Mini Cannon

looks like fun

Looks like something to make at home

--FWIW I wrote the guy a letter to find out a little more about it but I guess so many people wrote that he's only sent out a form letter in response and I didn't really get my questions answered; maybe some of you lot can set me straight? --For starters I made a little cannon of my own but it doesn't work for beans: best I can do is lob a bb about 2ft. I'm thinking the type of powder I'm using might have something to do with it and that the open touch-hole is dissipating some of the force. So for starters where does one get that kewl small-diameter fuze he's using? And who's got a source for that extra-extra fine powder he's using? Ordinary pistol powder is maybe too coarse for this application..

4F should be used and it is entirely possible to Gently...in small amounts..gently grind it smaller. His was a brownish color..rather than black/grey...so Im not terribly sure it was actually black powder. It had too much report for that small a quantity of black powder.

It may have been a fulmanate of some sort.

Gunner

It's probably illegal in Californicate. If not, it soon will be as soon as the leftards in Sacramento get wind of it.

Jim

Definitely not enough smoke for black powder either, and I suspect after a couple shots the smell would have driven him to continue his testing outdoors. Been a while since I shot any of that crap, but Pyrodex is a greyer color than BP. Still I think Pyrodex produces more smoke than that also.

You used to be able to buy 4F and 5F BP because its used in flash pans for those purists who still shoot flintlocks.

I don't know about fuse that size, but larger waterproof canon fuse has been available at all the gun shows I have ever attended.

Flash powder. I was figuring something like that. Black would be far too slow in a tiny bore like that

Gunner

[ ... ]

That almost looks like the fuse used for the Jetex rocket motors. It is a dark brown color, and actually has a copper wire core. This made it possible to light a folded length of it electrically.

Enjoy, DoN.

cavelamb fired this volley in news:xuKdnWDhfbxbgfLRnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com:

That's called "igniter cord", not "fuse". The brown color comes from the composition, which includes lead tetroxide as a secondary high- temperature oxidizer -- so-called "red lead". If it has only ONE wire (on the inside), it is not made by Explo Brazil. Their igniter cord has one copper wire in the center, and a stainless steel "carrier wire" just inside the outer jacket.

The majority of the igniter cord used in the world today is made by Explo Brazil, under the trademark of "Mantitor Ignitor". It comes in several speeds.

The Germans and Swedes also make varieties of it. Ensign Bickford, famous for fuse and blasting caps/initiators doesn't seem to be interested in that particular market anymore.

LLoyd

Well ... Jetex called it "fuse" -- if my memory from about 1960 is correct.

One centrally-located copper wire. I used some folded in two to electrically ignite model rockets back a long time ago.

No stainless wires in the ones which I used.

I presume that it is planned to be used with electrical ignition?

O.K.

Enjoy, DoN.

Yeah, but when you really want a garage project .............

Steve

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Someone screwed up. Californians aren't supposed to even be able to view the video.

Steve

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The A-10 in action. I would not want one of these after me.

Steve

I would say that fuse is a single strand of Cordite. I've burnt many of them.

Don't shoot the Smirnoff!

Wes

-- "Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller