6 replies to this topic

[jayden]

Just a quick question (3 actually)
- What are gerbs? Are they like fountains?
- What are rains? Are they like waterfalls?
- Lastly, what are flying squids?

[seymour]

A gerb is no different than a fountain. The difference is largely in who uses it. Some people are more likely to call it a gerb (special effects types, for example), while it is unlikely to be called anything other than a fountain by someone who buys it from the firework shop to light it at home.

A rain is almost certainly going to be used to describe a shell that either just drops stars (very little burst), that have a long burn time and often a tail. or a shell that allows the stars to droop significantly to droop. The latter also has many other names, such as willow shell. Names are not always set, and can overlap.

I have never heard of a flying squid. Do you mean Squib?

[portfire]

Rains are actually small Gerbs/Fountains with a ID of 6-9mm charged with a fast burning composition, they are used in Shells, Rockets, though the tube length is shorter.

Again, Flying Squibs are small Gerb like devices with around a 9mm 'Pulled-in' Choke, again charged with a fast composition. They were sold as "ground" items but are now banned due to their erratic behavior, but are effective in Mines etc.

Edited by portfire, 19 July 2009 - 09:05 AM.

[seymour]

Rains are actually small Gerbs/Fountains with a ID of 6-9mm charged with a fast burning composition, they are used in Shells, Rockets, though the tube length is shorter.

I think this is another case of overlapping names.

I have seen quite a number of Chinese shells using the term rain for drooping effects. Perhaps the name only has common use in particular geographic/political areas.

[jayden]

Sweet! Thanks a lot for that.

[dr thrust]

weingarts take on the matter of gerbs and fountains is
a gerb has a diameter of up to 3/4 inch and up to 9 inch long.
where a fountain has a diameter from one inch, to one and a half inches and up to 12 inches long.
also ive read the word gerb is actually pronounced "jerb" is this correct?

[Mortartube]

Gerb is prononced "Jerb". It is from the French word "Gerbe" meaning Wheatsheaf.

weingarts take on the matter of gerbs and fountains is
a gerb has a diameter of up to 3/4 inch and up to 9 inch long.
where a fountain has a diameter from one inch, to one and a half inches and up to 12 inches long.
also ive read the word gerb is actually pronounced "jerb" is this correct?