I will tell you how not to get pinched by the feds, the police and people in general.
For the pyros who live in the suburbs or near a retirement center (I live near both) this may be more helpful to you than oppose someone who lives in the country.
Here are some helpful hints and just common sense for you:
Try to avoid lighting stuff near your house if it's loud do it at night in the street.
Don't light large smoke bombs near your house people will most likely call the fire department.
Don't light stuff so people can see you and/or give a description of your face to the cops.
Old people are your enemy so are firework hating pricks along with nosey neighbors who have to always know what's going on.
If the cops come to your door don't ask to see a warrant they might come back with some explosives know it all. Who could better identify contraband. Second don't be a smart ass and act like your so tough, if they ask "do you light fireworks" don't reply with "yeah but only when I'm with your momma" answer there questions with short but responsive replies just nod your head and smile. If they find questionable materials tell them your into model rocketry. With well hidden materials and good "honest" replies there search shouldn't last long. It's my theory if your nice and polite to them they will be the same back. But if you're a prick remember what goes around comes around.
If the cops are to see you light something and you run you have just given them reason of interest to pursue you. If you decide to run well you better haul ass if it's daytime and your in the suburbs jump into people back yards and hop fences to freedom. If it's night and your wearing dark color clothes like black, gray, blue etc. your odds of freedom have increased. When be chased by the cops at night run through areas that are familiar to you, but never ever run straight home. Run where it's not lit very well, makes you harder to spot. Run through allies and back sides, but never run where you can be spotted with ease. If your running and you can't take it anymore look for a hiding spot like in or behind a dumpster. Take the long way home.
If you light an explosive never go back home the way you originally came, find another route.
Wait at least 4 hours after lighting an explosive and returning to see the damage, cops are always sleazing around the seen of the crime hours after waiting for the punk who lit it.
To help prevent noise put your explosive underground with something heavy and thick on top of it. I used a concrete slab. Also a coffee can with something heavy on top will also work. But not as well. These methods will only bring the noise level down a small portion.
Using fuse delays such as match fuse, sparklers, and kno3 fuse will aid in getting away faster. So when you light it you can do what I call a light 'N' watch.
Try not to act suspicious like wearing ski masks and running to a telephone pole and looking over then running to something else to hide behind.
If you are stupid and use high explosives in a urban area my advice is that you wear rubber disposable gloves and you use a long fuse delay. Throw the gloves in a fire when you are done.
Now we will be talking about hiding your supplies, chemicals and other incriminating evidence.
There are several places to hide your supplies like storage units, friends houses, abandoned buildings, and cubby holes as I call them. Also hiding things in you basement, attic, or shed aren't bad ideas. Never hide things in your sock drawer or under your bed. Burying your stuff is a good idea but put all your things in a zip lock bag for protection.
Using statues made of cork, wood, plastics are good hiding spots once you hollow them out. Take a drill or knife and start butchering cut a circle out so when your done you can put it back in place.
Using ceramic lamp holders or bases are also good because they are big and already hollowed out, just use a burnt out bulb to prevent electric ignition.
Hiding things in between the wooden slats underneath your bed is also an option.
Using wooden chests as a table for your TV is good, I did this I put a blanket over the top of the chest and it's looks normal. Just like a small table.
When hiding things be creative. Using hollowed out books are good for small things but get a thick book. Cut out the middle of the pages with a utility knife it will take a long time, try using a jig saw.
The only bad thing to hiding your supplies is if you get caught by the police it will look really bad when you first deny having any pyrotechnics in your house, then looky here we have found chemicals and tubes and liteture. Damn better be creative with the lies.
That brings me to this hiding literature if it's on your computer well tough buttons because they will confiscate it perform searches for words like "bomb" "explosive" "anarchy". I know little of computers but I suggest you bone up on that subject, try erasing files you've accessed.
But when it comes to written liteture you can hide formulas in the bible or other thick book. Or cut out sections of compositions and glue it over the page of the book, you could make a book of formulas.