Do you always take the tops off fireworks mortars and cakes before lighting them?

I always take the tops off and expose every tube. I like to make sure the tubes are all round and smooth and have no overhanging edges. I also use deck screws and attach the mortar tubes and cakes to a 4 ft x 4 ft pallet that has been painted with high temperature cooking grill paint. Am I being too much of an engineer? Do you bother making sure your fireworks cannot move? Or do you just light ‘em and let ‘em fly?
I love fireworks and July 4th!