside. The key is huge tarps and plenty of good stakes.

When the rain has cleared or when it's time to fire, I pull the tarps back and remove them away from the firing area as they'll get ruined if you just pull them back (don't ask me how I know this :mad:) and then place the tables in their correct positions. This approach has kept my fireworks dry through some very severe weather. I've thought of doing some type of moisture barrier on the bottom, but everything has survived without it to date.

[BMoore]

I ALWAYS assume it will rain. I learned my lesson years ago when a freak downpour hit me despite a supposedly zero chance of rain. I use black trash bags for cakes and carpet runner for racks. My strategy is:

1) If you are poking in advance, go ahead and assign the proper sized trash bag at that time and keep it with the cake. I even go so far as to add the mod#/cue# to the bag and unfold the bag and re-fold lightly. For me, struggling with bags sticking together on a hot day with sweaty fingers is the biggest challenge with waterproofing!
2) At the shoot site, set up a couple pop up tents. This lets you work in the rain and they also help keep you cool!
3) At the shoot site, under the tent, insert your e-match and bag the cake. Confirm your mod/cue # is visible, seal it up and place it in the field.
4) For racks, I position the racks first and cover with a tarp (if it's raining). I then move my pop up tent along over the racks as I load them and cover them with carpet runner.
5) When landing wire to the modules, I move my tents over the modules to keep rain out of the modules.

I've set up during all day-rain and also shot in some fairly heavy rain and so far I've never lost an item to water....knock on wood. Everyone has their own methodologies, but the real key to this and everything related to pyro set up is to plan it out in advance. Shoot day is not the time to be figuring out your techniques.

[topshelfpyro]

Always prep for rain....always. All cakes get bagged in thin black bags, mortar racks are carpet taped, slices are bundled and bagged like cakes, single shots are bagged, etc

[Mattp]

About a week out I’m glued to the weather forecast,, and am ready for anything,,, lots of plastic,, if it’s raining during setup ,,. i try to hold off as long as possible,, for a break in the weather ,, but if not,, take everything out and cover it immediately ,,, I prepare for a rain or shine shoot,, the only thing that would stop me is wind ,,, you have two choices,,, either use a thin plastic/or bag each item ,, and shoot right through,,, or use tarps and remove right before shoot time ,,,, most of the products can take some rain,, as long as they’re not soaked

[Engineer Cat]

I ALWAYS assume it will rain. I learned my lesson years ago when a freak downpour hit me despite a supposedly zero chance of rain. I use black trash bags for cakes and carpet runner for racks. My strategy is:

1) If you are poking in advance, go ahead and assign the proper sized trash bag at that time and keep it with the cake. I even go so far as to add the mod#/cue# to the bag and unfold the bag and re-fold lightly. For me, struggling with bags sticking together on a hot day with sweaty fingers is the biggest challenge with waterproofing!
2) At the shoot site, set up a couple pop up tents. This lets you work in the rain and they also help keep you cool!
3) At the shoot site, under the tent, insert your e-match and bag the cake. Confirm your mod/cue # is visible, seal it up and place it in the field.
4) For racks, I position the racks first and cover with a tarp (if it's raining). I then move my pop up tent along over the racks as I load them and cover them with carpet runner.
5) When landing wire to the modules, I move my tents over the modules to keep rain out of the modules.

I've set up during all day-rain and also shot in some fairly heavy rain and so far I've never lost an item to water....knock on wood. Everyone has their own methodologies, but the real key to this and everything related to pyro set up is to plan it out in advance. Shoot day is not the time to be figuring out your techniques.

Are you removing those bags before shooting or just shooting through it? Not sure how I would feel shooting through them being I've never tried that before. Could be a good thing to test on those random days through the year when I'm hand firing some stuff for fun.

[Birdman]

I'm lucky that for my 4th show I have some flexibility with dates. It's pretty much a several day long party and everyone stays on site the whole time. This year the show was planned for the 4th but weather was iffy so I did it on the 3rd instead. I had the option of pushing it out as late as the 5th if I had to. There's always plenty of tarps and I keep a stash of plastic drop cloths and plastic bags with my other pyro supplies. One small show I did for a family picnic it started raining during setup. I ended up crawling around under a tarp to get it finished. Glad I got an earlier than usual start that time. They were calling for an afternoon shower but turned into all day rain. It stopped about 20 mins before it got dark.

[Engineer Cat]

I'm lucky that for my 4th show I have some flexibility with dates. It's pretty much a several day long party and everyone stays on site the whole time. This year the show was planned for the 4th but weather was iffy so I did it on the 3rd instead. I had the option of pushing it out as late as the 5th if I had to. There's always plenty of tarps and I keep a stash of plastic drop cloths and plastic bags with my other pyro supplies. One small show I did for a family picnic it started raining during setup. I ended up crawling around under a tarp to get it finished. Glad I got an earlier than usual start that time. They were calling for an afternoon shower but turned into all day rain. It stopped about 20 mins before it got dark.

I don't think the pyro gods hate us, I just think they like to mess with us. More times than not its raining all day and stops just before shoot time. LOL

[Jay_]

I got rained on in 2019 so I learned a valuable lesson. Everything is at least a couple inches off the ground and I double wrap everything.

I cover each board/station with 4 mil plastic sheeting. I use wooden strips and a brad nailer to pull the plastic snug..but not tight.

Then when I make the 16 mile trek to my site and unload the board or station, I put a 10 mill tarp over it as well, pull it tight, and tuck the edges under all 4 sides of the board.

Most of the time, my boards are on site for at least a couple of days before show day. Its gotten rained on just about every year now out in the field, and I don't even worry about it. Unless there was a tornado or 100mph straight line winds that blew the tarps off and ripped the plastic...nothing is getting in there.

6368

[BMoore]

Are you removing those bags before shooting or just shooting through it? Not sure how I would feel shooting through them being I've never tried that before. Could be a good thing to test on those random days through the year when I'm hand firing some stuff for fun.

I shoot through them. I buy the cheapest black bags I can get which usually means they are on the thinner side, but not sure that really matters. The combination of fire from the lift and velocity cuts through the plastic like butter. You wont even know it's there. The only exception might be a cake cake with an exceptionally small bore or something like saturn missles. For those you'd probably want to cut the plastic off the top before shooting but any normal 200G cake and up just shoot through it.

[Engineer Cat]

I shoot through them. I buy the cheapest black bags I can get which usually means they are on the thinner side, but not sure that really matters. The combination of fire from the lift and velocity cuts through the plastic like butter. You wont even know it's there. The only exception might be a cake cake with an exceptionally small bore or something like saturn missles. For those you'd probably want to cut the plastic off the top before shooting but any normal 200G cake and up just shoot through it.

Good to know. Thanks

16 mile trek Jay? Jesus

[PyroFL]

Our show is way to big for one guy but I do keep track of man hours.

The big change I did this year is everything has slates now.

Everything was pre wired to slates which cut off 28 man hours on show day in the hot Florida Sun. A lot easier to do it in my AC garage.

I also got some new brake out D25 boards that I can now shot from 4 locations per bank with never hooking up MJG to the modules … this also help a lot to cut down on man hours and cues needed for my show.

The time killer for us is the 500 shells/mortars/can/canisters we have to fuse up.

This year with 8 of us we were set and covered in 4 1/2 hours, that includes 6 boards, 500 DR11 Tubes, 4 fire machines, 8 LED lights and 16 speakers ran out 1200’ around a pond.

[PyroFL]

Forgot plus 6 racks and 4 slice racks

[Rick_In_Tampa]

I won't repeat everything that's already been said, but I don't have helpers until it's time to build the boards and on the 4th itself to set up. So I poke all my effects in the weeks leading up to the 4th. I label each effect with mod and cue #, put them back in the box, and label the box with the mod # info. Makes it easier on board building day.

On board building day, my buddy comes over and we glue all the cakes down to the boards. We arrange them on the board so (for example) fan cakes won't be shooting into the cake next to it. We also sort them so we can stack the 4'x4' boards on top of one another to save space in my garage.

On the 4th we load the boards into my truck and we drive them 4 houses down to my shoot site, which is a 300' x 600' retention pond. There we place them in order and wire them to the Cobra mods. Once everything is wired and tested for continuity, we cover each board with a tarp. It generally rains every July 4th, and I'm happy it does. Cuts down the potential for fires if everything's wet.

At 8pm (1hr before show time) we go down and uncover everything, taking great care to ensure we don't dump water into the effects as we're uncovering them. Once everything is uncovered, I chase everyone away and I'm the last guy through the shoot site, arming all the mods and doing final checks.

Seems to work well. I had (I think) 15 boards this year and we set up in just over 5 hours.