Long-delayed cannon update

Pictures, we need pictures! Sounds like fun, and just in time for the 4th.

Lane

|| Oh, about 400 days ago I asked around about golf ball cannons. Last ||night ||I put the first powder in mine and made a bang. || || It is a short thing, about 10" total. The main part is some scrap mild ||steel "pipe", ||3" on the OD and about 1.5" on the ID available at Schorr Metals in ||Placentia ||CA. After searching on Ebay for an endmill, I spotted a good 1.75" unit. ||Using an endmill holder extension and all the quill and table travel on my ||J-head Bridgeport, this was run through the "pipe" using the high-sulfur ||thread cutting lube sold at Home Depot. || || The 1.75" endmill works great with golf ball cannons, as the golf ball ||has a nominal diameter of 1.68". || || The cannon was tapered on my Atlas 10", using a simple plug and ||tailstock offset. The taper is mostly cosmetic, bringing the wall thickness ||down to 3/8" at the far end. || || The breach was plugged by 4 layers of 5/16" plate, each one with a ||proper bevel and full weld. The last one is a cap. There is a pivoting ||stand made of scrap 1" mild steel. || || The basic project is easy, especially if you do not want a ||tapered exterior or a smooth, consistent interior. Good welding skill is ||required; I did spend a year in welding college.

What - no rifling?

|| Propellant is FFFG Clean Shot black powder substitute. Wadding ||is one paper towel, rammed with a section of PVC pipe. Fuse is about ||4" of 1/8" slow-burn high-quality cannon fuse. || || Although I have no plans to launch a golf ball, I think I could send ||one a long, long way. || || The sound is great. Not like a firearm, but sort of like slamming a ||1000 lb door. || || Happy 4th of July.

How could you build a toy and not try it out ??

Sounds cool, on my "To Do" list

Texas Parts Guy

See :

This is going to be a Darwin award winner some day soon.

with gasoline as the fuel, be sure to add a little powdered soap, such as Duz detergent and about 35% diesel. Stir in the soap (or even styrofoam popcorn) until its about the consistancy of thin syrup..Karo for the Yanks.

Gives it a bit of weight for better distance and loft, and makes for great persistance..its nice and sticky.

Or so they say.....

Gunner

"The entire population of Great Britain has been declared insane by their government. It is believed that should any one of them come in possession of a firearm, he will immediately start to foam at the mouth and begin kiling children at the nearest school. The proof of their insanity is that they actually believe this." -- someone in misc.survivalism

Or another Dupont.

As one sig on the net says....something to the effect that Amerian became a technological giant because its young inventers were not afraid of building things that could blow off a few fingers .

Or similar.

Gunner

"The entire population of Great Britain has been declared insane by their government. It is believed that should any one of them come in possession of a firearm, he will immediately start to foam at the mouth and begin kiling children at the nearest school. The proof of their insanity is that they actually believe this." -- someone in misc.survivalism

Don't believe everything you read in the papers. There are many in this country who would remove all forms of risk and there are many of us who oppose them.

John

Did you notice the Real Estate For Sale sign in this one:

Bob

SNIP .

Oddly enough, the Bridgeport on low speed, combined with the 2-flute endmill, and some less-than-infinite rigidity did result in spiral grooves all the way down the barrel. The rate is about one twist in 6", but there are about 50 grooves perfectly arranged all the way down the barrel. The grooves are not sharp and are not deep, but are easy to catch with a fingernail.

Accidental rifling. Here is how to do it: 3/4 endmill holder driving an 8" section of 3/4" mild steel rod. A 3/4" coupling nut was cleaned out on the lathe and welded to the bar. One set screw in the nut and that is a quickie endmill holder extension. Put the whole thing in a J-head on slowest speed. Make a direct vertical plunge cut into the center of the pipe. It will vibrate. Keep feeding; it will form pseudo-rifling. Like a knurl, once the pattern is established, it becomes stable and self perpetuating.

Nice flame thrower.

One could add a 5-lb propane bottle in the backpack. Use it both to pressurize the liquid, and for a pilot light. Bernzomatic does make a "hose" remote version of that torch, all could go in the pack. Use a propane-rated quick disconnect for ease of disassembly.

You want a deadman valve for the fuel. Since you have an "air" pressure source, use a pilot-operated pneumatic valve, again using the propane pressure for power.

Pilot light should be above the fuel source.

Instead of a standard backpack, use a "child carrier" pack. These come equipped with "kickstands" so you can put down a child without him falling over. The high-end units have automatic kickstands -- very nice for quick dismount.

A single-layer Nomex driving suit would be a great touch.

Stepping up in complexity and durability, the stainless steel tanks used to supply soda syrup would be a better choice than PVC tube. These are available in the aftermarket, typically for zymurgy use.

It being a dull day, I decide to respond to what Gunner fosted Fri, 02 Jul 2004 09:45:22 GMT on rec.crafts.metalworking , viz:

Here ya go:

Bob