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PYROTECHNIC GLOSSARY
Version 1.1

This is the largest and most complete list of firework terms that I know of.  If there is anything you think I should add, please email me.

ABS – plastic pipe that should NEVER be used for mortars since it can shatter into razor sharp pieces

Aerial shell – see shell

Barrage – rapid-fire repetition of an aerial effect

BATF – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

Bees – aerial spinners that create a buzzing sound

Binder – substance used to hold certain pyrotechnic compositions together, such as stars

Black match – a common type of fuse that consists of black powder impregnated in cotton string.  It burns at about one inch per second, but can burn up to 100 feet per second if encased in a narrow paper tube (quickmatch)

Black shell (blind shell) – a shell that fails to burst in the air, and plummets back to earth.  The impact on the ground sometimes causes it to burst

“Blown blind” – when stars fail to ignite

Bottle rocket – a small rocket stabilized by a stick

Branching – sparks that split up into smaller sparks, which looks similar to a branch

Break – a compartment of a shell containing effects; the release of effects

Brick – bundled packs of firecrackers

Burst – the release of effects into the air by a shell

Chrysanthemum – spherical break of stars with trails of sparks coming off of each star

Class B – old term for display fireworks

Class C – old term for consumer fireworks

Comet – basically a large star that emits sparks

Consumer fireworks – fireworks for public use.  Also known as 1.4G

Convolute – paper firework tubes wound in a parallel fashion

CPSC – Consumer Product Safety Commission

Crackle – clusters of small reports

Crossette – comets that split into more comets

Crossmatch – technique used to ignite time fuse in shells.  A piece of black match is threaded through a hole in the time fuse, insuring ignition

Cut stars – cubical stars cut from damp pyrotechnic composition with a knife

Display fireworks – fireworks for professional use.  Also known as 1.3G

Dragon eggs – clusters of crackling sparks in the air

Drivers – thrust-producing fountains used to propel devices such as rats and wheels

Dross – molten waste product of combustion

Dud – a firework that fails to ignite

Electric matches – electrical device used for lighting fireworks, much like model rocketry igniters

Flowerpot – when a shell explodes prematurely in the mortar, spraying the effects into the air like a mine

Fountain – firework that produces upward showers of sparks.  Also called gerbes

Girandola – a spinning horizontal wheel that lifts off and flies up into the sky

Gerbe – see fountain

Glitter – stars that flash only once each

HDPE – High Density Polyethylene: strong plastic pipe commonly used for mortars

Helicopter – a spinner with wings that flies into the air.  Properly called a tourbillion

Jeweled rats – rats that carry effects on the outside, such as stars

Kraft paper – brown paper commonly used in fireworks construction for things such as tubes and quick match pipe

Ladyfinger – tiny firecrackers

Lance – steady-burning, flare-like device used to provide color on devices like rats, wheels, and set pieces

Mine – upward blast of effects from a mortar

Mortar – high-density tubes from which aerial fireworks such as shells and mines are ejected

Multi break – shell with numerous compartments, each one bursting separately

Muzzle break – when a shell bursts immediately after leaving the mortar

Nosing paper – thin paper wrapped around and extending off of the nozzle of a pyrotechnic device, used to hold the fuse in place and prevent sparks from prematurely igniting the device

Orange book – nickname for the booklet titled ATF – Explosives Law and Regulations

Palm tree – a break that spreads out into several branches

Parallel burning – sequence where a piece of burning material ignites the piece next to it, which in turn ignites the piece next to that (such as fuse)

Parallel matching – ignition sequence where one fuse is connected to and simultaneously ignites multiple pyrotechnics devices (such as shells and set pieces)

Pattern shell – shell that breaks in a perfect spherical pattern

Pearl – single color star, launched from the ground

Peony – break of stars without trails

PGI – Pyrotechnics Guild International

Pigeon – device that consists of many rats, designed to fly back and forth, and even spin

Pipe – loose paper tubing fitted over black match to make quick match

Portfires – special flares designed for ignition rather than illumination

PVC – plastic pipe that should NEVER be used for mortars since it can shatter into razor sharp pieces.  Basically the same as ABS

Pumped stars – stars made using a star pump Pyrotechnician

Quick match – extremely rapidly burning fuse used to ignite multiple fireworks at virtually the same instant

Rat – rocket constrained to fly along a line; often emitting sparks and effects

Repeater – firework which fires the same effect into the  air continuously

Report – explosion

Roman candle – tube-shaped device that fires a series of stars into the air

Round star – spherical stars commonly used in fireworks

Salute –loud report without stars or colors

Safe and Sane – fireworks that do not move or fly

Safety cap – paper cap placed over bare fuse ends to prevent premature ignition

Safety fuse – slow burning, waterproof fuse used for time delays between fireworks

Series matching – ignition sequence where devices are fused to ignite one after another, like a chain on dominos

Shell – spherical or cylindrical-shaped firework propelled into the air from a mortar

Side spit – sparks and flame that shoot out from a fuse as it burns

Star – small pellet that emits light and sparks as it burns

Star gun – small roman candle like device used for testing stars

Star pump – syringe-like container through which star composition is pushed out of and cut into individual stars

Sticky match – quickmatch type fuse consisting of a trail of black power between two pieces of tape stuck against each other

Strobe – bright stars that each flash repeatedly

Time fuse – thick, slow burning fused used for time delays in aerial shells

Titanium report – loud explosion in the air with white sparks

Tourbillion – see helicopter

Visco – see safety fuse

Wheel – device that spins rapidly using drivers, emitting sparks

Whirlwind – tube that spins in the air giving off showers of sparks

Whistle – high-pitched shriek caused by air rushing through a partly hollow tube