Set Pieces – “Lance Work”
Components of Set Piece
Colored Lances – these are the pyrotechnic devices that are arranged to form a pattern
Stickymatch or Quickmatch – used to rapidly ignite all lance work
Molded Rattan – This type of wood is molded into the shape of the desired pattern and serves as the mounting point for each lance
Structural Framing – Simple wood framing used to hold the rattan
Uprights – This can be anything from Two by Fours to Metal Highway Stakes
Bailing Wire – Used to secure different sections of the structural framing together and uprights to the structural framing
Set Piece Setup
Step 1 – Arrange and secure different sections
If you have a small, one-section set piece, skip to step two. Some set pieces are large enough that they are fabricated and shipped in sections. If so, arrange the sections on a flat surface, and secure them together using bailing wire, as shown in the picture to the right.
Step 2 – Secure the uprights to the frame
If you’re mounting your set piece to scaffolding or another pre-existing structure, then skip to step three. There are a hundred different ways in which a set piece could be mounted depending on the logistics of your location, which may or may not require uprights. wiring a frame set pieceIn this step, I will only cover the most commonly used method, where the uprights, which typically comprise of two by fours, are secured to the frame using bailing wire as shown in the picture. Ensure good friction contact between the frame and the uprights by twisting until the bailing wire begins to dig into the two-by-four during tightening. Depending on the size of your set piece, it may be appropriate to reinforce the structural frame with a two-by-four across the back side to prevent excessive amounts of torque from being applied to the frame once it is in the vertical position.
Step 3 – Insert electric matches in each section
Insert an electric match in each section of the set piece. This will serve to have an ignition that occurs evenly over the length of the set piece and provide redundancy. Add any needed zip wire before you hoist/raise the set piece if it will end up being out of reach.
Step 4 – Redundantly splice match from different sections
Particularly if the set piece comes shipped in sections, there will be loose match leads at the end of each section. These match leads need to be spliced from section to section in as many places as possible, for fire train redundancy.
Step 5 – Secure the stakes to the two by fours
After all the stakes are in the ground (as shown in the picture above), you raise the set piece and apply a couple of turns of bailing wire around the two by four and stakes. I typically use one piece towards the bottom of the stake and one towards the top as shown in the picture below.
Step 7 – Build the “A” Frame (as needed)
If you have a small set piece and don’t need extra support, then you can skip this step. The “A-Frame” provides structural support when the set piece is large or wind is abundant. The frame is built simply by attaching an angled two-by-four via bailing wire or screws to the existing two-by-fours as shown in the picture to the top right, top left, and bottom left.
Set Piece Training Video
Watch our fireworks set piece training video for examples and more detailed step by step of what was shown above.
